1. Why do you want to work in this industry?

Bad answer:
I love politics. I a huge fan of Obama and find his message for change very inspiring.
Dont ust say you li!e it. "nyone can do that. #ocus instead on your history with government and especially in
that agency$ and if you can$ tell a success story.
%ood answer:
I am fascinated by the way government wor!s with lawma!ers to accomplish change. In light of recent
political events and the Obama "dministrations movements$ we are already seeing how much the
government can accomplish when the right people and resources are utili&ed. 'his is especially true for
energy conservation efforts with the Department of (nergy. )hen I wor!ed at my previous employer$ I initiated
efforts to create a more green office * decreasing paper and electricity use by +,- after three months *
saving the company ./0$000 that year. )or!ing in the administrative office of the Do($ with its resources$ I
!now I could ta!e this type of proect to the ne1t level. I would find career and personal fulfillment in that.2
2. Tell us about yourself.
Bad answer:
I graduated four years ago from the 3niversity of 4ichigan$ with a Bachelors in Biology * but I decided that
wasnt the right path for me. 5o I switched gears and got my first ob$ wor!ing in sales for a startup. 'hen I
went on to wor! in legislative affairs for a law firm that wor!ed with the #eds. "fter that$ I too! a few months off
to travel. #inally$ I came bac! and wor!ed in government and legal wor!. "nd now$ here I am$ loo!ing for a
more challenging legislative role.
Instead of giving a chronological wor! history$ focus on your strengths and how they pertain to the role. If
possible$ illustrate with e1amples.
%ood answer:
Im really energetic$ and a great communicator. )or!ing in sales for two years helped me build confidence$
and taught me the importance of customer loyalty. Ive also got a trac! record of success. In my last role$ I
launched a company newsletter$ which helped us build on our e1isting relationships and create new ones.
Because of this$ we ended up seeing a revenue increase of /0- over two years. Im also really interested in
how companies can use web tools to better mar!et themselves$ and would be committed to building on your
e1isting platform. 'his is especially important as the government moves into more )eb +.0 initiatives.
3. What do you think of your previous boss?
Bad answer:
6e was completely incompetent$ and a nightmare to wor! with$ which is why Ive moved on
7emember: if you get the ob$ the person interviewing you will some day be your previous boss. 'he last thing
they want is to hire someone who they !now is going to badmouth them some day. Instead of trashing your
former employer$ stay positive$ and focus on what you learned from him 8no matter how awful he really was9.
%ood answer:
4y last boss taught me the importance of time management * he didnt pull any punches$ and was e1tremely
deadline:driven. 6is no:nonsense attitude pushed me to wor! harder$ and to meet deadlines I never even
thought were possible.
4. Why are you leaving your current role?
Bad answer:
I cant stand my boss$ or the wor! Im doing.
"gain$ stay away from badmouthing your ob or employer. #ocus on the positive.
%ood answer:
Ive learned a lot from my current role$ but now Im loo!ing for a new challenge$ to broaden my hori&ons and
to gain a new s!ill:set * all of which$ I see the potential for in this ob.
5. Where do you see yourself in ve years?
Bad answer:
7ela1ing on a beach in 4aui$ or Doing your ob.
'heres really no right answer to this ;uestion$ but the interviewer wants to !now that youre ambitious$ career:
oriented$ and committed to a future with the company. 5o instead of sharing your dream for early retirement$
or trying to be funny$ give them an answer that illustrates your drive and commitment.
%ood answer:
In five years Id li!e to have an even better understanding of how this agency wor!s. "lso$ I really love
wor!ing with people. 3ltimately$ Id li!e to be in some type of managerial role at this agency$ where I can use
my people s!ills and department !nowledge to benefit the people wor!ing for me$ and the agency as a whole.2
!. What"s your greatest weakness?
Bad answer:
I wor! too hard$ or for the comedian$ Blondes.
'his ;uestion is a great opportunity to put a positive spin on something negative$ but you dont want your
answer to be clich< * o!ing or not. Instead$ try to use a real e1ample of a wea!ness you have learned to
overcome.
%ood answer:
Ive never been very comfortable with public spea!ing * which as you !now$ can be a hindrance in the
wor!place. 7eali&ing this was a problem$ I as!ed my previous employer if I could enroll in a speech wor!shop.
