Interview questions to consider asking

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?