Sample Interview q

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Below are examples of common job interview questions. Weve included traditional questions employers ask as well as aspecial section on behavioral questions, an increasingly common style of interview. In that section, weve provided insightinto what employers are looking for when asking behavioral questions (taken from a tool used by hiring managers atARAMARK, a professional services company). The section highlighting questionsyoumay ask provides some guidanceon how to use thoughtful, intelligent questions to gather information that will help you decide on job offers.

FREQUENTLY ASKED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Tell me about yourself.2. How would a friend describe you?3. Why have you switched career fields?4. What is your greatest weakness?5. What are your greatest strengths?6.

What is your managing style?7. Do you prefer working with others or by yourself?

8. Under what conditions do you work best?9. What did you like least/most about your last job?10.Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

11.Why did you pick your program or concentration?12.Why do you want to work for us?13.What do you know about our organization?14.What are your outside interests? What do you do in

your free time?

15.What type of books do you read?16.What 2 or 3 accomplishments have given you themost satisfaction?

17. How do you like to work with your superior? Withyour staff?

BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS

Question What to look forTell me about a time you made a commitment and did notdeliver on it.

Candid discussion of the situation. Candidate that takesresponsibility for decisions. Evidence of: informingeveryone affected of what could occur because of inabilityto keep commitment, learning from the experience,awareness of results or impact. Perseverance in eventuallydelivering what was promised.

Uncover reasons for not keeping commitment.Acceptable-nature of business changed the need,budgeting constraints. Unacceptable-did not effectivelymanage the project.

In the past, what have you done when working withsomeone who disagreed with you about how to proceed?

Willingness to address and not avoid conflict, see ing it asan opportunity to come up with a better solution thatrepresents a hybrid of both approaches. Demonstrates anability to listen to the other side and discuss alternative

perspectives before dismissing conflicting views.Tell me about a time you creatively allocated resources inyour group.

Knows what to do in the event money or employees getcut. Want to see that candidate sees obstacles and trade-offs as hurdles that can be creatively overcome.

Describe a unique way you reached an organizationalobjective this year.

Exhibits enthusiasm for what they did. Also looking formethods that are different from how candidate andorganization usually does things.

Talk about a time you had to choose between yourpersonal agenda and what was best for the organization.

Understanding of importance of doing what is best fororganization. Consideration of implications of decisionsand actions. Reasoning based on mixture of wisdom,

CAREER SERVICES OFFICE Quick Tips

SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

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experience or judgment. Looking to others for advice.

QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK

Question What to look for

Can you describe a typical day for someone in thisposition?

What are the day-to-day expectations andresponsibilities of this job?

What kind of supervision will there be? How will my leadership responsibilities and

performance be measured? And by whom? Howoften?

Very clear definition of your expected goals andresponsibilities. How you would work with yoursupervisor and the division of labor on a day-to-day basisas well as long term. What leadership role you will have,who will report to you, what is expected of

leaders/managers in the organization.

What is the top priority of the person whoaccepts this job?

Where does this job fit into the organizationalstructure?

How your job fits into the bigger picture of theorganizations goal and mission. What you need to do tocontribute to the mission. New initiatives youll work onand where you should focus your attention. Want to findout if your job occupies a respected place in theorganization and has a significant and visible purpose.

Are there any long range plans for the office or Want to know where your office is headed in the long

Tell me about a time when you generated excitementabout one of your ideas despite initial resistance.

Ability to communicate a compelling and inspired sense ofpurpose. Ability to make the idea sharable by everyone.Ability to motivate people behind the idea.

Describe the vision and direction of a group youve led inthe past.

If candidate cant communicate it to you, he/she isntgoing to be able to communicate it to team memberseither. Probe to find out about the results of the vision.Want to make sure that the momentum it generated lasted

a long time and that employees remained inspired by it.Describe a situation where you had a poor performer inyour group. How did you remedy the situation?

Acknowledged the damage the poor performer was doing.Did not just give up on the performer or tolerate poorperformance but attempted to develop him/her throughenriching tasks, training, mentoring, etc. Knew whendevelopment wasnt working and had poor performermoved to another area where s/he had a better chance ofsucceeding or out of the company. Respected poorperformer in terms of confidentiality and fair treatment.

Describe an innovative method or approach you initiated. Creativity in thinking. Breakthrough innovation.Concrete evidence that there was a dramatic change in theway business is conducted.

Describe a time you allowed a project to fall through thecracks. If candidate states that this has never happened, probe bysaying: it doesnt have to be something catastrophic, justsomething small. Issues to look for: Not managing thedetails. Failure to anticipate bottlenecks. Inability todeploy resources effectively. Poor time management orissues with prioritization. Could/should it have beenforeseeable and avoided?

Discuss a time you engaged your team to improve results. Ways that the candidate involved his/her team to createresults. The ability to inspire his/her staff to achievemore.

Discuss a time you came up with a creative solution tochanging conditions/demands/priorities.

Thinks in terms of new trends/opportunities benefitingthe organization. Thinks strategically about uncoveringways to proactively address issues. Seeks out anddiscovers a best practice solution. Anticipates and adaptsto a changing environment.


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department? How is this department perceived within the

organization? What do you think is the greatest opportunity

facing the organization in the near future? Thebiggest threat?

term and whether it will be considered integral to theorganizations success. Clearly defined goals for the officefrom management. Will it be a key player in theorganizations mission and does it receive adequatesupport from management. If it isnt currently, what doyou need to do to get it to that point. What issues need tobe overcome to raise the office profile and achieve itsmission?

Can you describe the organizations managementstyle?

Can you discuss your take on the organizationsculture?

What are the organizations values? How would you characterize the management

philosophy of your department? Why did you come to work here? What keeps you

here?

Solid understanding and clear articulation of organizationsphilosophy. Candid image of how it conducts its work.Honest and ethical approach that aligns with yourpersonal values and style. Common beliefs shared withorganization. Whether it respects its employees.

What is the organizations policy on transfers toother divisions or other offices? Are lateral or rotational job moves available?

Does the organization support ongoing trainingand education for employees to stay current intheir fields?

Is there a formal process for advancement withinthe organization?

What are the traits and skills of people who arethe most successful within the organization?

Understanding of importance of professional

development and helping employees succeed in their role.Realistic view of employee growth and career progressionand willingness to help employee move up withinorganization.

For more information, contact Career Services -617.495.3427

[email protected]/about/administration/careers/

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Sample Interview q