1. What can you offer me that another person can't?

This is when you talk about your record of getting things done. Go into specifics from your resume and portfolio; show an employer your value and how you'd be an asset.
You have to say, “I'm the best person for the job In Performance Improvement. I know there are other candidates who could fill this position, but my passion for excellence sets me apart from the pack. I am committed to always producing the best results. For example…”

2. Do you know anyone working with this organization?

It would be great if you did - then you could potentially use them as a referral if they thought highly of you.

3. How did you handle meeting a tight deadline In Performance Improvement?

Review every deadline you need to meet. Prioritize your projects by deadline and factor in how important each project is. Record your deadlines on a digital calendar or spreadsheet.

4. Are you willing to work overtime or odd hours?

Be completely honest. You don't want to lie to get the job if you're not going to work the hours required.

5. Do you have any blind spots?

This question is often meant to trick candidates since acknowledgment of blind spots would indicate they were aware of them. Also, do not disclose bad habits or other personal concerns. Let the interviewer find out about your personal flaws through the course of the interview without directly stating these flaws.

6. Are you good at working in a team In Performance Improvement?

Before you answer, consider how you best contribute to a team:

☛ Do you get along easily with people?
☛ Are you an effective collaborator?
☛ Can you communicate with people from various backgrounds and with different personalities?
☛ Can you motivate people?
☛ Do you know how to push back tactfully?
☛ Can you mediate conflicts?
☛ Can you deal with difficult personalities?

7. When were you most satisfied in your job In Performance Improvement?

I'm a people person. I was always happiest and most satisfied when I was interacting with community residents, making sure I was able to meet their needs and giving them the best possible comfort in a tough situation. It was my favorite part of the job, and it showed. Part of the reason I'm interested in this job is that I know I'd have even more interaction with the public, on an even more critical level.

8. Why are you interested in working In Performance Improvement for [insert company name here]?

Bad Answer: They don't have a good reason, or provide a generic answer, "I think it represents a great opportunity."

Good answer: One that shows they've done research on the company, and are truly excited about specific things they can do at the job. This not only shows enthusiasm for the work and basic preparation skills, gives you clues about the cultural fit.

9. How does your present position differ from past ones?

Describe the difference with regards to responsibilities, culture, team, career opportunity, and the work itself.

10. Tell me about yourself?

There are some questions that your potential employer aren't allowed to ask (but trust me, they probably want to). For instance, they shouldn't really ask about your family or how far away you live from your potential place of employment. If you can find a way to answer these questions anyway (with the answers they want to hear), that will give them a little added info to help them make the (right) decision!

11. What's your dream job?

Along similar lines, the interviewer wants to uncover whether this position In Performance Improvement is really in line with your ultimate career goals. While “an GGL star” might get you a few laughs, a better bet is to talk about your goals and ambitions-and why this job will get you closer to them.

12. What have you done to improve your skills over the past year In Performance Improvement?

You'll want to be prepare with some very specific examples of what you've done over the last year and what you're currently doing to improve your professional knowledge and skill set as well as anything else you're doing the shows self improvement.

13. What motivates you at the work place?

Keep your answer simple, direct and positive. Some good answers may be the ability to achieve, recognition or challenging assignments.

14. How do you rate yourself in computer skills? Please describe the programs and software that you can use well?

Ideally you want to able to type quickly, have the ability to effectively use Microsoft Office, and more importantly be able to quickly adapt to computer / technology skills. More and more it's become an integral part of work. If the job doesn't require technology skills - then this question shouldn't be asked!

15. Do you know anyone that works with our company?

Sometimes companies have policies relating to the hiring of individuals related to current company employees. If you are related to anyone working for the company make sure you're aware of company policies before you enter the interview. If you have a friend or acquaintance working for the company make sure have good relationship with this individual before mentioning them.

16. Top 17 Behavioral Interview Questions In Performance Improvement:

Behavioral interviews In Performance Improvement where popularized by industrial psychologists in the 1970s, and have been used at big companies like AT&T. The idea behind them is that past responses to situations are the best predictor of how candidates will respond in the future.


