INTERVIEW QUESTION GUIDE (FROM NATIONAL TEAM)

1. Please tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult situation at
work. How did you resolve this matter?

Does the trainee respond using the SAR (Situation, Action, Result) Formula? The
trainee describes the situation (e.g., an upset customer), the actions they took the
resolve the situation (e.g., listened calmly, assured the customer that their issue
would be resolved in twenty-four hours, worked with supervisor to find a solution)
and the result (e.g., customer very happy with timely and appropriate solution,
wrote positive testimonial about their experience with the company).

Is the trainee concise and focused in providing an example of their customer

service experience?
2. Please describe one personal quality that brings value to your company..
Question to Ask Yourself When Assessing Trainee’s Response:
• Does the trainee respond using the SAR Formula? Does the trainee explain why
this accomplishment has significance for them? What did it teach them about
themselves? How did this accomplishment add value to their previous company,
enrich their professional development or increase their self-confidence?

3. What is your strategy for figuring out how something works?

Question to Ask Yourself When Assessing Trainee’s Response:
• Does the trainee emphasize soft skills, e.g., “They would describe me as friendly,
reliable, and happy to help others”?
• Does the trainee explain why their colleagues would describe them this way
using examples, such as “My colleagues would describe me as supportive because
I always offer to help. For example, when one of my colleagues was having trouble
installing their new computer, I asked if they needed help, and when they said yes,
I went over to their workstation, noticed that the power source wasn’t properly
connected, and got their desktop up and running right away”?

4. What is one area you still need to work on?

Question to Ask Yourself When Assessing Trainee’s Response:
• Does the trainee describe an area for improvement (i.e., “weakness”) that
sounds authentic (e.g., not “I’m a perfectionist”)?
• Does the trainee explain how they have already begun improving on this area
and how they plan to continue doing so? For example: “I’ve struggled with
scheduling in the past, but recently I’ve learned not to just jump into my workday,
but to come to work 15 minutes early and take the time I need to plan and
prioritize my tasks. I plan to become even more efficient at this by scheduling
priorities and tasks directly into my Outlook rather than relying on a handwritten
to-do-list.”

5. Can you describe a time when you were confronted with a challenge. How
did you overcome that fear?

6. Do you have any questions for me?

Questions to Ask Yourself When Assessing Trainee’s Response:
• Does the trainee ask 1-2 appropriate questions, such as “Would you please me tell
me more about what your company looks for in an ideal employee?” or “What
skills and qualities do your most successful employees typically demonstrate?”

Feedback & Coaching From the 5 Major Questions

Providing candid feedback is one of the most critical parts of the program. Below
are some tips for providing feedback. Based on market research, below are some of
the core skills hiring-managers look for:
• Motivation: Response that demonstrates the trainee took initiative, is
achievement-oriented, and displays a positive, “can-do” attitude.
• Learning Orientation: Responses that demonstrate the trainee is open to learning
and development, accepting of new challenges, views setbacks as learning
opportunities, etc.
• Creative Thinking: Responses that demonstrate the trainee is adaptable to
changing priorities, organization situation, is self-aware, and able to successfully
problem solve.
• Critical Thinking: Responses that demonstrate the trainee displays sound
judgment, analytical ability, decision making and conflict management skills, etc.
• Teamwork: Responses that demonstrate the trainee can successfully work in a
team environment, considering others communication styles, motivations, decision
rights / authority level, etc.
Along with assessing the content of trainees’ responses, you may also give them
feedback on their delivery with respect to things like:
• Speed: “Sometimes we tend to talk faster when nervous, so I encourage you to
take your time when answering questions. When you spoke a bit more slowly, it
was easier for me to understand you and you seemed calmer and more confident!”
• Low Volume: “I noticed you spoke very softly on the mic, and it was a bit hard to
hear. When you are on a phone or computer, project your voice by keeping good
posture and imagining that you’re speaking confidently to a group of people. The
employer will hear the confidence in your voice!”
• Lots of “ums, ahs, likes”: “I noticed you were saying ‘um’ a fair bit and that’s
easy to do when you’re thinking of the next thing to say, but don’t worry so much
about needing to pause for a moment. A brief pause demonstrates to the employer
that you are giving some thought to your answer, and that’s a good thing! You
could take two seconds to have a sip of water while you compose your next
thought, and that also prevents your voice from sounding too dry.”
Follow-Up
After completing the activity, we ask that you complete a brief online evaluation
form (Reference Appendix D) so that NPower can provide trainees and their
program managers with additional feedback to help them improve.
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LEADERSHIP
1) Describe a difficult decision that you had to make in the last 6 months. How
did you make the decision? What alternatives did you consider?
2) Were you ever given a project to manage/lead where you knew the goal but
had to create a means of achieving it? Tell me about how you accomplished
it.
3) Tell me about a situation where you delayed making a decision to give you
more time to think?
4) How did you work with individuals who did not want to do what you needed
them to do?
5) Describe the situation that best demonstrates your ability to get things done
through others.
6) Describe the last time you were unsuccessful in getting someone to follow your
lead. What did you do? What was the outcome?
7) Describe the most significant situation in which you demonstrated leadership by
getting others to believe in a goal and energizing them to achieve it. How did you
go about doing this? What was the outcome?
8) Have you been in a situation where you found it difficult to strengthen a
development need of one of your staff members? What did you do?

