NSA CDS Behavioral Q's Flashcards
how does your education relate to this position?
Getting my bachelors degree at Georgetown University in computer science has greatly prepared me for this position. To obtain my degree i was required to take various courses that forced me to problem solve and think of ways to optimize non traditional solutions. Namely, courses like data structures, data science, math methods for computer science, computer hardware fundamentals, computer system fundamentals, and information assurance have given me knowledge on how to use logic based reasoning to gathering information and synthesize it for my projects objectives.
what do you know about the nsa and why do you want to work here?
I know that the NSA is a valuable intelligence agency that is responsible for cryptographic and communications intelligence and security. It’s responsible for global monitoring, collection, processing information and data for foreign and domestic intelligence and counterintelligence purposes.
I want to work at the NSA because I’m passionate about technology and all its possibilities. Working at the NSA will give me the opportunity to be on the frontline of revolutionary softwares, applications, models, and various other mechanizations all while ensuring the protection of the country. That sounds like one of the best 2 for 1 deals I can imagine. I also want to work here because I know the NSA does fulfilling work that truly inspires people as both of my parents and brother have worked for the NSA directly or been on field assignments. Another thing that attracts me to the NSA is the TS/SCI security clearance this will greatly develop me professionally.
tell me about yourself and your background
I am a recent graduate from Georgetown University with a degree in computer science with a strong passion for technology and I am really excited about the prospect of this position. Although I don’t have a lot of technical professional experience, the work I did at Georgetown provided me a solid foundation in problem solving, researching, and multi level team cooperation. I can code in several language, I have experience with advanced algorithms and cybersecurity implementations, as well as data science investigations. In my nontechnical jobs I got a lot of experience in meeting production goals and ensuring integrity of products and service. I am young, I am passionate, I am innovative, and I am ready for this position.
how will you apply your experience to a successful career at NSA?
I will use my experience in coding in C++, Python, and Java as well as my aptitude in problem solving and collaborating to have a successful career at NSA. I will draw on my experience and knowledge for data structures, information assurance, data visualizations, and logical thinking to provide the utmost quality in all of the projects that I am assigned to.
tell me about your favorite project
My favorite project was an investigative research and web design data science project that I completed involving the association between crime, poverty, and food insecurity in the Washington, DC area. In this project me and my team collected data through APIs and web scraping, analyzed and cleaned data in accordance to goals of project analysis, created interactive data visualizations including: bubble charts, data maps, histograms, violin plots, scatterplots, and pie charts, completed cluster and network analysis, and finally designed a website for analysis, results, conclusion and discussion. This is my favorite project because it was very fulfilling to apply my technical skills in a practical and investigative manner on a topic that I am very passionate about. This project was about the real world and real people problems and I was able to research into the logistics of the problem to try to come up with possible solutions with my teammates
tell me about a time when you encountered a difficult problem and what you did to fix it?
One time I encountered a difficult problem was working with a group to prepare a presentation on the relationship between education obtained and income areas. My group was tasked to research how income inequality can effect the opportunities that individuals have to obtain certain levels of education. Two of the team members wanted to hold daily meetings one hour to discuss the progress of our presentation while other team members, including myself, disagreed with this approach because the team had a group documentation method to report our presentation progress and completion. To fix this, each side talked over their grievances and discussed that as long as everyone knew their assigned tasks, we did not think we needed to divert an excessive amount of time for meetings. Eventually, we decided to compromise by holding a daily meeting that would last no more than ten minutes to provide short updates on task progress.
what are your strengths?
One of my strengths is that I am eager to learn new things and excited about opportunities to implement them. In my spare time while out of school, I have taken various online courses and certifications on computer vision basics, cloud storage, and TCP/IP functions. I am extremely capable and delighted to learn new technologies.
I am also a problem solver with great analytical skills and a determination to see things to their fruition. I have the ability and patience to deal with ambiguous and undefined problems.
