MDP INTERVIEW || WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS.
1. Describe a time when you effectively integrated financial, enterprise, and industry data and
indicators into a
strategic plan or initiative. correct answers Writing cuts orders for Kendall + Kylie & Marc
Jacobs... made ad hoc selling reports for the specific time needed and integrated that data into
our teams buy. This helped me write the orders because I was able to determine best sellers,
depths, and other factors ultimately getting to my end goal.
2. Give me an example of a project or initiative you had to manage where you had to
demonstrate your awareness
of the economic and business environment. Were you successful? correct answers I took the
intiative in setting up Anya Hindmarch as a vendor for international and domestic. This included
setting up multiple calls with their teams and our international set up team. In these calls I
learned as well as shared my awareness on landing factors, importing goods into the US, and
how this will translate ultimately in my set up. At the end we were able to set them up as both
international and domestic so that in the future they can ship from either of their warehouses.
3. Tell me what steps you took to go about learning how your current organization works. correct
answers Taking advantage of all of the class offerings we have has helped me learn how our
current organization works. Whether it is a SPI BUY, vendor relations, or excel class they all
help me get an understanding of how everything ties together. The classes are extremely
beneficial.
. Tell me about external trends that may impact your work. How did you learn about these?
correct answers Fashion trends for our style outs are an impact of our business and what we plan
on buying the future. We determine these trends based off of what is out in the market and what
is on the run way. I.E. pearls was a big trend and we bought into it so that we had these trends in
our assortments.
5. Give me an example of a decision you made that impacted several parts of the company and
what was involved in making that decision. correct answers Rainbowing product... this includes
me pulling reports to see which stores carries these specific products and then emailing the stores
team to ask them to pull the product and send it to the photo studio to get shot. This involves the
stores team and their help to get the product to the studio to pub online. It also includes my
assistant buyer because she helps by going through our OH to see what items should be
rainbowed to clear any inventory clogs.
3. Give an example of a specific problem you had to solve or a decision you had to make. Please
describe how you
made that decision. What were the steps you went through to solve the problem? Did you
involve others? Why or
why not? correct answers When I originally started I created the wrong styles under a different
MFG. In order to solve the problem I had to include my supervisor, the vendor's team, as well as
our set up team. I immediately let the vendor know that we would have a delay in shipping due
to the time it would date to change the MFG on the styles. I thought transparency would be key. I
, put in a ticket and the item set up team help me detach the UPCs. With the help from all sides we
were able to correct the problem and continue to ship in the goods correctly.
5. Describe a task or project you owned that best demonstrates your ability to analyze
information. correct answers When writing straw orders I did an analysis on our straw business
last year for full line and off 5th. I was able to determine what styles were strong and the sell
through. This helped me to set up the buy so we weren't over buying in styles and ending up with
a lot OO that we didn't need. In the end I was able to write 5 buys for our entire straw strategy.
. When you are solving a problem, how do you choose between different options you could take?
correct answers When solving a problem I like to look at the big picture and what it is going to
impact the most. I like to be extremely transparent with my team so that everyone knows what's
going on when there is a problem but also know how to determine the right people who should
be involved.
1. Give a specific example of how you have demonstrated your ability to handle multiple
priorities and deliver
results. Describe the situation and the manner in which you addressed it. correct answers I
always start off with my TO-DO list. I prioritize orders by the cost of the order. High costs will
have a bigger impact on the business so it is better to have those passed off first than something
that is really small.
4. What is the process you use to set goals and monitor progress on goals within your work
group? Give a recent
example that demonstrates how you set and monitor work group goals. correct answers I
spearhead the allocation meetings that we have every month. I bring all of the orders to our
meeting and as a team we discuss our allocation plan. By working together we set goals on when
the orders should be done.. This helps us all stay aligned and get the orders allocated and EDI'd
in a timely manner.
5. Tell me about a time in which you effectively dealt with emergencies or surprises.
Specifically, explain how your
planning efforts helped you to deal with the unexpected. correct answers Last minute we
received a huge valentino buy for the company.. the vendor was more sentitive than others
because of how big the buy was so we need to enter everything ASAP. One emergency was that
the vendor wasn't set up in handbags and this is normally a very long process. In order to get this
set up I reached out to the vendor set up team and told them about the scenario and they were
able to create the vendor with my help. Once everything was set up we were able to key the POs.
6. Tell me about a time when you had to work through obstacles to get a task done. correct
answers Recently we had a Kate Spade order that needed to be entered ASAP. I realized that
there wasn't a class set up in our department for them. What I did to manage the time best - was
call Bing to have him create the class over night and set up the PO with all of the styles and
information so that when the class was created the next day all I needed to do was create the
items. By being PROACTIVE I was still able to upload the PO on time despite this obstacle.
