I N T E RVI E W Q U E S T I O N S

A LIST OF TESTED QUESTIONS

WAR M - U P Q U E S T I O N S
W O R K H I S TORY
JOB PERFORMANCE
E D U C ATI O N
CAREER GOALS
SELF-ASSESSMENT
C R E ATI V I T Y
DECISIVENESS
RANGE OF INTERESTS
M O T I VATI O N
W O R K S TAN D A RD S
L E A D E RS H I P
O R A L P R E S E N TATI O N S K I L L S
W R I T T E N C O M M U N I C ATI O N S K I L L S
FLEXIBILITY
S T R E S S TOL E R A N C E
S TAB I L I T Y & M ATU R I T Y
INTEREST IN SELF DEVELOPMENT

WARM-UP QUESTIONS

Tel l m e ab o u t y o u r s e l f .
Tel l m e ab o u t y o u r f a m i l y.
Tel l m e ab o u t y o u r s t u d i e s .

WORK HISTORY

C a n y o u d e s c r i b e f o r m e o n e o r t w o o f y o u r m os t i m p o r t a n t
accomplishments?
D e s c r i b e f o r m e o n e o r t w o o f t h e b i g g e s t d is a p p o i n t m e n t s i n
your work history?
W h a t i s i m p o r t a n t t o y o u i n a c o m p a n y ? W h at t h in g s d o y o u
l o o k f o r i n an o r g a n i z at i o n ?

JOB PERFORMANCE

E v e r y o n e h as s t r en g t h s & w e a k n e s s e s a s w o r k e r s . W h at a r e
your strong points for this job?
W h a t w o u l d y o u s a y a r e a r e a s n e e d i n g i m pr o v e m e n t ?
H o w d i d y o u r s u p e r v is o r o n y o u r m os t r e c e n t j o b e v a l u a t e
y o u r j o b p e r f o r m an c e ? W h a t w e r e s o m e o f t h e g o o d p o i n t s &
b a d p o i n t s o f t h at r a t i n g ?
When you have been told , or discovered for yourself , a
p r o b l e m in y o u r j o b p e r f o r m a n c e , w h at h a v e y o u t yp i c a l l y
d o n e ? C an y o u g i v e m e an e x a m p l e ?
D o y o u pr e f e r w o r k i n g a l o n e o r i n g r o u ps ?
W h a t k in d o f p e o p l e d o y o u f i n d it m os t d i f f i c u l t t o w o r k
with? Why?
S t ar t i n g w i t h y o u r l a s t j o b , t e l l m e a b o u t a n y o f y o u r
achievements that were recognized by your superiors.
C a n y o u g i v e m e a n e x a m p l e o f y o u r a b i l i t y t o m an a g e o r
supervise others?
W h a t a r e s o m e t h in g s y o u w o u l d l i k e t o a v o i d i n a j o b ? W h y ?
I n y o u r p r e v i o u s j o b wh a t k i n d o f pr e s s u r e s d i d y o u
encounter?
W h a t w o u l d y o u s a y i s t h e m os t i m p o r t a n t t h i n g y o u ar e
looking for in a job?
W h a t a r e s o m e o f t h e t h in g s o n y o u r j o b y o u f e e l y o u h a v e
d o n e p ar t i c u l a r l y w e l l o r i n w h i c h y o u h a v e a c h i e v e d t h e
greatest success? Why do you feel this way?
What were some of the things about your last job that you
found most difficult to do?
What are some of the problems you encounter in doing your
job? Which one frustrates you the most? What do you usually
do about it?
W h a t a r e s o m e t h in g s y o u p ar t i c u l a r l y l i k e d a b o u t y o u r l a s t
job?
Do you consider your progress on the job representative of
your ability? Why?
How do you feel about the way you & others in the
d e p a r t m e n t w e r e m an a g e d b y y o u r s u p e r v i s o r ?
I f I w e r e t o a s k y o u r p r e s e n t (m o s t r e c e n t ) s u p e r i o r a b o u t
y o u r a b i l i t y a s a _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ , wh a t w o u l d h e / s h e
say?

EDUCATION

W h a t s p e c i a l a s p e c t s o f y o u r e d u c a t i o n o r t r a in i n g h a v e
p r e p a r e d y o u f o r t h is j o b ?
W h a t c o u r s e s i n s ch o o l h a v e b e e n o f m o s t h e l p i n d o i n g y o u r
job?

