Sample Oral Interview

PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR

PANEL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

This interview is designed to last 45-60 minutes, and utilizes questions that help evaluate the following dimensions: related experience, level and complexity of work, extent of job responsibilities, motivation, attitudes and values, job effectiveness, supervisory effectiveness, managerial orientation, problem solving, decision making, interpersonal relations and oral communications.

Interviewee: Date: February 8, 2013

Interviewer:

1. Briefly review your employment history with the panel, with an emphasis on the major responsibilities related to this position.

1. Describe your experience in the area of project management, especially with respect to politically sensitive projects.

1. 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?

1. What do you consider your biggest strength which would qualify you for the position?

1. In what one area of responsibility in the Public Works Director’s job description would you feel you might need further development? What actions would you take to address that area?

1. Describe a difficult personnel issue you encountered and how you handled the same.

1. Some of the Public Works supervisors may be still working under a different philosophy of leadership than the culture we are attempting to build. What approach would you use to initiate needed cultural change?

1. How would you support the City’s PRIDE core values and the decision of the Mayor and Council? Follow up: What if you or your people did not agree with those decisions? How would you go about embracing those ideals as your own?

1. Please describe your vision for the Public Works Department.

1. How do you see the Department working as a Team? Follow Up: With the other City operations?

1. Why do you want this position?

1. Please describe your management style and how you like to bemanaged.

1. If selected for the Director position, how would you go about establishing yourself in the position with the Department staff, City and Community?

1. What types of work situations bring out the worst in you?

1. What changes would you make to the current Public Works structure?

Interviewer Summary Comments:

Strengths:

Areas of Concern:

Recommendation:

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