Answers to Sample Interview Questions

Sample
Interview
Question
&
Answer

1.) What
are
the
key
strengths
(qualities,
attributes,
skills...
not
work

experience)
you
bring
that
would
be
important
to
the
position?

I.

Communication
Skills

One
of
the
most
adept
skills
that
I
would
bring
to
the
table
is
my

ability
to
communicate
effectively
to
a
wide
variety
of
audiences

through
various
mediums.
This
skill
was
cultivated
at
some
of
the

nation’s
top
institutions
of
higher
education,
refined
through
hard

work
in
difficult
professional
industries
and
polished
by
unique
life

experiences
all
around
the
globe.

As
a
student
at
the
College
of
William
&
Mary,
I
learned
how
to

organize
and
convey
my
thoughts
both
orally
and
in
writing.
I

continued
to
fine-‐tune
those
skills
as
a
history
teacher
in
the
United

Kingdom
where
I
learned
how
to
take
complex
ideas
and
break
them

down
into
digestible
components
that
were
accessible
and
interesting

to
both
students
and
colleagues.
In
law
school,
I
furthered
my
mastery

of
analyzing
information,
formulating
my
thoughts
and
delivering

compelling
arguments.
Working
as
a
litigator,
I
represented
large

corporate
clients
and
won
cases
by
effectively
communicating
my

clients’
messages
clearly
and
succinctly.

When
I
transitioned
into
the
business
world
as
an
entrepreneur,
I
put

my
education
and
life
experiences
to
the
test
as
I
sought
to
create
and

raise
capital
for
various
enterprises.
I
outlined
and
achieved
every

fundraising
goal
I
established
because
I
approached
investors
with
a

well-‐crafted
message,
laid
the
proper
foundation
and
was
not
afraid
to

ask
difficult
questions.
As
a
business
owner
and
community
leader
in

Richmond,
I
continue
to
engage
a
wide
variety
of
audiences
as
I

promote
artistic,
business,
educational,
governmental
and

philanthropic
organizations
to
individuals,
companies,
politicians
and

institutions
throughout
the
region.

In
short,
although
my
resume
clearly
outlines
my
educational
and

professional
accomplishments,
what
it
may
not
overtly
do
is

illuminate
one
of
the
key
threads
that
tie
all
of
my
experiences

together—the
ability
to
effectively
communicate
with
practically

anyone
to
achieve
my
desired
objective.

II.

Leadership

Throughout
my
entire
life,
I
have
held
leadership
positions
in
a
variety

of
business,
civic
and
community
organizations.
I
am
a
natural
leader

who
is
comfortable
setting
specific
goals,
charting
a
course
to
achieve

1

them,
delegating
tasks,
managing
a
team
of
people
and
generating
a

genuine
sense
comradery
and
enthusiasm.

My
goal
as
a
leader
is
not
to
create
followers,
but
to
create
more

leaders.
That
is,
I
strive
to
inspire
people
and
show
them
what
they

are
capable
of
achieving
both
individually
and
as
part
of
a
team.

Utilizing
this
philosophy,
I
empower
my
team
members
to
accomplish

our
objectives
in
a
way
that
makes
everyone
feel
good
about

themselves,
their
work
and
our
mission.

A
true
leader
is
also
a
natural
salesperson.
Many
years
ago,
I
learned

an
invaluable
lesson
that
applies
to
both
leaders
and
marketers—
what
people
think
about
something
matters
less
that
how
something

makes
people
feel
about
themselves.

That
is,
when
presenting
your
product
to
someone
(be
it
a
restaurant,

membership
in
an
organization
or
even
an
idea),
do
not
bother
asking

what
that
person
thinks
about
your
product.
That
superficial
question

will
likely
illicit
narrow
responses
such
as:
your
restaurant
has
good

food;
or,
your
organization
serves
an
important
need;
or,
your
idea

sounds
reasonable.
Instead,
ask
your
audience
how
your
product

makes
them
feel
about
themselves.
In
other
words,
ask:
Does
my

restaurant
make
you
feel
welcome,
happy
and
good
about
yourself

when
you
are
here?
Does
membership
in
my
association
create
a

sense
of
pride
in
you
and
a
feeling
of
place
and
worth
in
your

community?
Does
my
idea
generate
feelings
of
empathy
and

understanding
or
help
clarify
your
very
sense
of
self?

This
“feeling-‐based
marketing”
technique
mirrors
my
aforementioned

leadership
philosophy.
I
engage
potential
clients
and
members
of
the

community
in
the
same
manner
that
I
lead
my
team
members—I

empower
them
to
feel
good
about
themselves,
the
work
that
they
do

and
our
collective
mission.
Once
an
individual,
corporation
or

organization
believes
that
your
product
and
your
mission
makes
them

feel
good
about
themselves,
you
have
gained
more
than
a
client—
you’ve
created
a
staunch
advocate
and
partner.

