Job
competencies are the skills and
personal characteristics that
an individual should possess in
order to be successful in a position.
Below is a list of competencies
to help you to developing your
interview questions.
1. Do you have accomplishments
you are proud of?
2. Do you have initiative?
3. Do you enjoy working on difficult
projects?
4. Have you ever accomplished
something difficult?
5. How have you shown initiative?
6. How have you shown willingness
to work?
7. Tell me about accomplishments
of which you are the most proud.
8. Tell me what initiatives have
you undertaken recently?
9. What kinds of risks do you
face when implementing a new initiative?
10. Do you work to achieve your
objectives? If so, describe how
hard.
11. Does competition increase
your desire to succeed?
12. How important are promotions
and advancement to you?
13. How do you determine if you
are successful?
14. What motivates you?
15. What risks did you take at
your previous job?
1. Describe a complex problem
you solved.
2. Describe projects you have
been involved in the last few
years.
3. Describe techniques you've
used with great success in your
field. Have you ever managed people
in the positions you've held?
4. Describe a work situation in
which you were not proud of your
performance. What did you learn
from this mistake?
5. Describe an important goal
you have set and tell me how you
reached it.
6. Describe how you have been
able to apply something you learned
from your degree program to a
real-life or work-related situation.
7. Describe a project in which
you failed? What did you learn
from this?
8. Describe a situation in which
you asked for advice?
9. Describe a situation in which
you asked for help?
10. Describe a situation in which
it took several tries or approaches
before you were able to figure
out what was going on.
11. Describe a situation in which
you had to quickly establish your
credibility and gain the confidence
of others. What did you do?
12. Describe a situation when
you didn't know who you needed
to speak with in an organization
too get something done. What did
you do?
13. Describe a time when you accomplished
a challenging goal.
14. Describe a time when you accomplished
a difficult goal.
15. What assurances do we have
that you will stay with us?
1. Tell me about your educational
background.
2. Do you have any plans to continue
your education?
3. Do you have plans for additional
education?
4. How did college prepare you
for this position?
5. How has your education prepared
you for this career?
6. How did you choose your field
of study?
7. What relevant training have
you received?
8. Do you have plans for furthering
your education?
1. What are the responsibilities
of your position?
2. What are your major responsibilities?
3. What experience do you have
for this job?
4. What experience do you have?
5. Describe your current job for
me.
6. What kind of projects using
leadership skills have you done?
7. Describe your experience working
with computers.
8. Describe your experience working
with difficult people.
9. Can you describe a typical
day at your (last/current) job?
10. Describe a mistake you made.
What have you learned from that
mistake?
11. How did you choose your last
employer?
12. How did you choose your career?
13. Are there reasons I should
hire you over another candidate?
14. What are there reasons I should
hire you over another candidate?
15. What are your specific strengths
and weaknesses?
16. What are your strengths?
17. What experiences do you have
that make you feel that you will
be successful in your field?
18. What experiences do you have
that make you feel you would be
successful in your chosen field?
19. What skills do you think the
ideal candidate for this position
should have?
20. What skills do you think this
position requires?
21. Why do you believe you are
qualified for the position?
22. Why do you feel that you can
be successful in this position?
23. Which qualities do you think
are the most important in determining
who we would hire for this position?
24. What are your strengths?
1. How did you decide on your
goals?
2. What are goals you would like
to accomplish in this profession?
3. How did you reach goals you
have set so far?
4. What kinds of career goals
have you set?
5. What are your goals for next
year?
6. How did your accomplishments
in last job relate to the goals
of your company?
7. How do you accomplish your
most important goals?
8. How do you set important goals
for yourself?
9. How have your career goals
changed over time?
10. How have your goals changed
since you finished school?
11. What are your personal long-term
(3 years) goals?
12. What are your personal short-term
(1 year) goals?
13. What are your short-term career
(1 year) goals?
14. What are your long-term career
(3 years) goals?
15. Where do you see yourself
in five years?
1. Are you creative?
2. Did you implement any new procedures
in any of the positions you've
held?
3. What are some innovations you're
particularly proud of?
4. What are some of the most creative
things you have done?
5. What is the most creative thing
you did on your last job?
6. What new products are we working
on now?
7. What was your most creative
idea?
8. Would you prefer routine or
creative work? Why?
1. Are you looking for a permanent
job?
2. What are you really interested
in this job?
3. Describe the perfect job for
you.
