2. Social Work interview questions part 13:

► How many social workers do you employ? What is the average length of time social workers have worked for this agency?
► What is the typical career path of social workers within this field/agency?
► To what extent will I have the opportunity to network with other agencies, or other professionals in the field?
► How would you describe the organizational culture?
► What do you think would be the most challenging experiences for a social work intern in your agency?
► What do you think would be the most rewarding experiences for a social work intern in your agency?
► How are expectations for students different from those for agency staff?
► To what extent do students have an opportunity to offer input into administration and planning?

3. Social Work interview questions part 12:

► What do you like best about working here?
► How often, and by whom will I be supervised? What types of supervision are available? Is case consultation available?
► Are there opportunities for professional development within and beyond the agency itself?
► What can I count on from the agency to assist me in my professional development?
► With what other staff members will the person in this position work [for example, marketing department director]?
► What are the opportunities for advancement?
► Is the staff on call, and how is that handled?
► What are the agency's service delivery strengths and weaknesses?

4. Social Work interview questions part 11:

► How do you handle shifting priorities and working in a fast-paced, pressured environment?
► What is your experience with writing quickly, under pressure?
► What do you do to keep track of a lot of information at once?
► What type of research skills/computer skills do you have?
► What specific policy issues are you interested in?

5. Social Work interview questions part 10:

► What is your understanding of service delivery in [a particular field or region]?
► Tell me about a time you were in a disagreement over a treatment plan.
► What has been your experience with agency paperwork and how do you feel about it?
► How will you deal with the dual-relationship issues of working in a small community?
► How would you go about locating community resources in a neighborhood in which you have no relationship?

6. Social Work interview questions part 9:

► Are you a leader ... a follower?
► Describe the process you go through in developing a [case plan, budget, workshop, contract, or marketing plan, for example].
► Describe your supervision experience? Supervision style?
► What is your ideal position and career path?
► Is there anything you would like to say to close the interview?
► Do you have any questions? YES-You should always have questions.

7. Social Work interview questions part 8:

► Have you done this type of work in the past?
► What issues might you have with [adoption, for example]?
► What schedule will work for you?
► What are your career goals? For the next 3 years? The next 5 years? The next 10 years?
► What are some of your strengths? Some of your weaknesses?
► How do you define success for yourself?
► How do you plan?
► What is your work style?
► How do you work with others?
► Tell me about a time when you had to juggle your regular responsibilities and deal with a sudden priority?

8. Social Work interview questions part 7:

► Why are you interested in this agency?
► How does the work in this organization fit your professional mission or experience?
► Why do you want this job? Why do you want to work for this organization?
► What are your experiences with the target population?
► Why do you want to work with this target population?
► What are your qualifications?
► What kind of supervision do you expect?
► How has your education/work experience prepared you for this position?
► What do you hope to accomplish at this agency?
► What would you like to learn here?

9. Social Work interview questions part 6:

► What are your opinions on the current welfare system?
► Where do you think the field of social work is heading in the next five years or so?
► What is your theoretical orientation regarding family therapy?
► How would you go about locating community resources in a neighborhood in which you have no relationship?

10. Social Work interview questions part 5:

► What do you believe are some of your biggest accomplishments in your fieldwork?
► Tell me about the most difficult case you ever worked on?
► Tell me about something you would do differently in the management of one of your previous fieldwork cases?
► Have you ever been faced with an ethical conflict in your experience as a social worker? How did you handle the situation?
► What techniques do you use in crisis intervention?

11. Social Work interview questions part 4:

► What do you hope to accomplish as a social worker?
► Our agency serves XYZ population. What interests you about serving this population?
► How do you feel about supervision? What type of supervision do you prefer?
► How do you balance your work and personal life?
► What types of clients do you find the most difficult to work with? Why?

12. Social Work interview questions part 3:

► What is your opinion about young generation?
► What do you consider as good topics to talk to old people about?
► How would you get closer to our target group, as a human being?
► If a client does not understand even a simple language you use, what would you do?
► Are you prepared to make home visits?
► Are you prepared to work overtime?
► Here is a problem we have. Prepare a solution and describe it to me. You have ten minutes for preparation?

13. Social Work interview questions part 2:

► What do you consider to be your major successes and accomplishments in your last job? Who did help you the most to achieve it?
► What was your biggest failure in social work so far?
► Think of an aggressive/angry client from the past. How did you deal with the situation?
► Think about conflict situation form your last job. How did you solve the conflict?
► Describe a situation when you did something more than expected from you as a social worker?
► There are always cases we can do nothing about. Describe me such a case from your experience. What have you tried before giving up?

14. Social Work interview questions part 1:

► Why do you want to work on this position?
► What do you hope to accomplish as a social worker?
► Why did you decided for this specific filed of social work and not for another one?
► Why should we hire you for this position?
► What characterize a good social worker from your point of view?
► What do you consider your strengths and your weaknesses as a social worker?

15. Where Do Social Workers Work?

► Family agencies
► Children's aid societies
► Hospitals
► Mental health settings
► Addiction treatment facilities
► Correctional facilities
► Schools
► Seniors' services
► Grassroots social action organizations
► Government offices
► Social planning councils
► Employee assistance programs.

16. Why Should I Consult a Social Worker?

Social workers provide a variety of services, including:

► Individual, family and couple assessment and counselling
► Psychotherapy
► Mediation/alternate dispute resolution
► Custody/access assessments
► Employee assistance programs (EAPs)
► Adoptions
► Career/employment counselling and placement
► Vocational assessments/rehabilitation
► Stress management
► Counselling for eating disorders
► Grief, loss and trauma counselling
► Addictions counselling
► Mental capacity assessment

17. Who Consults a Social Worker?

People from all age groups and all walks of life consult social workers. Social workers provide services to individuals, couples, families, groups, communities and corporations.

