Interview Questions - Sample

MOTIVATION AND RECOGNITION 1. Give me some examples of the different ways in which you have demonstrated recognition of individual/team success? 2. Can you give me some examples of how you have motivated your team? 3. What incentives have you provided for your team? . !ow do you personally motivate yourself? ". What gets you enthused? #. $escri%e when you wor&ed the hardest and felt the greatest sense of achievement ENERGY AND ENT !SIASM '. !ow do you energise yourself to do things which don(t particularly interest you? ). What additional activities do you currently underta&e that give an indication of your enthusiasm for your *o%? +. What examples can you give of your enthusiasm for what you do? 1,. !ow would mem%ers of your team/colleagues descri%e you? 11. What have you identified as %eing the three ma*or areas of focus if you were appointed to this position? 12. Give an example of a situation where you have gone a%ove and %eyond the call of duty when carrying out a specific tas& or pro*ect? 13. -ell me a%out a time when an emergency caused you to reschedule your wor&load or to wor& outside normal hours C!STOMER CARE 1 . !ow would you define your customers? 1". What do you do to ensure you always exceed your customers( expectations?

1#. Who do you %elieve are you a customer of? 1'. !ow would you descri%e the .uality of service you receive from them? 1). What do you thin& is outstanding customer service? INITIATIVE" CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION 1+. Give me some examples of where you have /led the field( in your current role 2,. What have you done previously which could %e descri%ed as particularly innovative 21. What methods do you use to source new ideas 0 where does your inspiration come from? 22. Can you offer any examples of situations which have re.uired you to find a creative or imaginative solution to a pro%lem? 23. !ow could you %e more creative in your present role? MANAGEMENT STY#E 2 . !ow would you descri%e your management style? 2". !ow has your style changed over the years? 2#. !ow does your %oss(s management style compare with your own? 2'. Compare the styles of different people to whom you have reported? 2). What .ualities do you thin& are essential in a successful manager? TEAM $!I#DING 2+. !ow do you get your staff wor&ing together as a team? 3,. !ow has this changed in different wor& environments? 31. -ell me a%out the way you have changed the %ehaviors and attitudes of your team? 32. !ow has your %oss got the %est out of you and your colleagues? TEAM %OR&ING 33. !ow have you demonstrated your a%ility to influence and persuade? 3 . Give me an example of the sort of contri%ution you ma&e at meetings.

3". !ow do your colleagues see you as a mem%er of the team? 3#. !ow would you descri%e your team style? 3'. $escri%e the most difficult/stressful pro%lem you have encountered with a colleague and how you resolve that pro%lem? 3). -ell me a%out an instance where you have sought the advice of others to help you reach a difficult decision? 3+. !ow do you enlist the support and co1operation of your colleagues? DEVE#O'MENT O( 'EO'#E ,. -here is a lot of tal& a%out /empowering( people. What does this mean to you? 1. -ell me a%out your successes in preparing people for promotion? 2. Give me some examples of the sort of responsi%ilities and accounta%ilities which you have delegated 3. !ow do you monitor and control the wor& of your team? . 2f you have to identify a person(s suita%ility for promotion3 what factors do you consider? ". 2n what ways has your current *o% prepared you to ta&e on greater responsi%ility? RESI#IENCE AND A$I#ITY TO CO'E %IT DI((IC!#TIES

#. -ell me how you have reacted to set%ac& or disappointment which you have encountered '. -al& me through a performance management situation you have had to deal with ). $escri%e the most complex disciplinary situation you have had to deal with +. -ell me a%out a crisis situation which really challenged you 0 what did you do? ",. What do you do when you have a great deal of wor& to accomplish in a short time span 0 how do you react? "1. What sort of things do you worry a%out? "2. !ow do you ma&e your opinions &nown when you disagree with your manager or a colleague?

'RESENTATION S&I##S "3. What sort of presentations have you underta&en in the past? " . !ow have you prepared for these? "". What visual aid do you feel give the %est support in a presentation to a group of 2" people? "#. What is the largest num%er of people you have had to present to? "'. !ow do you feel prior to a formal presentation? "). What type of presentation ma&es you the most nervous? "+. !ow do you overcome your pre1presentation nerves? COMM!NICATION #,. Why is effective communication important? #1. What methods do you currently use to ensure that your team &now what(s going on? #2. What are the %arriers to good communication? #3. !ow will you handle communication with a dispersed team? # . !ow fre.uently do you %elieve you should meetings? #". 2n what way do you encourage people to express their views? ##. !ow do you ma&e your goals and targets clear? #'. $escri%e how effective you are at listening? ORGANISATIONA# AND '#ANNING A$I#ITY #). !ow do you organise yourself and plan your day #+. 2n determining priorities3 what factors do you ta&e into consideration? ',. -al& me through the planning of a particularly complex activity you have underta&en recently '1. !ow do you react to interruptions and distractions 0 '2. when you are up against a deadline? '3. when you are wor&ing on something complicated?

