Student Services & Support Officer Interview Questions And Answers

You should do your research prior to the interview. Look into background history of the company, this will help you stick out. Learn about main people, have they been in the news lately? The interviewer doesn’t expect you to know dates and certain people, but showing that you have enough interest to research the company is a positive impression.

It is common for this question to to be asked every time, and you should have questions ready. By asking questions you are able to show that you have enough interest to do some research, and that you want to learn all that you can. You should limit the questions to no more than three or four.

You can try asking questions that focus on areas where you can be an asset. Other options include asking about what your position would be, and how fast they expect you to become productive. Also, asking about the next step in the process and when to expect to hear about the position.

Here is your chance to run through all of your experience. Be concise and if you have done multiple roles, mention something specific for each one. Show that you have a lot of experience and are flexible.

This is similar to the strengths/weaknesses questions - what you like least must be turned into a positive trait. Say that you enjoy the challenge of meeting deadlines and of working in a team environment. For what you like least, say that you do not like it when you see disorganised work and a poorly managed diary; you feel the need to help organise and manage the workload.

What happened? What was the outcome? Questions about leadership can be academic or otherwise. Consider any roles you might have had in clubs or societies. Maybe you organised events for your university sports team, or you were head boy/girl at school/college and made some good decisions

Translates to: Why should I work here? It would be nice to know the little perks and bonuses you might be entitled to, to help you make up your mind about whether you'd want to work there.

Keep in mind they are not asking about you personally but you as a professional or business person. This is the time to name your strengths in a narrative way. “I am best known for my innovative and strategic approach to complex problems.” Then tell them how you came to this skillset by talking about your work experience and education. Always start with the present and work backwards.

Two minutes into the answer ask “shall I continue?” You do not want to eat up all of your interview time and lose the person’s attention with a long-winded answer. Only at the end can you add something personally by saying “in my off hours I enjoy running and I coach a kids’ track team.” Makes you human.

You may say that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give an example that relates to the type of position applied for.
Mention routine pressure you face, such as dealing with deadlines on a regular basis.
Try not to use an example where you created the pressure yourself, by waiting too long to start something, or by handling a task irresponsibly at the beginning. For example, working under pressure to meet a customer’s deadline could be a good example, but not if you had waited too long to start the project.

Pressure is actually a catalyst to my work. When there is an imperative deadline, I refocus my energy into my work which in fact, has helped me to produce some of my best works. (Give examples) I guess you can say I thrive under pressure.

This question is like a loaded gun, tricky and dangerous if you’re not sure what you are doing. It’s not uncommon for people to end up talking salary before really selling their skills, but knowledge is power as this is a negotiation after all. Again, this is an area where doing your research will be helpful as you will have an understanding of average salary.

One approach is asking the interviewer about the salary range, but to avoid the question entirely, you can respond that money isn’t a key factor and you’re goal is to advance in your career. However, if you have a minimum figure in mind and you believe you’re able to get it, you may find it worth trying.

The best way to stay organised is to keep a log of every request and each task completed so that nothing is accidentally left to go past a deadline. Mention any software that you use for this purpose.

Being positive is important because often a person’s attitude to their work can come across in their writing and presentation. Administrators sometimes provide the first impression a customer has of a business, so a positive and professional outlook is needed at all times.

Translates to: What sort of chance do I have of getting this job? At least knowing it is a highly competitive position will make it less disappointing if you hear nothing back.

This is similar to the tell us about your weaknesses question. You can’t say you have none, and you can’t say something fake like I work too hard. You need to be honest here with parameters: Prepare your answer so it comes across in a positive, productive way and not as bashing your former employer. Choose things that are about the job itself preferably, not your terrible boss, so you’re focusing on things that don’t come across as talking badly about people, which isn’t necessary or helpful. Things like the lack of structure or process is an example of something you could say. Or the lack of direction for your department.

This is another question looking towards job commitment. Some people go through jobs like socks because they don’t have a life plan, and your answer can show insight into this. It can also be used for finding out if you are the type that sets goals at all in life, because those that make long-term goals are usually more reliable. Also, your goals can provide insight on your personality too.

You should respond with an answer that shows progression in your career is on track with your route in the company. It’s important to do your research on company prospects, this way you understand what to expect and if it’s in your long-term goal. Interviewers don’t want to set you on a path that won’t provide the results you want, resulting in you resigning.

Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.

If you are being asked this question from your employer then you can explain your experience. Tell the employer what responsibilities you were performing during your job. You can tell what programs you developed and what modules you worked on. What were your achievements regarding different programs.

I have been working with computers since 2001. I also have a degree in network support/computer repair. I have built my last 3 computers, have work with Dell as an employee. So I have around 15 years experience working with computers.

Ideally, you have some real work experience that you can talk about. Talk in some detail about what you did and why it was great. If you have no direct work experience then talk about an event where you helped a friend to resolve a problem and that these skills can be used in administration and customer care work.