4. What are your hobbies?
5. What are your interests?
6. What do you do with your spare
time?
7. What are the most important
things a job can offer you?
8. What factors are important
to you in a job?
1. What is for you a leader? Give
some examples.
2. What qualities make the best
manager?
3. What qualities should a successful
manager possess?
4. Are you able to lead others?
5. What management positions have
you held?
6. As a department manager, how
would you establish staff collaboration?
7. How many people are you comfortable
supervising?
8. Can you lead a group of 20
employees to complete a task?
9. How do you supervise your staff?
10. What do you think yours subordinates
consider your strengths?
11. What do you think yours subordinates
could say about you?
12. What techniques do you use
to motivate people?
13. Can you take instructions/criticisms
without feeling upset?
14. Explain to me about an experience
where you had to manage people
conflicts at work.
15. Can you give instructions?
16. Can you work with direct supervision?
17. Define what cooperation for
you is.
18. Have you ever supervised any
subordinates?
19. How do you supervise your
staff?
20. What are the qualities that
are most important to a manager?
1. Do you feel that money is the
most important aspect of a job?
2. What are your needs for salary?
3. What benefits are you looking
for?
4. What is your current salary
range?
5. Would you select a job primarily
on the compensation, money or
benefits?
6. What salary do you expect?
7. What salary were you thinking
of for this position?
8. What benefits are you looking
for?
1. How do you deal with change?
2. How do you handle change?
3. What do you do when starting
a new job?
4. What can you do to help adjust
to a new job?
5. How have you handled difficult
changes in your working situation
in the past?
6. What major problem have you
encountered and how did you handle
it?
7. Why would you like change your
current working conditions?
8. How have you handled difficult
changes?
1. How do you plan your day?
2. How do you plan your week?
3. How do you determine your priorities?
4. Are you a very organized person?
5. How do you organize your time?
1. Describe the ideal employee
for you.
2. Describe yourself.
3. How would one of your friends
describe you?
4. What would your former employers
say about you?
5. How do you think your co-workers
would describe you?
6. How do you think your friends
would describe you?
7. How would a close professor
describe you?
8. How do you think your family
would describe you?
1. How would you handle an angry
co-worker?
2. How would you handle an angry
customer?
3. How would you handle an angry
employee?
4. How would you describe your
character?
5. If you could change one thing
about your personality, what would
it be?
6. How do you deal with interpersonal
conflict?
7. How do you resolve conflicts?
8. What kinds of people do you
have problems working with?
9. What kinds of people do you
like working with?
10. Which person has had the most
influence on your life?
11. Do you feel comfortable asking
for help?
12. How well do you cooperate?
13. Do you prefer to work alone
or with others?
14. How do you influence someone
to agree with your ideas?
15. How do you persuade people
to your point of view?
1. How do you feel about your
career progress?
2. How has your job prepared you
to take on greater responsibility?
3. How would you determine progress
in a good company?
4. What kind of responsibilities
would you like to see added to
those you have in your next job?
5. If your job description was
changed, how would you respond?
6. Are you willing and able to
relocate?
7. Are you willing and able to
travel?
8. Do you like to travel on the
job?
9. Do you like to travel?
10. What constraints do you have
about relocation?
11. What geographic location would
you prefer?
12. Do you have a geographical
preference?
1. Describe a difficult problem
you solved.
2. What difficult decisions have
you made?
3. Describe a time you had to
make a quick decision.
4. Describe how you solve difficult
problems.
5. Describe the most common problems
you encounter at your (previous/current)
job.
6. What do you do when you have
difficulty solving a problem?
7. How do you make decisions?
8. How do you make important decisions?
9. How do you solve problems?
10. What plan of action do you
take when facing a problem?
11. What major problem have you
encountered and how did you deal
with it?
12. What major problem have you
encountered and how did you handle
it?
1. Do you have experience working
under strict time limits?
2. Do you work well in pressure
situations?
3. Do you work well under pressure?
4. Have you any experience working
to meet deadlines?
5. Have you ever worked in a place
where it seemed to be just one
crisis after another?
6. How do you deal with stress
on the job?
7. How do you work under pressure?
8. How well do you work under
a deadline?
1. Are you competitive?
2. What in your life has given
you the most satisfaction?
3. What is your biggest professional
challenge?
4. What rewards do you expect
from your career?
5. Which would you prefer: excellent
pay or job satisfaction?
6. Why did you select the major
that you did?
