Basic Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist Interview Preparation Guide

Download PDF

It has become quite common for teachers to use pre- and post-testing to better determine what our students actually know before we plan and teach lessons. With pre- and post-testing, I can also monitor the growth of each individual student. It has worked really well with the eighth graders in the math classes I teach. Let me show you one example from my portfolio.

Working with the sixth-grade teacher next door, we divided students for a math activity, based on the students' needs for review. I was able to work with students who really needed more one-on-one attention to attain higher scores. Even within my group, I modified how I presented information to students who needed more hands-on examples.

I have the ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand, tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem, apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense, listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences, speak clearly so others can understand you.

I currently teach at a high school that is striving to increase its graduation rate. I am assigned a homeroom and I am to monitor students' grades, referring some students to peer intervention and others to counselors if I see danger signs of dropping out. While time consuming, I find that students who know that I am there for them come to me for help. This program makes homeroom teachers the advocates and it works well.

While my colleagues and I didn't use the term PLC, we did form a book study group last year for all of the 6th grade teachers on our team. Since we are seeing so many more students coming to our school from lower socio-economic areas, we read a book about teaching students from poverty. We gained some practical ideas, but more importantly, by meeting regularly, we were able to share our frustrations and our successes. I would like to implement something similar when hired here.

In the school where I currently teach, we have grade-level meetings to go over our curriculum maps. Curriculum mapping has helped me to see the year at a glance, as well as to look for gaps and overlaps in the curriculum from my grade to another. I can now lead curriculum mapping for a grade level.

The Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions, the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar, circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming, principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction, the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

security management specialist responsibilities are to design or implement or establish requirements for security systems, video surveillance, motion detection, or closed-circuit television systems to ensure proper installation and operation; develop or review specifications for design or construction of security systems; provide system design and integration recommendations; recommend improvements in security systems or procedures; conduct security audits to identify potential vulnerabilities related to physical security, staff safety, or asset protection; inspect security design features, installations, or programs to ensure compliance with applicable standards or regulations; review design drawings or technical documents for completeness, correctness, or appropriateness; train personnel in security procedures or use of security equipment; develop conceptual designs of security systems; engineer, install, maintain, or repair security systems, programmable logic controls, or other security-related electronic systems; outline system security criteria for pre-bid meetings with clients and companies to ensure comprehensiveness and appropriateness for implementation; perform risk analyses so that appropriate countermeasures can be developed; prepare, maintain, or update security procedures, security system drawings, or related documentation; assess the nature and level of threats so that the scope of the problem can be determined; design security policies, programs, or practices to ensure adequate security relating to issues such as protection of assets, alarm response, and access card use; inspect fire, intruder detection, or other security systems; monitor the work of contractors in the design, construction, and startup phases of security systems; budget and schedule security design work; respond to emergency situations on an on-call basis; test security measures for final acceptance and implement or provide procedures for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the measures; determine the value loss impact and criticality of assets; prepare documentation for case reports or court proceedings; monitor tapes or digital recordings to identify the source of losses; interview witnesses or suspects to identify persons responsible for security breaches, establish losses, pursue prosecutions, or obtain restitution.

The standards are certainly a starting point, a focus point. In my college classes, we started our plans with the standard, and then developed a student objective that would demonstrate mastery. Next, we determined how to focus students, do a quick review to tie the material to something already learned and how to engage the students with the new material. We always assessed each lesson in some way, formally or informally. Having posted standards helped students monitor their own learning, too.

My work style matching exactlty what cashier job requires by: being honest and ethical, being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations, analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems, a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges, being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems, Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times, Talking to others to convey information effectively, Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one, Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

• Have you ever had trouble learning a new machine or procedure? How did you deal with that situation?
• How long were you in your previous job before you felt at ease with the company's products or services?
• What did you have to learn to be effective in your previous job? How long did it take? Which parts were the most challenging?

• This job requires fluency in [Language]. Are you fluent in this language?
• Do you have the required licenses to perform this job?
• Do you meet our state's minimum age requirement for work?

• What do you consider the best idea you ever sold to a superior? A co-worker? A subordinate? How did you do it?
• What do you consider the best idea you ever failed to sell? What do you think the problem was?
• What strategies have you found to work best when trying to sway someone to your point of view?
• How would you respond to a co-worker who suggests an improvement that you know won't work?

• This job requires you to [Name an Essential Function]. Are you able to do that with or without reasonable accommodation? How would you accomplish that task?
• Can you perform the functions (essential and/or marginal) of this job, with or without reasonable accommodation?
• Would you be willing to take a physical for the job? All new employees are required to pass it.
• [Name of Company] is a government contractor that has an Affirmative Action Plan for disabled and special disabled veterans. Do you wish to identify yourself to the company as disabled or as a special disabled veteran?
• The hiring process involves an interview, timed written test, and job demonstration. Do you need a reasonable accommodation for this process?
• There will be a number of weekend conferences you will need to attend. Does overnight and weekend travel present a problem for you?
• You may have to stay overnight when traveling with other co-workers. Would that bother you?
• Are you able to meet required work schedules?
• You might be asked to work later than 5 p.m. on occasion. Would you be able to meet that requirement?
• Can you meet the attendance requirements of this job?

