Resident assistants as the name suggests are the residents of social development halls, hospitals, schools and any other place of residence wherein learning and development activities take place. They contribute by supporting and administering the overall growth of the residents and supporting the various processes initiated in the halls. Primarily students or residents will look upon you as their leaders and friends, and you will certainly have an opportunity to influence their thinking, personality, and approach. Being a demanding role, which is both mentally and physically exhausting, becoming a resident assistant is certainly not a cakewalk. However, you will be adequately compensated and rewarded for your hard work.
21 Best Interview Questions To Study
In order to ensure success and be assured of your selection in an interview process, it is of utmost necessity to read out these frequently asked interview questions specific to this profile:
1. Engagament Of Residents Is Critical In A Residential Accomodation. How Do You Plan This?
Different residential programs are initiated for the residents to have them engaged and committed to the residential place. As a resident assistant, you will be supposed to run a few of them and need to have a proper strategy for doing so.
Sample Answer
Sir, I completely agree with this statement. The engagement of residents is critical not only for their overall well-being but also for the intended development. Be the residents pertain to any class, students, addicts, patients, etc. it is necessary to prepare some interactive program sessions so that they remain involved and committed to the residence. I will always plan some creative sessions, based on the real needs of the residents.
2. Name Three Duties Of A Resident Assistant.
This question tests your understanding of the profession.
Sample Answer
Sure, sir, These are:
- Security
- Counseling and
- Professional relationship
3. How Important Is The Practical Implementation Of Any Resident Place’s Rules and Guidelines?
There are always some rules to follow. This question checks your level of respect for the established guidelines and rules.
Sample Answer
Sir, resident places form rules, guidelines, and procedures, however, it is the duty of a resident assistant to practically ensure that all the residents are following these rules properly and with intention. The mere formation is nothing without practical implementation.
4. Are You Willing To Perform Clerical Duties?
This is a common expectation from a resident assistant and you are supposed to handle all the clerical duties, such as noting, drafting, scheduling, etc. Hence, always give a positive reply.
5. How Comfortable Are You In Living Away From Your Family?
Being a resident assistant, you will be required to live away from your family and devote your entire time to residential accommodation. This might be mentally challenging and hence through this question, an interviewer wants to be assured of the same. Always give a positive answer to this question.
Sample Answer
Sir, I completely understand the relevance of this question. Living away from my own family and house could be tough for anybody and I am no exception. However, at the same time, we have to maintain professionalism and satisfy all the requirements attached to the profession. It might be uncomfortable in the beginning but slowly and steadily everything would be fine.
6. Communication Plays An Important Role In Residential Halls. Comment.
As a resident assistant, you will certainly contribute using your communication skills. Whether it is the counseling of students in a college residential space or it is the counseling of addicts in a rehabilitation facility, everything involves fluent speech and effective communication.
Sample Answer
Sir, I completely agree with this statement. Effective communication and an ability to extend long speeches without any stutters or flutters is the primary requirement for this profession, as without it you will not be able to counsel or advise anybody with greater emphasis.
7. How Proficient Are You In Giving Counseling?
Being a resident assistant you are required to give counseling to students, addicts, patients, or any other residents of the accommodation. This is a common expectation and you are supposed to reply positively.
Sample Answer
Sir, I have good communication skills and a clear voice with a good pitch. I am completely aware of the speech modulations and can give impressive speeches. While giving a counselling, I always consider the main problem of the person sitting in front of me, and using my critical thinking ability, I always counsel using the right approach by focusing on the bright aspects.
8. What Is A Revenue Expenditure?
Working as a resident assistant, you are supposed to have a good knowledge of basic accounting as well. You will certainly be tasked to handle financial data, which will need the application of accounting concepts.
Sample Answer
Sir, revenue expenditure is an expense that is directly charged from the income statement of the company. It is not of bigger ticket size, however, it occurs frequently. Since the expense is not that big, it is not capitalized and is not depreciated over time.
9. Rate Your MS Office Skills On A Scale Of One To Five?
As a resident assistant, you are required to have a good knowledge and understanding of the various utility software, such as MS Office for executing clerical and administrative tasks. Reply in a persuasive manner and show that you are proficient in MS office. Close your answer by giving yourself a score out of five.
10. Why Do You Want To Work With Us and Contribute At Our Residential Halls?
This question aims to test your level of commitment and seriousness towards the business organization, you sought to work with. The official website of the company is the best source to prepare for this interview question and you must note down a few relevant facts and achievements of the company using it. For ten unique sample answers and guidance, please click on this link.
