Sample questions

Here we provide you with a range of sample questions to practice with. Each and every
job will have its own knowledge, skill and ability requirements so it’s not possible to
cover all possibilities here. If there are questions areas here specific to the role that you
are applying for (as described in the Job Specification), you may find them useful to
work with.

The questions provided here are not intended to reflect the full range of questions that
could be asked of you by an Interview Board but are a useful resource to draw from in
terms of how you might like to structure your responses / practice responding to
different types of questions etc. The more confident you are in answering different
kinds of questions about your experience the easier it will be to remember experiences
should you need to draw on them during an interview.

Feel free to edit the sample questions as you see fit based on your knowledge of the
role you are applying for and to best aid you in your preparation. Some of the questions
may or may not be relevant to you depending on your work experience to date / the
level of the role at which you work.
Included are typical types of ‘opening’ questions that could be asked at the start of an
interview. Then sample ‘skill area’ type questions are provided, followed by potential
follow-up type questions where Interviewers may wish to delve deeper.

Remember, during the interview the interviewers will ask follow-up questions based on
your responses to their questions. These will very much depend on the line of
conversation as per the example you are providing but will always be focused on
capturing evidence of your demonstrating the particular skill area under question.

General Introduction Type Interview Questions

At the beginning of the interview the Board will usually be interested in getting you
settled down and will be interested in capturing some information about your
education and career history. The following are sample questions that you may wish to
practice responding to. Remember – ensure your responses are to-the-point and
concise.

Education
• Provide me with a brief overview of your education to date relevant to this role.
• Talk me through your education to date and why you decided to focus on this
particular career path.
• Why did you decide to do that particular course?
• What did you like most / least about it? Why?
• How have you applied your learning from your education?
• How do you keep up to date?
Experience to Date
• Give me a broad overview of your career to date relevant to this role.
• What attracted you to your last role?
• What were you responsible for in your last role?
• What did you spend the most time doing?
• Who did you work with?
• Who did you report to?
• What resources did you have to manage?
• What was the most challenging aspect of that role?
• What did you like most about that role?
• What were the most significant things you learned from that role?
• How has your work experience prepared you for this role?
• What influenced your decision to move?

Structured / Competency Type Interview Questions

Here we provide sample questions mapping onto 6 broadly thematic areas (Thinking
Style, Managing for Results, Interpersonal / People Orientation, Personal Effectiveness,
Professional Knowledge). While not exhaustive, they provide a good depth and breadth
in terms of lines of questioning. Also included are sample follow-up questions to help
you prepare the structure of your responses when interview boards may ‘delve deeper’.

Sample Skill Areas Sample ‘opening’ questions

Thinking Style
Evaluating Information / Problem Solving / • Give me an example of a complex problem
Decision Making that you solved.
• Give me an example of where you have
considered / evaluated information in order to
make a decision.
• Tell me about a difficult decision that you had
to make.
• Can you give me an example of a time you had
to manage competing demands/agendas?
• Have you ever dealt with a complaint? Tell me
about a complaint you have managed.
• Give an example of when you overcame a
challenging situation.
• Describe what you would consider a creative
solution you identified for a problem /
situation?
Managing for Results
Commitment to Providing a Quality Service • Give me an example of where you provided a
quality service.
• Describe a time when you undertook a quality
initiative.
• How do you monitor and evaluate the quality
of the service you provide?
 • What policies, procedures or legislation govern
the work that you do?
• Give an example of when you overcame a
challenging situation.
Planning & Managing Resources / • Give me an example of a situation where you
Organisation & Management / Planning & were directly responsible for planning and
Organising managing something.
• Give me an example of when you had a
number of competing priorities.
• Have you ever had to re-organise an existing
system?
• How do you organise work assignments across
staff? Give an example.
Leadership / Team Management Skills • Give an example of change you saw coming, or
something you thought was necessary to
change.
• Give me an example of where you
demonstrated strong leadership.
• What sort of performance standards have you
held others to?
• Can you give an example of where you
managed a performance improvement
initiative?
• How do you organise work assignments across
staff? Give an example.
• Give me an example of where you had to bring
others along with you / inspire others to see
something through.
• What is the most difficult challenge you have
had to face as a leader?
• Describe a situation where you have to
positively influence the actions of others in a
desired direction.
Interpersonal / People Oriented
Managing & Developing (Self & Others) • In your current role, describe how you plan
and manage your time (and that of others).
• Tell me about a time when you have had to
deal with competing demands on your time
• Give an example of a time when you managed
and developed others that lead to a successful
outcome?
• Give an example of when you overcame a
challenging situation.
• Describe a time when you resolved a conflict.
• Give me an example of where you might have
supported/aided the development of another/
others.
Team Player / Building & Maintaining • Give me an example of when you worked as
Relationships part of a team to achieve a specific objective.
• Give me an example of when you had to deal
with conflict.
• What factors do you consider when delegating
a task to another?
• What are your values as a team member /
leader?
• Tell me about a project you led a team out on
 Describe a time when you resolved conflict 
Give an example of a time when you helped or
supported a co worker.
Personal Effectiveness
Openness to Change Can you give me an example of where you had
•
to implement change?
• Have you ever identified a need for change and
seen it through?
• Have you an example of when you were given
tasks to accomplish without advance warning?
• What is the most pressurised work environment
that you have worked in?
• Can you give me an example of where you were
innovative?
• Can you give me an example of where you had
to change track / focus based on new
information?
• Can you give me an example of where you
demonstrated flexibility and an ability to adapt
to change?
Sample Follow Up Questions – follow up on the opening question by probing in more detail using
the following type questions:
• Provide a brief overview of the situation.
• What did you do?
• Why did you take that course of action?
• What had you to take into consideration?
• How did you ensure you met your objectives?
• What challenges did you face?
• How did you overcome those challenges?
• What else happened?
• Who else was involved?
• What was the outcome?
• What did you learn?
• How can you bring that forward into this role?

Professional Knowledge Questions

Professional knowledge questions will focus around the key knowledge, skills and
abilities required to perform the role successfully as described in the Job Specification.
The Interview Board may take a mixed approach to assess your suitability for the role
including exploring your:

• Educational achievements / work experience to date in more detail / focusing in

on key areas.
• Competence directly e.g. providing you with a scenario and asking you how you
would respond to it.
• Knowledge and experience in relation to particular areas as relevant to a role e.g.
clinical / professional knowledge questions.
• Experience against any post specific requirements identified in the Job
Specification.
• Ability to provide a safe, efficient and effective service.
• Ability to apply evidence based practice as relevant to the role.
• Ability to assess and manage risk.
• Knowledge of legislation and other requirements e.g. professional ethics,
particular to your work.
• Commitment to continuous professional development.

A Note on Less Structured Type Interview Questions

It may be difficult to predict the exact line of questioning in a less structured type of
interview. A broad internet search will provide you with a range of different types of
questions and approaches that you may wish to practice with.