Sample Interview Questions

Whether you ask clarifying questions during the interview, core questions at the end of the interview, or follow-up questions after the interview, you have the ability to use your questions to determine what the company's lived values are and how they align with yours. Listening and taking notes will help you both with asking questions and with your ultimate decision making. Finally, honesty and authenticity in your answers, even when it feels counter-productive, will help you find true belonging.

Value-Aligned Questions

Most interviews will conclude with the candidate (you) being offered the opportunity to ask questions. They will say something like, "Do you have any questions for us?" This is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate your values of respect, empathy, and time-awareness by saying something like, "I do have a few questions, but I want to be cognizant of (respectful of) your time - would you say we have about 5-10 minutes?" Let them set the time constraint, and then be sure to stay with in it - remember, you can always follow up with an email and/or phone call. Then, jump in! Listen deeply and take notes - you may need to refer to them later.

If you feel yourself aligned with values such as Achievement, Power, Recognition, Praise, Ambition, or Appreciation, consider asking questions like these:

How does this company recognize or celebrate employee success?
Can you tell me more about any professional development or opportunities for upward movement here?
How would you describe the organizational structure at this company?

If you feel yourself aligned with values such as Safety, Security or Financial Stability, consider asking questions like these:

During CoVID, what new policies or procedures did your organization put in place to ensure the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of your employees?
How does the leadership team handle mistakes and/or failures?
I saw on your website (or it may be that they mentioned) that you offer (lifestyle, food & beverage) benefits. Sounds great! Can you tell me more about that?
I know that the average rate of turnover in restaurants is about 75%. What do you and your team do to encourage longevity in your employees, and how effective has it been?
According to Forbes, the average turnover rate for teachers is 16% but could potentially spike above 24% as staffing shortages and other factors continue to take a toll. What do you and your team do to encourage longevity in your employees, and how effective has it been?

Don't be afraid to talk about money, especially if financial stability is a strong value for you. Do your research - know what the average salary is in your area for the position you are applying for. There are great online resources. Also - know what you need to pay your bills, and be ready to incorporate that information into your questions. This means sitting down and figuring out what you spend each month, and based on that, the minimum hourly wage you need. A big reason money is scary is because we are trained not to talk about it.

Let me share an example - if you are applying for a restaurant job in the state of Pennsylvania, the current minimum wage is the national minimum, $7.25, and the current minimum wage for tipped employees (like most servers and bartenders) is $2.83. Which means that the company can pay you as little as $2.83/hour as long as they can show you made at least $4.42/hour in tips. BUT, the living wage in Pennsylvania, which is defined as the minimum amount of income necessary for a worker to meet basic needs including housing, food, health care, etc. is $24.04/hr - meaning that a tipped employee would actually need to earn over $20/hr in tips in order to meet that living wage amount. If I were applying for a server position in a fast-casual restaurant in Pennsylvania, and financial stability was a strong value for me, I would ask:

Is this a tipped, standard hourly, or salaried position?
(then, if it's tipped) I know that tipped minimum wage in Pennsylvania is $2.83. So that I can ensure that this position will meet my needs, can you please share with me the starting hourly wage and the average amount of tips I would earn per hour?

If you feel yourself aligned with values such as Teamwork, Communication, Friendship, or Relationships, consider asking questions like these:

You mentioned that the company sees itself as a family, can you tell me more about that and what it means to you?

What opportunities does your organization offer for collaboration?
What methods or techniques does your company use to build a culture of teamwork and support?
Respecting their privacy, please tell me about a time when two of your staff members had a disagreement that affected their work. How did leadership address the issue and what was the ultimate resolution.
I'd love to know what your favorite day working here so far has been, and why!

If you feel yourself aligned with values such as Universalism, Benevolence, or Community consider asking questions like these:

What role does your organization have in our community, and how would you see me participating in that role?
How does the organization encourage and support volunteerism and community involvement?
Your mission statement (values statement/company goals) mentions that your company prioritizes diversity and inclusion. Can you tell me more about that? I would love to hear about specific policies, programs, and outreach you have in place!
You mentioned that your company prioritizes (sustainability, service, a global vision), can you tell me more about that?
What systems does your company have in place to promote cooperative and supportive relations among employees?

If you feel yourself aligned with values such as Challenge, Adventure, Self-Direction, Stimulation or Variety, consider asking questions like these:

What opportunities do your employees have to demonstrate creativity and originality?
Goals are very important to me - would you share with me that process your organization uses to create and track goals for individuals, teams, and departments?
What opportunities are available for your team in terms of cross-training?
Can you share with me a time when your organization successfully implemented new techniques or technology?
What is the process or procedure by which employees can bring forward suggestions and new ideas? Can you share with me an example of an employee bringing forward a suggestions which was implemented?