I am an excellent communicator both in writing and verbally. I have excellent documentation skills and I enjoy working with others and being part of a team.
I am also self motivated and can operate under minimal supervision with no problem.
I am confidential. I am able to maintain confidentiality and ensure ethical standards.
what are your weaknesses?
One of my greatest weaknesses is that I can be too much of a perfectionist. I take a lot of pride in my work and I’m very detail oriented so that can create problems with me hyper-fixating on certain things. For example, I am very punctual and I always meet deadlines, but when submitting my work it is typically right on time because I have to be thorough. I am currently working on balancing my perfectionism to still in ensure the integrity of my work while also not getting bogged down with details.
Another weakness would be that I’m a recent graduate and don’t have a lot of work experience, but I’m highly adaptable and excited to get into the workforce and I will bring my passion and skills with me everyday that I am on the job.
what are your long term goals?
My long term goal is to have fulfilling career in technology at a place where I’m always growing and learning new things with a diverse group of people. I’d like be somewhere where I have the opportunity to enhance the skills I already posses while also gaining new experience. My goal is also to be the best and excel at whatever position I’m in. I want to be the person that people go to for help in solving a problem or advice with a project. Another one of my goals is to go back to school and get my master’s degree to not only continue my learning but also to increase my marketability.
how would you communicate a technical problem to a client/non tech person?
I think the best way to communicate a technical problem to a client or non technical person is to express the problems in terms or ways that they can understand. I don’t mean this exactly in simplifying it or dumbing it down, but moreso describing the concept in ways that relates more to the person. When communicating it is important to know your audience. Tech people often get consumed in jargon that most cannot understand. So I would describe the technical problem in a personalized manner for the non tech person using either analogies or role play examples to best ensure the person who I am talking to understands the problem I am trying to convey.
how did you find the job listing?
I found the job listing while perusing intelligence careers government website. My brother works at NSA San Antonio and he recommended me to look there because he knows I am looking for fulfilling work the tech field.
do you like working in teams?
Yes, I like working in teams. I think working in teams can be very beneficial for projects because you can approach it from multiple perspectives. While working in teams I can bring up things that people might not think about and vice versa. I also get along with people well and enjoy the camaraderie that comes from a team environment.
describe any technical projects that highlight your skills
One technical project that highlights my skills would be an investigative research and web design data science project that I completed involving the association between crime, poverty, and food insecurity in the Washington, DC area. In this project me and my team collected data through APIs and web scraping, analyzed and cleaned data in accordance to goals of project analysis, created interactive data visualizations including: bubble charts, data maps, histograms, violin plots, scatterplots, and pie charts, completed cluster and network analysis, and finally designed a website for analysis, results, conclusion and discussion. This project highlights my coding skills in Python, my research skills in social problems, and my cooperative skills as I worked with a team of 4.
tell me about your interpersonal skills
One of my interpersonal skills include active listening - I believe it is important to give people my full attention while talking as I would want the same to be done for me. I am have patience and empathy - different people have different capabilities and ways of thinking so I know it is important to keep that in mind while working with others. I am flexible and dependable. I also have great leadership skills - I can effectively make decisions both independently and while consulting others.
if you knew someone was going to use your code what would you do differently when writing it?
If I knew someone was going to use my code I wouldn’t have to do too much differently while writing it than I would for if I didn’t know someone was going to use my code because I try to write my as if that is the case anyway because you never know where your code can go. That being said, I would ensure that my documentation is very thorough. I would have various comments explaining my functions, variables, and logics of the program. I would also use sensical easy to understand variable and function names so its not confusing on what operations I’m trying to do.
if you anticipate a problem that will cause you more problems later on when writing your code, what do you do about it and why?
