For more information on how to conduct a job interview, visit http://www.cs.state.ny.us/pio/interviewguide/index.cfm

Sample Interview Questions

1. If you were hired for this job, what areas would you make an immediate impact?
2. In what areas do you think you will need guidance?
3. How will you approach learning this "new" job?
4. How will you approach acquiring new skill sets?
5. Describe the most difficult situation you have faced in your career and how you managed it.
6. Describe some problems you encountered in your most recent position and how you resolved them.
7. What specific steps do you utilize in solving workplace problems?
8. What are some of the things that you and your supervisor disagree upon and how do you resolve them?
9. What do you do when you are pressed for a decision?
10. In your last job what kinds of pressure did you encounter and how did you react?
11. What kind of work interests you the most?
12. What kind of work interests you the least?
13. How would your references describe you?
14. Name five characteristics that describe you.
15. Are you a self-starter? Please provide specific examples.
16. How does your present position differ from past ones?
17. What would you like to avoid completely in your next job?
18. How did you prepare for this interview?
19. What are your professional goals for the next 3-5 years?
20. Tell me about something you did recently that was not part of your job?
21. How have you grown in your current job?
22. What kinds of skills did you use in your past job?
23. What are you seeking in your next job?
24. What type of compliments do you receive from your peers or supervisors?
25. What happens when two priorities compete for your time?
26. Can you describe a recent situation in which you accomplished an important objective in a brief period of time?
27. How do you handle repetitive tasks?
28. Tell me about the last time you missed a goal or deadline.
29. How do you keep others informed on work issues?
30. When was the last time something upset you at work? What did you do?
31. How do you ensure all of your work gets accomplished in a productive manner?
32. What was the biggest professional risk you have taken and what was the outcome?
33. Tell me about the last time you had to work with someone inside or outside of your department to accomplish a goal.
34. Describe a situation where you were successful in directing the work of others.
35. Describe a situation when you dealt with a difficult person and how you resolved it.
36. If your supervisor criticized you unfairly, how did/would you handle it?
37. What do you expect from this job?
38. What do you know about SUNY and Buffalo State College?
39. What do you like best about what you have learned about this job?
40. What concerns do you have about this job?
41. What do you see as your primary qualifications for this job?
42. At times, we must all deal with difficult people. This can be a challenge when it is someone with whom we need to develop a cooperative relationship. Tell me about a time you were successful in developing a cooperative relationship with a difficult person at work.
43. Describe what you see as your strengths related to this job/position. Describe what you see as your weaknesses related to this job/position.
44. Describe a difficult time you have had dealing with a co-worker, boss, or customer. Why was it difficult? How did you handle it? What was the outcome?
45. Describe a work situation that brought out the worst in you. Why did it bring out the worst in you? What did you learn?
46. Describe a situation in which you received constructive feedback about your work. What was the feedback about? What was your assessment of the feedback? What did you do with the information you received? What changes did you make?
47. Give me an example of a time when you were trying to meet a deadline, you were interrupted, and did not make the deadline. How did you respond?
48. Give me an example of a time that you failed at something (or made a mistake) and learned. What did you learn? How did you apply that learning?
49. Give me an example of when you worked cooperatively as a team member to accomplish an important goal. What was the goal or objective? What was your role in achieving this objective? To what extent did you interact with others on this project?
50. Give me an example of a time where you had a disagreement with one of your peers, but were able to find common ground and solve the problem.
51. If I asked your previous/current co-workers about you what would they say? How would they describe your job performance?
52. Tell me about a time when you were a part of a great team. What was your part in making the team effective?
53. Tell me about a time you had multiple tasks or projects given to you at the same time and how you decided what to do when.
54. Tell me about a time when you were not pleased with (or were disappointed in) your performance. What did you do about it?
55. Tell me about a time when one of your weaknesses got the better of you?
56. Tell me about something you did in your last/current position of which you are particularly proud.
57. Tell me about a time when you were part of a team that did not get along or did not work well together. What happened?
58. We all have weaknesses that can interfere with our success. Tell me about one of yours and how you overcame it to be successful on a specific task or project.
59. We’ve all been part of a team or project team where there is one person who just rubs us the wrong way. Tell me about a time this happened to you. What did you do?
60. What strengths did you rely on in your last position to make you successful in your work?

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