6e said yes. I too! the class$ and was able to overcome my lifelong fear. 5ince then$ Ive given lots of
presentations to audiences of over a /00 high level e1ecutives * I still dont love it$ but no one else can tell=
#. What salary are you looking for?
Bad answer:
In my last ob I earned .>,$000 * so$ now Im loo!ing for .?0$000
If you can avoid it$ dont give an e1act number. 'he first person to name a price in a salary negotiation loses.
Instead$ re:iterate your commitment to the ob itself. If you have to$ give a broad range based on research
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youve conducted on that particular role$ in your particular city. If the role is with a non:independent agency
and therefore must us the %5 @ay 5chedule$ thin! of ways to talk yourself up the scale.
%ood answer:
Im more interested in the role itself than the pay. 'hat said$ Id e1pect to be paid the appropriate range for
this role$ based on my five years of e1perience. I also thin! a fair salary would bear in mind the high cost of
living here in Aew Bor! City. #urther$ I thin! my education and bac!ground can ma!e me at the highest 5tep in
my %rade.
$. Why should % hire you?
Bad answer:
Im the best candidate for the role.
" good answer will reiterate your ;ualifications$ and will highlight what ma!es you uni;ue.
%ood answer:
Ive been an (1ecutive "ssistant for the past ten years * my boss has said time and time again that without
me$ the organi&ation would fall apart. Ive also ta!en the time to educate myself on some of the software I
regularly use 8but didnt really understand the ins and outs of9. Im an (1cel wi& now$ which means I can wor!
faster$ and ta!e over some of what my boss would traditionally have had to do himself. )hats good enough
for most people is never really good enough for me
&. What is your greatest failure' and what did you learn fro( it?
Bad answer:
I never finished law school * and everything thats happened since has taught me that giving up$ ust because
the going gets tough$ is a huge mista!e.
Bou dont want to actually highlight a maor regret * especially one that e1poses an overall dissatisfaction with
your life. Instead$ focus on a smaller$ but significant$ mishap$ and how it has made you a better professional.
%ood answer:
)hen I was in college$ I too! an art class to supplement my curriculum. I didnt ta!e it very seriously$ and
assumed that$ compared to my (ngineering classes$ it would be a wal! in the par!. 4y failing grades at
midterm showed me otherwise. Id even eopardi&ed my scholarship status. I !new I had to get my act
together. I spent the rest of the semester ma!ing up for it$ ended up getting a decent grade in the class. I
learned that no matter what Im doing$ I should strive to do it to the best of my ability. Otherwise$ its not worth
doing at all.
1). *ow do you e+plain your gap in e(ploy(ent?
Bad answer:
2I was so tired of wor!ing$ and I needed a brea!$ or I ust cant find a ob.
(mployment gaps are always tough to e1plain. Bou dont want to come across as la&y or unhireable. #ind a
way to ma!e your e1tended unemployment seem li!e a choice you made$ based on the right reasons.
%ood answer:
4y wor! is important to me$ so I wont be satisfied with any old ob. Instead of rushing to accept the first thing
that comes my way$ Im ta!ing my time and being selective to ma!e sure my ne1t role is the right one.2
11. When were you (ost satised in your ,ob?
Bad answer:
2I was most satisfied when I did well$ and got praised for my wor!.
Dont give vague answers. Instead$ thin! about something you did well * and enoyed *that will be relevant at
this new ob. 'his is an opportunity for you to share your interests$ prove that youre a great fit for the ob and
showcase your enthusiasm.
%ood answer:
Im a people person. I was always happiest * and most satisfied * when I was interacting with people and
patient$ ma!ing sure I was able to meet their needs and giving them the best possible helathcare e1perience.
It was my favorite part of the ob$ and it showed * I was rated as %ood or (1cellent D,- of the time. @art of
the reason Im interested in this ob at 6uman and 6ealth 5ervices is that I !now Id have even more
interaction with patients$ on an even more critical level.2
12. What did you like least about your last ,ob?
Bad answer:
2" lac! of stability. I felt li!e the place could collapse around me at any time.
