Public Services Director
Interview Questions – Community Panel
June 3, 2014
1. What are the motivating factors that made you apply for this position and how does this position relate to your career goals?
2. What makes you uniquely qualified for this position?
3. Please describe your vision for the Public Works Department.
4. Describe a construction project during which you encountered difficult problems. What did you do to resolve the problems?
5. Describe a difficult decision you made and explain how you worked through that decision.
6. What is your approach in dealing with community groups or individuals who may be opposed to City plans or initiatives?
7. Describe what customer service means to you. Who are your customers?
8. What innovative programs have you implemented in the past to ensure customer service is a core belief with staff?
9. How would you help the City improve trust and communication with the community?
10. Is there anything you would like to add?
11. What questions do you have for us?
Interviewer Summary Comments:
Strengths:
Areas of Concern:
Recommendation:
Public Services Director
Interview Questions – Employee Panel
June 3, 2014
1. What are the motivating factors that made you apply for this position and why do you think you would be a good fit for it?
2. When starting a new job there is a lot to learn. How would you use us as a resource to get up to speed? What do you need from us to be successful?
3. Describe a difficult personnel issue you encountered and how you handled the same.
4. How do you promote cooperation and collaboration within your department?
5. In your experience, what is one factor that creates conflict within the department and how do you resolve conflicts within the department?
6. How do you evaluate and support department supervisors?
7. Describe your experience in preparing a departmental operating budget and monitoring cost/expenditures for adherence to established financial goals and objectives. In what ways have you ever had to deploy cost containment measures?
8. What are some innovative things you have done in the past to get funds for projects for your community?
9. Tell us about one of your biggest successes as a Public Works Director. In your experience, have you changed how you define project success and project failure?
10. Tell us about your philosophy of customer service. What are your thoughts about internal versus external customers?
11. What is your process of planning for the long term priorities and efficiencies of the Public Services operations?
12. Is there anything you would like to add?
13. What questions do you have for us?
Interviewer Summary Comments:
Strengths:
Areas of Concern:
Recommendation:
Public Services Director
Interview Questions – Steven 1:1
June 3, 2014
1. What are the motivating factors that made you apply for this position and how does this position relate to your career goals?
2. What is your management philosophy?
3. What are your governing principles, core values, and belief system that influence your organizational culture.
4. In what one area of responsibility in the Public Services Director’s job description would you feel you might need further development and what actions would you take to address that area?
5. When you meet resistance from subordinates when implementing change, what initiatives would you implement to reach a successful outcome?
6. During your past work experience, what do you feel was the most difficult personnel issue you’ve had to resolve? Briefly explain the approach you took and the outcome.
7. Is there anything in your background that we should be aware of that would be of concern to the City if you were hired?
8. If selected for the Public Services Director position, how would you go about establishing yourself in the position with the Department staff, City and Community?
9. What are the determining factors for you in deciding if this is the right fit for you? Are there any issues that concern you, such as salary, relocation, or other concerns?
10. If hired, what would be some of your first priorities?
11. What would you like to accomplish in your first 90 days on the job; and in your first 12 to 18 months?
12. What innovative programs have you implemented to ensure customer service is a core belief with staff?
13. Is there anything you would like to add?
14. What questions do you have for me?
Interviewer Summary Comments:
Strengths:
Areas of Concern:
Recommendation:
Public Services Director
Written Exercise
June 3, 2014
Scenario:
In the early 1980’s, the City dump was closed and all garbage was then required to be taken to the County landfill. Last month, the City was informed by the County that the landfill board had authorized an efficiency study and the board approved to reduce the hours of operation at the landfill from 7 days a week to 5 days a week (Tuesday – Saturday) beginning next month.
The City sanitation department currently collects sanitation from all City residents (both roll-outs and 3-yard alley dumpsters) Monday – Friday, and all City commercial customers (3-yard dumpsters) Monday – Saturday. Our City residents have a mixture of rollouts and alley dumpsters; about 75% of our residents currently have rollouts and the other 25% of our residents share an alley dumpster between four properties. The time difference for a sanitation truck to pick up each container is 10 seconds for a rollout versus 3 minutes for an alley dumpster. The City currently has two older sanitation trucks that only pick up alley dumpsters and two newer sanitation trucks that can pick up both alley dumpsters and rollouts. It should also be noted that per Wyoming DEQ, the County’s baler facility has to be free of garbage at the end of each day, so it is imperative that we come up with a solution to comply with the County’s new operating schedule.
With the proposed schedule changes from the county’s landfill board, what solution(s) would you consider proposing to help make this an easy transition for our customers? (Please feel free to use a separate piece of paper and/or the computer that will be provided for your use.)
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