Job Interview Question Database:

Wild Card Job Interview Questions & Excellent Sample Responses,

1. If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be,
and why?
Sample excellent response:
I would chose to have dinner with Leonardo Da Vinci. He was a man who
inspired creative thinking and thinking beyond what is considered typical
and accepted. He was brilliant and someone whom I could learn a lot from -not only in specific ideas and thoughts, but an entire way of thinking. He
was willing to explore different areas of thought beyond just one particular
field. He also didn't let society or negative reactions stop him from
continuing his work.
[contributed by Andra]
2. What did you want to be when you were 10 years old?
Sample excellent response:
10 years old would put me somewhere around 4th grade, I suppose, and at
that point, as with most of my childhood, I wanted to be a teacher and a
writer. I really enjoyed reading, and when I was young and had more time, I
read a lot of books well before most people in my grade. I was also very
interested in writing at that point. Both of these are interests I still have,
and they are consistent with the path I have chosen, as they both emphasize
learning and experiencing other people's perspectives, which is my passion;
it sounds silly, but I really just like to understand things. I wanted to teach
because I really enjoyed gaining an understanding of things -- solving
problems and coming up with solution, and I wanted to help others to
understand things as well.
[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]
3. What would I find in your refrigerator?
Sample excellent response:
I currently share a refrigerator with three other girls. So you never know
what you are going to find in ours! As for what you would find that is mine, I
believe in always having the basics of anything as a good foundation. This
translates into all areas of my life. Since a balanced and healthy diet will
prepare you for life, I think it is vital to have healthy and a well balanced
diet. I have fruits, veggies, milk, juice, eggs, chicken, and seafood.
[contributed by Andra]
4. List 3 words that describe your character.

Sample excellent response:

Authentic, Ambitious, Outgoing.
Authentic because I believe being true to yourself and having honest
relationships with your friends, family, and co-workers is essential to success
in life. Authenticity is about being real and having no pretenses. It's about
having integrity.
Ambitious because I know what I want to do in my life and my career -- I
have certain goals and plans to achieve those goals -- and I am willing to
work hard for my employer to achieve those goals. Furthermore, I like to
perform my work at the highest level possible, pushing both myself and my
team members to perform at our highest levels
Outgoing because I am an extrovert who enjoys interacting with people. I'm
a good communicator and have been told I have both excellent listening and
speaking abilities, which I believe makes me a better friend, co-worker, and
leader.
5. List 3 positive character traits you DON'T have.
Sample excellent response:
The first is in direct contrast to a trait I do have. That is excitable. While I
have been known to get excited, I generally keep a very calm character. The
next trait is humble. I would not consider this a negative, however, because
I feel I maintain a confident attitude without coming across as cocky. The
last trait is worldly. I have not been given the chance to go overseas and
fully indulge myself in a different culture.
[contributed by Joseph F.]
6. If you had the opportunity to switch to the opposite gender for just a
week, would you do it? Why or why not?
Sample excellent response:
Definitely yes. I was actually asked this question once before by an all-male
panel and was told later that I was the only respondent (male or female) to
answer in the affirmative. I enjoy experiencing and understanding. I think
that it would be very strange to be the other gender for a week, but as long
as I could DEFINITELY come back to being me afterwards, I would relish the
experience to gain better understanding of the male mind and how it works.
This would enable me to be a better communicator with the opposite sex -something I will have to do frequently in the work place -- and to better
understand and perhaps have more patience with the opposite gender. As

long as I can come back, I think it would definitely be a rewarding

experience.
[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]
7. If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to
see play the lead role as you?
Sample excellent response:
I'd like to see the lead role played by either Julia Roberts or Sandra Bullock;
Julia Robert,s if you really want me to pick one. They are both highly
respected actresses and have both played a diverse group of roles without
selling out. They are both good people and handle their fame with dignity
and use their fame and fortune to make the world better for others, not just
for themselves. My goal in life is to make the world a better place. I am
doing what I can now, but I am hopeful for when I have additional resources
and can do even more as these two role models have. That is why I would
select one of them to represent me; they represent what I aspire to be.
[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]
8. If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers
to be?
Sample excellent response:
I would want to have the power of multiplicity. That way I could have five of
me all going in different directions and accomplishing five times as much as
I normally could. I could be five times as productive, or see the same event
from five different angles. I could be able to do volunteer work with one
while another one could be enjoying the beach.
[contributed by Andra]
9. If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title
should be?
Sample excellent response:
Never Give Up. The reason for this is that throughout my life I have walked
into numerous metaphorical walls, and I have just found a new path each
time without getting down.
[contributed by Joseph F.]
10. If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your
human needs -- such as food and water -- were taken care of, what two
items would you want to have with you?
Sample excellent response:
This begs a serious question with a lot to be taken into consideration. Since I