If you feel yourself aligned with values such as Health, Family, or Work-Life Balance, consider asking questions like these:

What benefits or systems does your organization have in place to support the mental, physical, and emotional health of your employees?
I saw on the website that you offer (health & wellness, lifestyle) benefits. Sounds great! Can you tell me more about that?
You mentioned that your company prioritizes (family values, work-life balance), can you tell me more about that?
Knowing that in life sometimes unexpected emergencies occur, please walk me through the process that would take place if I needed to miss work without warning. If you have an example of how you have handled that in the past, I would love to hear that.

One final question - assuming you remain interested in the position:

I am very interested in this position, is there anything else I can elaborate on to strengthen my application?

If you run out of time before you run out of questions, point out that time is up, let them know you do have some additional follow-up questions and ask how they would prefer you contact them. They may tell you to continue now, they may request a phone call, email, or second interview - which ever they choose, thank them for the time and then follow through - make the call, send the email, and continue to be appreciative and respectful of their time. When you are done, if I'm really interested in this position. Is there anything else I can elaborate on to strengthen my application?

Authentic Answering

There are common, core questions that are asked in a high percentage of interviews - which means you can take the time to consider and prepare answers. It's important to remember that in answering these questions you are sharing and demonstrating your core values - so be authentic! If you simply say what you think they want to hear, you will greatly reduce the chance of finding a position which offers you the opportunity for true belonging.

Q: Tell me about yourself.

A: They have your resume/CV and cover letter, so this is really a chance to highlight aspects of you that make you a great fit. Consider sharing a connected series of three anecdotes representing your past, present, and future. For example, for a position in education I might say: "Reading was my favorite hobby as a child, it took me on adventures, introduced me to life long friends, and vastly expanded my vocabulary. In college that love of reading helped me excel - even the thickest textbook failed to intimidate me - and that excelling led me to start tutoring, when was when I discovered my passion for teaching. In my current position, training is absolutely my favorite part of the job, both the initial on-boarding and providing professional development for more experienced staff - I truly believe we should all aspire to be life-long learners, and I try to model that behavior. The opportunity to join the teaching team at (insert school name here) is incredibly exciting to me - I cannot wait to get back in front of a classroom!

Q: Why should we hire you?

A: Show off your research! Mention company values and explain how you align with them (I saw on your website/mission statement...) Try to mention both soft skills (like communication, teamwork, passion) and hard skills (like familiarity/mastery with computer programs or other job-specific technology). Well crafted flattery won't hurt - "People love coming to Mel's Diner because of the incredible service and delicious, unique food - I am excited for the opportunity to continue to grow our reputation for excellence in our community."

Q: What is your greatest weakness?

A: Answer this question honestly with something that you recognize in yourself and are working on. The hiring team knows that nobody is perfect (*gasp*) and they are looking for self-awareness and solutions. "One thing that I'm currently working on tendency to take on too much - that voice in your head that says if you want something done right...but I recognize that I am doing myself and my team a disservice, and I'm challenging myself to delegate better so that my team as a whole gains more experience and so that we are growing together."

Q: Tell me about a time you failed.

A: Failure is one of those words everyone thinks they understand, but everyone defines differently. Maybe for you, failure is not meeting expectations because you value esteem. It might be coming in second because you value achievement, or missing a family event for work because you value family and tradition. For some, losing a job or not paying a bill on time is failure because they value security, for others choosing to stay at a highly repetitive position may feel like failure because they value novelty. Start by define failure to you, provide the story, and share what you learned.

Q: Are you available with little notice, after hours, or in case of emergencies?

A: This question could just as easily come from a start-up non-profit as a busy restaurant or bar. Only you know what your values are and what boundaries you need to implement to be true to them. You might truly be willing to be on-call 24/7 because you value achievement, excitement, and esteem. Or, you might say that you would do your best to be available in cases of emergency - whether that emergency be an all-hands-on-deck client or facilities issue or a colleague in crisis due to illness or tragedy. But you might also set the expectation that, with the exception of emergencies, you would expect your work day to be from 8am - 5pm , or to begin fifteen minutes before your scheduled shift and end fifteen minutes after it. Be sure you set boundaries that are true to you, and then be sympathetic with firm boundaries when the situations arise.

Q: Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your Boss or Co-Worker.

A: Your interviewers know that personality conflicts and disagreements happen. They are using this question to learn more about your values, your interpersonal skills, and your solution-focus. Think of and share a specific story/scenario - ideally one in which you were in the right (and working in the best interest of the team/company). Then share the action you took, and the result. Focus on how you worked to fix the issue rather than on blame, and try to show how you demonstrated respect for everyone involved. As this may be an emotional story, be aware of your non-verbals as you tell it.