Firstly I would place comments above the problematic code describing what I anticipate will create further problems later and why I am doing it the current way. I would do this so I can easily identify the likely source of my future errors. Coding errors are often cascading so it’s important to know the starting point to more efficiently get to a solution to the problem. Next, I would research if others have had the same problem and if that didn’t work I would consult my peers and ask if they knew how to approach the problem. I would do this in that order because I believe it is important to try and solve problems myself and not disrupt others in what they may be doing but I also believe multiple brains working toward something is better than just one.
if you wrote code and someone pointed out an error, what would you do and how would you react?
If this happened I would look over my code and review the error that they identified. I would explain to them the reason why I wrote my code the way I did and I would ask them to explain the error. I would listen to them closely so I fully understand my error in order for it to not happen again. I wouldn’t react defensively because even though I do take pride in my work, I take even more pride in my ability to learn and adapt. I am always seeking to improve myself so if someone showed me an error in my ways I am grateful for it because it means I can become better.
if you ran into a problem with a customer, how would you handle that situation?
In a situation like this I believe it is best to approach with calmness and understanding. I would ask questions and actively listen to the individual and come up with a solution that we are both satisfied with. In my nontechnical jobs for example when a very unhappy customer wanted to speak with a manager and I was the only employee available, I was able to resolve the problem by listening and accepting responsibility for the company’s actions. We came to a solution that was great for both parties and I was sure to follow up.
how do you stay up to date with new computer science technology and techniques?
I read articles on reddit’s technews forums. I listen to podcasts like Herding Code and The Big Web Show that keep me up to date on content strategies and web technologies. I complete certifications and take online courses as they can help me hone in on my skills and keep me on top of my game in the ever evolving tech world.
what is something that describes who you are that is not on your resume?
One thing that I am that is not described in my resume is my perseverance. No matter what challenge I am faced with I always persevere to the end. I did this in my education by obtaining a very hard degree that tested my belief in my abilities and I also did this personally in my fitness journey. I had a goal to lose weight and gain strength, and I did exactly that by losing over 100lbs in 6 months. This was one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do, but I had a goal and I was determined to accomplish it.
describe a conflict you had with a team member. how did you handle the conflict and what was the outcome?
One conflict that I’ve experienced with a team member is having to work with someone who doubted, challenged and dismissed various solutions that I presented to our project. In their own right this person was slightly more experienced than I was but they had a tendency to be overbearing and present their solutions as the best that we could obtain without listening to my or others input. I was challenged in maintaining my patience when they would interrupt others without listening. To handle the conflict, I had to recognize that I cannot control the way this persons behavior, I could only control how I responded to the situation it created. I had a conversation with my team member and discussed with them how I felt they were stifling myself and the team in a calm and respectful manner. Though this conversation me and my team member realized that a lot of this conflict came from stress due to the workload of the project. I decided to adjust my own communication style to increase empathy, build patience with interruptions, and also insert my ideas and reasonings more to ensure I was being heard as well. We were able to complete the project and maintain polite correspondence after.
how would you describe yourself?
I would describe myself as a creative problem solver and thinker. I enjoy finding alternative solutions to problems and I always keep an open mind about what solution might work best. Troubleshooting issues is something I am comfortable and familiar with and that I also find great satisfaction in doing. I am very detail oriented and I like to be sure that I cross all my i’s and dot all my t’s. I am an excellent communicator as I am able easily articulate people’s needs, whether it be clients or my teammates. I’m able to quickly pick up on subtle hints and nonverbal clues.
which programming language are you most comfortable with? Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 with regard to your skills in Java, C++, and any other programming languages you like.
I am most comfortable with C++ and Python. They are the ones I have the most experience with and the ones that are most intuitive to me. Rating myself in C++ I’d give myself a 7 as I am proficient but not an expert. For Python I would rate myself a 6 as I have slightly less experience with it than C++. Java I would rate myself a 4 currently, but with practice and time I can surely improve my skills. I am not currently familiar with other programmings languages, but I am a fast learner and highly adaptable so learning a new language would not be a problem for me.
what operating system do you use?
I have an iMac and a Macbook Air so I use MAC OS X
