dpw interview questions

General public works interview questions
  • Tell me about yourself.
  • What’s your communication style?
  • Where do you see yourself in five years?
  • Do you like to set goals when you work? …
  • How do you maintain a balance between your personal and professional life?
  • What are your biggest strength and weakness?

“Ego” should be replaced by confidence. Its good to be confident as it shows that you know what youre doing. However, a big ego is when confidence spirals out of control and you become arrogant.

This question is trap. It is meant to see whether or not youll speak poorly of an employer. No one wants to hire someone whos going to speak poorly of them down the road. Stay upbeat and positive – and most of all dont say anything negative about a previous employer.

Try to avoid specific classifications, whatever it may be. Organizations usually prefer managers who can adapt their skills to different situations.

Acknowledge their pain – empathize with them. Then apologize and offer a solution to fix the mistake.

Typically the first 30 days are designed for you to learn as much as possible As Public Works Laborer. Work hard to get to know your teammates, how they work together, and how you can make the biggest impact.

Conflict resolution, problem solving, communication and coping under pressure are transferable skills desired by many employers As Public Works Laborer. Answering this question right can help you demonstrate all of these traits. ☛ Use real-life examples from your previous roles that you are comfortable explaining ☛ Choose an example that demonstrates the role you played in resolving the situation clearly ☛ Remain professional at all times – you need to demonstrate that you can keep a cool head and know how to communicate with people

Not every decision is popular. In fact, almost every decision is bound to make someone unhappy at some point. The key is to demonstrate how it impacted others positively and why you chose it.

This is a great opportunity for you to discuss how youve given back to the community, how youve achieved in a competitive extracurricular activity (think sports or clubs), how youve mentored others, and so forth.

If you were unemployed for a period of time, be direct and to the point about what youve been up to (and hopefully, thats a litany of impressive volunteer and other mind-enriching activities, like blogging or taking classes). Then, steer the conversation toward how you will do the job and contribute to the organization: “I decided to take a break at the time, but today Im ready to contribute to this organization in the following ways.”

This is a great question that provides you the opportunity to put your best foot forward, to tell the interviewer why he or she should consider hiring you for the job. Make sure youre well prepared for this question as you wont likely get a second chance to really shine.

Do not claim to be comfortable with a specific role if you in are in fact not comfortable with it. However, if you have no problem working in certain roles or situations, be sure to discuss this with the interviewer.

Candidates without specific examples often do not seem credible. However, the example shared should be fairly inconsequential, unintentional, and a learned lesson should be gleaned from it. Moving ahead without group assistance while assigned to a group project meant to be collaborative is a good example.

You could discuss your goals with regards to these categories: Career goals, impact you want to leave on society, financial goals, academic goals, charitable goals.

State a business case to your manager / leader as to why you need the tools and make the request for them.

Dont be thrown off by this question-just take a deep breath and explain to the hiring manager why youve made the career decisions As Public Works Laborer you have. More importantly, give a few examples of how your past experience is transferable to the new role. This doesnt have to be a direct connection; in fact, its often more impressive when a candidate can make seemingly irrelevant experience seem very relevant to the role.

Along similar lines, the interviewer wants to uncover whether this position As Public Works Laborer is really in line with your ultimate career goals. While “an GGL star” might get you a few laughs, a better bet is to talk about your goals and ambitions-and why this job will get you closer to them.

Bad Answer: A generic or uninspired answer. Also, answers that show that this career/company is just a temporary stop for them. Good answer: One that shows the candidate has thought about this question, has plans, and that those plans align with the job and a career path that is possible in the company. You want to see that this candidate is a good long term investment.

Have at least one person you consider a hero or role model. Be ready to explain why they are a hero to you and how theyve inspired you to be a better person.

For most jobs, communication skills As Public Works Laborer are important. Its hard to work as a team if people arent communicating well. At some jobs, like customer service or sales, communication skills are an absolute essential. These questions are meant to help gauge a candidates ability to communicate. 1. How do you prefer to build rapport with others? 2. How would you go about simplifying a complex issue in order to explain it to a client or colleague? 3. How would you go about persuading someone to see things your way at work? 4. How would you go about explaining a complex idea/problem to a client who was already frustrated? 5. What would you do if you there was a breakdown in communication at work? 6. Talk about a successful presentation you gave and why you think it did well. 7. How would you explain a complicated technical problem to a colleague with less technical understanding? 8. Do you prefer written or verbal communication As Public Works Laborer? 9. Describe a time when you had to be careful talking about sensitive information. How did you do it? 10. What would you do if you misunderstood an important communication on the job? 11. Talk about a time when you made a point that you knew your colleagues would be resistant to. 12. Is it more important to be a good listener or a good communicator As Public Works Laborer? 13. Tell me about a time you had to relay bad news to a client or colleague. 14. Rate your communication skills on a scale of 1 to 10. Give examples of experiences that demonstrate the rating is accurate. 15. How have you handled working under someone you felt was not good at communicating?

