20 Acuity Brands Interview Questions and Answers

Acuity Brands is a leading provider of lighting and building management solutions for commercial, institutional, industrial, infrastructure, and residential applications. With over 12,000 employees worldwide, Acuity Brands is a Fortune 500 company with a global reach.

If you’re interviewing for a job at Acuity Brands, you can expect to be asked a variety of questions about your experience, qualifications, and availability. To help you prepare, we’ve gathered a list of sample Acuity Brands interview questions and answers.

Acuity Brands Interview Process

The interview process at Acuity Brands can vary depending on the position you are applying for. For intern and entry-level positions, the process may only involve one or two interviews. However, for more senior positions, the process may involve multiple rounds of interviews with different members of the team. Overall, the interview process is generally thorough and efficient, and the company does a good job of keeping candidates updated throughout the process.

1. Why do you want to work at Acuity Brands?

This question can help the interviewer get to know you better and understand why you are a good fit for their company. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention something specific about Acuity Brands that interests you or what drew you to apply for the position.

Example: “I want to work at Acuity Brands because I am passionate about helping people see clearly. I have always enjoyed working with customers who need assistance finding eyeglasses that fit them well and provide clear vision. I think your company is doing great things in the industry by providing quality products and excellent customer service.”

2. Tell me about a time when you had to make an important decision without your manager’s support, how did it turn out?

This question can help the interviewer get a better idea of how you make decisions and what your thought process is. It can also show them that you’re able to work independently when needed. When answering this question, it can be helpful to give an example from a previous job or one that you would do if you were hired for the position.

Example: “When I was working as a customer service representative at Acuity Brands, my manager wasn’t available to answer questions about our new software system. I had to figure out how to use the software on my own, which took some time but eventually helped me learn more about the program. My team ended up using the software successfully.”

3. What is your experience with the SAP system?

SAP is a software program that helps businesses manage their finances. It’s an important system for Acuity Brands to use, so the interviewer may ask you this question to see if you have experience with SAP and can adapt to using it in their company. If you don’t have experience with SAP, consider talking about your general experience with other accounting systems.

Example: “I’ve used SAP before at my previous job, but I’m also familiar with other financial management programs like Oracle and Microsoft Dynamics GP. I find that these systems are similar in many ways, although each has its own unique features. When working with new clients, I always make sure to learn more about their specific needs and preferences when it comes to managing their finances.”

4. Do you have any experience working in manufacturing?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you have any experience working in a manufacturing environment. If you do, they may ask you more questions about your previous job to learn more about your skills and how they relate to this position. If you don’t have experience in manufacturing, you can talk about other relevant work experiences that helped prepare you for this role.

Example: “I worked as an engineer at a software company where I was responsible for creating new programs and fixing bugs within existing ones. This experience has given me valuable problem-solving skills that I think will be helpful when working on projects at Acuity Brands.”

5. If hired, what would be your approach to managing inventory levels for our supply chain?

This question is an opportunity to show your knowledge of the company’s operations and how you would apply your skills to help improve them. When answering this question, it can be helpful to describe a specific process or strategy that you have used in the past for managing inventory levels.

Example: “I believe that one of the most important factors when managing inventory levels is having a clear understanding of what products are selling well and which ones aren’t. I’ve found that by regularly reviewing sales reports and customer feedback, I can identify trends and make adjustments as needed. This approach has helped me reduce costs while also improving customer satisfaction.”

6. What are some of your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your personality and how you view yourself. They want to know that you are confident in your abilities, but also aware of areas where you can improve. When answering this question, be honest and specific. Try to focus on strengths that relate to the job description or skills required for the role.

Example: “I am a very organized person who is always prepared. I have an excellent memory and rarely forget important details. My weakness is that sometimes I work too hard and don’t take enough time to relax. This has caused me to experience burnout in the past, so now I make sure to schedule breaks throughout my day.”

7. How comfortable are you with making decisions independently?

This question can help the interviewer determine how comfortable you are with making decisions without input from others. This is an important skill for employees in management positions, but it’s also useful for other roles as well. Use your answer to highlight your ability to make independent decisions and explain why this skill is beneficial.

Example: “I am very comfortable making decisions independently because I have done so throughout my career. In my last position, I was responsible for managing a team of five people. As a result, I had to make many decisions on my own, including hiring new staff members and delegating tasks among my team. I find that being able to make decisions independently helps me get work done efficiently.”

8. Describe your management style.

This question can help the interviewer determine how you would interact with your team members and other employees. Your management style is a reflection of your personality, so it’s important to be honest about what type of manager you are.

Example: “I believe in being an approachable leader who encourages my team members to ask questions and voice their opinions. I also think it’s important for managers to set clear expectations and goals for their teams. In my last role as a senior marketing analyst, I was responsible for managing a team of five analysts. I held weekly meetings where we discussed our progress on projects and any concerns or questions we had.”

9. What do you think will be the biggest challenge when it comes to managing a team of engineers?

This question is an opportunity to show your leadership skills and ability to work with a team. When answering this question, it can be helpful to think about the challenges you’ve faced in previous roles and how you overcame them.

Example: “The biggest challenge I see when managing engineers is that they all have different ways of doing things. In my last role, we had several engineers who were used to working a certain way, so implementing new processes was challenging at first. However, I made sure to communicate clearly what our goals were and why we needed to change some things. After explaining the reasons behind the changes, most employees understood and were willing to try something new.”

10. Are you willing to travel on short notice?

Employers ask this question to make sure you’re willing to travel for work. They want employees who are flexible and can adapt to changing schedules. In your answer, explain that you understand the importance of being available when needed. Explain that you would be able to adjust your schedule as necessary.