won't have a power source to which I can plug in my laptop or phone

charger, those would not be feasible options. Arguably, I could also bring a
generator, but I don't know how long it would last, and it would be horrible
when it died, and I lost both of my items at once. I guess I would want to
bring two really big notebooks. I should be able to create some writing
mechanism/pen substitute out of what I find on the island. I like the order
and chronology of a notebook -- it would increase the odds that my writing
would survive my stay. I think that with potentially nobody with whom I
could communicate, the ability to keep an organized log of writing would
help me to stay sane.
[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]
11. If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints,
what would you do with the time?
Sample excellent response:
I would use those six months for traveling to educate myself more in the art
world to become more successful in my career and become a bigger asset to
the organization I worked for.
[contributed by M. Kearney]
12. If you could compare yourself with any animal, which would it be and
why?
Sample excellent response:
A lion because they are independent, but they stay with the pack. I believe I
possess those qualities, as well, and am able to work alone and with others
successfully. Also, lions are known as "king of the jungle." I think of myself as
a natural leader, and I always put my all into everything I do.
[contributed by Renee Poulin]
13. If you were a type of food, what type of food would you be?
Sample excellent response:
I would choose to be eggs. They are the perfect food; they contain
everything you need to remain healthy. They are so versatile in how they
can be cooked by themselves and used in other cooking. They are so easily
adaptable for different tasks.
[contributed by Andra]
14. If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the
money?
Sample excellent response:
First I would take care of my family -- alleviate any present or pending
financial obligations and set everyone up for the future as well. Then I

would pick a few charities that I truly believed in and invest most of the
money in them. I would spend a lot of time researching these charities
because I believe in helping people, but even more, I believe in helping
people learn to help themselves -- so some charities would be researchbased (American Cancer Society, St. Jude's, etc.) and some of them would
be about development and learning for those who don't have the resources. I
would also like to set up a few scholarship funds. But that's as much as I
know. To be honest I haven't thought about it much before because I don't
live my life on gambles. Don't get me wrong; I buy the occasional Powerball
ticket -- but I just don't allow myself to rely on them.
[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]
15. If you were a car, what kind would you be?
Sample excellent response:
If I were a car I would be a Lexus; smart and elegant.
[contributed by Danielle S.]
16. Who do you admire the most and why?
Sample excellent response:
I admire my father most. He has never let others negatively hold him back.
He didn't let challenges dissuade him from going after his dream. He has also
managed to be a wonderful father and a family man. He is a well-rounded
individual and successful. I aspire to be half the effective individual person
he has come to be. I value any bit of advice he is willing to give me.
[contributed by Andra]
17. In the news story about your life, what would the headline say?
Sample excellent response:
"Clumsy girl develops anti-gravity shoes." Although I am not scientifically
inclined and wouldn't actually develop any shoes, it's the kind of thing I
would stumble across, and I mean that literally. I have a tendency to not
always look where I am walking, which sometimes results in laughter for
everyone around me. I joke around how I am on this earth to serve as a
warning for others and to make them feel better about themselves
sometimes. But I also have a great way of turning bad things into positives.
Unless serious injury is sustained when I fall or do something clumsy, I can
laugh it off too -- I think it's funny, and I know if I wasn't in pain and it was
someone else, I would want to laugh. So if once in a while my tripping or
doing something accidental like that leads to a few others smiling for a few
extra minutes each day, then I'm okay with it; regardless, it makes me laugh
so it all works out. I truly believe that the littlest of things can make the

biggest difference, even if they are sometimes at the expense of my

dignity.
[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]
18. If you could be a candy bar, what would you be and why?
Sample excellent response:
I'm going to go with Snickers. Snickers is not my favorite candy bar, maybe
pushing the top 5, but even that isn't guaranteed. But figuratively Snickers is
the most complex and the most versatile of candy bars. Snickers has the
chocolate (a necessity) with the nougat, caramel, and nuts. No matter what
you're craving (unless it's specifically mint or peanut butter, etc.) a Snickers
can aptly satisfy your need. Snickers are layered; they are complex, but
they have a lot to offer. I think that's a lot like me. I am layered, I am
complex, and I am versatile and able to meet the needs of many -- I bring a
lot to the table.
[contributed by Cynthia Buenger]
19. If you were a Star Wars character, which one would it be?
Sample excellent response:
Luke Skywalker. He is a leader, genuine, breaking from his bad family
history, a risk taker, and he has great hair.
[contributed by M. Kearney]
20. If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or
not famous, living or dead, real or fictional, with whom would you trade?
Sample excellent response:
I would trade places with you and give me the job, because I know it's a
choice that you would never regret!
[contributed by M. Kearney]
http://www.quintcareers.com/interview_question_database/wildcard_interview_questions.html

