Ask entrepreneurs. It takes some serious effort and will to set up and run a profitable business organization, which is based on trade secrets, business practices, and other valuable information that belongs to the promoters. This knowledge is an accumulation of years of experience, setbacks, and disappointments that defines the business, structure, and overall culture of a company. Thus, it needs to be preserved and must remain in safe hands. It is common for the interviewers to ask confidentiality-related questions in almost all the interview sessions. Hence, prepare seriously for them and boost your preparation by reading our special collection:
21 Best Interview Questions To Study
1. How Do You Perform Text Encoding So As To Securely Transmit Secret Data?
Sample Answer
Sir, text encoding is one of the safest methods to transmit sensitive data and information. In this method, information is converted into numerical values, which makes it meaningless for anyone who does not have the key to decode it. In order to do so, I will convert the file into encoded text, using Advanced options — Convert file — Encoded Text.
2. Share Some Ways Using Which We Can Protect Our Information From Possible Instances Of Leakage and Theft.
Sample Answer
Sir, protection, and maintaining the integrity of information is critical. In order to do so, an organization must define a clear organizational structure, following which information is passed from one professional to another. Further, such information must always be stored using codes and encoded into numerics, so that only designated professionals are able to decode it.
3. Describe A Situation In Which You Shared A Secret Information With Your Senior In A Non-Professional Manner.
Sample Answer
Sir, I declare that such a situation will never arise. I am a committed individual and will always follow the established norms and procedures to transmit information. Moreover, sharing of information with my senior or maybe the top-level management will only be done if I have written authorization from a person having designation not below than Managing director.
4. How Does Information Flow Within An Organization?
Sample Answer
Sir, a business organization is divided into various segments, departments, and branches. It is pertinent that information flows in a proper channel and abides by the chain of command. Usually, information flows following a pre-decided organizational structure so that the standards of professionalism and safety are maintained.
5. Suppose You Want To Know About Your Teammates’ Salary. How Can You Do It?
Sample Answer
Sir, I am not interested in knowing any of my peer’s salaries. I believe in combined growth, which includes me and my organization. I will always perform all the steps to do so. Hence, be assured that I will never engage myself in any such situation.
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6. If Need Arises, What Are The Ways Using Which You Share The Confidential Information?
Sample Answer
Sir, in order to do so, I always share a confidential file using the technique of encoding. In this method, the data is converted into numerics and a key is generated. Further, I never move ahead without a written authorization that allows me to share such information. While, Email is a preferred way, in cases of highly secret information, I always follow a personal delivery.
7. What is Your Understanding Of Inter-Departmental Flow of Communication?
Sample Answer
Sir, it is common for business organizations to divide themselves into several departments and business units on the basis of major functions they perform, such as HR, Finance, Marketing, Sales, etc. In order to work in synchronization and achieve combined benefits, there is a lot of information that passes between them through an established structure, known as an Inter-departmental flow of communication network.
8. How Will You Respond When You Find That Your Co-Workers Are Sharing Prohibited Information?
Sample Answer
Sir, this is a really tricky situation, as employees tend to develop a strong bond between themselves and move with each other through thick and thin. However, there is nothing for me, more than my employer, the means of my livelihood. If I ever face such a situation, I will not let it pass away, rather as my duty, I will immediately restrict my co-worker from doing so, and will immediately raise an alarm so that nothing is passed away. Further, I will also make a written complaint to my senior.
9. Name A Few Best Software To Store Confidential Information.
Sample Answer
Sure, sir, These are:
- AWS Secrets manager
- Docker secrets
- Strongbox
10. Assume A Situation In Which You Are Appocached By An Organization To Share Some Trade Secrets. How Will You Respond and Handle The Situation?
Sample Answer
Sir, such instances are rare, when they are not reported, but in reality, these are quite common. I am a dedicated and committed individual, who loves to maintain a high level of professionalism and loyalty. Be assured, I will never share any such trade secret with anyone, no matter what I am getting in lieu of it.
