Interview Questions

We have compiled a list of questions we have received or have asked over the years of going through the
interview process.

STAR Method
Organize your thoughts using the STAR approach to make an impactful impression in job interviews.
Draw on specific examples to demonstrate your relevant skills, abilities, and successes.

The STAR acronym is broken down as follows:

· S: Situation – Explain the situation in which you encountered a problem or an opportunity.

· T: Task – Describe the task you had to complete or the issue you had to resolve.

· A: Action – Describe the actions you took to deal with the problem or task.

· R: Result – Describe the effects or outcomes of your activity.

Here are a few examples of behavioral-based interview questions that could be answered using
the STAR method:

1. "Tell me about a time and what was the outcome?" or "Tell me about a time and
what was the result?"
2. "Describe a project and what was the result?"
3. "Can you give an example and make a recommendation based on your findings?"

In each of these cases, you can use the STAR method to structure your response by discussing
the specific Situation or Task that you faced, the Actions you took, and the Results of your
efforts. This will help you to provide a clear, concise, and well-organized answer that
demonstrates your skills and experience to the interviewer.
STAR Examples

Tell me about a time you learned from a mistake

This allows you an opportunity to be humble. No matter how big or small the mistake may be
the most important aspect of your answer is what you learned from it. Describe in as much
detail exactly what you learned from your mistake.

Tell me about a time when you had to work with a

difficult person
At some point in our life, we have already dealt with difficult people or you will soon. This is a
great opportunity to emphasize EMPATHY. Empathizing with difficult people is a great way to
help diffuse a situation. You can talk about your ability to remain calm under pressure and in
high anxiety situations. Talk about steps you took to overcome the difficult situation.

Tell me about a time when you had to change course

in an instant
I.T. is one of those industries where changes can happen in a blink of an eye. The purpose of
this question is to see how well you adapt to change and how easily you can pivot into
something different. Explain in as much detail as you can what you did to change courses.
Make sure you answer with confidence. Be confident in change, it happens, it’s okay, and you
can work with it.

Tell me about a time when you worked on a team

project
A great opportunity for you to explain how well you work with others. What role you had in the
team project, what great things did you bring to the project, what did you learn from being on a
team project? The point is to share your ability to work with others and be clear and precise
what your role was in the project and how you handled it.

Tell me about a time when you stepped out of your

comfort zone
This happens often in I.T. where you get put into an uncomfortable situation, get thrown
unfamiliar technology your way that you don’t understand, etc. Your answer should describe the
situation and the steps you took to overcome the issue. Make it clear that you can handle
uncomfortable situations because you are capable of breaking down the issues and moving
forward.

Tell me about a time you worked on a project when

things went well
Explain in detail the project, your role in the project, and exactly what you did to help make the
project go over well. You should be including yourself in this story as much as possible. What
did you contribute to the project to lead to its success?

Tell me about a time you worked on a project and

things went bad
The same as above except I would avoid mentioning any fault you had in the project. The
purpose of this question is to explain what you did to overcome a bad experience. What steps
were taken on your end to ensure this project or future projects won’t turn out bad.

Other Behavioral-Related Questions

Tell me about yourself

This is a common question that you may encounter in a job interview, and it can be a bit
intimidating because it’s open-ended and allows you to talk about a wide range of topics.
However, with a bit of preparation, you can give a confident and effective answer that highlights
your strengths and qualifications for the job.

§ Keep the answer concise and focused (2-3 minutes).

§ Start with a brief overview of your background and experience.

§ Focus on your most relevant experiences and accomplishments.

§ Tie your experiences and accomplishments to the job.

§ End with a strong closing statement.

Here are a few helpful questions you can ask yourself ahead of time to prepare:

§ What are you doing presently?

§ What have you done in the past?

§ What are your plans in the future?

What can you tell us about what we do here?/Why are

you interested in working for this company?
You may encounter variations of these two questions during the interview process. The
interviewer's primary objective is to assess whether you have taken the time to research and
understand the company's operations and mission, and how your personal or professional
objectives align with these values.

What online resources do you use to help you do your

job?
This is a great opportunity to share with your interviewer the resources that you utilize that have
helped you and continue to help you become a better IT Professional.

