Sample Interview Questions for Staff Member Candidates

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  • Tell me about yourself.
  • What type of position are you seeking?
  • Why are you interested in this position with the University of Connecticut?
  • What organization besides this one are you looking into?
  • Why have you chosen this particular profession?
  • What interests you about this job?
  • What challenges are you looking for in a position?
  • What can you contribute to this organization?
  • Where do you see yourself in five years?
  • What goals have you set for yourself? How are you planning to achieve them?
  • Please highlight your past jobs and what your job duties were. Ask about any gaps in employment.
  • How have your educational and work experiences prepared you for this position?
  • What work experiences have been most valuable to you and why?
  • How has your present or previous job changed while you’ve held it?
  • What were your major responsibilities?
  • What unique talent/specialized skill do you offer? Why do you feel it is unique?
  • What are your strengths and weaknesses?
  • To what do you owe your present success?
  • What has been your greatest challenge?
  • What is your most significant accomplishment to date?
  • What type of work environment appeals to you most?
  • What characteristics do you think are important for this position?
  • Why do you feel that this organization will be a career for you rather than a job?
  • Is there anything else I should know about your qualifications for this job?
  • If I asked the people who know you well to describe you, what three words would they use?
  • If I asked the people who know you for one reason why I shouldn’t hire you what would they say?
  • What makes you think you can handle this position?
  • Why should I hire you?
  • Tell me about a situation when you had to speak up (be assertive) in order to get a point across that was important to you.
  • Have you ever had to “sell” an idea to your co-workers or group? How did you do it?
  • Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully communicate with another person even when you felt the individual did not value your perspective.
  • Describe a situation where you had to work with someone who was difficult, how did you handle it?
  • Tell me about a time when you and your previous supervisor disagreed but you still found a way to get your point across.
  • Describe a time when you facilitated a creative solution to a problem between employees.
  • Thinking of the most difficult person you have had to deal with, describe an interaction that illustrates that difficulty. Tell me about the last time you dealt with him/her? How did you handle the situation?
  • Give me a specific example of a time when you had to address an angry customer. What was the problem and what was the outcome? How would you assess your role in defusing the situation?
  • Tell me about your most difficult decision and how did you go about making it?
  • Tell me about a decision you made but wish you had done differently.
  • Tell me about an experience in which you had a limited amount of time to make a difficult decision.
  • What was the decision and the outcome/result of your decision?
  • Tell me about a time when you had to make an unpopular decision.
  • In a current job task, what steps do you go through to ensure your decisions are correct/effective?
  • Give me an example of a time when you had to keep from speaking or making a decision because you did not have enough information.
  • Give me an example when you initiated a change in process or operations.
  • Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to convince someone to see things your way.
  • Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully communicate with another person even when that individual may not have agreed with your perspective.
  • Give me a specific example of a time when you had to handle an angry customer. What was the problem and what was the outcome?
  • Tell me about a time when you and your current/previous supervisor disagreed but you still found a way to get your point across.
  • Tell me about your efforts to “sell” a new idea to your supervisor.
  • Describe a decision you made or a situation that you would have handled differently if you had to do it over again.
  • When you have been made aware of, or have discovered for yourself, a problem in your work performance, what was your course of action? Can you give me an example.
  • Tell me about a time when your supervisor/co-workers gave you feedback about your work/actions. What did you learn about yourself?
  • What have you done to further your own professional development in the last 5 years?
  • Tell me about a time when you had to adapt to a wide variety of people by accepting/understanding their perspective.
  • What have you done to further your knowledge/understanding about diversity? How have you demonstrated your learning?
  • Describe how your position contributes to your organization’s/unit’s goals. What are the goal’s/unit’s mission?
  • Tell me how you keep your job knowledge current with the ongoing changes in the industry.
  • By providing examples, demonstrate that you can adapt to a wide variety of people, situations and/or environments.
  • What do you do when priorities change quickly? Give me one example of when this happened.
  • Tell me about a decision you made while under a lot of pressure.
  • What types of situations put you under pressure, and how do you deal with pressure?
  • Can you give me an example of how you have been creative in completing your responsibilities?
  • Can you think of a situation where innovation was required at work? What did you do in this situation?
  • Give me a situation in which you failed, and how you handled it?
  • Tell me about a team project of which you are particularly proud and your contribution?
  • Give me an example of a time when you went above and beyond the call of duty.
  • Describe a situation when you were able to have a positive influence on the action of others.
  • Describe the type of manager you prefer.
  • What characteristics are most important in a good manager? How have you displayed one of them?
  • What have you done in the past to contribute toward a teamwork environment?
  • Describe a recent unpopular decision you made and what the result was.
  • Describe a leadership role of yours and tell why you committed your time to it.
  • In a particular leadership role you had, what was your greatest challenge?
  • What are 3 effective leadership qualities you think are important. How have you demonstrated these qualities in your past/current position?
  • Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to approach things your way. What level was the person you had to persuade?
  • Describe a leadership situation that you would handle differently if you had it to do over again.
  • Give me a specific example of a time when you did not meet a deadline. How did you handle it?
  • Using a specific example of a project, tell me how you kept those involved informed of the progress.
  • Are you better at working on many things at a time, or are you better at working on and getting results on a few specific things? Please give me two examples that illustrate this.
  • How do you decide what gets top priority when scheduling your time?
  • What do you do when your schedule is suddenly interrupted? Give an example.
  • Name one of your best accomplishments, including where the assignment came from, your plans in carrying it out, how you eventually did carry it out, and any obstacles you overcame.
  • Describe the project or situation that best demonstrates your analytical abilities?
  • Give me an example of a problem you solved and the process you used?
  • Describe an instance when you had to think quickly to free yourself from a difficult situation.
  • Tell me about a politically complex work situation in which you worked.
  • Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
  • Give me an example of a time when there was a decision to be made and procedures were not in place? What was the outcome?
  • Tell me about a specific time when you eliminated or avoided a potential problem before it happened.
  • What types of problems do you most enjoy tackling? Give me some examples of such problems you faced. What did you enjoy about them?
  • To whom did you turn for help the last time you had a major problem and why did you choose that person?
  • Give an example of an important goal that you had set in the past, and tell me about your success in reaching it.
  • Tell me about a time when you had to complete multiple tasks/projects within a tight timeline.
  • Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
  • Give me a specific example of a time when you did not meet a deadline. How did you handle it?
  • Describe a course, project, or work experience that was complex. What kind of follow-up did you undertake? How much time was spent on unexpected difficulties?
  • Give me an example of the most creative project that you have worked on.
  • Describe a project that challenged your skill and/ or knowledge?
  • Tell me about a project you worked on that makes you most proud. What made it so good? What was your role?
  • Have you taken any computer courses or seminars? Tell me about how you have implemented it into your day to day job?
  • When you take on a project do you like to attack the project in a group of individually?
  • What are your team-player qualities? Give examples.
  • What have the experiences on your resume taught you about managing and working with people?
  • How do you gain the cooperation of others? What were the challenges, outcomes? What was the long-term impact on your ability to work with this person?
  • How have you recognized and rewarded a team player in the past? What was the situation?
  • Have you ever had difficulty getting along with a colleague? How did you handle that situation so that you could continue to function with that person?
  • What did you do in your past positions to contribute toward a teamwork environment?
  • When you’ve had to enter into a team that has already been functioning, what have you found to be some effective techniques?
  • Explain a time when a team member was overwhelmed with a project/task, what role did you play in helping?
  • What has been your biggest frustration working as part of a team? How did you deal with this frustration?