1. Tell me about a time you faced a conflict while working as part of a team.

2. Talk about a goal you set for yourself. What did you do to make sure you met the goal?

3. Give an example of a time when you had to work with someone with a very different personality from yours.

4. Talk about an instance where you wish you'd handled a situation differently with a team member.

5. What's the most difficult problem you have had to solve In Performance Improvement?

6. Give an example of how you handled a situation where you needed information from a colleague who wasn't responsive.

7. Talk about a time when you had problems building a relationship with a key team member. What did you do?

8. Tell me about an instance when it was important to make a great impression on a client. What did you do?

9. Tell me about a situation where you had to work with a difficult client.

10. Tell me about a situation where you disappointed a client, and how you tried to fix it.

11. Talk about a time when you had to strategize to meet all your obligations.

12. Talk about a time when you failed at something. How did you react?

13. Talk about a time you took on a leadership role.

14. Tell me about a long-term project you oversaw. How did you keep it focused and on schedule?

15. Talk about a time when you were under a lot of stress. What caused it, and how did you manage?

16. Do you prefer to work alone or with others In Performance Improvement?

17. Tell me about a time when you were overwhelmed by the amount of work on your agenda. How did you handle it?

17. Can you describe your ideal boss/supervisor?

During the interview In Performance Improvement process employers will want to find out how you respond to supervision. They want to know whether you have any problems with authority, If you can work well as part of a group (see previous question) and if you take instructions well etc.
Never ever ever, criticize a past supervisor or boss. This is a red flag for airlines and your prospective employer will likely assume you are a difficult employee, unable to work in a team or take intruction and side with your former employer.

18. Tell me about a time when you successfully handled a situation?

For this question, the interviewer wants to know what you do in a situation that doesn't have a clear answer. This will help the interviewer know how you respond to unforeseen challenges.

19. If you could do it all over again, how would you plan your academic studies differently?

Whatever you do, just don't act bitter. A lot of times we wish we could change the past, but focus on the positive reasons and results of the decisions you already made.

20. What do you like to do for fun?

Be open to sharing hobbies and activities that you enjoy. Make sure you're genuine about it and don't list off things you don't really like because if they ask you a follow up question it'll be harder for you to answer.

21. What can you offer us that someone else can not?

Bad Answer: Going negative - if the candidate starts trash talking other candidates, it's a sure sign of a bad attitude. Also, if they can't provide a solid answer, it may show that they lack thorough knowledge of the skills the job requires, and an understanding of where they fit in.

Good answer: The candidate can name specific skills, abilities or understandings they have that apply directly to the job that other candidates are unlikely to have, or are in short supply.

22. How well do you know our company?

Well, a developed company that is gradually building their reputation in the competitive world.

23. What is the difference between a big ego and a healthy ego?

"Ego" should be replaced by confidence. It's good to be confident as it shows that you know what you're doing. However, a big ego is when confidence spirals out of control and you become arrogant.

24. Are you currently looking at other job opportunities?

Just answer this question honestly. Sometime an employer wants to know if there are other companies you're considering so that they can determine how serious you are about the industry, they're company and find out if you're in demand. Don't spend a lot of time on this question; just try to stay focused on the job you're interviewing for.

25. What are your weaknesses for Performance Improvement position?

Try not to be too critical when answering this question. Instead, pick one of your weaknesses and try to turn it into a positive.
For example, you could be a perfectionist, which means that you sometimes take longer on tasks, but you make sure that they are completed to a high quality. It is important to make a negative into a positive as it doesn't make you appear overly critical and shows you can reflect on your own performance.

26. Explain me what do you know about our company?

Bad Answer: They don't know much about the company. If a candidate is serious and enthusiastic, they should have done some basic research.

Good answer: An answer that shows they've really done their homework and know what the company does, any important current events that involve the company, and the work culture.

27. How well do you multi-task?

Multi-tasking is an important part of most jobs. You want to show that you're good at it but not overwhelmed with it. So discuss just a few things you can multi-task well on - for example: "I'm good at multi tasking between work email and working on projects In Performance Improvement and the reason it because I'm good at prioritizing my work emails.

28. What skills do you bring to the table?

Think of your skill sets with regards to: analytical skills, interpersonal skills, communication skills, computer skills, presentation skills, management skills, sales skills and so forth.

29. Do you work better on a team, with just one partner, or alone?

Ideally you can handle all three well, but you may have a personal preference for one or a few. The key is to make sure you understand what the job is looking for and to pair your answer with that (assuming it's true)

30. What are three positive characteristics you wish you had?

The key here is to be honest about your wish list but then to describe how you plan on developing or growing those characteristics so that it becomes a reality. For example, I wish I had a stronger work ethic and I am reading a book right now about how to instill a better discipline around getting work done efficiently.