Situational Interview Questions and Answers

Below you'll find some of the most common situational
interview questions and answers a hiring manager or
interviewer is likely to ask. Familiarize yourself with each
question and answer to improve your chances of performing
well in situational interviews.
Team members you've been assigned to lead during a
new project object to your vision and ideas for
implementation. What specifically would you do to
address their objections?
Answer: I usually ask for feedback about my ideas and take
into account everyone's opinions prior to beginning a new
project. When possible, I organize meetings with group
members to discuss my plans and explain how the company
will benefit after the project is successfully completed.
Likewise, I make it clear to team members that policy
changes can be made if they are dissatisfied after beginning
a new project.
You're responsible for an important project near
completion but receive another important project that
must be completed immediately. How do you multitask and prioritize?
Answer: Before beginning the new project, I determine what
must be completed and estimate how long it will take and
what resources are needed to successfully complete the
project. If I'm confident it cannot be completed by the
deadline, I would request that a superior be assigned the
project, while recommending another co-worker to take
responsibility for any current projects the superior is working

on.
When a subordinate is performing below average,
what specific steps do you take to correct the
problem?
Answer: I begin by identifying what factors have contributed
to the poor performance. I then figure whether the cause of
the poor performance is work related or personal. When the
problem is related to the individual's private life, I determine
whether it's possible, or appropriate, for me to recommend
solutions.
Additionally, when dealing with a subordinate's personal
problems, I attempt to evaluate how much of his or her poor
performance is due to the problem. I then try to help the
subordinate understand the importance of remaining
productive while handling the problem, and encourage the
individual to do what is necessary to resolve the issue.
You're responsible for ensuring a large amount of work
be finished before the end of the new year. A
subordinate decides to use sick hours to take an entire
week of work off. What would you do to address the
problem?
Answer: I start by finding out how much vacation time the
worker used during the year. If the individual has used few
vacation hours, I do not report the situation to my superiors,
but will encourage the individual to remain at work during
the week and consider using their vacation time during a less
critical time for the company. If the individual has lied about
being sick in the past to take time off work, I would refer the
situation to the human resources department.

What would you do if you realized a project you

completed just before deadline did not meet all of the
project specifications?
Answer: First, I would not expect that this would ever
happen as I always review all project specs, time
requirements, and deadlines prior to starting any new
assignment to ensure my work is done on time, within
budget, and that it meets all project specifications. If it ever
were to occur, I would bring the issue to the attention of my
superiors and ask for a realistic extension to make sure the
project met all specifications. I would review my project
planning process to see what went wrong, why the project
was not done on time according to specs and take steps to
make sure it never happened again.
Suppose you don't see eye to eye with your supervisor
on how to deal with a problem? How would you handle
the situation?
Answer: I would first try and put myself in my supervisor's
shoes and view the problems from his or her perspective. If I
was still struggling to see eye to eye with my supervisor's
assessment and/or solution to the problem, I would analyze
the problem and come up with a few other ways to address
the problem. In private, I would then discuss the problem
with my supervisor and suggest how I think it should be
addressed.
If hired, what steps would you take to make important
job related decisions?
Answer: 1. First, I would determine if the decision is one that

would benefit the company.

2. I would then assess if and how the decision would fit
within the scope of the company's core values.
3. I would assess how a decision might negatively impact the
company.
What would you do if you knew your boss was
absolutely wrong about an important work related
issue?
Answer: It would depend on a number of factors, including
the personality of my boss, how critical the issue is, and the
overall situation.
If my boss did not like having his authority brought into
question or challenged, or was prone to anger, I would
probably never tell him he's wrong. I would simply be polite,
try to understand his perspectve and what he is wanting to
get accomplished, handle the situation the way I know it
needs to be handled, and then provide my boss with the
results he desired.
If my boss was a little more open to outside suggestion, or
constructive criticism, I would first validate his opinion/view
by sincerely considering his perspective and letting him know
I understand why he might feel the way he does. I would
then suggest that there might be a better, more efficient, or
more effective way to accomplish what he wants.
http://www.careerprofiles.info/situational-interview-questions.html