a) Career Path: Professional Goals (Interests, Aspirations, Values) - Motivations
§ What has been the driving force of your career?§ What were the reasons that led you to this profession?
§ How did your professional experience prepare you for the position?
§ What are your short and long-term goals?
§ What aspects are the most important to you in your work?
§ What do you look for in a job?
§ What interests you the most in the position you are applying for? The least?
§ What would bring you to leave your job?
§ What did you not like or annoyed you the most about your previous job?
§ Why are you interested in our company? What do you know about our company?
b) Interpersonal Skills, Business Relations – Conflict Management – Negotiation – Client Focus
§ How do you usually react in a group discussion when the position of others if opposite than your own point of view?
§ How do you react when someone makes a derogatory comment towards you?
§ At what point do you need to stop the negotiations and make a decision? Have you ever had to do it?
§ Tell me about a situation where you needed to be particularly adept with interpersonal relationships. .
§ Tell me about a time you seized a business opportunity to benefit your employer.
§ Describe a situation where you had to make compromises to achieve your goals.
§ What achievements show that you are a good communicator?
§ In terms of interpersonal relationships, what challenges have you ever had to face?
§ How would you rate yourself as a presenter? Describe some of your presentations.
§ How do you improve you communication skills?
§ How do you validate the understanding of your message / instruction by your employees / partners?
c) Strategic or Operational Management – Decision Making Process – Focus on Results
§ What projects or strategic files/mandate have you led and are most proud of? Why?
§ When you make a decision, how do you gather the relevant information?
§ Have you participated in a reduction of costs within your company? How?
§ Tell me about a typical problem you had to deal with and the means used to solve it.
§ What was your greatest professional challenge in your last job / career?
§ What was your biggest mistake in recent years?
§ Tell me about some changes you have recommended.
§ How important are results?
§ Tell me about your experience in implementing performance indicators?
§ What are the most important criteria of good management
§ Tell me about a difficult decision you had to make.
§ How do you divide your time on a typical day?
§ How do you set your priorities?
§ How do you assign tasks and what kind of follow-up do you use afterward?
§ What type of work do you not delegate?
§ How have you contributed to change in your organisation?
§ How do you determine if an employee is performing well?
§ Tell me how you plan and organise your work.
§ Tell me about a time you had to manage a crisis at work.
§ Tell me about a time you managed to avoid a failure.
d) Leadership – Mobilisation – Influence
§ Describe your management style / leadership style.§ How do you sell your ideas?
§ In what type of situation do you consult others?
§ Give me a few examples of your leadership skills.
§ How important is recognition?
§ How do you highlight the contribution of your employees?
§ What is your definition of the ideal boss?
§ What did you think of your last boss?
§ How did you improve the performance of your employees?
§ What techniques / approaches have you used to build team spirit?
§ Have you ever been spokesperson for your company?
§ How do you evaluate your political savvy?
e) Personality – Self-knowledge – Self-development
§ How would you describe your personality?§ How would your last boss describe you?
§ Tell me what you consider your most important skills and how they help you in your work?
§ What are your main areas for improvement? What do you do to overcome them?
§ What do you do to develop yourself?
§ What type of situations destabilizes your or makes you emotional? How do you react?
§ How do you manage your stress on a daily basis?
§ How do you react to negative behaviours (stress, anger, resistance) of your colleagues / employees?
§ If you could begin your career again, what would you do differently?
§ How do you know if you have done good work?
§ What makes you think you have the potential for a management position?
§ Tell me about a professional achievement that demonstrates your creativity / innovation /adaptability?
§ Tell me about an achievement that demonstrates your perseverance, consistency?
§ Why should I hire you?
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