'ry and stay away from anything that draws on the politics$ culture or financial health of your previous
employer. Ao matter how true it might be$ comments li!e these will be construed as too negative. "lso$ you
dont want to focus on a function that might be your responsibility in the ne1t role. 5o thin! of something you
disli!ed in your last ob$ but that you !now for sure wont be part of this new role.
%ood answer:
'here was nothing about my last ob that I hated$ but I guess there were some things I li!ed less than others.
4y previous role involved traveling at least twice a month. )hile I do love to travel$ twice a month was a little
e1hausting * I didnt li!e spending ;uite so much time out of the office. Im happy to see that this role involves
a lot less travel.
13. -escribe a ti(e when you did not get along with a co.worker.
Bad answer:
2Im easy to get along with$ so Ive never had any !ind of discord with another cowor!er.
Interviewers dont li!e these types of easy out answers. "nd besides$ they !now you are probably not telling
the truth. 'hin! of a relatively benign 8but significant9 instance$ and spin it to be a positive learning
e1perience.
%ood answer:
2
I used to loc! heads with a fellow nurse in the %/01 ward. )e disagreed over a lot of things * from the care
of patients to who got what shifts to how to spea! with a childs family. Our personalities ust didnt mesh. "fter
three months of arguing$ I pulled her aside and as!ed her to lunch. "t lunch$ we tal!ed about our differences
and why we werent getting along. It turns out$ it was all about communication. )e communicated differently
and once we !new that$ we began to wor! well together. I really believe that tal!ing a problem through with
someone can help solve any issue.
14. What (otivates you?
Bad answer:
2Doing a good ob and being rewarded for it.
Its not that this answer is wrong * its ust that it wastes an opportunity. 'his ;uestion is practically begging
you to highlight your positive attributes. 5o dont give a vague$ generic response * it tells them very little about
you. Instead$ try and use this ;uestion as an opportunity to give the interviewer some insight into your
character$ and use e1amples where possible.
%ood answer:
Ive always been motivated by the challenge of meeting a tough deadline * in my last role$ I was responsible
for a /00- success rate in terms of delivering our products on time and within budget. I !now that this ob is
very fast:paced$ and deadline:driven * Im more than up for the challenge. In fact$ I thrive on it.
15. *ow would your friends describe you?
Bad answer:
2Im a really good listener.
)hile being a good listener is a great personality trait$ your employer probably doesnt care all that much. Its
unli!ely that theyre hiring you to be a shoulder to cry on. Boull want to !eep your answer relevant to the ob
youre interviewing for * and as specific as possible. If you can$ insert an e1ample.
%ood answer:
4y friends would probably say that Im e1tremely persistent * Ive never been afraid to !eep going bac! until I
get what I want. )hen I wor!ed as a program developer$ recruiting !eynote spea!ers for a maor tech
conference$ I got one reection after another * this was ust the nature of the ob. But I really wanted the big
players * so I wouldnt ta!e no for an answer. I !ept going bac! to them every time there was a new company
on board$ or some new value proposition. (ventually$ many of them actually said yes * the program turned
out to be so great that we doubled our attendees from the year before. " lot of people might have given up
after the first reection$ but its ust not in my nature. If I !now something is possible$ I have to !eep trying until I
get it.
Interview Euestions and "nswers for %overnment Fobs
2ny govern(ent ,ob is likely to deal with people3 i3e to serve the public. The
e(phasis would be on custo(er service and care' dealing with di4cult clients
and giving the best advice and infor(ation possible. The ai( at any govern(ent
,ob interview is to nd out whether you are the type of person who can deal with
others e5ectively' who can cope in a crisis and who has very good co((unication
skills because that is likely to be the (ain part of the ,ob at hand. %nterviewers
would be trying to get to know your strengths in dealing with others and whether
you are the right t for the function you would be helping to e+ecute. 6o(e
popular interview 7uestions would be the following3
1. 8ersonal *istory3 8ast 9+perience' 8resent and :uture :avourite 7uestions here
are3 ;Tell (e about your educational background<' ;*ow does your education
(atch you up for this post?<' ;What training have you had to prepare you for this
position?<
2lways answer personal 7uestions truthfully because lying (erely stores up
proble(s for the future. %f you did not really en,oy your schooldays' for e+a(ple'
say so' with clear reasons. Then show how you slowly changed your opinion to
such a degree that you (ade subse7uent education work for you. That would
(ake you appear (uch (ore resilient' (ature and attractive than pretending you
en,oyed it fro( day one. 6how the relevance of your degree or college
7ualications to the ,ob you are seeking and how you would use it to good
advantage. =our answer (ight even give an innovative idea the interviewers
(ight not have thought of. >ake sure you go on occasional training so that you
can at least show you are keeping up with the new develop(ents and ahead of
the trends.
