Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Describe a circumstance in which you effectively persuaded someone to view things your way.
  2. Describe an instance when you confronted a challenging circumstance and used your coping abilities.
  3. Give an example of a moment when you utilized sound judgment and reasoning to solve a challenge.
  4. Give us an example of a time when you had set a goal and accomplished it.
  5. Tell me about a moment when you had to utilize your presenting abilities to persuade someone to change their mind.
  6. Give us an example of a moment when you had to follow a policy with which you disagreed.
  7. What precisely did you do? What exactly was your part in this?
  8. What difficulties did you face?
  9. Why did you do it exactly?
  10. What made you make that decision?
  11. Tell me about a moment when you had to persuade others to share their thoughts or views. How did you convince everyone to pitch in? What was the final outcome?
  12. Tell me about a time when your oral communication abilities made a difference in the outcome of a scenario. What were your thoughts? What did you discover?
  13. Tell me about a time when you had to persuade people to embrace your point of view even if they were convinced you were incorrect. How did you get ready? What was your strategy? What was their reaction? What was the end result?
  14. You discover that a former coworker from your previous firm has applied for an accounting position with your company. You may have heard that this individual was fired after confessing to embezzling monies from the firm, but no criminal charges were filed. You are not in human resources. What would you do, if anything?
  15. You are applying for a position in customer service at a cable television business. How would you react if a technician came to do a repair at a house and then you got a call from the customer complaining about the guy leaving muddy tracks on her new carpeting?

Framing the Questions

Open-ended inquiries allow you to get a feel of an applicant’s potential and whether they are a cultural match. Here are a few instances of open-ended questions:

16. Please tell me about your previous job experience.

17. What do you want to gain from your future job?

18. What makes you want to work for us?

19. Why did you quit your previous job?

20. Tell me about your former manager’s relationship: How effective was it? What might have been done better?

21. Why did you find math to be the most challenging subject in school?

22. Please describe your leadership style.

Following are the examples of close-ended questions

  1. How many years of team leadership experience do you have?
  2. Have you ever done any job from home?
  3. When did you last leave your job?
  4. Did you have a good working relationship with your prior boss?
  5. What was your favorite class in school?
  6. What was the most challenging topic for you?
  7. What was your grade point average?

Encouraging communication

We attempt to elicit as much information as possible from applicants, and we always advise fostering an environment that encourages dialogue. The following are some ideas for establishing rapport and stimulating discussion:

  1. We request that the candidate reserve a peaceful location for the interview.
  2. We plan enough time so that the interview does not seem hurried.
  3. We notify the candidate of the place and time of the interview well in advance.

We always welcome candidates with a friendly grin and a strong handshake. Introduce ourselves and everyone else engaged in the interview.

  1. Request permission to record or take notes during the interview.
  2. We begin by creating a welcoming environment for the candidate.

Outlining the goals and format of the interview.

  1. Ask questions that will encourage conversation. Avoid queries that merely require a yes or no answer. Keep the questions open-ended so that the candidate may express themselves freely.
  2. Only ask job-related inquiries. Avoid personal, private, and prejudiced inquiries.
  3. Begin with easy questions and work your way up to more tough or searching inquiries.
  4. Only ask one inquiry at a time.
  5. If necessary, repeat the question, but try not to do so more than once.
  6. Do not direct, prompt, interrupt, or assist the applicant in finding an answer.
  7. Avoid making any facial expressions that can lead to an answer.
  8. Pay close attention to the candidate’s responses.
  9. Examine the applicant’s ability to manage and operate in groups.
  10. Determine whether the candidate is a good fit for the organization’s culture.

Follow-up questions

When the interviewer does not completely comprehend a response, when responses are imprecise or ambiguous, or when the interviewer requires more detailed information from the candidate, asking follow-up questions, also known as probing, may be essential.

Probing queries that invite further information frequently begin with “what” or “how.”

“Personal reflection questions frequently begin with “do you” or “are you.”

“Questions beginning with “why” may put the reply on the defensive or yield little valuable information, necessitating further investigation.

It is beneficial to be familiar with some probing techniques. Here are a couple such examples:

  1. Could you kindly elaborate on…?
  2. I’m not sure I really comprehended. Could you elaborate on that?
  3. I’m not sure what you mean by…. Could you please provide some examples?
  4. Could you elaborate on your thoughts about this?
  5. You mentioned… Could you elaborate on that? What comes to mind when you think about that?
  6. I believe this is what I heard… Did I hear you correctly?
  7. What I understand you to be saying is…
  8. Could you please provide me an example of…?
  9. What is causing you to feel this way?
  10. You just informed me about… I’d also like to know about…

Reflection questions

Reflection questions are intended to provide a more in-depth analysis of the applicant’s replies.

Applicants seldom become defensive in response to such queries; they want the interviewer to comprehend their responses. Reflection questions might begin with terms like:

  1. Please repeat what I believe I heard you say…
  2. Did that make you think or feel…?
  3. Do you mean that…?

Closing the interview

In conclusion of an interview:

  1. Based on the facts supplied during the interview, are you interested in the job?
  2. When are you available?
  3. Provide a reference list.
  4. Describe the timeline for the remaining interviews, the next steps in the process, and when a decision is anticipated to be reached.
  5. How should we contact you?