Construction – Controller

Position Name: Controller

Interviewer

Candidate Name

Interview Date

Introductory Questions

– Interviewer(s) share name, role, tenure, and hand business cards for thank you messages
– Share a brief overview of the company
– Give Candidate the Job Description, highlight Job Purpose, Schedule/Travel, Major Challenges & Key Decisions, and Physical Requirements

Tell us about yourself.

What do you know about our organization?

Transitional & Verification Questions

– Clarify any unclear information from resume or application
– Verify availability for work hours and schedule, start date, and other important details

What accomplishment on your resume are you most proud of?

Technical Questions

– Ask job related questions, based on skills and competencies needed for the role
– Ask open ended questions that allow candidates to tell a story about a specific example
– Ask 5-10 questions based on the role and how much time you have (~3-4 minutes per question)
– Listen for recent examples, details, consistency, the candidate’s role in the story, and teamwork
– Take notes and ask clarifying questions as follow-ups

What specific areas (related to the position) do you consider yourself the most knowledgeable? What areas have you had less experience or do not feel as comfortable with?

Behavioral / Situational Questions

– Ask job related questions, based on skills and competencies needed for the role
– Ask open ended questions that allow candidates to tell a story about a specific example
– Ask 5-10 questions based on the role and how much time you have (~3-4 minutes per question)
– Listen for recent examples, details, consistency, the candidate’s role in the story, and teamwork
– Take notes and ask clarifying questions as follow-ups. Follow up questions may include:
- Tell us more about the action you took and the outcome.
- What did you say at that point?
- How did you react to that situation?
- Explain your role in more detail.
- Tell me in detail what steps you took.
- And what was the result?
- Describe the obstacles you faced in getting it done.
- What other options did you consider?
- Why do you think you reacted as you did?
- How do you think others felt about your actions at the time?
- Were you satisfied with the outcome of your actions?
- If the same or a similar situation presented itself, what would you do differently?

Business Acumen

Walk me through the process you use to make sure you are making sound judgments in decision making regarding expenditures?

Situation:

Action:

Result:

Give me an example of a time when you had to reduce expenses. How did you determine where to cut costs? What was the impact?

Situation:

Action:

Result:

In your current role, what is the interaction or impact of your responsibilities on R&D, marketing, budget, finance, and other areas of the business?

Situation:

Action:

Result:

Emotional Intelligence

What has been the most difficult criticism for you to receive?

Situation:

Action:

Result:

Innovation

Share an example of an idea you had that others thought was far fetched or risky.

Situation:

Action:

Result:

Leadership

How are you more self-aware now than earlier in your career? Are there certain tools you use to help in your leadership self-awareness?

Situation:

Action:

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What makes you an effective leader? Why do you think people want to work for you?

Situation:

Action:

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Managing Others

Give me an example, from your past work experiences, about a time when you had an underperforming employee reporting to you. How did you address the situation? Did the employee’s performance improve? If not, what did you do next?

Situation:

Action:

Result:

If you could change one managerial decision you made during the past two years, what would that be?

Situation:

Action:

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Strategic Thinking

What is the most strategic program you have implemented during the past 12 months?

Situation:

Action:

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Tell me about a decision you made that negatively affected another person or department. What did you do?

Situation:

Action:

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Candidate’s Questions

– Be sure to leave time for their questions, generally 1-3
– Paint a positive but honest view of the pros and cons of the work and culture

Notes

Closing Questions

– Describe where you are in the process, next steps, and when they can expect to hear back
– Ask if they have any final remarks

What is one thing I should know about you that I haven’t asked?

Interviewer Assessment

Enter your overall assessment about the candidate’s knowledge, skills, abilities, and fit for this position.

Would you recommend this candidate advance in the process?