Interview Guide

If you are interviewing, these are the questions you will face.


Accountability and Ownership (Foundational)

Takes responsibility for timely decisions, actions and results – even the unpopular ones. Stands by agreements made. Supports and backs up colleagues and/or employees; stands up to others when necessary – even when mistakes have occurred.

1. Tell me about something you’ve done to encourage peers/direct reports to take responsibility for improving their work standards.

2. Tell me about a time in your position at ________ when you were not satisfied with your unit’s (team’s) performance. Why not? What did you do to correct the situation?

3. Think about a time when your work was above standard and a time when it was below standard. What were some reasons for the difference in performance?

4. Give me an example of a time when you knew that a process or operation was being done poorly. What did you do? What was the effect of your actions?

5. Tell me about a time when you weren’t satisfied with your work because of quality defects. How did you handle the situation?

6. Sooner or later, everyone comes under some pressure to sacrifice quality in order to get work done on time. Tell me about a time when this happened to you. What did you do?

7. When working on a project or task over an extended period of time, it can be difficult to maintain awareness of errors, omissions, or defects. Tell me about a time when you worked on a large project/task and one of these problems slipped through the cracks. What happened?

When working on a repetitive task, it's easy to lose concentration and miss important details that could cause problems later. Give me an example of a time when this happened to you. What were the consequences of your mistake?



Integrity and Trust (Foundational)

Adheres to the Company’s Code of Conduct, policies and procedures and applies them fairly and consistently within the organization. Treats people with respect and fairness; promotes others to do the same. Demonstrates consistency and sincerity in words and actions.


1. Give me an example of what you have done to earn others’ trust.

2. Sometimes we are asked to do something that we don’t think is right. Tell me about a time when this happened to you. What did you do? What happened?

3. Tell me about a time at work when you objectively considered others' ideas, even when they conflicted with yours.

4. We don’t always work with people who are ethical or honest. Give me an example of a time when you saw another employee do something that you thought was inappropriate. What did you do? What happened?

5. Often there are people in an organization who deserve more credit than they receive. Tell me about a time when this happened. What did you do?

6. When meeting or orienting a new employee, what have you disclosed about the new person’s manager/supervisor/team leader? Peers? The job? The organization?

7. It’s often easy to blur the distinction between information meant to be kept in confidence and information meant to be shared. Can you give me an example of when you were faced with this dilemma? What did you do?

8. Tell me about a time when your manager/supervisor/team leader asked you to do something that you didn’t think was appropriate. How did you respond?




Applied Learning (Foundational)

Assimilating and applying new job-related information in a timely manner.

1. What was the most difficult task you had to learn on your job at _____________? How did you learn it?

2. Tell me about a part of your job at _____________ that was easier for you to learn than for others to learn. How did you accomplish this?

3. It’s never easy to fully understand everything about a new product, service, or procedure, even after attending a training session. Tell me about a time when this happened to you.

4. Tell me about a complex aspect of your job at _____________. How long did it take you to learn it?

5. In any new job there are some things we pick up quickly and other things that take more time to learn. In your job at ____________, tell me about something you learned quickly and something that took more time.

Questions for People with Little Work Experience
6. Which course in school was the easiest for you, and which was the most difficult? Why?

7. What technical fields have you studied? Tell me about one area of study. How difficult was it? To what extent did you master the subject?

We’ve all worked on projects when we felt confused or overwhelmed. Tell me about a time when that happened to you.


Motivational Fit (Foundational)

The extent to which activities and responsibilities available in the job and the organization’s mode of operation and values provide personal satisfaction.

1. Tell me about a time when you were particularly satisfied with your work situation. Why was this situation so gratifying?

2. Tell me about a time when you were particularly dissatisfied with your work situation. Why was this situation so unpleasant?

3. Describe your proudest accomplishment at work. Why was this such a positive experience for you?

4. Describe your biggest disappointment at work. Why was this so disappointing for you?

5. Tell me about a time when your job didn’t offer something that was important to you. What was missing? How did you feel about that situation?

6. Tell me about a work situation that included responsibilities that you really dislike. Why did you dislike this aspect(s) of the job?

7. Describe a work situation that included responsibilities that you really enjoy. What aspect(s) was most enjoyable?

8. Tell me about a time when you were very happy with your work situation because you were able to avoid an aspect of work that you really dislike. What aspect were you happy to avoid?

9. Describe a work situation where the values and the culture of the organization were a good fit for you. Why was it such a good fit?

Describe a work situation where the values and the culture of the organization were not a good fit for you. Why wasn’t this a good fit?


Communication (Core)

Clearly conveys information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the message.


1. Tell me about a time when you addressed a difficult or sensitive situation or issue with another employee. What was the situation? What did you do/say?

2. Tell me about a time when you made recommendations to someone assist him/her in addressing a problem/situation. Who was involved? What was the situation? What did you do/say? What was the outcome?

3. How would you describe your communication style? What different approaches do you use in speaking with different people? How do you know you’re getting your point across? Give specific examples.

4. Tell me about a time when your communication/listen skills helped another person understand a situation/issue better.

5. At one point, we all have difficulty getting our point across during a telephone conversation. Give me an example of where this may have happened to you. How do you know you’re getting your point across.

6. What are some of the more demanding groups you have presented to? How did you adjust your style and presentation materials to meet the needs of the audience?

7. What are the most successful techniques you’ve used to gain others’ agreement? Describe one or more of those techniques.

8. Often we must convince others of the benefits they will realize from committing to an idea or plan. Describe how you’ve demonstrated the benefits of a plan or idea to gain someone’s commitment. What happened?

9. Tell me about a time when you influenced an associate to take on a difficult assignment that was beyond the scope of the person’s responsibilities. What did you do? What happened?