Education is supreme, a verse reiterated time and again by our prominent scholars and philosophers. It not only gives direction in life but also expands our horizon along with imparting a better outlook using which we can perceive our society. “Schools” are synonymous with education, and hold the pivotal responsibility for shaping the career of our young ones, quoted as the future of every nation.
However, it is established and true, that students in their teenage years are never settled and are always in acute need of counseling and guidance, which is provided by a specialist known as a School counselor. Working in educational institutions has always been exciting, thanks to so much talent around. Read out our collection of interview questions and begin your journey as a school counselor.
21 Best Interview Questions To Study
1. Academic Guidance is Necessary Not Only For Students But Also The Teachers. Comment On This Statement.
This question tests how much you understand your role as a school counselor and job profile.
Sample Answer
Sir, I completely agree with this statement. There are simply rapid developments that are taking place in the academic field, which forces us to constantly monitor and track it. Extending academic guidance was always a need for the students, but now, this onus has even shifted to educational institutions as well. As a school counselor, I would always guide, instruct and advise the management about the various academic developments, which can be implemented in our current set-up.
2. Assume A Child Who is Excellent In Literature But Poor In Mathematics and Science. His Parents Are Determined To Make Him An Engineer. How Would You Counsel The Parents?
This question tests your practical working knowledge.
Sample Answer
Sir, who does not want his child to be an engineer. The ever-rising pay packages are disputably the culprit. But, in this mad quest to earn money and be successful, parents forget what their child truly likes and deserves. In such a situation, I would personally counsel the parents and would convince them to let the child follow his dreams and do what he truly likes. I would tell them that literature/classics are interesting and also have the capacity to earn a fortune.
3. What Do You Understand Of The Term “Psychosocial Problems”?
This question tests your core principles of counseling.
Sample Answer
Sir, psychosocial problems refer to all those issues and discriminations that humans face while growing and surviving in society. These problems deplete the confidence level of humans and they feel worthless, which ultimately leads them to depression and extended levels of anxiety. Some common psychosocial problems are sexual abuse, family violence, financial hardships, etc.
4. Why Is It necessary For A School Counselor To Work With The Parents of A Child?
This question tests your practical working knowledge and your understanding of your profession.
Sample Answer
Sir, if the students spend 8-9 hours of the day in school, they spend a better part of their life in their homes. Thus, in order to create a favorable home environment, which helps in the holistic development of the child as well as provides him or her a feeling of security and serenity, it is necessary for the counselors to have regular conversations with the parents of the students.
5. School Counselors Must Have Effective Communication Skills As They Have To Often Act As Mediators. Explain This Statement In The Light Of Your Job Profile.
This question tests your understanding of the various tasks you have to perform as a school counselor.
Sample Answer
Sir, a school counselor is not limited to providing excellent academic guidance to its students, but also acts as a mediator between the teachers, the staff, and the administration or management of the school. Titled as “the disciplinarian”, a counselor must strike a balance between all the interested parties and ensure that all the processes run smoothly. For this, one must have excellent communication skills with an unmatched ability to think critically and deliver long persuasive speeches.
6. Describe About A Time When You Showed Commitment At Your Workplace.
“Commitment” is a necessary business trait and is always looked for by various interviewers. Just share a real workplace experience in response to this question.
Sample Answer
Sir, I remember how during my previous tenure, I worked for more than 10 hours a day in my office, as all my clerical, as well as support staff, was on leave. This left me with a huge work burden, but I never caved in and accepted the challenge. This event made me realize my capacity and also showcased my grit and determination to work.
7. How Open Are You To Counsel Our Teen Students In The Field Of Adult Education?
A school counselor along with the various psychosocial and academic issues is also required to counsel the students about adult education.
Sample Answer
Sir, adult or sex education is a part of the syllabus or we can say curriculum and is no longer a taboo among the student fraternity. There are always sexual issues with young teens, that need to be properly managed and counseled. I am very much open as well as committed to resolving all such issues.
8. Name The Three Best Software That Are Currently Used In The Field Of Education Management.
Technology plays a crucial role in the education sector and is widely accepted by every educational institution, including schools. This question tests how tech-savvy you are.
Sample Answer
Sure, sir, These are:
- PowerVista Roll Call
- Illumine
- Brightwheel
9. Teachers and Other Staff Members Of Our School Have Their Own Issues and Problems. How Proficient Are You In Counseling Adults?
Being a school counselor, along with students you will also be required to organize the counseling sessions for the teachers and staff members of the school. This is a common expectation, hence answer it positively.
Sample Answer
Sir, in my humble opinion, adults are easier to counsel than students, as they are more mature and have a developed belief system, which can be altered and influenced using words and speech alterations. I am an expert counselor and have the confidence, to counsel and guide the adults as well.
10. Descibe Yourself In One Word.
This is a tricky interview question, which requires you to describe your entire personality in a single word. For this, conduct deep scrutiny of your own personality and attempt our set of personality evaluating five statements, which are mentioned below:
- You always face reality and never try to live in a virtual world – Yes or No
- You always strive to work hard and achieve your goals with precision by not easily giving up – Yes or No
- You never engage yourself in guilty pleasures – Yes or No
- You always plan, before starting any task and try your best to follow it – Yes or No
- You remain committed to your obstacles and always try to resolve them – Yes or No
If it is a “yes” to at least three of the statements, then you are a hardworking, dedicated, and sincere employee who always prefers to accomplish his or her targets by giving their best. Based on this, share your one word.
