64 Interview Questions & Scenarios To Ask Your Job Applicants

Active Management

www.activemgmt.com.au

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The Questions…

1. Have you ever volunteered or done unpaid work?

2. Have you ever fired someone? If you had to, how would you do it?

3. Tell me about a time when...

4. A customer called regarding a direct debit default payment and was verbally

abusive. How would you deal with this conflict?

5. Why would you like to work for us?

6. What would you do in this situation…?

7. Think about your favourite previous supervisor. What skills of theirs stand out most

in your mind?

8. How do you wind down after a busy day?

9. What’s your long term goal? (e.g., do they want to open up their own business?)

10. What would you like to know about us?

11. Why did you leave your last job?

12. Where do you see yourself in five years?

13. What do you expect from our company?

14. What do you like/do not like about your current employer?

15. Tell me a time when you had a difficult customer. How did you deal with it?

16. What can you bring to the club? How will that be helpful to us?

17. How was your weekend and what did you get up to?

18. Tell us a little about yourself.

19. Has the police ever spoken with you? Tell me about that.

20. Why do you choose to work in this industry?

21. Why do you want to work with us?

22. How do you like to be managed?

23. What do you enjoy about you current job?

24. What do you think you would find most challenging about this position?

25. What would you not be prepared to do in this job?

26. What do you do in your spare time?

 

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27. What do you consider to be good customer service?

28. What would you do if someone had a serious medical episode (e.g., heart attack)?

29. What would you do if there was a physical confrontation between staff?

30. Do you believe inter-work relationships are acceptable?

31. How do you see your role within the sporting team you are involved in? (to gauge

their character and ability to interact as part of a team)

32. If I was to ring your previous employer, what do you think they would say your

weaknesses are?

33. If your best friend could describe you in one word what would it be?

34. If your worst enemy could describe you in one word what would it be?

35. Describe the last time you were frustrated at work and what did you do about it?

36. Ask a family-based question (to find out about their upbringing).

37. What is your greatest achievement?

38. Who would you like as a mentor and why? (e.g., list three different celebrities, such

as a sports player, politician and business entrepreneur)

39. What part of our facility are you most interested in?

40. Give the applicant a timetable and ask questions that are easily assessable, to test

their phone manner.

41. Do you work out? Do you enjoy fitness?

42. What was the most challenging part of your last role? (to determine how they handle

something out of their comfort zone)

43. How did you respond when you got in trouble as a kid? Has that changed? (to

determine a potential response when a client moves on)

44. Does your family live nearby and do you see them regularly? (to determine support

and relationships)

45. Tell me about a disagreement you have had.

46. What would you do if a group fitness instructor called in 15 minutes prior to their

class, to advise they couldn't teach?

47. What motivates you to come to work every day?

48. What would you do if you had no PT clients scheduled for your shift? Can you give

a previous example of this, and explain the result?

49. What would you say if somebody said "I am too fat to do the training!"

 

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50. How would you explain to someone the reason for their back pain was that they

were overweight?

51. How would you handle a client's dissatisfaction when a timetable changes, and they

can no longer do their favourite class?

13 SCENARIO QUESTIONS TO IDENTIFY AN APPLICANT’S CORE VALUES

Checking Integrity and Honesty

1. At the end of the interview, leave something valuable in sight of the applicant.

Goal: The applicant picks it up and hands it back to the interviewer.

2. When the interviewer walks away, have someone on the gym floor struggling with weights.

Goal: The applicant steps up and helps the member.

Checking Initiative

3. Strategically place ‘rubbish’ on the floor, which will be seen when the interviewer is showing the applicant through the club.

Goal: The applicant picks up the rubbish and places it in a bin.

4. Have a member initiate a conversation, which involves them asking the applicant a question that requires them to go and ask someone for the answer.

Goal: The applicant demonstrates positive body language during the conversation, seeks out the answer, and informs the member.

5. Ask the applicant “what did you do between seeing the job advertisement and coming in for the interview today?”

Goal: The applicant has conducted some level of research about the business and undertook some preparation prior to the interview.

 

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Checking Ability to Gain Rapport

6. Role play how they will establish rapport during an opening conversation with a member.

Goal: The applicant demonstrates effective rapport building skills through verbal and non-verbal communication.

Checking Dependability

7. Ask the applicant: “Your manager calls you late at night to inform you that you are needed to work a double shift the next day, as one of your team has been called out of town for an emergency. We know you will not necessarily be ‘happy’ about having to a do a double shift at such late notice, so how will you keep yourself motivated and energized all day?”

Goal: The applicant’s body language reinforces what they are saying, as they answer the question.

8. Ask the applicant: “Your car won’t start at 5am, when you have a 6am Bootcamp session to deliver. What do you do?”

Goal: The applicant’s body language reinforces what they are saying, as they answer the question.

Checking Empathy

9. Role play a prospective member who comes into the gym with very poor self-esteem, and ask the applicant: “How would you put them at ease and discuss this with them?”

Goal: The applicant demonstrates some emotional intelligence during the role play.

10. Ask the applicant: A member arrives and bursts into tears. They tell you their pet has died. What do you do/say while they are in front of you? What do you do after they have left your sight?

Goal: The applicant demonstrates some emotional intelligence during the role play, and uses initiative after the discussion.

Checking for an Understanding of Quality Customer Service

11. Ask the applicant: “Give us an example of when you have made a customer’s day?”

Goal: The applicant demonstrates an understanding between standard and exceptional customer service.

 

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12. Ask the applicant: “A class is about to start and there is a line of members wanting to enter the club. The phone rings. What do you do?”

Goal: The applicant displays initiative during this challenging situation.

Checking Personal Brand

13. Ask the applicant: “How would your previous employer describe you?” And then later during the interview ask “How would your friends describe you?”

Goal: The applicant demonstrates some synergy between the two answers.

 

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Thank You for Purchasing Our E-Book, you may also be interested in:

Active Management’s Recruitment E-Book for systems, forms and

suggestions for gyms, studios and fitness clubs selecting the right

applicants to grow their business.

The Table of Contents includes:

• The ultimate recruitment process

• Information for candidates

• Phone interview questions

• Application form for front desk roles

• Application form for gym floor staff and personal trainers

• Application for for membership roles

• Initial interview questions

• Group interview questions for membership consultant roles

• Group interview questions for exercise specialist roles

• Group interview questions for personal trainer roles

• Workout interview questions

• Trial shift notes

• Emotional intelligence

• Emotional intelligence answers

• Personality quiz for job applicants

• Reference check template

This E-Book is 64 pages packed full of information.

Cost: $59 incl GST http://www.activemgmt.com.au/market-­‐place/our-­‐products/  

 

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Active Management’s Job Advertisements E-Book consists of internet and newspaper ads

for key staff in your business.

The Table of Contents includes:

Internet Ad

• Gym Programmer

• Front Desk

• Membership Consultant

• Personal Trainer

• Community Outreach Manager

• Massage Therapist

Newspaper Ads

• Front Desk Team Member

• Membership Consultant

• Gym Floor

This E-Book is 12 pages packed full of information.

Cost: $59 incl GST http://www.activemgmt.com.au/market-­‐place/our-­‐products/