31. Why should we give you this job In Performance Improvement when someone else is equally qualified?

Describe how you're unique, but make sure you tie it to the job responsibilities and how you would impact the company. For example, "I believe my unique programming skills and experience in developing over 18 best selling iphone apps will help the company develop high quality applications faster than my competitors"

32. What is your greatest failure In Performance Improvement, and what did you learn from it?

When I was in college, I took an art class to supplement my curriculum. I didn't take it very seriously, and assumed that, compared to my Engineering classes, it would be a walk in the park. My failing grades at midterm showed me otherwise. I'd even jeopardized my scholarship status. I knew I had to get my act together. I spent the rest of the semester making up for it, ended up getting a decent grade in the class. I learned that no matter what I'm doing, I should strive to do it to the best of my ability. Otherwise, it's not worth doing at all.

33. Describe your work style?

Describe the positive aspects of your work style if possible, including: work ethic, attention to detail, interpersonal skills, skill sets (analytical or otherwise), leadership abilities, communication skills.

34. What did you major in and why?

Tell them your major and the motivations behind why you chose it and how it's helped to prep your of this potential job.

35. What are your thoughts on social media for this role?

Without a doubt, social media is becoming more and more pervasive in our jobs. You should stress that social media is not appropriate for personal use at work. However, if the company embraces social media in certain departments (for example marketing), then you may want to discuss how you could use it for work (as long as it applies to your role).

36. What are your thoughts on failure?

Failure happens. It's a part of life. The key is understanding that you can't be perfect at everything and more importantly you're going to learn from failures to come out stronger.

37. How would you describe your approach to Performance Improvement?

In more general terms, a question such as this gives a candidate the opportunity to talk about their professional philosophy and skills. While the question is general in nature, the best answers are usually quite specific, picking one or two points and exemplifying them with instances from personal history.

38. What are your presentation skills like In Performance Improvement?

Make sure you share a story that demonstrates your presentation skills in front of many people. If you are really brave, offer to give a snippet of that presentation to the interviewer. This will definitely be different from what most people do.

39. What differentiates you from the competition?

Think about what you bring to the table that you truly believe is unique - the easiest way to do is to think of your own personal stories that demonstrate your work ethic, skills, and dedication. Most people have some or all of those skills, but the unique stories are what make people stand out in interviews.

40. What type of personalities do you work best with and why?

Think of which personalities you work best with (do you like outgoing, collaborative, personable working relationships and so forth?)

41. How do you handle your anger?

I don't get angry very easily but in the rare occasion that I do, I hold it in and act as though nothing is wrong.

42. What other companies are you interviewing with?

Companies ask this for a number of reasons, from wanting to see what the competition is for you to sniffing out whether you're serious about the industry. “Often the best approach is to mention that you are exploring a number of other similar options in the company's industry,”. It can be helpful to mention that a common characteristic of all the jobs you are applying to is the opportunity to apply some critical abilities and skills that you possess. For example, you might say 'I am applying for several positions with IT consulting firms where I can analyze client needs and translate them to development teams in order to find solutions to technology problems.'

43. How do you deal with conflict in the workplace In Performance Improvement?

When people work together, conflict is often unavoidable because of differences in work goals and personal styles. Follow these guidelines for handling conflict in the workplace.

☛ 1. Talk with the other person.
☛ 2. Focus on behavior and events, not on personalities.
☛ 3. Listen carefully.
☛ 4. Identify points of agreement and disagreement.
☛ 5. Prioritize the areas of conflict.
☛ 6. Develop a plan to work on each conflict.
☛ 7. Follow through on your plan.
☛ 8. Build on your success.

44. What differentiates this company from other competitors?

Be positive and nice about their competitors but also discuss how they are better than them and why they are the best choice for the customer. For example: "Company XYZ has a good product, but I truly believe your company has a 3-5 year vision for your customer that aligns to their business needs."

45. Did the salary we offer attract you to this job?

The interviewer could be asking you this question for a number of reasons. Obviously, the salary is an important factor to your interest in this job, but it should not be the overriding reason for your interest. A good answer to this question is, “The salary was very attractive, but the job itself is what was most attractive to me.”