11. Managing Stress Is Necessary For Resident Assistants. How Do You Manage It?
This is a common interview question and through this question, an interviewer wants to know about your own strategy as well as technique to manage your stress levels. This is a common expectation and requirement from a candidate and you are expected to give a positive reply in which you have to state ways as well as the physical condition that helps you to manage your stress and anxiety levels. For better preparation and understanding please refer to our exclusive post.
12. As A Resident Assistant, You Will Required To Multi-Task. How Do You Prioritize?
Business organizations, be it a school, hospital, rehabilitation center, or any other residential institution, it is a common requirement for the candidates to perform several business tasks in a single working day. Thus, you ought to have a perfect prioritization strategy on the basis of which you will be able to execute all your assigned tasks in a time-bound manner. In case you have not developed any such strategy, please refer to our targeted post, which will help you in having one.
13. Our Employees Are Special. What Can you Offer Us That Someone Else Cannot?
This is a personalty evaluating interview question that aims to check your body language as well as wits. Through this question, an interviewer wants to know about your unique propositions and abilities, which gives you a competitive edge over the other candidates. In case you are not able to form an answer, please read our special post that covers this interview question completely.
14. Can You Explain or Describe Yourself In A Single Word?
This is a common interview question using which an interviewer wants to know your communication skills, confidence level, and your level of self-understanding. Always choose a corporate-friendly word that is not that vague or ambiguous and closely relates to your own personality. For better preparation, please refer to our special post.that will guide you and give you ten unique sample answers to choose from.
15. What Motivates You To Work With Us?
Everyone has a few motivational factors, which inspire them and prompt them to work hard and achieve their goals and objectives. An interviewer is interested in knowing these motivational factors, which depend upon an individual’s own ability, desires, and financial conditions. Be original and share a genuine answer. For in-depth preparation, please read our targeted post.
16. What Are Your Weaknesses That Will Hamper Your Working As A Resident Assistant?
No one is perfect and every person has a few weaknesses hidden in them, which acts as a bottleneck and hamper their professional work. An interviewer through this question wants to ask about your weaknesses and problems, which will specifically hamper your professional conduct as a resident assistant. Though the answer is not very much different from the normal, yet it needs to be tweaked a bit to align with the interview question. In case you are confused, read out our ten unique responses to this question.
17. How Do You Handle Failure At Your Workplace?
Success is not a guarantee, rather there is always a higher chance to fail than to succeed. Failure has a devastating impact on the human mind, and someone with lesser strength just caves in. Thus, an interviewer is always interested in the ays that you adopt to overcome your failures and move forward in life. This helps in a better personality assessment. For better preparation, you can read out ten unique sample answers by clicking on our exclusive post
18. What Are Your Strengths That Make You Fit For This Job?
This is a common interview question using which an interviewer wants to know about your major strengths that make you a fit candidate for this job. In order to give a perfect answer, we recommend conducting a detailed self-evaluation of yourself and noting down at least five of your major strengths on a piece of paper. Post this, select the three best and closest strengths of yours and prepare a short answer for them. Refer to our exclusive post for detailed answers and better preparation.
19. Working In A Team Setup Is A Need. What is Your Ideal Team Culture?
Nowadays business organizations work in a team environment wherein employees are divided and segregated into different groups on the basis of their qualifications, job profile, skills, and abilities. Thus, it is necessary to make up your mind that most certainly you will be working in a team comprising several members. Through this question, an interviewer wants to know, what are qualities that you expect your team members to have. For better understanding and in-depth preparation, please refer to our exclusive post.
20. What Are Your Salary Expectations?
Interviewers prefer to ask about your salary expectations during your interview session itself. Always remember to give an answer that is based on thorough market research and due diligence of the industry to which you pertain. You must note down the salaries offered to similar professionals and then give a perfect reply to this question. For better understanding and in-depth preparation please see our exclusive post, which will guide you through.
21. Do You Have Any Questions For Us?
It is common for the interviewers to ask this question towards the fag end of an interview session. Through this question, an interview session is mostly concluded. As an ideal response to this question, a candidate must ask a few relevant questions from the interviewer in regards to the organization, its working culture, the various work ethics followed, allowances, etc. Skipping this question is not at all recommended as by doing this you will deplete your selection chances considerably. For reference, please refer to our model questions mentioned below:
- What are the various anti-harassment policies followed by the company in the resident halls?
- Will I be getting a residential allowance, for staying away from my home and family?
- Please share the list of all the medical benefits, including any paid maternity/paternity leaves extended by the company to its employees.
Closing an interview session in style not only increases your selection chances but also improves your overall reputation and chances of promotion at later stages of your career. Thus, close your interview in style and refer to our exclusive post for better guidance and knowledge.
References
- https://thekeep.eiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5877&context=theses
- https://academic.oup.com/cid/article-abstract/73/7/e1850/5893141
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