Strategic interview questions help interviewers find candidates that have the right set of skills and experience to perform a role.
These questions can be difficult, but with some preparation, you can show up and have the right answer to them.
Landing the job of your dreams requires some preparation and practice.
Asking the right questions during an interview is just as important as answering them correctly.
With this in mind, here are ten great interview questions to ask.
- 10 Common Strategic Interview Questions
- What Should I Say in a Strategic Interview?
- Sample Strategic Interview Questions and Answers
- How Do You Keep Yourself Organized when Balancing Multiple Projects?
- How Do You Measure Whether a Strategy Is Effective?
- How Would You Handle Last-Minute Changes to a Project’s Goals or Delivery Expectations?
- How Do You Implement Critical Feedback a Manager has Given You?
- Can You Give an Example of How You Managed to Work With a Challenging Team
- What Is One of Your Weaknesses?
- Can You Describe a Time You Made a Mistake at Work and the Steps You Made to Correct It?
- What are Your Goals for the Next Five Years?
- What Do You Find Valuable in a Good Company Culture?
- Why Would This Company be the Best Next Step for Your Resume?
- Other Questions You Could Be Asked
- Additional Tips for Strategic Interviews
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Wrapping Up
10 Common Strategic Interview Questions
Interviewers want to know more about you than meets the eye.
They will ask situational interview questions to learn about your work ethic and motivation.
Here are ten strategic questions you should consider asking during an interview.
- How do you keep yourself organized when balancing multiple projects?
- How do you measure whether a strategy is effective?
- How would you handle last-minute changes to a project’s goals or delivery expectations?
- How do you implement critical feedback a manager has given you?
- Can you give an example of how you managed to work with a challenging team?
- What is one of your weaknesses, and how are you working to make it a strength?
- Can you describe a time you made a mistake at work and the steps you made to correct it?
- Where are your goals for the next five years?
- What do you find valuable in a good company culture?
- Why would this company be the best next step for your resume?
These could be tough interview questions, but they are designed to go deeper into the interviewer’s expectations for the role and to help them determine levels of skills and qualities needed to succeed.
Sample answers are included so that you can gain an understanding of how to answer each question best.
What Should I Say in a Strategic Interview?
Come prepared with questions and answers that demonstrate your ability to think strategically.
Strategic interviews are designed to assess an individual’s ability to come up with solutions and make decisions in the face of obstacles.
Also, come prepared with examples and stories demonstrating your strategic thinking capabilities.
Research the company, practice your responses, and be open to feedback.
Asking questions during the interview is a great way to demonstrate your interest and enthusiasm.
What Skills are Strategic Interviewers Looking for in a Candidate?
During a strategic interview, you may be asked about your ability to create and implement plans and how you manage risks and evaluate outcomes.
Be prepared to discuss any past experiences that demonstrate your strategic thinking capabilities.
Make sure to provide concrete examples and use stories to show how you overcame challenges.
Be sure also to explain why you made certain decisions and the result.
The interviewer will want to know how you handle complex situations and approach decision-making within the organization.
To prepare for a strategic interview, it is a good idea to research the company and position and practice formulating responses to potential interview questions.
Additionally, be prepared to answer questions about your future goals and ambitions.
It is essential to be open and honest about your goals and be able to explain how they align with the company’s mission.
Employers also want to know that you are willing to accept criticism and be open to feedback.
Showing your willingness to grow and learn is key to a successful strategic interview.
What Traits Are Strategic Interviewers Looking to Avoid in a Candidate?
Interviewers want great candidates and therefore avoid the following traits:
- Lack of eye contact
- Suspicious work history
- Inconsistent career path
- Lack of specific work examples
- Job hopping
- Gaps in employment,
- Gossiping about former managers or employers
- Poor verbal communication
- Lack of general courtesy and good manners
- Inattentive listening
- Rudeness and dishonesty
- Device addiction
- Not asking questions
- Failure to share mistakes and lessons learned
Sample Strategic Interview Questions and Answers
How Do You Keep Yourself Organized when Balancing Multiple Projects?
Use this to discuss your project management skills and display how organized you are.
Why This Question Is Asked?
Interviewers desire to learn your organizational skills with this question to know how well you manage your time.
What to Focus on When Answering This Question?
Share what tools you use to keep track of tasks and deadlines and how you prioritize tasks to produce higher-quality work.
What to Avoid When Answering This Question?
Avoid statements that suggest you have never managed projects. If you don’t have any work-related tasks you’ve managed, discuss projects at home or for community service that you’ve worked on.
Example Answer
An example answer to this interview question could be: “I use various digital tools to help me stay organized and remember important events. I use an online calendar because sharing my calendar and work projects with others is easy.
How Do You Measure Whether a Strategy Is Effective?
This question seeks to understand how you determine if a strategy is achieving its desired objectives.
Why Is This Question Asked?
The interviewer is looking for your knowledge of effective strategy making. They will look for ideas about reviewing projects and analyzing data to understand outcomes.
What to Focus on When Answering This Question?
