CVS Health Interview Questions (With Example Answers)
CVS Health has been around since 1963. Originally called Customer Value Stores, their goal is always to “help people on their path to better health”. They pride themselves on providing affordable, accessible healthcare options and work hard to maintain a customer-centric outlook.
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Jobs at CVS Health
CVS Health provides jobs in retail stores, distribution centers, call centers, and corporate offices. Aetna, a health insurance company, is also under the CVS Health umbrella.
Career areas that CVS Health hires for are:
Aetna
Analytics
Branding
Corporate
Customer care
Distribution
Information technology
MinuteClinic
Nursing
Pharmacist
Pharmacy technician
Retail store
The Application and Interview Process at CVS Health
CVS lays out their application process pretty clearly on their jobs site. It is a five to six-step process depending on the position or career area you are applying to.
The process is as follows:
Search. This is the preliminary step. In order to enter the application process, you would first need to search for jobs within CVS Health.
Apply. Once you’ve identified the position(s) you would like to apply for, it is time to submit those applications.
Virtual Job Tryout (VJT). This is not a mandatory step for all positions. The Virtual Job Tryout is only used for high volume positions. This process includes a realistic job preview, situational judgement test, data accuracy exercise, motivations assessment, “tell us your story”, and a work styles assessment.
Review. This is the candidate screening process. Recruiters review applications and determine who will move on to the next step. You can check the status of your application through their jobs site; they will let you know if your application is not selected via email.
Interviews. If you have passed the review process, then you will be invited to interview by the recruiter. You may do an initial phone interview with the recruiter. Interviews can be in-person or on video with the hiring manager.
The actual interview process will vary based on the department. In-store associates will likely only meet with one hiring manager, whereas corporate positions are more likely to meet with a panel.
You should come prepared. Study the company history, the products they sell, the company culture, and the services they offer.
Offer. If they want to hire you, they will make you an offer. For some positions, the offer may be instantaneous.
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10 CVS Health Interview Questions with Example Answers
What do you know about CVS? Hiring managers expect you to do your homework on a company prior to the interview. Expect questions like this and prepare for them ahead of time by doing your research. Here are some facts about CVS Health you should know:
CVS was founded in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1963
CVS stands for Consumer Value Store
CVS Health acquired Aetna, a health insurance company, in 2017
There are almost 10,000 CVS Health retail locations in 49 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico
There are over 1,000 CVS MinuteClinics serving over 50 million patients to date
CVS does not sell tobacco products; they stopped in 2014
CVS Health pharmacies fulfill over 1 billion prescriptions each year
What does excellent customer service mean to you? If you are working in one of their retail locations or call centers, customer service is the foundation of your job. It is important that you understand what it actually means to provide customer service to the loyal customers of CVS Health.
In fact, CVS has made a commitment to provide excellent customer service to its customers.
Example Answer:
“Excellent customer service means providing service to the customer in a timely manner while keeping the customer happy and satisfied throughout their experience. It also involves a positive attitude, open communication, and problem-solving skills.”
What do you do when conflict happens with fellow workers or managers? Customers aren’t the only ones who can cause problems in the workplace. Disagreements with coworkers and superiors will happen; sometimes, they’re unavoidable.
It is important to demonstrate that you know how to handle yourself in these situations. These situations should be handled calmly, professionally, and without violence.
Example Answer:
“If I have a conflict with one of my coworkers or one of my superiors, I always try to handle it immediately. I approach the situation calmly and try to discuss the problem. If it is a situation that cannot be changed, then I find a way to deal with the situation internally without causing conflict at work.”
How would you handle a customer with difficult behavior? While disagreements will happen with coworkers occasionally, customers are the more likely source of conflict in the workplace. Conflict resolution skills are an absolute necessity when working in retail.
Your response to this question should demonstrate that you understand how to resolve conflict on your own but also know when it is necessary to involve a manager.
Example Answer:
“First and foremost, I make a point to listen to my customers. Often they are difficult because they feel like they are not being heard. Building a good rapport with them and providing an empathetic ear can go a long way in resolving conflict with disgruntled customers.
