SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

The following are some examples of possible questions to as a candidate during an interview.

INFLUENCING OTHERS

• Tell me about the time you were most persuasive in overcoming resistance to your ideas or point of view.
• Tell me about the last time someone made an unreasonable request of you.
• Describe your most disappointing and frustrating experience in gaining the support of others for an idea or proposal.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

• Describe a situation where it was most important for you to display tact and diplomacy.
• Tell me about the last time you had a disagreement or clash with someone in your work.
• Tell me about the most difficult or frustrating person with whom you have worked.
• What are your short range objectives?
• What are your long range objectives?
• How would you describe your personality?
• What are your pet peeves?

PERSONAL ADAPTABILITY

• Tell me about the last time you were criticized by a supervisor/professor.
• Tell me about a time when you felt most pressured and stressed in your work.
• Tell me about a time when you felt most frustrated in your work.
• In what aspects of your work do you have the most confidence in your abilities.
• What do your subordinates think of you?

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

• Tell me about a time when you felt best about your ability to draw out and solicit information from another person.
• Tell me about a time when you had to work your hardest in order to fully understand what another person was saying to you.
• Describe the last time someone at work misunderstood what you were attempting to communicate.

MOTIVATION

• Tell me about the most long-term, sustained, extra hours effort you have had to put into your work.
• Describe a time when you were most frustrated or discouraged in reaching your objectives or goals.
• What do you feel has been your most significant work related accomplishment within the past year or so?
• Describe the last time you did something which went well beyond the expected in your work.
• Have you helped increase sales? How?
• Have you helped reduce costs? How?

ADMINISTRATIVE SKILLS

• Tell me how you go about organizing your work and scheduling your own time.
• What do you do to ensure that your goals and objectives are met in a timely way?
• Describe the most extensive planning that you have done.

PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING SKILLS

• Tell me about a most difficult problem or decision which you faced in your work.
• Tell me about the last time you made a decision which backfired.
• Tell me about the time you most regretted not getting advice before going ahead.
• Have you fired people before?
• Have you hired people before? What do you look for?

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT SKILLS

• Tell me about the last significant crisis situation you faced in your work.
• Tell me about a time when you were most persuasive in overcoming resistance to your ideas.
• Tell me about the last time you had a disagreement or clash with someone at work.