' . during the normal course of wor&? '". !ow do you cope under pressure and avoid stress? 'RO)ECT MANAGEMENT '#. When starting a new pro*ect3 what are the first things you do? ''. !ow do you maintain an overview of a particular pro*ect? '). 2f one of your suppliers fails to meet a deadline3 how do you deal with the situation? '+. What are the important things to monitor during any large pro*ect? ),. !ow do you go a%out esta%lishing realistic targets and completion dates? )1. What do you do if you have two conflicting priorities? )2. !ow do you measure results? STANDARDS AND 'RO(ESSIONA#ISM )3. -ell me a%out your /o%sessions( ) . What methods do you use to maintain the highest possi%le standards? )". -al& me through a typical day 0 what is important to you? )#. What to you get on your /high horse( a%out? )'. What do you %elieve is critical to the success of your wor&? COSTS AND $!DGETS )). What techni.ues do you use to &eep costs under control? )+. !ow do you save money? +,. $escri%e your experiences in setting %udgets? +1. !ow do you monitor and control your %udgets?

ANA#YTICA# A$I#ITY AND 'RO$#EM SO#VING +2. -ell me a%out an instance where you have had to analyse information and then act on your findings +3. $escri%e a difficult pro%lem you(ve had to deal with + . Can you give examples of how you identified a small pro%lem and solved it %efore it got out of hand +". What would you do if you had a decision to ma&e3 for which no procedure exists? SE#( A%ARENESS +#. Consider the five main elements of your current *o% and ran& them in order of4 2mportance 2nterest -ime 5ersonal competence +'. 6ou will have read the *o% description3 how long do you thin& it will ta&e you to %ecome competent in this new role? +). 2n what ways do you encourage feed%ac& on your performance? ++. Give me some examples of your willingness to accept feed%ac& for self improvement 1,1. $escri%e a situation where you wor& or one of your ideas was criticised? 1,2. !ave you done the %est wor& you are capa%le of doing? 1,3. -ell me a%out something you are not very proud of 1, .What sort of coaching would you expect from your manager? 1,".What aspect of your style of performance is your manager li&ely to have to spend time on developing or improving? 1,#.What have others %een a%le to learn from you? 1,'.!ow do you set an example to colleagues and su%ordinates? 1,).!ow would your staff/colleagues descri%e your personality? 1,+.What activity3 in your wor&ing life3 gives you the greatest &ic&? 11,.What drives you mad? 111.What would you li&e to %e remem%ered for?

112.!ow has your management style changed over the years? 113.What is your team role style? 11 .What is your learning style? !NDERSTANDING O( RO#E MODE#S 11".Who3 during your career3 have %een your mentors and how? 11#.What aspects of your former %osses( management style have you adopted? 11'.What sort of things has you manager done that you disli&ed? 11).What sort of things have you learned from your colleagues? 11+.What do you hope your new manager will provide to %enefit your personal development? 12,. !ow fre.uently would you want involvement from your manager? COMMERCIA# DRIVE 121.!ow have you succeeded in increasing revenue? 122.!ow have you grasped the specific opportunities offered %y your location? 123.What do you see as %eing the ma*or areas for growth? 12 .What mar&eting methods do you feel are the most effective and appropriate? 12".What other opportunities exist for growth or improvement 12#.$escri%e how your *o% relates to the overall goals of your department and organisation AS'IRATIONS*'ERSONA# DEVE#O'MENT 12'.What are the reasons for your success in your current *o%? 12).2deally3 how would you now li&e to see you career develop? 12+.!ow realistic is this am%ition? 13,.What is the /extra special( .uality that you will %ring to this role? 131.What do you feel this *o% will do to enhance your career and personal development?

INTERESTS 132.-ell me how you spend your spare time? 133.Why do en*oy these activities? 13 .What other activities would you pursue if you had more time/money? 13".What is your dream situation?