9) What do you think is the key to motivating others?

10) Describe a positive situation where you had to mentor/coach others in the past
and what these individuals were able to achieve with your guidance. What did you
gain from the experience?

11)How would the individuals that report to you describe you as their leader?

12) Describe a recent, unpopular decision you made and the results. After looking
back over the situation, what would you have done differently?
13) Have you ever had to discipline or counsel another employee? What was the
nature of the situation & how did you go about it?
14) Give me an example of a time when you succeeded in getting someone or a
group of people to do something when there was resistance.
15) Tell me about a time when you played an important role as a member or leader
of a team or group.
16) Give an example of a person that has made a significant difference in the
course of your life and what impact that change had on you in developing other
people around you.
17) Describe the most significant situation in which you demonstrated leadership
by getting others to believe in a goal and energizing them to achieve it. How did
you go about doing this? What was the outcome?
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TEAMWORK AND OPENNESS
 1) Describe a time when you had to arrive at a compromise or had to help
others arrive at a compromise.
2) Give an example of an instance when you worked with someone you found
difficult to get along with. How did you handle the situation?
3) Tell me a time when you worked with a colleague who was not completing his
or her share of work. What did you do?
4) Describe one of the highest, pressure situations that faced you in recent years
and tell me how you coped.
5) We have all had times when we cannot take any more pressure. Describe a time
when this happened to you.
6) It is easy to get in over our heads. Describe a time when this happened to you,
and you had to ask for assistance.
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COMMUNICATION
1) Describe a situation when you had to communicate about a business
problem or negative issue. How did you handle it? What was the outcome?

