Job History / Experience

  • Walk me through your background.
  • Describe a typical day on the job.
  • What was the mission of that job?
  • What made you leave that job?
  • What made you pick that job?
  • What accomplishments there can you take personal responsibility for?
  • What accomplishments do you feel most proud of there? overall in your career?
  • What would you have done differently there? overall in your career?
  • To whom did you report?
  • What did you think of him/her?
  • How did you get along with him/her?
  • How did others get along with him/her?
  • What challenged you most about your boss(es)? your reports?
  •  To what do you attribute your company’s successes? your successes?
  • To what do you attribute your company’s shortcomings? your shortcomings?
  • What was the best job you ever had and why?
  • What was the worst job you ever had and why?
  • Have you ever been fired?
  • If so, what was the story behind it?
  • Have you ever fired somebody?
  • If so, how did you do it?
  • (If relevant) Why have you changed jobs so often?
  • (If relevant) Why did you stay at that company for such a short period?
  • (If relevant) Why have you stayed at that company for so long?
  • How did you do in school?

Skills / Knowledge

  • What are your greatest strengths?
  • We all have development needs. What are yours?
  • What’s your view of the (relevant) market?
  • How do you see us in the market / client base?
  • What are your deepest areas of knowledge?
  • Do you have any specialized areas of knowledge?
  • Tell me what you know about our products / client base.
  • What has best demonstrated your writing skills?
  • What has best demonstrated your presenting skills?
  • What projects illustrate your best areas of technical knowledge?
  • What are your passable areas of technical knowledge?
  • Is there anything you can tell me that exemplifies how others see your knowledge?
  • What skills do you most enjoy using?
  • What skills do you most want to develop?
  • What skills would you just as soon not use?

Specific Interview Questions to Consider

Working / Management Style & Attitudes

  • What are the hallmarks of your working or management style?
  • How would you describe your decision making process?
  • Describe yourself as you think your boss would.
  • Describe yourself as you think a customer / client would.
  • Describe yourself as you think a typical report of yours would.
  • Describe yourself as maybe 1 of your less enthusiastic colleagues / reports would.
  • What were the most important lessons in your life?
  • Who or what taught them to you?
  • What most motivates you?
  • What would be the ideal company culture for you?
  • Tell me about a difficult situation and how you resolved it successfully.
  • Tell me about a difficult situation you weren’t able to resolve successfully, and why.
  • Who was the most difficult person with whom you had to work and why?
  • When you were once unhappy with a decision, how did you handle it?
  • When you were once unhappy with a boss, how did you handle it?
  • When you were once unhappy with a peer, how did you handle it?
  • When you were once unhappy with a subordinate, how did you handle it?
  • Describe when you made an unpopular decision, or confronted an impropriety.
  • What are the most important things a (specific type of) manager should know?
  • What role do you tend to play in management or other team decisions?
  • (If mgnt.) How would you define leadership?
  • (If mgnt.) How is management different from leadership?
  • (If mgnt.) Who do you think are the greatest leaders and managers, and why?
  • What, if any, are your leadership and management qualities?
  • What are the fundamentals of good sales / financial control / R&D / mgnt. / QA, etc.?
  • Tell me how you handled a time when you were under a lot of pressure.
  • How do you typically handle pressure?
  • Give me an example of how flexible you are.
  • Give me an example of a time you had to remain firm.
  • How do you organize yourself?
  • Give me an example of how creative or resourceful you can be.
  • Is there a common thread to what you’ve found fulfilling through your various jobs?
  • Is there a common thread to what’s frustrated you through your various jobs?
  • How have you handled that frustration?
  • Would you handle it any differently now?

Job Status

  • If you could have the ideal job, what would it be?
  • How interested are you in making a move?
  • How long have you been looking for a job?
  • Why would you or would you not consider working here?
  • What do you want to be doing in a year? 3 years? 5 years?
  • Will you relocate?
  • How much will you travel?
  • Would you break down for me your present compensation?
  • What are you looking to make?
  • What’s unique about you?
  • How did / would you choose your references?
  • Have you spoken with them about us?
  • Are you a U.S. citizen; or do you have a green card?
  • Where do you stand on this opportunity?
  • When could you start?

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