​Landing the interview is only half the battle. What separates the person who gets the offer from the person who doesn't is usually how they show up on the day.

After years in recruitment, we've noticed that interviews in food and drink manufacturing follow similar patterns. While every business is different, many hiring managers ask competency-based questions designed to understand how you've handled situations in the past.

One of the best ways to answer these questions is by using the STAR method:

•Situation - Set the scene.

•Task - Explain your responsibility.

•Action - Describe exactly what you did.

•Result - Share the outcome and, where possible, what you learned.

The STAR method helps you give structured, evidence-based answers that demonstrate your experience and make it easier for interviewers to assess your suitability for the role.

Here are six questions you're highly likely to be asked.

1. "How do you handle working in a fast-paced environment?"

Food and drink manufacturing moves quicker than most industries. Priorities change and deadlines can move with very little notice.

What they're really asking: Can you manage your time under pressure? Are you adaptable when plans change unexpectedly?

This is a competency-based question. The interviewer wants evidence of how you've handled pressure before, as this is often the best predictor of how you'll perform in the role. Use the STAR method to describe a specific example where priorities suddenly changed. Explain the situation, what you needed to achieve, how you reorganised your workload, communicated with others and ensured nothing critical was missed. Finish by explaining the positive outcome and what the experience taught you.

2. "Tell us about a time you had to work closely with another department."

No department in a food business operates in isolation. Commercial teams rely on NPD, NPD relies on Technical, Operations works closely with Engineering, and Supply Chain connects everyone together.

What they're really asking: Are you collaborative? Can you communicate effectively with people who have different priorities and objectives?

This is a competency question focusing on teamwork, communication and stakeholder management. Structure your answer using the STAR method. Choose a project where you worked across departments to solve a problem or deliver a result. Explain the challenges, how you built relationships, listened to different viewpoints and found common ground. Focus on your contribution and the successful outcome rather than what everyone else did.

3. "Why does our business appeal to you?"

This is where many candidates lose marks by giving generic answers such as, "It seems like a great company." Hiring managers can quickly tell who has researched the business and who hasn't.

What they're really asking: Have you done your homework? Do you understand what we make, our customers and what makes us different from our competitors?

This is a culture-fit question. Go beyond the company website. Look at recent product launches, investments, acquisitions, sustainability initiatives or market activity. Then explain why those things genuinely interest you and how they align with your own experience, values or long-term career goals.

4. "Can you give an example of a mistake you made or a problem you faced, and how you fixed it?"

Mistakes happen in every business. What employers care about is how you respond when they do.

What they're really asking: Do you take accountability? Can you solve problems, learn from mistakes and improve processes?

This is a competency-based question assessing accountability and problem-solving. Be honest about a genuine mistake but choose one with a positive ending. Explain what happened, the actions you took to resolve the issue, what you learned and what changes were implemented to prevent it from happening again. Avoid blaming others or pretending you've never made a mistake.

5. "How do you keep the end consumer or client in mind during your day-to-day work?"

Whether you're manufacturing products for supermarkets, foodservice or direct-to-consumer brands, every role contributes to the customer's experience.

What they're really asking: Do you understand the bigger picture? Do you appreciate how your work impacts quality, service and customer satisfaction?

This is a competency-based question. Use the STAR method to describe a time when your actions directly protected quality, improved customer service or prevented an issue from reaching the customer. Depending on your role, this could involve improving quality standards, anticipating customer requirements or identifying a potential issue before it became a larger problem.

6. "Do you have any questions for us?"

Many candidates think the interview finishes when they're asked this. This is your final opportunity to leave a positive impression.

What they're really asking: Are you genuinely interested in this opportunity, or are you simply looking for any job?

Avoid saying "No, you've answered everything." Instead, prepare thoughtful questions that show you've researched the business and are thinking about the role long-term.

Some good examples include:

•What would success look like after six months?

•What are the biggest challenges facing the team right now?

•Where do you see the business in the next three to five years?

•What qualities have made previous people successful in this role?

For competency-based questions, having several strong examples prepared using the STAR method will help you answer naturally, stay focused and demonstrate the skills employers are looking for.

If you're preparing for an interview in the food and drink industry and would like some additional guidance, the team at Alexander Steele is always happy to help. Whether it's interview preparation, advice on answering competency questions or insights into what a particular employer is looking for, we're here to support you every step of the way.

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