101 Interview Questions Flashcards

1
Q

Tell me about yourself and why you would make a good Executive Director of Business services for Pasadena City College?

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2
Q

Explain the rationale behind each of your career moves.

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3
Q

What do you know about Pasadena City College?

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4
Q

What are your core values as a leader?

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5
Q

What qualities and attributes make a good leader?

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6
Q

Why do you want to leave your job?

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7
Q

What didn’t you like about your last job?

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8
Q

Tell us 3 Likes and 3 Dislikes you have at your current job.

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9
Q

What do you think was key to your current/previous company’s success?

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10
Q

Why do you want to work for us?

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11
Q

Why have you applied for this job?

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12
Q

What makes you a standout candidate?

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13
Q

What skills and experience do you have suitable for the Executive Director ofcBusiness Services at Pasadena City College? (Skills, Education, Knowledge, Relevant experience, Disposition.)

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14
Q

What are two metrics an Executive Director of Business Services should always monitor?

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15
Q

Can you tell us some of the recurring duties you’re likely to have as an Executive Director of Business Services at Pasadena City College?

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16
Q

Why are measurements and metrics important things for an Executive Director of Business Services to monitor? Can you tell us some of the metrics you might monitor regularly?

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17
Q

It is possible that revenue forecasts might show a decrease in income at some point. How would you work to correct this before it happens?

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18
Q

What size budgets have you worked with, and what do you find challenging about budgeting?

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19
Q

What are the key elements to successful financial planning and budgeting?

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20
Q

What measures do you use to assess an organization’s financial performance?

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21
Q

How do you ensure that regulations and policies are fully complied with by the Business Services department?

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22
Q

Would you consider being able to analyze data and make financial decisions and recommendations based on that analysis a particular strength that you have? How so?

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23
Q

What is the key to a successful budget?

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24
Q

Can you describe a time you had to prepare a financial report with a strict deadline? How did you manage it?

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25
Q

Describe a time where you identified a problem, considered your options, and picked an effective solution.

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26
Q

What long-term plans did you make in your last job? How did you reach your long-term goals?

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27
Q

How do you utilize communication skills?

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28
Q

Why should we hire you?

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29
Q

How would you approach change within our institution as the Executive Director of Business Services?

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30
Q

How do you plan to succeed as our Executive Director of Business Services when others in the past have failed to live up to expectations?

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31
Q

As the Executive Director of Business Services, you will ultimately be responsible and accountable for everything. How do you plan to delegate in your role as the Executive Director of Business Services?

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32
Q

How is your relationship with the CEO, Board and executive team and how do you work cross functionally across the organization?

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33
Q

Cite examples of how you have driven change and improved the finance organization.

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34
Q

When have you worked as part of a team?

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35
Q

Describe a time when you communicated an important message to a group of people?

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36
Q

How would you build a positive relationship with your staff?

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37
Q

What is your management style? Have people you worked with followed you to other jobs? Have people you recruited in your organization moved on to bigger roles?

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38
Q

What do YOU DO to take care of your staff?

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39
Q

What would you do if you didn’t get on with someone in your team?

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40
Q

When have you had disagreement with your Senior Directors?

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41
Q

Can you give me an example of a difficult situation you faced in a previous job and how you dealt with it?

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42
Q

Have you ever held a position that wasn’t right for you?

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43
Q

Are you a risk taker?

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44
Q

How do you see PCC changing over the next two years, and how do you plan to create the change necessary?

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45
Q

How important is PCC’s culture to you and what steps would you take to maintain your desired culture?

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46
Q

Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

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47
Q

What are your long-term goals and how do you plan to achieve them?

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48
Q

What do you do outside of work?

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49
Q

How many messages are there in your inbox now, and how do you manage your emails?

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50
Q

How do you handle pressure?

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51
Q

What are your strengths? What is your biggest weakness?

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52
Q

What is your greatest flaw in your leadership style?

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53
Q

What has been your greatest failure? And what did you learn from it?

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54
Q

What are your three greatest achievements in your career?

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55
Q

Describe your most important contribution to your current/previous company.

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56
Q

What is your “Secret Sauce?” i.e. what are the 3-5 Leadership Principles that you have discovered and executed that have contributed to your success?

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57
Q

Can you please talk to me about “Execution?” What do you do to insure that your Strategic Plans actually become reality?

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58
Q

How would your work colleagues describe you?

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59
Q

Do you consider yourself a “Strategic Executive Director of Business Services” and what examples in your career lead you to that definition?

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60
Q

What 5 personal characteristics describe you the best?

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61
Q

What are your salary expectations?

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62
Q

What would you do in the first 30 days of starting?

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63
Q

Do you have any questions?

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64
Q

What has motivated and inspired you in your career?

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65
Q

Can you name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? Maybe someone who has been a mentor to you? Why and how did this person impact your life?

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66
Q

What are the most important decisions you make as a leader of your organization?

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67
Q

As an organization gets larger there can be a tendency for the “institution” to dampen the “inspiration.” How do you keep this from happening?

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68
Q

How do you encourage creative thinking within your organization?

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69
Q

Where do the great ideas come from in your organization?

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70
Q

Which is most important to your organization—mission, core values or vision?

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71
Q

How do you or other leaders in your organization communicate the core values?

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72
Q

How do you encourage others in your organization to communicate the “core values”?

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73
Q

Do you set aside specific times to cast vision to your employees and other leaders?

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74
Q

How do you ensure your organization and its activities are aligned with your core values?

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75
Q

How do you help a new employee understand the culture of your organization?

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76
Q

When faced with two equally-qualified candidates, how do you determine whom to hire?

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77
Q

What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?

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78
Q

What is the biggest challenge facing leaders today?

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79
Q

What is one mistake you witness leaders making more frequently than others?

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80
Q

What is the one behavior or trait that you have seen derail more leaders’ careers?

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81
Q

What are a few resources you would recommend to someone looking to gain insight into becoming a better leader?

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82
Q

What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?

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83
Q

What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader?

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84
Q

What is the best piece of advice you would give to a young professional to succeed?

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85
Q

Who is a person that you considered as a role model early in your life? How and why does this person impact your life?

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86
Q

How did you decide to pursue the career that you are working in today? What was a pivotal moment?

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87
Q

What are the most important decisions that you face daily as a leader in your organization?

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88
Q

How do you maintain your and your team’s daily motivation and inspiration despite obstacles, pushback or setbacks?

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89
Q

How do you foster creative and innovative thinking within your organization? How are ideas shared and implemented within your organization?

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90
Q

What is most important to you and your organization – mission, vision, or core values? Why?

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91
Q

Have you shared core values and visions with other leaders within your organization? Why? Why not?

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92
Q

How do you assist a new employee to understand the culture of your organization?

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93
Q

What advice would you give a new employee going into a leadership position for the first time?

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94
Q

What are the most useful resources that you would recommend to someone looking to gain a better perspective into becoming a better leader?

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95
Q

How do you decide who the best candidate is for your team or organization?

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96
Q

What are the most lacking traits among the leaders today?

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97
Q

What are the most important traits of successful leaders today?

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98
Q

What is the most important characteristic that every leader should possess?

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99
Q

What are the most pressing challenges that leaders are facing today? And why?

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100
Q

Do you have a mentor? If so, what traits are you seeking in a mentor and why?

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101
Q

What are you doing daily to ensure your growth and development continues as a leader? If so, how?

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