• What are the major safety requirements of your job?
• Do you feel these requirements sometimes interfere with your performance? What do you do then?
• Have you recently seen someone else doing a job in an unsafe manner? Why did you notice? How did you react?
• Have you recently had an accident or a close call? Why do you think it happened?

• Tell me about the best boss you ever had. What made him/her so great to work for?
• Tell me about a boss that you found it the hardest to work with. What made him/her so difficult to work with?
• Tell me in what areas you believe your current supervisor could do a better job?
• How does your boss get you to do your best work?

• What was the best decision you ever made? What were the alternatives? How did you go about making it?
• Tell me the same thing about the worst decision you ever made.
• How about the hardest decision you ever made?

• Give me an example of a time you found it necessary to make an exception to the rules in order to get something done.
• Do you feel some rules should be obeyed more stringently than others? Give me some examples.
• How strictly do you believe your co-workers normally follow the rules? Do you approve of their attitude?
• Did you ever have to deal with a co-worker who wasn't pulling his/her weight? What did you do about it?
• Have you ever been faced with another person stealing credit for an idea you came up with? How'd you handle it?

• Give me an example of a time you did more than was required in your job.
• Tell me about a time your effort helped some project or idea succeed.
• What have you done to make your job easier or more rewarding?
• Describe a situation where you found you had a serious problem. What did you do to solve it?
• What do you do differently than other people in your occupation?
• Tell me about an idea you generated. What did you do? How did things work out?

• Describe a situation in which you suffered a major disappointment. How did you deal with that?
• Have you ever been fired from a job? How did you handle it?
• What is the biggest mistake you've made in your career? What steps have you taken to ensure it doesn't happen again?
• What were the worst working conditions you ever experienced? How did you handle them?
• Have you ever been passed over for a promotion for which you felt you were most qualified? What did you do about it?
• What will you do if you don't get this position?

• Tell me about an instance from your previous job when you had to rely on verbal information from someone else to get the job done.
• Have you ever had an occasion when you misunderstood someone else's instructions? Why do you think that happened?

• Give me an example of the approach you would take to explain the features of a product or service to a customer who has trouble understanding them.
• Describe a selling situation where it was important to obtain good information. What happened?
• You've probably had an occasion when you realized your initial approach wasn't working and you had to try a different method. What did you do?
• Describe the primary types of people to whom you sell. What approach do you use for each group?
• Many salespeople work without close supervision. How does this affect you?
• What's the best method you've found to obtain new prospects?
• How do your selling techniques differ from those of others you know?
• Have you ever been in a position where you felt you could clinch a sale if you oversold the product just a little? What did you do?
• How far do you feel the average salesperson in your field would go to make a sale? How far have you gone?
• How did you gain the technical knowledge you needed to sell your previous employer's product line?
• What did you find easiest to learn about the product? Hardest?
• Have you ever found it difficult to make a sale because you had trouble understanding the customer's requirements? Why do you think this happened? What did you do about it?
• What were your sales goals for the last year? How did you achieve them?
• Describe a typical sales trip. How do you decide which prospects to contact?
• How does it affect you when someone turns you down?
• How does it affect you when an unusual number of people turn you down?
• Describe the biggest sale you ever lost. How did you react?
• Describe one of your toughest sales experiences. How did you deal with that problem? Did you make the sale?
• What do you think has been the biggest improvement in your sales ability during the last year?
• Describe a typical sales encounter. Exactly what would you say to convince a customer to buy?
• What are the two most common objections you face, and how do you deal with them?
• Role-play with me, if you will, presenting yourself to me over the phone as if you were a headhunter. Convince me that this "product" you're selling is worth my time.
• How do you define your closing style?
• Tell me the last time you failed to meet your quota. How many times did that happen over the past year and what plan of action did you take to get back on track?
• With no undue flattery, if you grade me on how well I'm conducting this interview, what can you tell me about my sales and management style on the basis of the questions I'm asking you?
• Tell me about your quality ratios. How many prospects do you typically see before closing a sale?

• Give me an example of a project or idea you've undertaken, even though you knew it would not be popular with some people. How did things work out?
• What were the limits of authority in your previous job? Did you ever find it necessary to go beyond them?
• It's possible, of course, to be loyal to your employer, but still to disagree with some rules and policies. Can you cite an example in your own experience?
• On what occasions did you feel you had to consult with your boss before proceeding with some action? When did you feel it was proper to act on your own?

• Have you had to introduce a new policy or idea that departed from the customary way of doing things? What approach did you take to gain cooperation? How did it work out?
• Tell me about a time that you had to gain the cooperation of a group over which you had little or no authority. What did you do? How effective were you?
• What did you do to help your subordinates set performance objectives last year?
• Describe a situation in which you had to help a subordinate solve a problem or meet an objective. What did you do? How successful were you?
• Describe a situation in which a subordinate had a performance or disciplinary problem. How did you handle it?