Here you could pick up on where you left off with "what are your strengths", i.e. relating all your skills and attributes to the responsibilities you would undertake in the role. If you're a clear and confident speaker, for example, and your job will involve answering lots of telephones, then this is the sort of thing you'd need to mention.

As in any negotiation the person who says the number first is at a disadvantage. You can try and say you are interested in the job and you are sure salary is fair and commensurate with industry levels. If pushed you say you are looking for a “total compensation package in the range of ___to____”. In some companies they will insist on a W2 form so don’t lie about current salary.

Mention some incidents where you had to work in a team, perhaps a drama performance, or a sporting event where you had to come together with your teammates.
For me, for unsupervised I would probably talk about writing my university dissertation and not really having any contact hours with my tutor for guidance; while for team work I'd mention when I was in year 11 and as part of a group we had to make a scale model of the small estate where our school was located for a local anniversary.

If pushed too far you would consider speaking to your manager about workloads and expectations and try to resolve the situation.

Say that an administrator plays an important role in ensuring that diaries are properly managed and that all outgoing correspondence is well written and all incoming correspondence is read and delivered to the relevant managers quickly.

This can be a tricky question to respond to, if you suggest you have no weaknesses you’re going to appear as a lair or egotistical. You should respond realistically by mentioning small work related weaknesses. Although many try to answer using a positive skill in disguise as a weakness, like “I expect co-workers to have the same commitment” or “I am a perfectionist”. However, it is recommended that there is some honesty and the weaknesses are true, and then emphasize on how you have overcome it or working to improve it. The purpose of this question is to see how you view and evaluate yourself.

☛ Share an example of a successful theory-to-practice experience.
☛ Share an example of an unsuccessful theory-to-practice experience.
☛ Give us your definition of success.
☛ What is your approach toward student discipline?
☛ What is your approach toward programming?
☛ Can you give us some examples of programs you have planned or presented?
☛ What are some of the challenges facing new professionals?
☛ How do you hold staff accountable?
☛ Have you ever terminated an employee? How did you handle that?
☛ How would you respond to a charge that one of your actions was racist, sexist, or homophobic?
☛ How will you help your supervisees pick and choose their battles?
☛ Describe a crisis situation that you’ve encountered and how you handled it?
☛ How do you manage someone with a confrontational style?
☛ How do you prioritize your time?
☛ Have you ever advised a student organization?
☛ What do you see as the major challenges/issues facing students today?
☛ How would you deal with the transition of a staff that was supervised by your predecessor?
☛ Do you have plans to continue your education?
☛ What characteristics do you work best with?
☛ What characteristics frustrate you when working with another person?
☛ Have you ever resigned from a job? Why?
☛ How did you select your college/university?
☛ Who are your role models?
☛ What would your supervisor/colleagues/staff say are your strengths?
☛ How would you explain a policy to your staff that you may not agree with, yet must enforce?
☛ Tell us about an experience you’ve had recently which had an impact on you personally or professionally.
☛ Tell us how your previous employment experiences have shaped your current career trajectory.
☛ What do you do to stay motivated? How do you motivate others?
☛ Is there something that is not on your resume that you would like to share?
☛ Do you have anything that you would like to share that we did not ask about?
☛ What will I remember about you after this interview?
☛ How would you supervise someone that you formerly knew as your peer?

☛ Is there a basic philosophy of the organization? If so, what is it?
☛ What can you tell me about the campus culture?
☛ If your job progresses as you like, what would be the next step in your career?
☛ What are the opportunities for advancement, promotion, or mobility?
☛ What changes do you see occurring in this field during the next few years?
☛ Is this field expanding? Taking any new directions?
☛ How is the economy affecting the field?
☛ What are the major qualifications for success in this profession?
☛ What suggestions do you have for an individual wishing to enter this field?
☛ What training would you recommend for someone who wanted to enter this field?
☛ What characteristics are most important in a good supervisor?
☛ What courses have proved to be the most valuable to you in your work?
☛ What do you think is the biggest challenge facing college students today?
☛ How do you decide what gets top priority when scheduling your time?
☛ Give a specific example of a policy you conformed to with which you did not agree.
☛ Describe an instance where you had to think on your feet to extricate yourself from a difficult situation.
☛ How do you determine or evaluate success?
☛ What is your vision of diversity on a campus such as this one?
☛ As a higher education professional, have you done any work in the area of diversity in the community?
☛ What is your impression of our institutional mission and values?
☛ How do you plan to stay current in the student activities field?
☛ If you were planning a meeting, how would you arrange the chairs?
☛ What do you think are the key components of building community on campus?
☛ What challenges have you faced when advising students? How did you handle them?
☛ Who has served as your role model throughout your graduate experience?
☛ Tell me about a meeting you have led, and how you organized/conducted it.

☛ Why do you want to work for us?
☛ What do you know about us specifically?
☛ What are your main motivations?
☛ Do you think technology has a role to play in this position?
☛ How will you keep ahead of the curve?
☛ What are your main strengths and weaknesses?
☛ Why are you perfectly suited to this role?
☛ Do you have any questions for us?