When answering this question, you should explain the criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of a strategy, such as identifying the strategy goals, establishing base values before implementation, and measuring key performance indicators throughout the process.
What to Avoid When Answering This Question?
Avoid generalizing. Be specific with your answer, and reference any examples from previous roles where you’ve monitored the effectiveness of a process.
Example Answer
An example answer could be: “When I measure whether a strategy is effective, I start by clearly defining the objectives and goals. I then establish base values from before strategy implementation and track my progress. As we progress, I measure key performance indicators and ensure our targets are achievable and relevant to the strategy.
How Would You Handle Last-Minute Changes to a Project’s Goals or Delivery Expectations?
Goals and expectations for a project can change with little notice. Be prepared to address how adaptable you are to change.
Why This Question is Asked
This is an excellent way for interviewers to evaluate your flexibility and adaptability in the workplace. It also shows that you can prioritize tasks on the fly and that you can manage changes efficiently.
What to Focus on When Answering This Question?
Give only a little detail, or don’t be overly technical. Focus on how you can take a proactive approach to the change and use it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
What to Avoid When Answering This Question?
Avoid showing hesitation about your ability to accept change. If you do not adapt well to change, your response should highlight how you challenge yourself to meet goals when changes occur.
Example Answer
An example answer to this question could be: “I am used to dealing with last-minute project changes. I stay organized and keep track of my tasks to adjust quickly. Include an example from a previous role. Outline steps you take to incorporate changes to a goal.
How Do You Implement Critical Feedback a Manager has Given You?
Feedback from managers is a great way to help you grow as an employee. How you manage feedback is equally important.
Why Is This Question Asked?
An interviewer desires to see if you are coachable. They want to see how well you listen and receive feedback.
What to Focus on When Answering This Question?
Answer this question confidently to show that you are unafraid of a challenge. Discuss how you would apply feedback if given and how you have applied input in the past. Give examples of how this has helped your career.
What to Avoid When Answering This Question?
Avoid suggesting that you have a hard time with criticism. Do not suggest that you do not need coaching because you have already mastered your skills.
Example Answer
When I’m given feedback, I record the feedback and why it was provided. Then I create goals to help me implement the feedback. I also as for additional suggestions on performing better concerning the input.
Can You Give an Example of How You Managed to Work With a Challenging Team
Teamwork helps organizations meet objectives. How well you work with a team is important.
Why is This Question Asked?
Interviewers are looking at how you are as a team player. They also desire to access your ability to resolve conflicts.
What to Focus on When Answering This Question?
Focus on an example from a previous role where you had difficulty with a team or a team member. Highlight what part of the team’s objectives were at stake, then speak to how you helped the team shift to focus on the project results.
What to Avoid When Answering This Question?
Avoid blaming anyone with whom you’ve had a difficult working relationship.
Example Answer
“I’ve worked with a group of bank tellers on a customer service project. The team cohesion was difficult due to age differences. I helped the team overcome these roadblocks by introducing ice-breaking games to get everyone on the same page.”
What Is One of Your Weaknesses?
Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Weaknesses can be communicated as opportunities to improve.
Why Is This Question Asked?
The interviewer seeks to see how self-aware you are. They want to know if you can be honest about the areas you must work on to improve performance.
What to Focus on When Answering This Question?
Focus on the progress you have made in addressing the weakness. This will show the interviewer that you are working to improve any weak areas.
What to Avoid When Answering This Question?
It is also important to avoid focusing too much on weaknesses that are essential for the role you are applying for. You should also avoid blaming external factors for your weaknesses.
Example Answer
An answer to this question could be: “I tend to be overly detail-oriented and can sometimes spend too long on the specifics of a project. I am working on this by examining the big picture for each project. This has helped me when working on ambiguous tasks or towards less specific goals.”
Can You Describe a Time You Made a Mistake at Work and the Steps You Made to Correct It?
Interviewers will likely ask questions about your past mistakes at work to gauge how you handle challenging situations.
Why Is This Question Asked?
The interviewer wants to see how well you take accountability for your actions.
What to Focus on When Answering This question?
When answering this question, focus on your steps to correct the mistake and any lessons you learned from it. Make sure to talk about how you took responsibility for the error and used the experience to become a better employee.
What to Avoid When Answering This Question?
Avoid self-deprecation and blaming others because this can give off a negative impression.
Example Answer
If you were ever late to a meeting, you could explain how you realized the error and took immediate steps to ensure that it would not happen again. You might say, “When I realized I was running late, I immediately contacted the other attendees to let them know and apologized for the inconvenience.
What are Your Goals for the Next Five Years?
This question reveals much more than just your professional ambitions.
Why Is This Question Asked?
An interviewer will ask this question to understand how your growth ambitions fit their organization. In addition, they want to ensure that you have personal goals set for yourself.
What to Focus on When Answering This Question?
Focus on the most recent goal you’ve to achieved and how you plan to build on that with future goals. Also, include how your future goals will be achieved with the help of the role that you are pursuing with them.