46. How meticulous are you with details?

Being detailed is important for many types of job roles. Typically you want to highlight how you've done that in previous roles. Example: "Being meticulous is important to me. In my last job, I had to count the money in the register as a cashier to make sure it matched to the receipts down to the last penny." This was to ensure there wasn't any "wrongdoing" at the company by any of the cashiers and I was always accurate in my reports.

47. If you could offer suggestions on how to improve our company, what would you say?

Examine the trends of the company and also where there may be some weaknesses (news articles often document this on public companies or look at their competitors to see how they're positioning it against them.) Then, once you have that knowledge, think creatively on how you could improve upon that weakness for them.

48. What will your ramp time be before you become a meaningful contributor?

Companies want staff that can ramp quickly, but also want people who are realistic. So take into consideration how intense the job is and then give a good answer. For example, if you have simple responsibilities that don't require a huge development curve, then your ramp time will probably be shorter. If it's a complex set of skills that you need to develop, then your ramp time could be longer - the key is you have to explain why you believe that ramp time should be.

49. How do you feel about this company's vision?

First find out where the company envisions itself in 3-5 years. If you can't find the vision of the company, that's probably a big question mark on the company itself. Once you do, identify how those company's visions align to your personal values and goals and then articulate how tightly correlated that is to the interviewer. For example - this company wants to be the #1 provider of green technology in the world and I feel strongly about that vision because we've got a chance to collectively impact the world to become a greener society and save our clients at the same time!

50. Where do you see yourself in 5 years with your career?

Be sure to paint a clear picture of your career vision that demonstrates your aspirations and goals that are realistic. This could emphasize increased responsibility, the ability to manage people and so forth

51. What's been your biggest success to date?

Talk about a story / experience about how you achieved success and be sure to share details on the results and outcome. Have it highlight a strong characteristic such as leadership, work ethic and so forth.

52. Why are manhole covers round?

This is a classic brainteaser, which was reportedly first asked by a Microsoft interviewer. Here's how to ""solve"" this brainteaser (remember to speak and reason out loud while solving this brainteaser): Why are manhole covers round? Could there be a structural reason? Why aren't manhole covers square? It would make it harder to fit with a cover. You'd have to rotate it exactly the right way.
The pipes below are also round, so fitting them might be easier, as might be making them. So many manhole covers are round because they don't need to be rotated. There are no corners to deal with. Also, a round manhole cover won't fall into a hole because it was rotated the wrong way, so it's safer. Looking at this, it seems corners are a problem. You can't cut yourself on a round manhole cover. And because it's round, it can be more easily transported. One person can roll it.

53. Do you like to start personal relationships with other employees?

Well, the right answer is yes and no. Good personal relations can improve the overall performance of a team. But on the other hand, you should not let your emotions to affect your decisions in work.

54. What do you know about this department?

One good way to find out about the department is to try to "informally" interview the existing employees over coffee (outside of the office) if possible. It's hard if you don't have any connections there, but if you do a great way to learn about it. Other than that, it's often hard to learn about the department so you can turn the table back on them by asking questions to learn about it.

55. Explain me about a time when you reached a goal within a tight deadline?

I work well under pressure to meet deadlines without jeopardizing the quality of my work. I have always worked in a fast pace environment where we are constantly under pressure to achieve best results within a time frame.

56. Why should the we hire you as this position In Performance Improvement?

This is the part where you link your skills, experience, education and your personality to the job itself. This is why you need to be utterly familiar with the job description as well as the company culture. Remember though, it's best to back them up with actual examples of say, how you are a good team player.

57. What is your greatest weakness In Performance Improvement? What are you doing to improve it?

I believe my biggest weakness In Performance Improvement is wanting to help anyone I can help. What I mean is I am willing to take on task that are not my job. I want to learn all I can. However, that has helped me get promoted or even asked to help in times of need in other department. I have been know as the "go to person" when help is needed.

58. If I were to give you this salary you requested but let you write your job description for the next year, what would it say?

It should say the same thing - after all - if you think this salary is fair then it should suit the responsibilities!

59. Give me an example of when you competed hard and won?

You can reference many different areas here when discussing a story of where you won in competition: Work experience (ideal), sports, clubs, classes, projects.

60. What do you look for in terms of culture -- structured or entrepreneurial?

A good answer is to discuss the importance of having both elements in a company In Performance Improvement. Structure is good to maintain a focus on priorities and making sure people are productive but having an entrepreneurial spirit can help cultivate new ideas that can truly help the company.