Most IT workers turn to websites such as Google, YouTube, Reddit, or Github when they need
help with something. While someone who is a master in their craft may have a more specific list
of websites, online communities, social media feeds and other resources specific to their
interests. The answer to this question will give you an indication of how engaged you are with
the broader IT world.
How do you keep your technology skills current?
Tech professionals work hard to keep their skillsets current by reading blogs and books, or
forums, taking online courses, joining CTFs and plugging away at personal IT projects. This is a
great opportunity for you to share your projects, certifications, and resources that you utilize to
keep your skills up-to-date. This tech interview question can help gauge your enthusiasm for the
profession, as well as open a conversation about professional development.

Pretend I’m not a tech person. Can you explain

[relevant technology] to me?
Whether you are working as a help desk technician, a penetration tester, or in managerial role,
you will find yourself working with non-technical users or co-workers and having ability to
communicate with non-technical people is a must.

The person who is interviewing you will assess your communication skills with this interview
question.

· Do you avoid obscure acronyms and jargon?

· How well can you break down a complicated process?

They may ask other follow-up questions to get a sense of how you interact with non-tech
colleagues as well.

What qualities do you think are most important in this

[Position You are Applying for]?
A question like this can reveal how you feel about the position and allows you to highlight where
your personal skills(qualities) can benefit this organization.

Some people may focus on IT certifications and technical abilities, while others may talk more
about problem solving, attention to detail, communication, and other general job skills that
benefit the organization. Most employers Look for candidates who give a nice balance of both.

It will be beneficial to have a thorough understanding of the company's operations and

objectives to effectively respond to this prompt. Conducting open-source intelligence gathering
prior to the interview will enable you to demonstrate a well-informed perspective.

What are your biggest strengths?

Proper preparation for this question will allow you to confidently highlight your most valuable
attributes and provide specific examples of how they have contributed to your professional
success.

Identify two or three attributes that highlight your strengths.

Close the discussion by explaining how these strengths are relevant to the position you are
seeking.

What are your weaknesses?

Avoid using cliches in your response to this question. Instead, showcase your self-awareness
and desire for growth by identifying an area for improvement that is not essential to the position,
and present it in a positive light. Avoid statements such as 'I am a perfectionist,' as they do not
provide meaningful insight and may be viewed as unoriginal by the hiring manager.

One answer to this question I often like give is: “I can sometimes be a people pleaser and help
others before myself, within reason.”

What kind of work environment do you work best in?

The best answer to this question will depend on your own personal preferences, which is why its
important to be honest.

§ Do you like working with a team?

§ You like to be micromanaged?

§ Do you work better in a quiet environment?

§ Do you prefer a fast past environment over one that has downtime?

An interviewer is trying to access if the current working environment will align with your answer.

This question may also open a dialogue with the interviewer about how the current company
culture. Is the office high pressure and deadline driven or do people work at their own pace? Are
all goals defined by the manager? Or do team members set their own priorities if they serve the
overall departmental mission?

What would you hope to achieve in the first six

months after being hired?
Typically, when you’re getting a question that is similar to this you are nearing the end of the
interview. By now you should have been able to paint a clear picture of what the organization
does and what role you would fill within the organization.

This is a great time to ask any additional questions as they pertain to your specific role and
duties so you can outline realistic expectations for the first six months.

A great way to answer this question is by aligning your goals with the information you’ve learned
about the company and the role you are filling. What personal achievements, certifications, or
knowledge are you looking to gain as they relate to this organization?

Focus on areas where you can make a significant impact: Consider the skills and experiences
that you bring to the table, and think about how you can use these to make a meaningful
contribution to the team and organization.

Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals: Make sure your
goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This will help you to stay
focused and make progress towards your objectives.

Additional Questions & Resources

We’ve compiled a list of a few different websites that will contain additional questions that you
may receive and breakdowns if provided.

Indeed: 30 Top Interview Questions to Prepare for(With Answers)

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/top-interview-questions-and-answers

Robert Half: 10 most common interview questions and answers

https://www.roberthalf.co.nz/career-advice/interview/common-questions