18. Do you know where do social workers practice?

Social workers are found in many settings, including private practice, mental health, health, schools, community agencies, public welfare, agency administration, legislative services and policy and planning. Social work's approach is unique among the helping professions because it focuses on people's problems in the context of their social environment. Social workers believe that people are influenced by the strengths and weaknesses of those around them - in their families, communities, workplaces, and organizations.

19. Do you know what is the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree?

The Master of Social Work Program prepares students for advanced direct professional practice with individuals, families, households, groups, organizations, and communities. Students learn the clinical, organizational, policy and administrative skills necessary for promoting social and economic justice and enhancing the quality of life for all people through agency-based, culturally sensitive advanced professional practice.

20. Tell me what social workers do?

According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), social workers help people overcome social and health problems, such as poverty, mental illness, child abuse and neglect, emotional instability, illness, economic uncertainty, domestic violence, homelessness, and drug abuse. They work directly with individuals, couples, families, and groups to identify and overcome these problems. Some social workers also work with communities, organizations, and/or systems to improve services and/or administrate social and health programs. Social workers apply their professional knowledge and skills to help people make the most effective use of their own abilities. When adequate services do not exist in a community, social workers promote the development of new services and programs.

21. Do you know what is the mission of social work?

The Preamble to the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers states: The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A historic and defining feature of social work is the profession's focus on individual well-being in a social context and the well-being of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living.

23. What makes you competent to do this job?

► Someone who exudes confidence but not arrogance
► Someone comfortable jumping into new environments but also
► willing to ask for help
► Skills - be specific
► Training - be specific
► Experience - be specific
► Personality, personal goals, passion - describe

24. What would you do if you were feeling overwhelmed?

► Speak to supervisor
► Communicate regarding unfinished tasks
► Develop action plan to address unfinished areas
► Ask for help!

25. What do you do to prevent burnout?

► Hobbies/interests
► Family, friends, social supports
► Leave work at work
► Know limits
► Maintain a sense-of-humor
► Talk to supervisor if feeling stressed or overwhelmed
► Exercise and eat a balanced diet
► Get enough sleep

26. What areas would you like more education?

► Ability and willingness to be honest about areas that need work or that the person wants to become more proficient
► Of concern would be the interviewee who does not feel additional education is necessary

27. What is something you have failed at?

Must demonstrate ability to learn from mistakes and to use the knowledge positively.

28. What is one of the most challenging situations you have dealt with?

► Interviewee must be able to describe a complicated situation and demonstrate skill and critical thinking in achieving resolution.

29. How do you employ them in the interdisciplinary team?

Ability to listen to other peoples' points-of-view and use reflective statements, i.e. "What I hear you saying is" or "It's important to you that"

30. Tell me about your communication skills?

► Communication is vital to a successful facility
► Must be comfortable speaking up in a group, being assertive even if the group does not agree with the content, i.e. room change conflicts, patient discharge decisions

31. How do you approach her on this topic if a resident is admitted to your facility with advanced cancer?

► Start with very general discussion and ask her what she knows about her medical condition or why she is in the facility
► Determine if she needs more information or to have information repeated and then facilitate getting the information to her
► Involve other members of the IDT as necessary, i.e. physician, nurse
► Use active listening techniques
► Initiate or update the care plan with social work interventions such as 1:1 visits to allow resident to share feelings r/t diagnosis and prognosis

32. What do you do if a resident's daughter comes into your office in tears. Her mother is quite ill and probably won't make it through the week?

► Invite her to sit down
► Shut the door to ensure privacy,
► Put phone on Do Not Disturb
► Start where the daughter is - if she needs to cry, let her cry; if she needs to talk, let her talk (about topics she feels necessary)
► Encourage her to share her feelings, concern, worries
► Do not offer false hope or meaningless comments like "I'm sure things will be just fine" or "At least she won't be suffering."
► If she is receptive, talk about ways staff focuses on her mom's comfort
► Determine if any action is necessary
► Ask if there is anything else she would like staff to do
► In some circumstances, suicide assessment might be necessary

33. What is the role of the social worker with pain management?

► Be familiar with the Federal regulations for pain management in F309 Quality of Life
► Assessment using tools like the "faces" scale, the "number scale 1-10" or scales for advanced dementia
► Assessment by asking about: aggravating and alleviating factors, impact of pain, meaning of pain, and most importantly, the resident's goals for pain management
► Education regarding: misconceptions related to pain, challenges to achieve adequate pain management, the relation of pain to behaviors/mood, definitions of tolerance, addiction and dependence
► Identification of non-drug interventions and techniques to relieve anxiety (guided imagery, visualization, muscle relaxation)

34. What do you do if two roommates are not getting along?

► Interviewee must demonstrate knowledge of resident rights and roommate regulations
► Talk to both residents, individually and possibly together
► Help them generate creative solutions
► If a solution is not possible and a room change is necessary, the
resident that initiated the "complaint" is the one who must make the room change
► Document in both residents' medical records all interventions attempted as well as the outcomes
► Make sure families are kept informed as appropriate

35. What is the role of a social worker if a patient admitted for rehabilitation has declined therapy for two days?

Assess reason(s) why resident is declining therapy, i.e. depression, confusion, pain
Identify possible interventions to facilitate participation
Explain insurance benefits and skilled stay requirements
Involve family if appropriate
Consider writing a care plan for "refusal of care"
Communicate with staff at PPS or stand-up meeting