Hopefully, once you’ve submitted your resume, you’ll get an interview. Or two. Or three. Or…yes, the process can be long and arduous depending on the organization and the type of position. You might have a telephone interview, an interview with the hiring manager and his or her manager(s), an interview with future colleagues, an interview with future subordinates, or any mixture of the aforementioned. No matter which interview you have, you need to be prepared for questions and lots of them.

"question-mark" by the_sprouts via Flickr

I prepared for my many interviews basically the same way I prepare for presentations. I made a list of every question I could think of or find online, and I answered them all on paper, thinking of relevant job experiences/stories to back up each question since most interviews are experiential now (e.g. “Tell me about a time you [insert something to learn about a skill or character trait].”). In addition, I created a long list of questions to ask the interviewers, as well, so I could choose based on how the interview progressed. I practiced the questions out loud, and I read the questions and answers over and over again before each interview. After a few interviews, I was prepared for almost any question. Almost. (I’ll share that experience tomorrow.) I also printed the posted job description so I could follow along with the interviewer(s) as he/she/they discussed certain aspects. If they didn’t, I asked them to do so in order to get a clear picture of the role. Lastly, I reviewed my CV before each interview to re-familiarize myself with maybe the only things my possible employer knows about me. Never assume your interviewer knows you or your work. The interview is definitely the time to toot your own horn so-to-speak.

In case you are preparing for an interview, I gladly share my big list of questions (listed in no particular order). It seems like a really long list, and it might be, but I was asked all of them in some variation. I am currently in a management role and moving to another management role, so many of my questions are specific to management and leadership. Think of how they might be modified for your interview, though, and prepare accordingly.

Start with your graduation from college and explain the rationale behind each of your career moves.
How many hours a day/week do you need to work to get the job done?
If you stayed with your current company, what would be your next move?
How do you measure/define success?
Describe your dream job.
Describe a job that would be your worst nightmare.
If you were the CEO of this company, what would be the top two things that you would do?
Convince me to hire you.
Why shouldn’t I hire you?
What is your favorite game?
How successful do you think you’ve been so far?
What are your five most significant accomplishments?
How long will you stay with us?
What important/frontier trends do you see in our industry?
Describe a situation in which your work was criticized. How did you handle it?
What was the last book you read? Movie you saw?
How would you describe your personality?
What don’t you do well?
What can you do for us that someone else can’t?
What seems most attractive about this job? Least attractive?
Why should we hire you?
How long would it take for you to make a meaningful contribution to our company?
What is your management style?
What is the most difficult thing about being a manager/executive?
What do you think of your current boss?
Tell me about a time you had to deal with a co-worker or subordinate who wasn’t doing his/her fair share of the work. What did you do and what was the outcome?
Give me an example of a time when you took time to share a co-worker’s/subordinate’s/supervisor’s achievement with others.
Tell me about a time you didn’t work well with a supervisor. What was the outcome, and how would you have changed the outcome?
Have you worked with or managed someone you didn’t like? If so, how did you handle it?
Tell me about a time you helped someone.
Tell me about a time you misjudged someone.
How do you get along with older/younger co-workers?
Describe a decision you made that was a failure. What happened and why?
Tell me about a time you worked conveying technical information to a nontechnical audience.
Tell me about a time you worked with data, interpreting data, and presenting data.
Why do you think you will be successful at this job?
Tell me about a time you participated in a team. What was your role?
Tell me about a time you were faced with competing or conflicting priorities. How did you determine the top priority?
What would you do differently if you could start your working life over again?
How do you balance work and life?
What is your preferred way to communicate – in person, by email, via text, etc?
Do you check voicemail and email when on vacation?
What is your favorite book? Movie?
What historical figure do you admire and why?
If you could choose anyone – alive or deceased – to have lunch with, who would it be?
If you could be any animal on a carousel what would you pick and why?
What do you love?
What led you to this point in your life?
Do you consider yourself successful?
What inspires you in a job?
What is the toughest problem you’ve had to face, and how did you overcome it?
Have you ever had to discipline a problem employee, and what was the result?
Why are you the best person for this job?
Tell me about yourself.
Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
Why are you leaving your current employer?
What do you do for fun/relaxation?
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
How do you handle stressful situations?
Tell me about the current team you manage.
Do you have a mentor? What have you learned from that person?
Describe a situation that changed your nursing practice forever.
How do you like to be managed?
What question did I not ask that you wished I had?

Some of my questions for the interviewer included:
What do you hope this person will accomplish?
What are your priorities for this role?
Who is fulfilling these responsibilities now?
What kind of orientation do you have planned for this role?
What are the short-term barriers for this role? Long-term barriers?
How do you facilitate work-life balance within your company/team?
How do you measure and recognize success?
Tell me about the team this person manages.

Best wishes answering!