CAREER- GOALS

W h a t i s y o u r l o n g - t er m e m p l o y m e n t o r c a r e e r o b j e c t i v e ?
W h a t k in d o f j o b d o y o u s e e y o u r s e l f h o l d i n g f i v e y e a r s f r o m
now?
W h a t d o y o u f e e l y o u n e e d t o d e v e l o p in t er m s o f s k i l l &
k n o w l e d g e in o r d e r t o b e r e a d y f o r t h at o p p o r t u n i t y ?
Why might you be successful in such a job?
H o w d o e s t h is j o b f i t i n w i t h y o u r o v e r a l l c a r e e r g o a l s ?
W h o o r w h a t i n y o u r l i f e w o u l d y o u s a y i n f l u e n c e d y o u m os t
with your career objectives?
C a n y o u p i n p o i n t an y s p e c i f i c t h in g s i n y o u r p a s t e x p e r i e n c e
t h at a f f e c t e d y o u r pr e s e n t c a r e e r o b j e c t i v e s ?
What would you most like to accomplish if you had this job?

SELF-ASSESSMENT

W h a t k in d o f t h in g s d o y o u f e e l m os t c o n f i d e n t in d o i n g ?
Can you describe for me a difficult obstacle you have had to
o v e r c o m e ? H o w d i d y o u h a n d l e it ? H o w d o y o u f e e l t h i s
e x p e r i e n c e a f f e c t e d y o u r p er s o n a l i t y o r a b i l i t y ?
How would you describe yourself as a person?
W h a t d o y o u t h i n k a r e t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t c h ar a c t e r i s t i c s &
a b i l i t i e s a p e r s o n m u s t p os s e s s t o b e c o m e a s u c c e s s f u l ( ) ?
H o w d o y o u r a t e y o u r s e l f i n t h es e a r e a s ?
Do you consider yourself a self-starter? If so, explain why
( an d g i v e e x a m p l e s )
What do you consider to be your greatest achievements to
date? Why?
W h a t t h i n g s g i v e y o u t h e g r e a t e s t s a t i s f a c t i o n at w o r k ?
W h a t t h i n g s f r u s t r a t e y o u t h e m os t ? H o w d o y o u u s u a l l y c o p e
w i t h t h em ?

CREATIVITY

I n y o u r w o r k e x p e r i e n c e , w h a t h av e y o u d o n e t h a t y o u
consider truly creative?
C a n y o u t h in k o f a p r o b l e m y o u h a v e e n c o u n t e r e d w h e n t h e
o l d s o l u t i o n s d i dn ' t w o r k & w h e n y o u c a m e u p w i t h n e w
solutions?
Of your creative accomplishments big or small , at work or
h o m e , wh a t g a v e y o u t h e m o s t s a t is f a c t i o n ?

W h a t k in d o f p r o b l e m s h a v e p e o p l e r e c e n t l y c a l l e d o n y o u t o
s o l v e ? Tel l m e w h a t y o u h a v e d e v i s e d .

DECISIVENESS

D o y o u c o n s i d e r y o u r s e l f t o b e t h o u gh t f u l , an a l y t i c a l o r d o
y o u u s u a l l y m a k e u p y o u r m in d f a s t ? G i v e a n e x a m p l e . ( Wat c h
t i m e t ak e n t o r es p o n d )
W h a t w a s y o u r m o s t d i f f i c u l t d e c i s i o n in t h e l a s t s i x m o n t h s ?
W h a t m ad e i t d i f f i c u l t ?
T h e l a s t t im e y o u d i d n o t k n o w w h a t d e c i s i o n t o m ak e , w h at
did you do?
H o w d o y o u g o a b o u t m ak i n g a n i m p o r t an t d e c i s i o n a f f e c t i n g
your career?
W h a t w a s t h e l a s t m a j o r pr o b l e m t h a t y o u w e r e c o n f r o n t e d
w i t h ? W h a t a c t i o n d i d y o u t ak e o n i t ?

RANGE OF INTERESTS

Tel l m e s p e c i f i c a l l y w h a t y o u d o i n t h e c i v i c a c t i v i t i e s i n
w h i c h y o u p a r t i c i p a t e . ( L e a d i n g qu e s t i o n s in s e l e c t e d a r e a s .
i.e. sports, economics, current events, finance.)
How do you keep up with what's going on in your company /
y o u r i n d u s t r y / y o u r pr o f e s s i o n ?

MOTIVATION

W h a t i s y o u r pr o f e s s i o n a l g o a l ?
Can you give me examples of experience on the job that you
f e l t w e r e s at i s f y i n g ?
D o y o u h a v e a l o n g & s h o r t - t er m p l a n f o r y o u r d e p a r t m e n t ? I s
it realistic?
D i d y o u a c h i e v e it l a s t y e a r ?
D e s c r i b e h o w y o u d e t e r m i n e w h a t c o n s t i t u t e s t o p pr i o r i t i e s i n
the performance of your job.