1. Describe a time when you effectively integrated financial, enterprise, and industry data and
indicators into a
strategic plan or initiative. correct answers Writing cuts orders for Kendall + Kylie & Marc
Jacobs... made ad hoc selling reports for the specific time needed and integrated that data into
our teams buy. This helped me write the orders because I was able to determine best sellers,
depths, and other factors ultimately getting to my end goal.
2. Give me an example of a project or initiative you had to manage where you had to
demonstrate your awareness
of the economic and business environment. Were you successful? correct answers I took the
intiative in setting up Anya Hindmarch as a vendor for international and domestic. This included
setting up multiple calls with their teams and our international set up team. In these calls I
learned as well as shared my awareness on landing factors, importing goods into the US, and
how this will translate ultimately in my set up. At the end we were able to set them up as both
international and domestic so that in the future they can ship from either of their warehouses.
3. Tell me what steps you took to go about learning how your current organization works. correct
answers Taking advantage of all of the class offerings we have has helped me learn how our
current organization works. Whether it is a SPI BUY, vendor relations, or excel class they all
help me get an understanding of how everything ties together. The classes are extremely
beneficial.
. Tell me about external trends that may impact your work. How did you learn about these?
correct answers Fashion trends for our style outs are an impact of our business and what we plan
on buying the future. We determine these trends based off of what is out in the market and what
is on the run way. I.E. pearls was a big trend and we bought into it so that we had these trends in
our assortments.
5. Give me an example of a decision you made that impacted several parts of the company and
what was involved in making that decision. correct answers Rainbowing product... this includes
me pulling reports to see which stores carries these specific products and then emailing the stores
team to ask them to pull the product and send it to the photo studio to get shot. This involves the
stores team and their help to get the product to the studio to pub online. It also includes my
assistant buyer because she helps by going through our OH to see what items should be
rainbowed to clear any inventory clogs.
3. Give an example of a specific problem you had to solve or a decision you had to make. Please
describe how you
made that decision. What were the steps you went through to solve the problem? Did you
involve others? Why or
why not? correct answers When I originally started I created the wrong styles under a different
MFG. In order to solve the problem I had to include my supervisor, the vendor's team, as well as
our set up team. I immediately let the vendor know that we would have a delay in shipping due
to the time it would date to change the MFG on the styles. I thought transparency would be key. I
, put in a ticket and the item set up team help me detach the UPCs. With the help from all sides we
were able to correct the problem and continue to ship in the goods correctly.
5. Describe a task or project you owned that best demonstrates your ability to analyze
information. correct answers When writing straw orders I did an analysis on our straw business
last year for full line and off 5th. I was able to determine what styles were strong and the sell
through. This helped me to set up the buy so we weren't over buying in styles and ending up with
a lot OO that we didn't need. In the end I was able to write 5 buys for our entire straw strategy.
. When you are solving a problem, how do you choose between different options you could take?
correct answers When solving a problem I like to look at the big picture and what it is going to
impact the most. I like to be extremely transparent with my team so that everyone knows what's
going on when there is a problem but also know how to determine the right people who should
be involved.
1. Give a specific example of how you have demonstrated your ability to handle multiple
priorities and deliver
results. Describe the situation and the manner in which you addressed it. correct answers I
always start off with my TO-DO list. I prioritize orders by the cost of the order. High costs will
have a bigger impact on the business so it is better to have those passed off first than something
that is really small.
4. What is the process you use to set goals and monitor progress on goals within your work
group? Give a recent
example that demonstrates how you set and monitor work group goals. correct answers I
spearhead the allocation meetings that we have every month. I bring all of the orders to our
meeting and as a team we discuss our allocation plan. By working together we set goals on when
the orders should be done.. This helps us all stay aligned and get the orders allocated and EDI'd
in a timely manner.
5. Tell me about a time in which you effectively dealt with emergencies or surprises.
Specifically, explain how your
planning efforts helped you to deal with the unexpected. correct answers Last minute we
received a huge valentino buy for the company.. the vendor was more sentitive than others
because of how big the buy was so we need to enter everything ASAP. One emergency was that
the vendor wasn't set up in handbags and this is normally a very long process. In order to get this
set up I reached out to the vendor set up team and told them about the scenario and they were
able to create the vendor with my help. Once everything was set up we were able to key the POs.
6. Tell me about a time when you had to work through obstacles to get a task done. correct
answers Recently we had a Kate Spade order that needed to be entered ASAP. I realized that
there wasn't a class set up in our department for them. What I did to manage the time best - was
call Bing to have him create the class over night and set up the PO with all of the styles and
information so that when the class was created the next day all I needed to do was create the
items. By being PROACTIVE I was still able to upload the PO on time despite this obstacle.