2. What have you read lately' and what are you reading now?
This is si(ply to get behind your facade' to see what kind of interests you have
and the real person behind the (ask. ?ur chosen books tell a lot about us and
often these kind of 7uestions are not as si(ple as they sound. They are likely to
reveal far (ore about your potential (atch to the ,ob than the direct 7uestions'
especially your passions in life. :or e+a(ple' if you are not reading anything it
says volu(es about your own desire to self educate' to learn and to raise your
develop(ent standards. @eading books is a sign of being alive' of being
intelligent and being curious. 2n absence of books would say (ore about you
than whatever you actually say.
3. What did you en,oy (ost and least in your last ,ob?
This is another very good 7uestion because it helps to pin down what (akes you
tick' what you really like and what would put you o5. This is about self.knowledge.
=ou need to appreciate turns you on and o5 and what has helped to get you to
where you are today. :or e+a(ple' if the things you didn"t en,oy were allied to
what you are applying for now' that would rule you out because you would be
getting (ore of the sa(e in another for(. %t also helps to draw out your sincerity
in what you really desire in your life. 6o (ake sure you really know how you felt
about your last ,ob so that you can identity what you liked and disliked about it.
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4. -o you prefer working alone or in groups?
2gain' this is designed to show whether you are a tea( player or a loner. %f you
are the leader type who prefers to use your initiative and work on your own then
you would be unsuitable for a social work ,ob' for e+a(ple' that denitely needs
tea( players. Whichever you select gives an idea of how you would slot into their
tea( or depart(ent' or whether you (ight be suitable for so(ething else. There
is no right or wrong answer here' ,ust what feels right for you.
5. What e+periences have you had in dealing with the general public?
This is one of the (ost i(portant 7uestions and your e+periences will either (ake
you sound ideal or disastrous to the(. %f you broadly get on with people' that
(ight be a great foundation' but whatever you say will be used either for or
against you because they are seeking candidates with good people skills. >ake
sure you have a couple of concrete e+a(ples ready to de(onstrate your skills
and e(pathy.
!. What e+periences have you had in dealing with di4cult custo(ers?
This is the real cracker' the one that will (ake or break you. %f you cannot handle
di4cult custo(ers' that would be a (a,or stu(bling block for you in a ,ob where
dealing with irritated (e(bers of the public will be routine. Ae very clear about
the circu(stances' what happened and how you dealt with it' especially how you
resolved any tricky issues that arose. The (ain ai( is to see you in action and
how you would look after yourself and others in a crisis.
#. -o you prefer to have a ,ob with set tasks and responsibilities' or where your
tasks change on a fre7uent basis?
This 7uestion ai(s to separate the leaders fro( the followers. %f you are good at
using your initiative and being self.directed then you would be di5erent in
approach and appeal fro( so(eone who prefers closer direction' (ore routine
and (ore regularity. Ay stating which type of ,ob you prefer the interviewers
would be able to see your potential develop(ent while gauging your personality
and a(bitions (ore accurately. Ae clear about which would suit you so that you
would then be placed in the right environ(ent for your growth. :or e+a(ple' if
you are easily bored' then a changing routine would be (uch (ore appropriate to
(otivate you.
$. %n what ways do you think you can (ake a contribution to our depart(ent?
*opefully' you would have thought about your personal i(pact you hope to (ake
on the new ,ob. 8eople will not hire ,ust for looks and personality. %t is all about
getting the ,ob done in the public service' keeping the public and your colleagues
happy. %f you can contribute to (aking that happen in so(e way' you would be
(ost valued. %s there anything you could better? 2nything you could introduce to
(ake the service (ore e5ective? 2nything that could be changed' especially as
you are a service user too? 2ny suggestion would show your careful thought
about the ,ob and the fact that you would be co(ing in to help to (ake that
di5erence and the ,ob a little bit (ore fullling for all concerned.
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