Interview Question Recommendations

What are some of the top questions asked in an interview?

We ask about their experience working in teams and how they have worked with customers. What are their biggest challenges, cleaning experience and how do they handle work place problems? Our questions are designed to have them tell us what they have done.
— Gene Woodard, R.E.H., Director of Building Services, University of Washington

We use a lot of scenario questions. When storing your snow blower for the spring and summer months, what procedure do you use? You’re in the middle of summer cleaning, you do not have enough supplies to finish the job, and you have no money left in your budget — what do you do?
— Michael Gutierrez, Manager of Building Operations, Milwaukee Public Schools

What is your personal mission statement? Where do you want to be five years from now? What do you know about our organization?
— Steve Spencer, Facilities Specialist, State Farm Insurance

The top question would be the person’s availability to be a fill-in for other buildings, and their comfort level of working alone in unoccupied buildings.
— Doreen Bessert, C.E.H., Worksite Placement Coordinator, Custodial Supervisor & Central Purchasing Agent, Maitowoc County DPW

We ask candidates to describe their present job responsibilities. What previous job was most satisfying and why? What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort? Tell me about at time when you were under pressure to complete a task. Why were you under pressure and how did you deal with the situation? Give me an example of when you had to resolve a conflict with a co-worker or client? How did you resolve it? What do you hope to gain from this job? How do you feel we can meet your career objectives?
— Ada Baldwin, M.R.E.H., Director for University Housekeeping, North Carolina State University

I don't care too much about their job experience. I want to know what their attitude is about attendance and working with others. Are they "people friendly?” I have them tell me about the worst boss they ever worked for, as well as the best boss they ever worked for and what made them the best.
It seems like we (in this business) want to hire the person with experience so we don't have to spend much time training them. But we hire for experience and fire because of job attitudes (lazy, time/attendance problems, they got into a fight with a co-worker, they were insubordinate, etc.)
— J. Darrel Hicks, R.E.H., Director of Environmental Services & Patient Transport, St. Luke’s Hospital