2) Have you given a business presentation within the last six months? Describe
the content, organization, tools, and audience. How effective was your
delivery? Why?
3) Tell me about a situation where there was a miscommunication or lack of
communication that impacted the end result. How did you handle it?
4) Describe a time when your active listening skills really paid off for you.
5) Tell me about some of the writing you’ve done: topics, length, format,
research involved. What difficulties do you have when faced with a writing
project?
_____________________________________________________________
CUSTOMER FOCUS
• Describe the last time you received great customer service? How has that
experience influenced his or her approach to customer service?
• Describe a time when you built a customer relationship that enabled you to
achieve a goal or objective.
• Describe a time when you had to address a dissatisfied client/customer. What was
the cause and what was the outcome?
• Tell me about a time when you worked to better understand the needs of the
client, what did you do to gain that understanding, and how you used what you
learned to serve both you and the customer.
• Describe a situation where you had to face multiple client or customer demands
and shifting priorities.
• Describe a time when you provided a high level of service to a difficult customer.
• Tell me about a time you went out of your way to get to know someone. What
motivated you to know this person? What specifically did you do? How did the
person respond?
• Under what conditions do you work the best?
• Tell me about the last time you became unwound while dealing with a
customer/co-worker, supervisors, or managers? What tried your patience and
caused your anger? How did you resolve the issue?
• Describe a situation in which you were meeting/talking with people who were
above you in rank and you disagreed with their opinion. How did you handle it?
• Tell me about a time when a peer was rude to you and how did you handle it.
• How did you handle an unfounded complaint?
• What is your method for telling someone bad news?
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PROFESSIONALISM
• Provide some examples of things you’ve done/can do to create a positive and fun
work environment.
• How has “culture” affected you personally in your past work experiences, either
positively or negatively?
• Tell me about the last time you went “the extra mile” to do something because it
needed to be done even though it was not your responsibility.
• Tell me about the last time you went out of your way to get to know someone.
What was the situation? What motivated you to get to know the person? What
specifically did you do? How did the person respond?
• Describe for me a high-stress sensitive situation when it was desirable for you to
keep a positive attitude and optimistic approach in resolving a situation dealing
with a customer/client or co-employee.
• What are your standards of success at work/school? What have you done to meet
these standards?
• Describe a situation where you were eager and willing to take on additional
responsibilities without having to be asked.
• What are two or three examples of tasks that you do not particularly enjoy doing?
Indicate how you remain motivated to complete those tasks.
• Tell me about the kind of work habits you like to see in other people. Tell me
about the kind of attitudes you bring to the table.
• Describe a role you would like to fill in an organization. Why did you choose this
role?
8
NPower’s Virtual Mock Interview Volunteer Opportunity
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OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
• Do you set performance standards for yourself, and if so, how?
• Describe a new skill you learned recently.
• What skill areas do you think you need to improve on? Ask the trainee what he or
she thinks would be the best way to improve those skills.
• What skills would you like to improve on in the next year?
• Describe a situation in which you had to get information from several different
sources before making a decision. How did you go about it?
• Were you ever in a situation in which you had to meet two different deadlines
given to you by two different people and you could not do both? What did you do?
• Tell me about a situation where you delayed making a decision to give you more
time to think.
• Describe for me your knowledge and/or work experience with the professional
services industry.
• Tell me about some situations in your job where you had to abruptly change what
you were doing. What did you do? How did it affect you?
• What have you done to continue to develop your skills and knowledge? How
have you been able to apply this knowledge to your everyday work life? To a
specific client engagement/project.
• Tell me about a time when you received constructive criticism. How did you
react? What did you do with the suggestion?
• How would you define “excellence and innovation in client service” based on
your experience in serving others?
• Have you been involved in championing or rolling out a new initiative, system, or
process to others? Explain your involvement.
• Tell me about a time when you were not pleased with your performance. What
did you do about it?
• Describe a time when your workload was particularly heavy. How did you
respond to the stress/pressure?
• Provide an example of an unexpected confrontation. How did you resolve the
confrontation?
• Describe a recent incident that required a quick reaction and good judgment on
your part.
• Have you ever had results that were not up to your manager’s expectations? What
happened?
• What hurdles did you overcome to get as far as you have gotten?
• What are you passionate about?
• What is the biggest mistake you’ve made on a job?
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GROWTH AND PROFITABILITY (RESULTS DRIVEN)
• What is the best idea you have had in the past year that allowed you to
successfully work around a frustrating situation?
• Define “doing a good job.” Do you feel you are succeeding?
• Give me an example of a client development process that you initiated and
completed. What specific revenue targets did you achieve?
• Give me an example when you were able to influence, persuade and gain
commitment of a client or customer group to significantly increase his/her use of
our products/services. How did you accomplish this?
• Describe a time when you were ineffectual in persuading or selling a new idea or
more efficient process to your boss/executive/client. Looking back, what could you
have done/said that would have been more successful?
• Describe the situation that best demonstrates your ability to get things done
through leveraging work to others.
• Tell me about an instance when you were unable to meet a given deadline. How
did you handle it? What was the outcome?
• How do you determine priorities in scheduling your time? Give examples.
• How often is your work schedule upset by unforeseen circumstances? What do
you do when this happens?
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MENTOR INSTRUCTIONS
You can complete the feedback form here: https://www.tfaforms.com/4699618
Preview of Feedback Form Questions:
1. Was the participant prepared? [Always/Mostly/Sometimes/Rarely/Not at all]
2. Did the participant provide concise answers?
[Always/Mostly/Sometimes/Rarely/Not at all]
3. Was the participant confident? [Always/Mostly/Sometimes/Rarely/Not at all]
4. Was the participant enthusiastic? [Always/Mostly/Sometimes/Rarely/Not at all]
5. Was the participant professional, in general?
[Always/Mostly/Sometimes/Rarely/Not at all]
6. Did the participant reference personal or protected information?
[Always/Mostly/Sometimes/Rarely/Not at all]
7. Did the participant ask at least one question that represented them well?
[Always/Mostly/Sometimes/Rarely/Not at all]
8. Did the participant speak clearly and loud enough?
[Always/Mostly/Sometimes/Rarely/Not at all]
9. Was there background noise or anything else that detracted from the interview
experience? [Always/Mostly/Sometimes/Rarely/Not at all]
10. Was the candidate dressed appropriately for an interview? [Yes/No]
11. Is there any other positive feedback you’d like to give the trainee that hasn’t
already been captured? [Open Response]
12. Is there any other constructive feedback you’d like to give the trainee that
hasn’t already been captured? [Open Response]
In