What to Avoid When Answering This Question?
Avoid how specific you become with your career goals. Do this by not mentioning particular job titles you’d like to pursue. Their organization may have different roles.
Example Answer
“In the next five years, I want to develop my skills in project management, gain experience leading projects for major clients and take on more responsibility within the role. I’m excited about deepening my knowledge and taking my career to the next level. This job would provide me with the perfect opportunity to do so.”
What Do You Find Valuable in a Good Company Culture?
A company’s culture is just as important as its role. Employers want to ensure that you fit their culture.
Why Is This Question Asked?
This question is designed to help the interviewer gain insight into your values and priorities as an employee.
What to Focus on When Answering This Question?
Focus on qualities that align with your values, such as respect, fairness, trustworthiness, innovation, and caring.
What to Avoid When Answering This Question?
Keep political views out of the conversation and any negative comments about current or past employers. Additionally, avoid generic answers, such as platitudes about wanting a “collaborative” workplace. Instead, use specifics to show that you have thought about the issue and what you consider essential in a company culture.
Example Answer
I value respect, fairness, and trustworthiness the most in company culture. These qualities create an environment where employees feel valued and appreciated and encourage them to take ownership and initiative in their roles.
Why Would This Company be the Best Next Step for Your Resume?
Know all you can learn about the organization you’re interviewing with.
Why Is This Question Asked?
The interviewer wants to know how you see yourself working with their organization. They also want to see if you understand the role they are interviewing you for.
What to Focus on When Answering This Question?
Focus on facts about the organization and how they tie in with your career objectives. You should consider the tasks of the role and how those tasks will enhance your current skills.
What to Avoid When Answering This Question?
Avoid fluff. Speak briefly about the role and demonstrate a strong understanding of what it requires.
Example Answer
This role is an excellent step for my career because of my limited management skills. Because this role supervises a team of 5, it will sharpen my leadership style and assist with my future desire to become a manager in the field.
Other Questions You Could Be Asked
Some questions may focus on something other than the role you are interviewing for.
- Two Truths and a Lie: The two truths and a lie game is an icebreaker to get you to talk about yourself. It also allows them to access you based on their first impression of you.
- Sell Me This Pen: The Sell Me This Pen question is a sales assessment to evaluate your selling techniques.
- Explain Why Your Background and Experience are Good for This Job: When you explain why your background and experience are good for this job, ensure to reference the duties mentioned in the job description.
- What Makes You Stand Out From Other Candidates? You should be clear on what makes you stand out from other candidates by speaking about your background and how you’ve achieved performance goals.
- Give an Example of an Occasion When You Used Logic to Solve a Problem: Demonstrate your analytical skills with your answer to the question, “give an example of an occasion when you used logic to solve a problem. Interviewers look to see how you solve problems.
Additional Tips for Strategic Interviews
Strategic interviews help managers understand how candidates will use their skills.
Consider these tips below.
How Do You Prepare for a Strategic Interview?
You should be able to quantify your performance results in dollars or revenue impacts.
It is also beneficial to be familiar with the terminology of the role you are interviewing for.
It is helpful to have examples of projects that are relevant to the position you are interviewing for and knowing the basic information about the organization, such as their share price and recent press releases.
What Should You Wear to a Strategic Interview?
First, research the company and its culture. Dress one tier above the company standard.
For instance, if the company’s dress code is smart casual, you should opt for business casual attire.
How Should You Introduce Yourself in a Strategic Interview?
Start by introducing yourself with your name and current position or role.
Then, discuss your educational background and professional experience.
Explain why you are the perfect fit for the job and how your skills can support or better enhance the services the company offers its customers.
Also, mention any hobbies or interests that make you stand out.
What Questions Should You Ask at the End of a Strategic Interview?
One of the best questions to ask at the end of a strategic interview is, “Is there anything on my resume or experience that you have a concern about?”
This gives you a chance to clear up anything that the interviewer has hesitation on concerning your experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is much to understand to ace a strategic interview. Consider these additional concerns you may have.
What is the hardest strategic interview question to answer?
Common difficult interview questions include, “What do you consider to be your weaknesses?”, “What is your greatest professional achievement?”, “How do you handle stress?” and “What is your biggest weakness?”
Use the STAR method to answer tough questions, which allows you to give a summary of the situation, your role in the situation, the action you took to resolve the issue, and how the issue was resolved.
Is it okay to admit you don’t know an answer?
Yes, it is okay, but first, take your time and acknowledge the question.
Say, “That’s a great question. Let me think about that.” This gives you some time to consider your response.
You can also use transitional words, such as “first,” “then,” and “lastly,” to give your answer some structure.
Wrapping Up
There is no perfect answer to any of these questions, and the best responses will depend mainly on the job you’re interviewing for and your qualifications.
Job seekers should be aware of their job history and ensure their interview talking points match their resume. This is important, especially if they used a resume-writing service.
Practice this guide, and you’ll have a much better chance of giving great responses and showing the interviewer that you’re the perfect fit for the job.
