Discourse 3a

Responding to Hypothetical Questions

Hypothetical questions almost always have the word would in them. Look out for
phrases such as How would you...? or What would you...? Another common tactic is to
ask, If ...blah blah blah. What would you do?
Tip: The secret to handling hypothetical questions is telling the interviewers what you
think they want to hear which may sometimes be different from what you would
actually do.
What would you do if your boss asked you to do something that went against
your principles?
Most people would probably answer this question by saying that it depends on what your
boss had asked you to do. But it depends is not a satisfactory answer. Tell the
interviewers what they probably want to hear that you would act in the best interests
of the organisation. Remember, This is a hypothetical situation. Even if in reality you are
prepared to stand up for your principles, the interviewers would probably rather know
that you would do what is best for their organisation.
What would you do if you disagreed with a decision taken by your manager?
In preparing a response to this question, think about the nature of the interviewers
organisation. Do you think they would consider it most important to obey your manager?
Or would they want you to act in the best interests of the organisation?
Defining Key Concepts
A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Sometimes inter viewers who have read a
management textbook or two may want to know whether you have the same level of
insight into models and concepts as they do.
How would you define team work?
In asking this question, the interviewers want to know whether you can put the needs of
the team ahead of your own needs. Two common variations on this question are: What
makes for good team work? and How would you define co-operation?
How would you define leadership?
Hundreds of definitions of leadership exist, so feel free to adopt one you already know.
However, how you respond to this question may depend on the nature of the
organisation interviewing you.
Discourse 3b
Asking Great Questions
Preparing the Right Questions for the Right Interview
a. If applying for a managerial role, consider asking questions such as:
What are the members of the team like?
Does the team have any issues that need sorting out? Are there any people who are
under utilised?
Who are the key decision makers in the organisation?
What sort of budget would I have for running the team?
What do you see as the main challenges facing the team at the moment?
What style of management is the team used to?
Are there any major milestones or deliverables that you expect the successful candidate
to achieve?
What kind of development programmes do you have for managers?
b. If interviewed for a part-time or job share position, you may want to ask
questions such as:
How do you see this position fitting in with the rest of the team?
Do you have any other people in a similar position at the moment?
How is the role working out for them?
How would I be expected to hand over work to the other job share person and vice
versa?

c. If the position is a short-term contract, ask a few of the following questions:

Exactly how long is the contract?
What are the deliverables within this time frame?
When do you hope for this project to start?
How likely is it that you may extend the contract or make it a full-time appointment?
Assuming everything goes well, are there any realistic opportunities to join your organisation on a full-time basis?