Toshiba America Business Solutions Account Executive Interview Questions
& Process

The interview was pretty standard. Make sure you've researched the company and the role, and that you can meet the job expectations. I tried to build a good connection with the Sales Manager who interviewed me. I asked them about the challenges of the job. Just be confident.

So the interview process here is pretty standard for big companies. It starts with a 30-minute phone screen. If they think you're a good fit, you move on to an in-person interview. I have to say, the recruiter I spoke with first was really professional and thorough, giving me a good idea of what to expect. I know as a decent candidate, you're supposed to be prepared, show up early, and get a contact person to follow up with. But honestly, after the interview, I really didn't feel like calling anyone back. I thought I was a strong candidate and went in with a positive attitude, even though this was pretty low on my list of priorities compared to other interviews I had that day and week. It's not to say it's not a great company where you can build a career, and from what I've read about similar outside sales/account executive roles, it seems accurate. Someone mentioned that interviewers will either find a way to hire you or find a reason not to, and that was spot on for this interview. You never really know what to expect, so you have to think on your feet. Whether it's a company tactic or the interviewer's personality, you should always try to stay professional, even if your gut tells you to leave. As I was saying, you need to be quick. Within the first minute or two, I could tell this wasn't going to be easy, and since it's sales, I figured they were testing me with rapid-fire, detailed questions, so I adapted. I realized pleasantries weren't going to be part of this. The first few minutes of rapid-fire questions turned into them cutting me off before I could even answer or think. They'd ask a question, and I'd start to respond, but they'd interrupt me before I finished. At this point, I really didn't want to be there. The thought of politely yet firmly ending the interview and saying this isn't the right opportunity crossed my mind, but I didn't. After this interrogation-style questioning, which might have shaken some people, I wasn't excited about talking to anyone else from the branch. The interviewer was professional but skirted the line with some interview questions before catching themselves, likely realizing I wasn't a newbie. I know many of those questions and when to answer them and when not to. Sometimes you have to reveal something somewhat personal if you really want the job. So I just went with it. Anyway, the next part was another interview down the hall with someone else, maybe an account executive or a director. I don't remember because I didn't care. This, despite the aggressive interview, was puzzling. Why have me talk to someone else if they were trying to find a reason not to hire me? The first interviewer didn't seem to like me, or maybe I was just another candidate on their checklist. I suspect they had to show they interviewed me and then had someone else interview me for checklist purposes. Regardless, this second interview lasted about 5-10 minutes, and I got no further information about the role or company, nor did I want it. Their silent expression screamed 'I don't want to be here either!' which reinforced my gut feeling that this is a terrible place to work, with no company culture, stressful, and just a place to collect a paycheck. So, I just counted the seconds until we could both wrap it up and go our separate ways. The one lesson I learned was not to put up with any nonsense, even if you think you have to. Don't go to interviews you're not passionate about, and if it's a company with no merit, just leave. You'll be prouder if you do. The only reason I didn't leave was because, on some level, I respected the Toshiba name. I can tell you one thing though: I will never buy a Toshiba laptop again, and I've owned three. Okay, my rant is over, and hopefully, it helps.

I got a phone call from the branch manager about a week after I sent in my resume. Then, I had a second interview with both the district manager and the branch manager. After that, they told me they'd set up the final interview with the VP. The Monday after that, I got a call saying they decided to go with someone who had more industry experience.