11. Share A Time In Which You Prevented Possible Instance Of Data Breach.
Sample Answer
Sir, security, and protection of data hold a lot of relevance in ensuring that the company is able to protect its trade secrets and confidential business information. I remember one such instance when during my previous tenure, I was approached through an Email to share the information about the different bank accounts of the company maintained in different bank branches. Incidentally, this mail was reduced by my two other team members as well. We all combined and went together to our manager to report this instance. The sender was blocked and the information was shared with the cyber cell.
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12. Who Are The Internal and External Users Of Information Belonging To A Company?
Sample Answer
Sir, The internal users are primarily the people within the group, such as employees, promoters, departmental heads, etc. On the other hand, the external users are government agencies, lenders, suppliers, auditors, etc.
13. What Are Your Duties As An Employee From The Context Of Maintaining Confidentiality?
Sample Answer
Sir, as an employee, we must not declare, transfer, or reveal trade secrets, critical information, and all confidential data to any non-authorized person. Further, such a transfer must only be done after getting written communications from a person who belongs to top-level management and is no less than the departmental head of the company.
14. What Are The Various Mediums Using Which Employees Breach The Sensitive Information Of The Company?
Sample Answer
Sir, In my humble opinion, physical transfer of data using pen drives, external disk drives are quite common mediums. This is because, it leaves a minimal trail, and thus the person performing such unethical activity does not get easily caught. Electronic transfer is perceived to be the number one medium, but I think it is second.
15. What Is An Organization’s Confidentiality Clause?
Sample Answer
Sir, it is common for the employees of the company to enter into a confidentiality clause. Under this clause, every employee of the company is required to prohibit and restrict himself from sharing any secret information pertaining to the company that has been shared with him or her under a fiduciary relationship.
16. Share Your Response In A Situation When You Recived A Sensitive Email, Which Was Not Addressed To You.
Sample Answer
Sir, If I will ever receive such an email, I will forward it straight away to my departmental head and would even send a written communication to the managing director of the company.
17. Our Hiring Manager Shared Some Trade Secrets With You During The Orientation Program. How Will You Protect It?
Sample Answer
Sir, no matter from where I receive such sensitive information, be it from the Orientation or at any later stage, I would always protect it and would keep it in an encoded form. Further, I will not transmit or share such information until I am told to do so by an authorized person.
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18. What Do You Understand By The Term “Confidential Information”?
Sample Answer
Sir, for me any information, which is marked as a secret is confidential for me. Usually, these pieces of information are confidential, which pertains to the following categories:
- Salary information of employees
- Trade secrets of the company
- Business expansion plans, past, current, or future
- Information related to various avenues (investment schemes, portfolios, etc) in which the company has invested
- Internal financial data of the company
19. Why Are Our Rivals Interested In Receiving Our Secret Information?
Sample Answer
Sir, business secrets are the pieces of knowledge that are acquired after a lot of knowledge, hard work, and perseverance of people possessing great grit and determination. Any person in possession of these secrets will get a ready platform for success at the cost of the success of the organization of which information gets leaked. Thus, this is the reason why the rival companies are always interested in this information.
20. What Is “Information Integrity” and Why Should You Maintain It?
Sample Answer
Sir, information integrity refers to the safety and protection of data from possible breaches and leaks. It is necessary to maintain it so that there is no loss of the revenue of the organization and no one is able to unjustly benefit from it.
21. This Is Our Upcoming Business Expansion Plan (In All Possiblity It Will Be Fake). Can You Tell Me What Is Sensitive In It?
Sample Answer
Sir, in this plan, there is the existence of a defined process, using which the company wants to expand and invest. When this information is hacked by non-authorized agents, rival organizations can alter their plans in a way to defeat our plans and frame policies that will hamper our growth.
Download the list of questions in .PDF format, to practice with them later, or to use them on your interview template (for Confidentiality interviews):
References
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/20004508.2020.1816371
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/15327086211029350
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