What should I expect for a staff interview?
Quote from: jfkspotting on August 12, 2017, 04:17:25 PM
What should I expect for a staff interview?
Whatever your staff wants.
Why not ask them? Every squadron is different. The staff interview you get from my cadet commander/deputy commander for cadets/etc, is different from your cadet commander/deputy commander for cadets/etc.
But I'll bet you'll get asked questions about being on staff.
Questions. I bet there's questions.
I'll give a free be. "Why do you want to be on staff?" Have a good answer for that question and you're on your way.
Depends on the job. For leadership positions I always give a scenario appropriate to the specific job, and then just listen to see how the cadet is thinking. For example, a prospective flight sergeant would be given a scenario where a new cadet is insubordinate or stops coming to meetings.
There's no real wrong answer (as long as it's within keeping of CAP regs and relevant laws. "I'd take him to the woodline and straighten him out" is generally a no-go for CAP purposes). A terrific answer would be working through the problem cadet's element leader, documenting the behavior, etc. Flight Sergeant things.
Whether for CAP or for a job interview, I can pretty much guarantee that you will be asked these five questions, or variants of them:
1) Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
2) Why do you want this position?
3) What have you done to prepare yourself for this position?
4) What can we expect from you if you are given this position?
5) (At the end) - Do you have anything else to add?
Other questions will undoubtedly be added to those. Expect some "what if" situational questions. "Suppose you were appointed as the XYZ, and one day, (something gets described here) happens...what would you do about it?"
Expect questions about the position - what do you know about it?
You can also expect questions about things for which you are "chargeable with knowledge." Such as, you could be asked in a CAP context to explain the core values of CAP. Or know who General J. F. Curry was. (A C/SSgt would have a certain body of expected knowledge; a C/Lt Col would have considerably more).
At any rate, look at those five questions I mentioned first. They will show up the rest of your life, so you should never be surprised when they get asked. Have sincere and clear answers for them. NEVER waste that fifth one - leave them with a good impression.
Good luck.
Assuming this is your first interview, and keeping in mind comments from other posts, you may also want to think about what you have done to prepare for the next level. What do you bring to the proverbial table? What did you learn at your current grade, both good and bad, that will help or hinder you in your next grade. What have you done for the squadron outside of the regular meetings? Do you go to activities outside the regular meetings? If no, why not? If so, will you continue to do so if you are promoted? Have you been a mentor to those cadets under you? Do you attend the weekly meetings regularly? Are you a good follower? What areas of leadership do you think you need to improve on and what are you doing to make those improvements/adjustments? What have you observed from those above you, both good or bad, that you have learned from? Are you able to balance school and a position with more responsibility? Are you living the CAP virtues in your daily life? You may want to look at where you've been, where you are now, and where you want to go in CAP. It may serve you well to be humble, no one knows how to do the job they are promoting to without having done that job. I do not think there is one set of answers that will help you here, just be honest and genuine in your responses. If you are denied promotion find out why and what you need to work on to promote. Good luck with your interview!
For the record, I have no idea what is asked during these interviews. These are merely thoughts and ideas from a reasonable person and things I would be prepared to answer if I were being interviewed.
Have an idea, in advance, based on speaking to others in your unit as to what the job's duties
and expectations actually are.
You'd be surprised how out of alignment these understandings can be.
If you don't know that, any other answers you give will be skewed.
Also, apply and interview for the job that's actually open, based on the above, not the one you wish it was.
If the unit leadership thinks things are fine, and isn't asking for change, and the first things out of your mouth
are "this is what I would do different", you might be on the wrong track.
Quote from: Mitchell 1969 on August 13, 2017, 10:12:27 AM
Whether for CAP or for a job interview, I can pretty much guarantee that you will be asked these five questions, or variants of them:
1) Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
2) Why do you want this position?
3) What have you done to prepare yourself for this position?
4) What can we expect from you if you are given this position?
5) (At the end) - Do you have anything else to add?
Other questions will undoubtedly be added to those. Expect some "what if" situational questions. "Suppose you were appointed as the XYZ, and one day, (something gets described here) happens...what would you do about it?"
Thanks. Do I have to report in to the interviewer?
Expect questions about the position - what do you know about it?
You can also expect questions about things for which you are "chargeable with knowledge." Such as, you could be asked in a CAP context to explain the core values of CAP. Or know who General J. F. Curry was. (A C/SSgt would have a certain body of expected knowledge; a C/Lt Col would have considerably more).
At any rate, look at those five questions I mentioned first. They will show up the rest of your life, so you should never be surprised when they get asked. Have sincere and clear answers for them. NEVER waste that fifth one - leave them with a good impression.
Good luck.
Quote from: jfkspotting on August 13, 2017, 06:30:05 PM
Quote from: Mitchell 1969 on August 13, 2017, 10:12:27 AM
Whether for CAP or for a job interview, I can pretty much guarantee that you will be asked these five questions, or variants of them:
1) Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
2) Why do you want this position?
3) What have you done to prepare yourself for this position?
4) What can we expect from you if you are given this position?
5) (At the end) - Do you have anything else to add?
Other questions will undoubtedly be added to those. Expect some "what if" situational questions. "Suppose you were appointed as the XYZ, and one day, (something gets described here) happens...what would you do about it?"
Thanks. Do I have to report in to the interviewer?
Expect questions about the position - what do you know about it?
You can also expect questions about things for which you are "chargeable with knowledge." Such as, you could be asked in a CAP context to explain the core values of CAP. Or know who General J. F. Curry was. (A C/SSgt would have a certain body of expected knowledge; a C/Lt Col would have considerably more).
At any rate, look at those five questions I mentioned first. They will show up the rest of your life, so you should never be surprised when they get asked. Have sincere and clear answers for them. NEVER waste that fifth one - leave them with a good impression.
Good luck.
I believe you asked a question in the middle of the quote, as to if you have to report in to the interviewer.
Generally, that is how it is done. You should discuss the format with people in your local unit in order to comply with local procedures and established practices.