I do my best to resolve their issue while remaining calm and trying to keep the customer calm as well. If a resolution can not be reached or the customer starts getting verbally abusive or threatening violence, I would involve a manager.”
Tell me about a time when you've resolved a problem for a frustrated customer. This is another type of situational question. This time, the hiring manager is asking for a specific example of a time you resolved a conflict with a customer.
Remember to use the STAR method with situational questions like this to provide a thorough answer without straying off-topic.
Example Answer:
“At my last job, one of my responsibilities was handling customer inquiries via email. The inquiries ranged from sales questions to customer service to technical assistance. I had a customer reach out, extremely frustrated when they couldn’t access the course platform. Another reached out because they could not see previous results.
I started tracking how often this issue arose. It turned out to be a frequent problem. They were purchasing new accounts and not upgrading existing accounts, which was causing two separate accounts to exist in our system. I would resolve this issue as a one-off every time I encountered it by issuing a refund and purchasing the upgrade.
But the level of frustration for these customers led me to investigate a more long-term solution, so this would no longer happen. I realized that our website made the process confusing and suggested updates. Once my suggested updates were in place, the volume of frustrated customers shrank by nearly one hundred percent.”
How do you deal with working under pressure? Retail is a high-stress job. It involves long hours, extended amounts of time on your feet, and sometimes very unpleasant customers. When things get busy, it puts pressure on each employee on the clock.
Your ability to work under pressure is part of the job. While this is technically a yes or no question (hint: the answer should be yes), you will need to elaborate beyond that one simple word.
You can do this by using the STAR method and providing an example of how you’ve dealt with pressure in the past, or you can explain how you personally deal with pressure.
Example Answer:
“Yes. I don’t believe my output changes at all whether or not I’m working under pressure. If I find myself getting overwhelmed, I take a deep breath and just work on one thing at a time. Prioritizing my tasks based on strategic value can go a long way in reducing stress and staying calm.”
Describe a time you went above and beyond for a customer. Again, customer service is a foundational part of any customer-facing job. The majority of CVS Health’s 300,000+ employees are employed in a call center or retail location.
They want to know that you are willing to go the extra mile to provide excellent customer service. Do you meet or do you exceed expectations?
Example Answer:
“I think it is important to go above and beyond for every customer. Keeping customers happy keeps them coming back. I recently had a customer that was really struggling to find what they needed. He was a single father, and his daughter had just gotten her first period, and he was at a loss as to how to help her.
It was obvious they needed assistance. Instead of just directing them to the feminine care aisle, I took them there myself and gave them as much assistance as I could.
I explained a little about what would happen and what she would need, presented them with their choices, and helped them make a decision on which was the best option for her.”
Are you a team player? At CVS Health, you will always be working as part of a larger team. So, it is important that you can be a team player.
Again, this is a bit more than just a simple yes or no — even if that is how the question is presented. You can use a previous situation to respond more thoroughly or explain how you are a team player. As long as you give them a bit more than just yes (because your answer should be yes), you are doing good.
Example Answer:
“I enjoy working in a team environment. I think it does not only helps a store run more efficiently, but it boosts productivity and morale. I am always respectful of my teammates, always listening to others and compromising when necessary. But, I also know when to step up and be a leader.”
What experience do you have in this field? Your response to this question will certainly vary based on which career area you are applying for. Regardless of what position you are interviewing for, you need to be honest in your response.
If you don’t have hands-on experience with the role but have the schooling or certifications necessary to serve in the position, then use that as your response.
Example Answer:
“I have been working in retail for the last three years. While I have not worked in a drug store before, I have plenty of experience working in a grocery store and other retail environments. Working face-to-face with customers and performing the responsibilities of a sales associate will not be a problem for me.”
Why do you want to work at CVS? No employer wants you to view the job as just a means to an end. They want to know that you are really interested in their company.
The best way to answer questions like this is to use the company’s mission statement or values as your reasoning.
CVS Health’s mission statement is: “To improve the lives of those we serve by making innovative and high-quality health and pharmacy services safe, affordable and easy to access.”
And, their values are innovation, collaboration, caring, integrity, and accountability.
