Interview Questions | School of Legal, Public & Office Administration | Seneca Students

Type of Question: General

Questions aimed at asking information about your work history, skills or knowledge.

Remember that the interviewer has read your résumé already, so try not to just repeat what is in it. Briefly describe why you are interested in courts/tribunals/government.

Examples:

• What skills and experience you possess that make you an ideal candidate.
• What do you know about our organization?

Type of Question: Technical or job-specific knowledge

Questions aimed to assess your knowledge of specific areas of law, court or tribunal procedures that are related to the work of the position.

Examples:

• Do you know how to commence and action in small claims court?

Use the knowledge gained in your CTA courses that will contribute to a good response.

Type of Question: Situational or Scenario-based

Questions aimed at presenting you with a hypothetical situation that you may be faced with on the job and ask you to suggest a solution. These questions tend to assess analytical and problem solving skills and the ability to handle daily tasks effectively. It is important to think effectively on your feet and to formulate your responses in an organized manner.

Example:

• You are working on a document that has to be completed by tomorrow a.m. Your supervisor comes to you with an assignment to be completed by noon tomorrow. You can’t meet both deadlines. What would you do?

Think about the process you would go through to address such an issue, who you would consult with, and what results you would anticipate obtaining.

Type of Question: Behavioural–based

Questions aimed at drawing on your previous experience and behaviours to provide examples of how you demonstrated specific skills in previous situations. They are specific, and challenge the candidate to provide concrete examples of their previous achievements in different types of situations.

Example:

• Conflict is inevitable when working with others. Please describe a recent conflict you had with a co-worker and how you dealt with the situation.

Also describe what you learned to help you work with that individual in the future.