As
an
employee
in
this
company,
I
will
lead
my
team
and
market
our

product
to
the
community
using
this
effective
feeling-‐based

leadership
and
marketing
style
that
has
become
a
part
of
my

personality
and
come
to
define
my
professional
life.

III.

Tenacious
Work
Ethic

If
there
is
one
thing
that
my
resume
indicates,
and
that
can
be

confirmed
by
anyone
who
knows
me,
it
is
that
I
have
a
tenacious
work

ethic.
I
am
a
self-‐motivated,
driven
and
methodical
person
who

2

operates
well
individually
and
as
a
part
of
a
team.
Once
I
establish
a

goal
(be
it
getting
into
a
top-‐tier
school,
passing
the
Virginia
Bar
Exam

or
selling
people
on
an
idea
or
product),
I
devise
a
plan
to
achieve
it

and
systematical
work
towards
my
objective.
My
personal
and

professional
experiences
demonstrate
that
I
possess
an
innate
work

ethic
that
will
enable
me
to
achieve
all
of
the
goals
that
this
position

requires.

Not
only
must
the
person
who
holds
this
position
fulfill
his/her
duties

proficiently,
that
person
must
do
so
in
a
way
that
makes
the
entire

organization
appear
competent,
diplomatic,
professional
and
refined.

Importantly,
I
have
extensive
experience
in
bringing
finesse
to

professional
and
social
situations
ranging
from
business
functions
and

courtroom
trials
to
organizational
meetings
and
cocktail
parties.
If

given
the
opportunity
to
serve
in
this
post,
I
will
successfully
attain

the
company’s
stated
goals
and
do
so
with
the
dignity
and
grace

required
of
someone
given
the
responsibility
of
this
position.

This
position
plays
an
integral
part
in
working
towards
the
company’s

mission
and,
therefore,
much
like
an
entrepreneur,
the
person
who

occupies
the
post
is
never
really
“off
duty.”
If
selected,
I
will
work
on

behalf
of
the
company
both
on
and
off
the
clock
as
I
continue
to

pursue
my
“extra-‐curricular”
involvement
in
various
civic
and

community
organizations
throughout
the
region
and
beyond.
Just
as
a

proper
education
extends
beyond
the
walls
of
the
classroom
during

the
school
day,
successful
execution
of
this
position’s
responsibilities

will
require
that
I
work
on
behalf
of
the
company
outside
of
the
office

in
various
facets
throughout
my
personal
and
professional
life.
I
am

ready
to
take
on
a
position
like
this
that
will
require
comprehensive

and
holistic
engagement
on
my
part.

IV.

Sense
of
Humor

In
every
professional
position
that
I
have
held
to
date
I
have
struck

the
appropriate
balance
between
hard
work
and
whimsicality,
all

while
maintaining
a
healthy
sense
of
humor.
Mark
Twain
once
said,

“Humor
is
mankind’s
greatest
blessing.”
Although
I
agree
with
Mark

Twain,
I
would
also
argue
that
humor
is
a
managerial
tool
that,
if
used

properly,
can
increase
the
chances
of
achieving
one’s
personal
and

professional
goals
throughout
life.

An
important
measure
of
a
good
leader
is
that
person’s
ability
to
use

humor
in
otherwise
serious
contexts.
Proper
use
of
humor
puts

people
at
ease
and
makes
it
easier
to
engage
them
on
an
emotional

level
and
win
them
over
as
an
advocate
for
your
objectives.
Over
time,

I
have
learned
when
and
how
to
effectively
use
humor
to
advance
my

goals.
If
selected
for
this
position,
I
will
continue
to
use
humor
as
both

3

a
business
tool
and
a
purely
social
device
in
order
to
achieve
my

objectives
and
to
provide
a
healthy
sense
of
levity
to
my
personal
and

professional
life.

Summary

It
should
be
readily
apparent
that
my
key
strengths
that
I
outlined

above
(communication
skills,
leadership,
tenacious
work
ethic
and

sense
of
humor)
are
inherently
interrelated.
Viewed
individually,
each

trait
is
admirable
and
likely
presents
someone
who
is
an
excellent

worker
and
an
all-‐around
“good
guy.”
Viewed
collectively,
however,

these
traits
demonstrate
that
my
unique
life
experiences
have
granted

me
vast
insight
into
the
human
condition
that
has
enabled
me
to

succeed
in
various
facets
of
my
life.
As
an
employee
in
this
company,
I

will
utilize
that
insight
to
advance
the
company’s
mission,
provide
an

influential
and
vibrant
voice
to
its
vision
and
ensure
that
its
message

resonates
throughout
the
community.

4

Answers to Sample Interview Questions

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