“TOUGH” INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

Behavior questions:

· Describe the accomplishment in your life that you are most proud of.

· Describe the accomplishment in your life that paid money that you are most proud of.

· Why do you really want this job?

· Describe a situation where your actions had a material beneficial effect on the bottom line of the company or on its survival.

· Describe what you would do if a customer complains and you believe that the company is really at fault. Describe the same situation if you believe that the customer is at fault.

· Describe a situation where others disagreed with your ideas.

· Describe a situation where you missed a deadline or missed a budget.

· Describe a project that you volunteered to start.

· What do you believe that your peers (as opposed to managers) see as your strongest and weakest qualities?

· Are you more interested in advancement in areas where you have a professional track record, or in areas of a more personal nature? Explain.

· Your are talking to a sales prospect and the person sounds disinterested or likely to say “No.” How do you determine how aggressive you should be in pursuing the sale?

· Have you ever trained yourself in your field at your own expense? Explain.

· Even if the position posted does not require direct reports, would you be willing to take such a position later if needed?

· How do you feel about performing as a team-lead without direct reports?

· How do you feel about speaking for the company in public?

· What would be your dream job if you could get it and do it?

· If you were to get on “Larry King Live” as a guest what would you like to have accomplished to get there?

· You are trying to leave your workplace and floor late in the day and find yourself locked in. What do you do?

Questions related to job skills (when appropriate, you may note needs or accommodations required)

· For each major technical competency listed on your resume, rate yourself from light to good to excellent, and give the time of last use.

· For each such competency, would you be willing to take a skills test? How soon could you take such a test? Would you be more comfortable with a computer-graded objective test, or with a lab or problem test?

· List URL’s or Internet domains that you own, here, only those related directly to the skills for this position

· List any publications (including university theses) related to this job

· List foreign languages that you have studied. Indicate degree of fluency, spoken and written.

Questions related to compensation

· Give your complete salary history for your last three positions, or ten years, or since graduation.

· What is the minimum salary or wage that is acceptable? You may include notations about employee ownership, benefits.

In the remaining areas, some of the questions would be inappropriate or “over the line” for many job, and might be illegal in some states. They are listed or suggested for completeness, and to convey the reality that technological change may indeed affect what employers feel to be relevant to jobs very suddenly.

Questions related to technical “curiosity” and agility, and to commutation and access.

· What computer(s) do you own at home? What operating systems and software do you have now?

· What ISP’s do you use?

· Do you have a separate room for a home office?

· Have you at least once built a personal computer, made a hardware modification, installed a new operating system, or recovered data from a hard drive?

· Do you have anti-virus software? How often do you update it?

· Do you have a firewall?

· Do you have high-speed access?

· Have you ever installed, connected (to the Internet) and operated a web server from home?

· If the job (sales or consulting) requires commuting to multiple locations, do you object to long commutes?

· Can you travel to areas without public transportation? Do you own a car? If so what is the mileage now and mileage per year? Can you change your own tires or change your own oil?

· Can you travel by air frequently? Are you familiar with the stricter rules for airline security? Can you carry computer laptops or accessories properly and clear them through security without damage?

· Do you have a valid passport? Are you able to work in countries with non-western cultures and strict “moral” codes?

· Can you work different shifts?

Medical fitness

· When did you have your last physical?

· Do you have the regularly recommended cancer screenings?

· Do you follow regularly recommended blood pressure screenings?

· Have you taken an electrocardiogram, stress test or similar test?

· Can you stay up 24 hours consecutively for a job emergency?

· Do you use tobacco, or do you use alcohol more than once a day?

· Are you willing to take a test for illegal substance use?

Questions related to family responsibilities

· How many dependents do you have other than yourself?

· Do you have dependents or elderly parents in another city who might need your immediate care?

Questions related to outside public visibility, liability, and possible conflicts of interest

· Are you a majority (30% or more) owner of any business, including a home-based business? Do you work at home to maintain this business? What form does it have (proprietorship, partnership, corporation)?

· Do you have any part-time or moonlightling job and would you want to continue it?

· Do you already have any of the following kinds of insurance on your own: umbrella, general business liability, errors and omissions, media perils, property liability, workman’s compensation? Have you ever applied for any of these and been refused? If so please explain in detail.

· List community agencies with which you volunteer

· List any publications that you have authored not related to this job directly.

· List any URLs that you own not related to this job

· Do you participate regularly in publicly accessible chat rooms or newsgroups? Do you post on investor “trash” boards?

· Have you appeared on television, cable, video, or motion pictures?

· List any pseudonyms that you may have used.

· List any military service and discharge character; list any other similar periods of volunteer service (such as Peace Corps)

For Candidates

· What in my resume interested you in me as a candidate?

· I really want this job. When can I start?

“Reasonable” interview questions

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