Best Practices page 1 of 3
Sample Interview Questions
Excerpted and adapted from The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice, 13th edition
Revised December 2006
The AIA collects and disseminates Best Practices as a service to AIA members without endorsement or recommendation.
Appropriate use of the information provided is the responsibility of the reader.
SUMMARY • What aspects of your last job did you find to be
The time has come to interview a potential least satisfying?
employee. What questions should you, the • Can you provide an example of an important
employer, ask? Below is a list of questions you can goal that you have set in the past, and describe
ask to obtain key information concerning an your success in reaching it?
interviewee’s work experience, education,
interpersonal skills, career goals, work style, and • What kind or style of management brings out
management style. the best in you?
• What are your career goals?
JOB INTERVIEWS
• How do you feel this position will help you
Job interviews are a two-way process. The firm
achieve those goals?
evaluates the candidate, and the candidate
assesses the firm. Individuals in the firm who will • What time commitment are you prepared to give
participate in the interview process should review us as your employer?
the candidate’s materials in advance, and be trained
• What qualities do you have that would make
to conduct interviews.
you an asset to this firm?
It is not possible to learn absolutely everything about
• Why are you interested in this particular
a prospective candidate. The following sample
position?
questions, however, may help you develop your own
set of questions to learn enough about a candidate Interpersonal skills
to make an informed decision:
• Can you provide an example from your previous
Experience/education employment that illustrates your ability to
interact effectively with a wide variety of people?
• Why did you select architecture as your field of
study? • Can you provide an example of a situation that
illustrates your ability to handle a fast-paced,
• Can you share details or insights gained from
demanding job?
your college internships?
• What qualities would you identify in yourself that
• How did your education prepare you for
make you an effective coworker or team
employment as an architect?
member? Can you provide examples of
• What skills did you acquire that are particularly situations in which you have exemplified these
relevant to this position? qualities?
• How many principals or managers do you • Can you describe a difficult situation in which
support? you successfully negotiated a win-win solution?
Can you describe one in which you were
• How do you prioritize work assignments?
unsuccessful?
Career goals/job satisfaction
• Can you provide an example of a difficult client
• What were the most significant challenges and situation?
most satisfying aspects of your last job?
• Can you provide an example of something you
• How did you meet those challenges? would find difficult to communicate to staff?
• As you consider different job opportunities, what • In your most recent job, how did you contribute
characteristics do you look for? toward a team working environment?
© The AIA Knowledge gained from experience immediately applicable to a task at hand. BP 07.02.01
Best Practices page 2 of 3
• Can you describe the type of person with whom • What are some of your greatest personal
you would most prefer to work, and the type of achievements?
person with whom you would least prefer to
• What are your greatest strengths?
work?
• What are some things you find particularly
Work style
difficult to do?
• How do you organize and prioritize your work?
• How do you handle these situations?
• What types of decisions do you find easiest to
• In what ways or areas would you like to grow
make?
and develop professionally?
• What types of decisions do you find most
• What skills would you like to acquire or
difficult to make?
improve?
• Can you provide an example of a specific
• What frustrates you most about your current job,
situation or occasion in which you conformed to
and how do you handle it?
a policy with which you did not agree? How did
you feel about the situation? • How do you feel about the progress you have
made with your present company?
• Can you provide an example of a situation or
occasion when you had to go above and • How have your present or past jobs prepared
beyond the call of duty to get the job done? you to assume more responsibility?
• What tasks do you delegate? • Why did you leave your last job? Why do you
wish to leave your current job?
• What tasks do you do yourself?
• Describe the types of deadlines or schedules
• Can you describe your leadership style?
you have worked under in the past. How did you
• How do you help maintain an overall consistent meet them?
image for your firm?
• What is important to you in a firm?
• How do you perceive your image to be within
• Have you ever made suggestions to your
the firm?
manager or supervisor on how to improve work
• How do you perceive your image to be outside flow or procedures? If so, what were they, and
the firm? what was the result of your suggestions?
Management style/skills
RESOURCES
• How would your staff evaluate your More Best Practices
management style?
The following AIA Best Practices provide additional
• What are your management strengths and information related to this topic:
weaknesses?
07.02.02 Basic Elements of New Employee
• Can you provide an example of a disciplinary Orientation
situation with an employee in which you were
03.01.01 Tips for a Successful Job Interview
able to successfully mentor the employee?
03.01.07 Navigating the Job Search Process and
• Can you provide an example of a disciplinary Beyond
situation with an employee in which it was
necessary to terminate the employee? For More Information on This Topic
See also “Recruiting and Hiring,”
• How do you establish the workload for individual
by Laurie Dreyer-Hadley and
staff members?
Kathleen C. Maurel, Assoc. AIA,
• How do you address contract negotiations? The Architect’s Handbook of
Project budgeting? Staff and project Professional Practice, 13th
scheduling? Staff organization? edition, Chapter 9, page 229.
Other questions
• What are some things you do particularly well?
© The AIA Knowledge gained from experience immediately applicable to a task at hand. BP 07.02.01
Best Practices page 3 of 3
See also the 14th edition of the
Handbook, which can be ordered
from the AIA Bookstore by calling
800-242-3837 (option 4) or by
email at bookstore@aia.org.
Feedback
The AIA welcomes member
feedback on Best Practice articles. To provide
feedback on this article, please contact
bestpractices@aia.org.
Keywords
• Practice
• Personnel management
• Hiring
• Employment interviews
© The AIA Knowledge gained from experience immediately applicable to a task at hand. BP 07.02.01