WORK STANDARDS

W h a t a r e y o u r s t an d a r ds o f s u c c e s s i n y o u r j o b ?
In your position, how would you define doing a good job? On
w h a t b a s is w a s y o u r d e f i n i t i o n d e t e r m i n e d ?
W h e n j u d g i n g t h e p e r f o r m a n c e o f y o u r s u b o r d i n a t e , wh a t
f a c t o r s o r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s ar e m os t i m p o r t an t t o y o u ?

LEADERSHIP

I n y o u r p r e s e n t j o b w h a t a p pr o a c h d o y o u t a k e t o g e t y o u r
p e o p l e t o g e t h e r t o e s t a b l i s h a c o m m o n a p pr o a c h t o a
problem?
W h a t a p pr o a c h d o y o u t a k e in g e t t i n g y o u r p e o p l e t o a c c e p t
your ideas or department goals?
W h a t s p e c i f i c a l l y d o y o u d o t o s e t an e x a m p l e f o r y o u r
employees?
How frequently do you meet with your immediate
subordinates as a group?
W h a t s o r t o f l e a d e r d o y o u r p e o p l e f e e l y o u a r e ? Ar e y o u
s a t is f i e d ?
How do you get people who do not want to work together to
e s t a b l i s h a c o m m o n a p p r o a c h t o a pr o b l e m ?
I f y o u d o n o t h a v e m u c h t im e & t h e y h o l d s e r i o u s l y d i f f e r i n g
v i e w s , w h at w o u l d b e y o u r a p pr o a c h ?
How would you describe your basic leadership style? Give
s p e c i f i c e x a m p l e s o f h o w y o u p r a c t i c e t h is ?
D o y o u f e e l y o u w o r k m o r e e f f e c t i v e l y o n a o n e t o o n e b as i s
o r in a g r o u p s it u at i o n ?
H a v e y o u e v e r l e d a t as k f o r c e o r c o m m it t e e o r a n y g r o u p w h o
doesn't report to you, but from whom you have to get work?
H o w d i d y o u d o it ? Wh a t w e r e t h e s at i s f a c t i o n s &
d i s a p p o i n t m e n t s ? H o w w o u l d y o u h an d l e t h e j o b d i f f e r e n t l y ?

ORAL PRESENTATION SKILLS

H a v e y o u e v e r d o n e a n y p u b l i c o r g r o u p s p e ak i n g ? Rec e n t l y ?
Why? How did it go?
H a v e y o u m a d e an y in d i v i d u a l pr e s e n t at i o n s r e c e n t l y ? H o w d i d
y o u pr e p a r e ?

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Wou l d y o u r at h e r w r i t e a r e p o r t o r g i v e a v e r b a l r e p o r t ? W h y ?
W h a t k in d o f w r i t i n g h a v e y o u d on e ? F o r a g r o u p ? F o r a n
individual?
What is the extent of your participation in major reports that
have to be written?

FLEXIBILITY

W h a t w a s t h e m os t i m p o r t an t i d e a o r s u g g e s t i o n y o u r e c e i v e d
r e c e n t l y f r o m y o u r e m p l o y e e s ? W h at h a p p e n e d a s a r e s u l t ?
What do you think about the continuous changes in company
operating policies & procedures?
H o w e f f e c t i v e h a s y o u r c o m p a n y b e e n i n a d a pt i n g it s p o l i c i e s
to fit a changing environment?
W h a t w a s t h e m os t s i g n i f i c a n t c h an g e m a d e i n y o u r c o m p a n y
in the last six months which directly affected you, & how
successfully do you think you implemented this change?

STRESS TOLERANCE

D o y o u f e e l pr e s s u r e i n y o u r j o b ? Tel l m e a b o u t i t .
W h a t h as b e e n t h e h i g h e s t pr e s s u r e s it u a t i o n y o u h a v e b e e n
u n d e r in r e c e n t y e a r s ? H o w d i d y o u c o p e w i t h i t ?

STABILITY & MATURITY

D e s c r i b e y o u r m os t s i g n i f i c a n t s u c c e s s & f a i l u r e i n t h e l a s t
two years.
What do you like to do best?
What do you like to do least?
What in your last review did your supervisor suggest needed
improvement?
W h a t h av e y o u d o n e a b o u t i t ?

INTEREST IN SELF DEVELOPMENT

W h a t h as b e e n t h e m os t i m p o r t a n t p e r s o n o r e v e n t i n y o u r
own self development?
How much of your education did you earn?
W h a t k in d o f b o o k s & o t h e r pu b l i c a t i o n s d o y o u r e a d ?
H a v e y o u t a k e n a m an a g e m e n t d e v e l o p m e n t c o u r s e ?
H o w ar e y o u h e l p i n g y o u r s u b o r d i n at e s d e v e l o p t h e m s e l v e s ?