11. What Are Your Weaknesses As A School Counselor?
It is a common interview question and is asked in almost all the sessions held across the world. The best way to answer this question is by analyzing the job description issued to you by your employer and noting down all the requirements for this job. Post this, share only those weaknesses, which do not conflict with the noted requirements. Further, never try to be diplomatic while answering.
12. Success Can’t Be Hoarded, Set Aside or Deposited Somewhere For Future Use. It is Circumstantial and Strikes Only To The Hardworking and Lucky People. How Do You Manage Your Failures?
Failures are common in human lives, as much as, injuries are common to sports personalities. Yet, when defeated, our mind just refuses to accept it and leads us onto a path, which is monotonous and full of gloom. An employee in such an appealing state of mind delivers a sub-standard performance, which ultimately impacts the organization’s processes. Thus, an interviewer always asks this question so as to understand the various techniques and strategies adopted by you to manage your failures.
13. Education Without Quality Is Meaningless. How Do You Interpret The Term “Quality”?
This is a word-based interview question, which requires you to interpret the meaning of the term “quality”, which is an important business phenomenon. Since we all are different and possess different intelligence levels, and perceptions, we all interpret similar things differently. Thus, an interviewer asks you this question to share your own version of the interpretation of this term. Be original, and try avoiding all the generic answers.
14. How Do You Prefer To Operate – In A Team or Individually?
This question requires you to choose between the two given alternatives. As an ideal response, you must always choose “team” as this is the most followed working procedure, which is adopted by numerous business organizations due to improved employee productivity and process quality. However, this does not mean, you can not opt for “individually”, but if you intend to do so, be ready to justify your selection in a logical manner.
15. What Motivates You To Work?
In the absence of factors or conditions that motivate us to work hard and achieve our goals in a time-bound manner, we all humans would have lied half-naked on the coastal sands all day long, just unwilling to do anything. Thus, an interviewer is always interested in knowing what clicks you and pushes you to work hard at your workplace. Be specific, and never try to avoid this interview question.
16. There Are Several Educational Institutions. Any Specific Reason For Choosing Us?
It is an established fact that candidates apply to various companies and institutions so as to enhance their selection chances. Not all companies are their priorities and sit at the pole position. Thus, an interviewer asks you this question, so as to check your level of seriousness and commitment towards the business organization you sought to work with. Use the online website of the company to prepare an ideal answer for this question by noting all its achievements, historical facts, and accomplishments.
17. Education Is A Busy Sector With Various Developments Taking Place Simultaneously. This Will Require Us To Assign You Several Business Tasks That Are To Be Perfomed In A Single Day. How Do You Ensure A Timely Submission?
It is usual for most business organizations to assign several tasks to their employees that need to be executed in a single working day. This requires the employees to adopt and follow a prioritization technique using which they can arrange and order their tasks in a specific order. Commonly, tasks are arranged on the basis of:
- The difficulty level of the tasks, with the toughest tasks being performed at the beginning of the day
- The time consumption associated with each task, with most time consuming tasks being performed at first and
- The urgency level of the tasks, with most urgent tasks being ranked first
You can follow these established techniques, or share any of your own. In each case, you must justify your selection with a real workplace experience.
18. What Are Your Salary Expectations?
It is a habit of the interviewers to ask about your salary expectations during the interview session itself as it is expected that you ought to know your worth. It is recommended that you always share a salary in a bracket, which is based on extensive and comprehensive research of the industry to which you belong. While researching, note down the salaries offered to similar professionals and calculate a mean salary. Base your expectations on your findings and do not deviate more than 15% of the mean salary.
19. Handling and Counseling Students Is An Uphill Task. How Do You Manage Your Stress Levels?
Stress is a common menace that is seeping into the world at an alarming rate. From a destitute to being ultra-rich, nobody lies at mercy of stress, which is certain and almost inevitable to avoid. However, it can definitely be controlled using several measures. Through this question, an interviewer wants to know about your various strategies and techniques using which you are able to manage your stress levels, especially work-related stress.
20. When Can You Start Working For Us?
It is usual for employees to have several pre-occupations that might hinder their ability to join an organization immediately. This might delay joining, and thus, an interviewer asks this question, so as to know your expected date of start. Be genuine, and share a true date, after keeping a margin or buffer of at least two days. Further, this question in no way guarantees your selection, and hence, you must refrain from interpreting it that way.
21. Do You Have Any Questions For Us?
It is a common habit of the interviewers to conclude an interview session using this question. No matter with which organization you get interviewed you will always be asked this question towards the fag end of your big day. This question marks the last opportunity that you have you impress your interviewers. So for the one last time, focus and ask a few relevant counter-questions that are based on the apprehensions and doubts that you might be having in regards to the business organization. Read out the model questions mentioned below for a better understanding:
Model Questions
- What are the various incentives and allowances that are offered by the company to its regular employees?
- You have been associated with this organization for quite a long time now. What are the pros and cons of this company?
- Is it the policy of the company to pay premiums for health and life insurance policies?
Download the list of questions in .PDF format, to practice with them later, or to use them on your interview template (For School Counselor interview):
References
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ceas.12217
- https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jca/vol6/iss3/7/
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