Example: “Yes, I am willing to travel on short notice. As a nurse, I know how important it is to be there for patients. If my employer needs me to go somewhere, I will do so without hesitation. I have experience with last-minute trips and always arrive prepared. I’m also very good at adapting to new environments quickly.”

11. What type of engineering would you like to pursue?

This question can help the interviewer determine your interests and goals as an engineer. It also helps them understand what type of work you would be most passionate about doing at Acuity Brands. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention a specific engineering field that you are interested in pursuing.

Example: “I am very passionate about civil engineering. I love working with my hands and building things. I find it rewarding to see something I’ve built last for years or even decades. In college, I took several classes on civil engineering and found it to be one of my favorite subjects. I think I could really excel in this field.”

12. Give us an example of a problem that you solved using the scientific method.

The scientific method is a process that involves identifying a problem, creating a hypothesis and testing the hypothesis to find a solution. This question allows you to show your critical thinking skills by providing an example of how you used this method in your previous role.

Example: “In my last position as a quality assurance analyst for Acuity Brands, I was tasked with finding ways to improve our customer service department’s response time to customers who called in with questions about their products. Using the scientific method, I first identified the problem by speaking with several employees in the customer service department. They told me they were receiving more calls than usual from customers asking about their products.

I then created a hypothesis that increasing the number of employees working in the customer service department would help reduce the amount of time it took to respond to each call. To test my hypothesis, I spoke with the human resources department to see if we could hire additional employees. After hiring two new employees, I monitored the response times over the next month and found that the average response time decreased by 10%. The company saved money on training costs because the new hires already had experience working at Acuity Brands.”

13. Have you ever worked on a project that was not successful? Can you tell me about it?

This question is a great way to see how you respond to failure. It’s important that you can learn from your mistakes and use them as motivation for future success. When answering this question, it’s best to be honest about the situation and explain what you learned from it.

Example: “I once worked on a project where I was in charge of creating a new marketing campaign. We had a tight deadline, so I didn’t take enough time to plan out all of my ideas before presenting them to our team. This led to some confusion among my coworkers, which caused us to miss our deadline by two weeks. After this experience, I learned to always thoroughly plan out my projects before presenting them to others.”

14. What made you decide to become an engineer?

This question can help the interviewer get to know you better and understand why you are passionate about engineering. It can also give them insight into your background, education and career path. When answering this question, it can be helpful to include a specific example of an experience that inspired you to pursue engineering as a career.

Example: “Ever since I was young, I have been fascinated by how things work. My dad is an engineer, so he would often take me along with him to his job sites when I was younger. He would explain what he was doing and let me ask questions. That sparked my interest in engineering, and I knew I wanted to become an engineer too.”

15. How much experience do you have working with lighting systems?

The interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your experience level and how it relates to the job. If you have no prior experience, consider talking about a time when you had to solve a problem with lighting systems.

Example: “I’ve worked in construction for five years now, but I haven’t specifically worked with lighting systems before. However, I do know that there are many different types of lighting systems, including fluorescent, LED and incandescent. In my previous role, I was responsible for installing new light fixtures in several rooms at an office building. The company wanted to save money on energy costs by switching from incandescent bulbs to LEDs. I researched which type of bulb would be best for the space and installed them according to the client’s specifications.”

16. We use AutoCAD here at Acuity Brands. Do you have experience with this software?

AutoCAD is a software program used by architects and engineers to create designs. If you are interviewing for an architectural or engineering position, it’s likely that the company uses AutoCAD. Your interviewer will want to know if you have experience with this software so they can determine whether you’re qualified for the job.

Example: “I do have experience using AutoCAD. I worked as an intern at an architecture firm last summer where we used AutoCAD on a daily basis. I learned how to use the software quickly and was able to complete my assignments efficiently.”

17. How would you describe your leadership style?

This question can help the interviewer determine how you would fit into their organization’s culture. It is important to consider what leadership style your potential employer uses and match it as closely as possible. You should also be honest about your strengths and weaknesses when answering this question.

Example: “I believe in being a leader who empowers my team members to make decisions on their own. I am always available for support, but I prefer to let my employees take charge of projects unless they need guidance or feedback. This approach has helped me build strong relationships with my team members and achieve great results.”

18. Tell us about a time where you had to present ideas to senior level employees.

This question is a great way to see how you can work with others in your field. It’s important that you show the interviewer that you’re comfortable speaking in front of large groups and presenting ideas or concepts to senior level employees.

Example: “In my previous role, I was tasked with creating an idea for a new product line. My team and I presented our ideas to the CEO, who then gave us feedback on what he liked and didn’t like about each idea. We took his feedback into consideration and created another round of ideas. After we presented those ideas, the CEO decided which one he wanted us to move forward with.”

19. How would you handle it if someone disagreed with one of your design choices?

This question can help the interviewer determine how you handle conflict and whether you’re willing to compromise. Your answer should show that you are open-minded, willing to listen to others’ opinions and able to make compromises when necessary.

Example: “I would first ask why they disagreed with my design choice. I’d try to understand their perspective and see if there’s a way we could work together to find a solution that satisfies everyone. If not, I would explain why I made the decision I did and offer to implement some of their suggestions in future projects.”

20. What kind of mechanical components do you have experience designing?

The interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your mechanical engineering experience. Use your answer to highlight the specific components you’ve worked with in previous roles and how they helped improve a company’s products or services.

Example: “In my last role, I was responsible for designing all of the mechanical components that went into our client’s product line. This included everything from the internal mechanisms of their machines to the exterior parts like buttons and levers. My team and I also had to consider the safety features of each component we designed so that users could operate them without getting injured. We often tested our designs before sending them off to production to ensure they met our standards.”