Professional Technical Trainer Interview Questions & Answers:

1. Tell me what Motivates You as Technical Trainer?

Resist the temptation to joke, "A steady paycheck!" Tie your motivation to the work being performed at this specific company. In addition, you could mention things like the opportunity to learn and grow, working with smart people who are passionate about their jobs, and contributing to the success of an organization.

2. Tell us ow Do You Feel About the Progress You Made in Your Last Position?

Don't discuss your feelings, per se, but do stress your accomplishments. For instance, "When I started with the Blake Company, I was given responsibility for their operations in Mexico and Costa Rica. After I turned them around, they made me general manager for Mexico and Central America. How are your international operations performing?" An answer like this communicates great information about your value as an employee while still conveying positive feelings about your progress.

3. Tell me did You Have Any Frustrations in Your Past Job as Technical Trainer?

Frustrations are a normal part of any job, and interviewers know this-so don't claim you didn't have any. Relate some of the bottlenecks you experienced, but more important, indicate what you did to overcome them.

4. Tell me how have you shown yourself to be a leader?

Think about a time where you've rallied a group of people around a cause / idea / initiative and successfully implemented it. It could be a small or large project but the key is you want to demonstrate how you were able to lead others to work for a common cause.

5. How Would Your Boss, Co-Workers, and Subordinates Describe You Regarding Your Work?

Be ready to give some examples of the kind of team player you are. If you are not into office politics and have harbored good relationships at work, mention it. And remember that the interviewer may ask your references the same question. I strongly suggest contacting your references before the interview stage in order to talk through your career goals and how the reference can best support them.

6. Tell me what Is Your Greatest Strength as Technical Trainer?

Before interviewing, reflect on your personal strengths and make a list of them ("natural number sense," "able to multitask," "good with people," "able to teach others"). Then tie each of these strengths to a professional accomplishment. Answer with the strength you feel best fits the position being discussed, and be sure to offer the anecdote that goes with it. Conclude your response by asking the interviewer if this is the kind of quality that would help his or her company.

7. Tell us what type of extracurricular activities are you a part of?

Discuss the clubs / activities you were in, share a personal story about why you enjoyed it and then describe how it's helped shape you to be who you are today. For example, I enjoyed rock climbing because it taught me the value of practicing hard at a sport to become skilled in it. I bring this same diligence to my work approach today as well.

8. Can You Work Under Pressure as Technical Trainer?

Indicate that you can and ask the interviewer how much pressure is involved in the position. Learn what the interviewer means by pressure. The definition can vary significantly from person to person and company to company. If you are a pro at pressure jobs, describe a few accomplishments.

9. Tell me 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.

10. Tell us what is your preferred class size?

I've taught classes as small as one and as large as 30. I'm comfortable teaching groups anywhere in that range.