Use these interview questions as a guide to learn more about your candidate. They can be used to validate the primary behaviors possessed by the candidate or the primary behaviors in the Job Role DNA.
Achiever Questions:
Do you see yourself as more accomplished than your colleagues with similar backgrounds and work experience? Explain.
When compared with your coworkers, how do you feel your accomplishments compare? Why do you think this is the case?
How would you handle a boss that is hands-on when it comes to your day-to-day work but hands-off when it comes time to give recognition for a job well done?
Closer Questions:
Think of a time when you were collaborating with coworkers and a team member was not direct in conveying their thoughts. How did you handle this? What helped to get the project back on track?
When starting a new project, do you have a set of steps you take to map out your path to success?
What do you feel is your biggest source of motivation to succeed?
Coach Questions:
In your last position, do you feel that you had your finger on the pulse of your company's position in the marketplace?
Do you consider yourself someone adept at strategizing for your future? Explain.
When trying to balance completing work on time and delivering high-quality work, which do you prioritize and why?
Communicator Questions:
How successful are you when you need to convey ideas to coworkers?
How do you think your conversational skills compare to those you worked with in your last position?
Have you ever given a speech or presentation for your job? How did you prepare? How was the presentation received?
Competitor Questions:
How do you feel your productivity compared to those you worked with in your last job?
When working on a project, how important is it for you to have goals that can be easily measured to monitor your progress?
Think of a time when you found yourself in a competitive situation professionally. How did you respond to the situation?
Connector Questions:
How important is it for you to be able to share your professional experience and knowledge with your coworkers?
Think of your knowledge base and the variety of fields you draw experience. Do you use those regularly on the job? How does this benefit you?
When you work as part of a team, how do you like to contribute to team bonding?
Counselor Questions:
Describe a time when your ability to listen made a significant impact in the workplace.
What role do you think a person's basic human nature plays in how they make decisions in the workplace?
Tell me about a time when you identified a coworker who needed to be comforted or supported. What did you do in that situation?
Decision Maker Questions:
What tools or strategies do you use to anticipate different potential outcomes when working on a project?
When you have to make a decision, what is your data collection technique? What do you do with that data once you have it?
Describe a time when you had to break down a large project into smaller parts. How did you go about this process?
Director Questions:
Was there ever a time when you had to take a complex project or task and make it simpler for members of your team? What steps did you take?
How do you make sure that you use all of the resources at your disposal most efficiently in the workplace?
When you are asked to make long-term plans and goals at work, how do you visualize what's to come in the future?
Founder Questions:
When you see something that you believe can be done better or more effectively in the workplace, how do you react?
Describe a time when you were blamed for someone else's mistake. How did you respond?
When you are asked to troubleshoot a project or situation that doesn't have an obvious answer, what do you do?
Harmonizer Questions:
How important to you are your connections to you? What steps do you like to take to engage with the people you work with?
Would you consider yourself more of an extrovert or introvert? How do you think that impacts the role you typically play on the teams you are a part of?
Can you describe a time when you tried to solve a dispute within your team? What was the result?
Influencer Questions:
When you find yourself in a situation where you believe your perspective is better than a coworker's or boss, what methods do you employ to challenge their viewpoint and change their mind?
What value do you place on listening to others when doing your job? Why do you see listening as a tool in the workplace?
What have you found to be the most effective way to change someone else’s mind in the workplace?
Innovator Questions:
Can you tell me about a time when you changed the course of a project? How did you relay the changes to your team? Is there anything you wish you would have done differently?
What steps do you take to encourage new ideas in those you work with?
If you discover an innovative way to do things that challenge existing protocols, how do you bring this information to your organization?
Journalist Questions:
Think about a time when you were in an uncomfortable or tricky situation in the workplace. What steps did you take to diffuse the situation? Were you successful?
Think of a project where you were given a lot of tasks and information. How did you determine what elements of the project were most important?
How do you measure your successes in the workplace?
Machine Questions:
How do you handle work days when you are required to spend the majority of the day at your desk?
How do you handle a demanding workload?
Describe a typical workday for you. What steps do you take to stay focused?
Motivator Questions:
How important is it for you to motivate those you work with? How do you use this influence to encourage others?
How important do you think it is for employees to be recognized for a job well done? Do you like to be the person who provides that praise?
Imagine you were working as part of a team and your team members lacked excitement about the task at hand. What would you do to stimulate their enthusiasm?
Producer Questions:
How important is it for you to see the results of your work?
When starting a new project, how do you identify the goals necessary to succeed? How do you monitor your progress?
How do you monitor your progress when working on a project? What do you do when you feel like you have fallen behind?
Professor Questions:
Think of a time when you heard of an innovative new way of doing a task. Did you take steps to implement this new development in your workplace?
Would you consider yourself more of a single topical expert or a jack-of-all-trades?
Are you actively taking steps to further your education, training, or expertise?
Prospector Questions:
Was there ever a time when you identified a potential opportunity that no one else in your organization saw? Explain.
What steps do you take to cultivate new professional relationships? How do you maintain those relationships?
When you are working on a project with a large amount of information, how do you decide what is most important or relevant?
Scientist Questions:
When you face an obstacle in the workplace, what is the first thing you do?
Do you rely on a specific information-gathering process when looking for solutions?
How important do you think it is to rely on an empirical method when exploring options?
Servant Leader Questions:
Have you engaged in any volunteer experiences that you are especially proud of?
How important is it for you to maintain a work-life balance?
What role do you typically play on the teams you work on?
Straight Arrow Questions:
Has there ever been a time when doing what you felt was right was more important than doing what was easy or expected
Describe a time when someone you worked with cut corners to make a deadline. What was your reaction?
How important is it to you to be aligned with the goals and values of your organization?
Strategist Questions:
Think of a time when you had to use your organizational skills on the job. What steps did you take to get tasks prioritized?
When starting a project, do you consider the long-term potential of the project and where it might lead?
Think of a time when you were unable to bring a task to closure. What was that experience like?
Teacher Questions:
How important is your education and training in how you do your job day-to-day?
Describe a time when you helped a coworker grow in their position. What role did you play in that growth?
What is your process for making decisions? Do you consider yourself to be decisive?
Technolosit Questions:
In your previous position, what steps did you take to further your education, training, or skills?
Did you use experiences and skills acquired in past positions in your most recent position?
Do you consider yourself someone who is on the lookout for new developments or technologies?
Trustee Questions:
How do you handle a coworker who is chronically late?
How important is it for you for your team members to be able to rely on you when they need support?
Describe a time when you were unable to complete a task to your standards.