5 BP Telephone Interview Questions With Sample Answers

Updated 26 July 2023

BP p.l.c. is a multinational oil and gas company that supplies fuel, energy, lubricants and petrochemicals to businesses. When hiring for various roles, the recruitment team may conduct an initial pre-screening round through a telephone interview to determine your suitability for the position. Learning about the commonly asked questions during a telephone interview and knowing how to answer them effectively can help you in your preparation. In this article, we list some BP telephone interview questions and sample answers to help you prepare your responses.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

5 BP Telephone Interview Questions

Here is a list of BP telephone interview questions along with their sample answers you can use as a reference:

1. What do you know about BP? Why do you want to work with us?

Learning about the company you are applying to can help determine if its mission, vision and work culture align with your values and goals. Interviewers may ask this question to understand your intent for applying to BP. Provide a summary of what BP does and then list a few reasons that motivate you to work for the company.

Example answer: BP, also known as British Petroleum, is one of the world's largest energy companies, operating in over 70 countries. The company produces and markets oil, gas and other energy products. It oversees every stage of the energy supply chain, from exploration and production to refining, transportation and distribution. Its core mission is to achieve net zero by 2050 by reducing carbon emissions and transitioning towards a sustainable energy future. The company also has a great work culture that encourages innovation, creativity and open communication. This aligns strongly with my work experience and ethics.

By joining BP, I believe I can get an opportunity to use my knowledge and expertise in renewable energy technologies and energy optimisation to support it in its noble cause.

2. How have your past work experiences prepared you for this position at BP?

You can develop your technical and soft skills and advance your career with practical experience. Interviewers generally prefer candidates who have hands-on experience in their field. They may ask this question to assess if the knowledge and skills you developed can apply to the current position. Mention how you can use your skills and expertise in the domain to add value to the company. If you are making a career change, you can mention your transferable skills and ability to learn new ones on the job.

Example answer: I worked as a Junior Engineer for Xero Gas, where I conducted field and laboratory testing of oil and gas samples to determine properties such as density, viscosity and sulphur content. I participated in safety audits and inspections to ensure compliance with industry regulations. I also conducted a comprehensive study of production processes for a major offshore project, resulting in a 15% increase in efficiency. With strong technical, analytical and compliance skills, I believe I would be excellent as a Technical Advisor for BP to advise management on areas such as production processes, safety protocols and environmental regulations.

3. What are some of the biggest challenges that the oil and gas industry faces?

The oil and gas industry faces several challenges, including the demand for reducing carbon footprint, improving company performance and reducing production costs. Interviewers may want to assess your understanding of industry challenges and ways to address them. Mention the challenges along with some steps that companies can implement.

Example answer: The primary challenges faced by the oil and gas industries include the need for immediate solutions to reduce carbon emissions, comply with stricter safety standards and address environmental concerns. The companies operating in remote regions face exploration, production and transportation issues. They also face competition from alternate energy sources, such as wind and solar. BP has invested in wind and solar power to reduce its dependence on non-renewable sources and reduce its carbon footprint.

4. Give me an example of how you handled conflict within the team?

There can be conflicts within the team due to disagreements of ideas, opinions or personalities. Interviewers may ask this question to learn your approach towards resolving a conflict effectively. Provide an instance of how you helped resolve a conflict in your team.

Example answer: Conflicts within the team can result in decreased productivity and affect employee morale. We had a situation where there was a conflict between a few team members and the project lead. The project lead used to micromanage by constantly messaging the team members, asking them for updates and scheduling multiple meetings throughout the day. This caused the team members to feel stressed and burnt out. Being a senior team lead, I scheduled a personal meeting with the project lead to explain the negative effects of their working style on the team.

I provided instances where their behaviour may have caused team members to feel overwhelmed. I asked the lead to practice delegating tasks effectively and trust team members to complete them on time. I also followed up with the team members to ensure the lead did not repeat the behaviour. Over a period, there was a noticeable improvement in the team's morale and productivity.

5. How is BP preparing for Industry 4.0?

Industry 4.0 aims to optimise the oil and gas supply chain, improve operational processes and help meet sustainability goals through data analytics and machine learning. Interviewers may ask this question to learn if you are aware of BP's increasing use of data as part of its digital transformation. Answer this question by stating the purpose of Industry 4.0 and mentioning the steps BP has taken to achieve this.

Example answer: Industry 4.0 requires companies to adopt digital transformation to aid in quality management, supply chain optimisation and data-driven decision-making. Companies can do this through efficient collection, storage and analysis of their data to provide business insights. BP is preparing for Industry 4.0 by investing in digital technologies like AI and IoT. For example, the company developed a digital twin technology to create virtual replicas of equipment and facilities that use advanced analytics to identify potential problems before they occur. BP has also developed autonomous vehicles for inspection and maintenance activities in hazardous regions.

The company has also adopted a cloud solution to store and analyse large amounts of data generated by its operations. This helps them perform advanced analytics to improve their operations, perform predictive maintenance, improve quality control and make data-driven decisions.

Tips To Prepare For A BP Telephone Interview

Telephone interviews are usually short, as the interviewer is trying to learn more about your skill set, work experience and interest in the position. The interviewer then selects you for further rounds, such as written, technical and HR, based on your performance in this round. Here are tips to help you succeed in the telephone round:

Research the company. Conduct thorough research on BP's history, mission, vision and values. You can go through its website, recent articles and news to learn more about its new initiatives.
Review the job description. Go through the job description carefully to identify skills, work experience and credentials. Prepare answers relevant to them, such as how you used your skills in the past and about academic qualifications and certifications.
Prepare answers to common interview questions. Prepare answers to commonly asked interview questions related to your goals, experience and skills, such as, 'Where do you see yourself in five years?' or 'Why do you want to work for this company?'
Pick a suitable location. It is important to choose a quiet, distraction-free environment with good signal strength. Ensure your phone has a full charge and good audio quality.
Keep your resume nearby. You can keep your job documents such as your resume, cover letter, certifications and transcripts with you for reference. You can also take additional notes during the interview to note the important points discussed.
Practice interviewing. Prepare for the interview by practising modulating your tone and pace to reflect your confidence and enthusiasm.
Be attentive. Listen to the interviewer carefully before you answer their questions. Ask for clarification, if required.