61. How do you handle stressful situations?

By remaining calm, weighing out all my options and executing a plan to get the situation resolve .

62. What would you like to have accomplished by the end of your career?

Think of 3 major achievements that you'd like to accomplish in your job when all is said and done - and think BIG. You want to show you expect to be a major contributor at the company. It could be creating a revolutionary new product, it could be implementing a new effective way of marketing, etc.

63. What's the least rewarding work you've ever done and why?

Describe work you've done that you feel doesn't take advantage of your full potential. For example, "I once had to make paper copies for my job and I feel it didn't take full advantage of my skills. However, it did teach me to be humble in my work and to appreciate a good opportunity when it arose to use my skills"

64. What was the biggest professional risk you have taken and what was the outcome?

First discuss how you weighed the pros and cons of the risk and the results you'd believe you could achieve. Then discuss the action plan you put into place for it and outline that step by step. Then discuss the outcome and if it wasn't optimal talk about what you would do differently in hindsight.

65. What type of work environment do you prefer?

Ideally one that's similar to the environment of the company you're applying to. Be specific.

66. What aspect of supervision do you find the most difficult?

Managing different personalities and keeping them focused on the goal at hand.

67. Describe to me the position In Performance Improvement you're applying for?

This is a “homework” question, too, but it also gives some clues as to the perspective the person brings to the table. The best preparation you can do is to read the job description and repeat it to yourself in your own words so that you can do this smoothly at the interview.

68. Give an example of a time you successfully worked In Performance Improvement on a team?

On the whole I prefer to stick to doing what I'm told rather than setting myself up to fail by doing things off my own bat. But there was this one time when I suggested to my boss at the pizza parlor that she try offering an ‘all you can eat' deal to students to boost trade on Mondays. She thought it was an interesting idea but nothing ever came of it.

69. What are your salary expectations In Performance Improvement?

This question is like a loaded gun, tricky and dangerous if you're not sure what you are doing. It's not uncommon for people to end up talking salary before really selling their skills, but knowledge is power as this is a negotiation after all. Again, this is an area where doing your research will be helpful as you will have an understanding of average salary.
One approach is asking the interviewer about the salary range, but to avoid the question entirely, you can respond that money isn't a key factor and you're goal is to advance in your career. However, if you have a minimum figure in mind and you believe you're able to get it, you may find it worth trying.

70. How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?

First define significant contribution - once you do that - lay out a timeline plan in which you think you can achieve that.

71. What do you expect to be earning in 5 years In Performance Improvement?

Discuss how you expect yourself to be excellent at your job. Thus, it would be reasonable to expect pay that is based on the merit of your work.

72. Where do you see yourself professionally five years from now In Performance Improvement?

Demonstrate both loyalty and ambition in the answer to this question. After sharing your personal ambition, it may be a good time to ask the interviewer if your ambitions match those of the company.

73. What's the most rewarding work you've ever done and why?

Companies love it when you discuss how you've made an impact on your teammates, clients, or partners in the business or in school. It should be rewarding because of the hard work and creative process that you've put into it.

74. How would you motivate your team members to produce the best possible results?

Trying to create competitive atmosphere, trying to motivate the team as a whole, organizing team building activities, building good relationships amongst people.

75. How have you changed in the last five years?

All in a nutshell. But I think I've attained a level of personal comfort in many ways and although I will change even more in the next 5-6 years I'm content with the past 6 and what has come of them.

76. Do you work well under pressure?

Yes.. When it comes down to the wire, the best thing I can to remain focused, have some flexibility, and understand priorities.. Giving them attention in the order they are needed.

77. How much do you expect to get paid In Performance Improvement?

For this be prepared and research salary to find out what similar positions are paying in your area before you go to the interview. Try to find this information out before giving your salary expectations. You can and should provide a range instead of an exact number. But again, don't say any numbers you're not comfortable with because if the employer offers you a salary at the lowest end of your range, you don't have much to negotiate with when it comes to getting a higher salary.

78. Explain me about your experience working in this field In Performance Improvement?

I am dedicated, hardworking and great team player for the common goal of the company I work with. I am fast learner and quickly adopt to fast pace and dynamic area. I am well organized, detail oriented and punctual person.

79. What does "thinking outside the box" mean to you?

It means not doing things exactly the same way as everyone else. You've got to challenge the status quo and bring something new to the business.