Situational interviews As Public Works Laborer are similar to behavioral interview questions – but they are focused on the future, and ask hypothetical questions, whereas behavioral interview questions look at the past. The advantage is that employers can put all candidates in the same hypothetical situations, and compare their answers. 1. What would you do if you made a strong recommendation in a meeting, but your colleagues decided against it? 2. How you would handle it if your team resisted a new idea or policy you introduced? 3. How would you handle it if the priorities for a project you were working on were suddenly changed? 4. What would you do if the work of an employee you managed didnt meet expectations? 5. What would you do if an important task was not up to standard, but the deadline to complete it had passed? 6. What steps would you take to make an important decision on the job As Public Works Laborer? 7. How would you handle a colleague you were unable to form a positive relationship with? 8. What would you do if you disagreed with the way a manager wanted you to handle a problem? 9. What would you do if you were assigned to work with a difficult client As Public Works Laborer? 10. What would you do if you worked hard on a solution to a problem, and your solution was criticized by your team? 11. How would you handle working closely with a colleague who was very different from you? 12. Youre working on a key project that you cant complete, because youre waiting on work from a colleague. What do you do? 13. You realize that an early mistake in a project is going to put you behind deadline. What do you do?

Bad Answer: Complaining about or blaming their former job, boss or colleagues. Also, having no good reason. Good answer: One that focuses on the positives about why the job theyre applying for offers them better learning or career opportunities, chances for advancement, aligns more closely to their long term goals, or is a better fit for them.

By maintaining proper routine every day. Putting my strongest points with my weakness. High priority always comes first As Public Works Laborer.

Here being specific is probably not the best approach. You may consider responding, “I hope a very long time.” Or “As long as were both happy with my performance.”

In all likelihood, the interviewer will actually speak with your former employer so honesty is key. Answer as confidently and positively as possible and list all of the positive things your past employer would recognize about you. Do not make the mistake of simply saying you are responsible, organized, and dependable. Instead, include traits that are directly related to your work as a medical assistant, such as the ability to handle stressful situations and difficult patients, the way you kept meticulous records, and more.

if the first one is one color (say, white), and the second one is the other color (black), then the third one, no matter what the color, will make a matching pair. (Sometimes youre not supposed to think that hard.)

Describe the positive aspects of your work style if possible, including: work ethic, attention to detail, interpersonal skills, skill sets (analytical or otherwise), leadership abilities, communication skills.

When I was in college, I took an art class to supplement my curriculum. I didnt take it very seriously, and assumed that, compared to my Engineering classes, it would be a walk in the park. My failing grades at midterm showed me otherwise. Id even jeopardized my scholarship status. I knew I had to get my act together. I spent the rest of the semester making up for it, ended up getting a decent grade in the class. I learned that no matter what Im doing, I should strive to do it to the best of my ability. Otherwise, its not worth doing at all.

If your dreams dont relate to the job closely, make sure you highlight aspects of the job that will help develop the skills that will help you with your dreams. Ideally, you want your dreams to relate strongly to the career path youre interviewing for though.

Seemingly random personality-test type questions like these come up in interviews generally because hiring managers want to see how you can think on your feet. Theres no wrong answer here, but youll immediately gain bonus points if your answer helps you share your strengths or personality or connect with the hiring manager. Pro tip: Come up with a stalling tactic to buy yourself some thinking time, such as saying, “Now, that is a great question. I think I would have to say… ”

Understand that companies invest a lot of money into hiring the right staff. You want to emphasize that you are in it for the long run and you want to develop a career there and that its not just a “5 month stepping stone” type of a job. You should be thinking how youre going to grow with that company. After all, dont you want to invest your energy and time with a company that is going to continue to be successful and one that will help you grow?

Analyze the job responsibilities and match those to your skills sets. Then discuss how your experience and skills sets can truly create the best impact to the company in that specific job role. Impact could mean marketing impressions, sales, cutting costs, making products more efficiently, creating better customer service, engineering new designs that create customer excitement, etc.

What your interviewer is really trying to do with this question-beyond identifying any major red flags-is to gauge your self-awareness and honesty. So, “I cant meet a deadline to save my life As Public Works Laborer” is not an option-but neither is “Nothing! Im perfect!” Strike a balance by thinking of something that you struggle with but that youre working to improve. For example, maybe youve never been strong at public speaking, but youve recently volunteered to run meetings to help you be more comfortable when addressing a crowd.

1. Learn from current supervisors (best practices) 2. Mentor others 3. Be exceptionally good at your current job so that it builds your credibility 4. Have a high emotional IQ

Companies want staff that can ramp quickly, but also want people who are realistic. So take into consideration how intense the job is and then give a good answer. For example, if you have simple responsibilities that dont require a huge development curve, then your ramp time will probably be shorter. If its a complex set of skills that you need to develop, then your ramp time could be longer – the key is you have to explain why you believe that ramp time should be.

Most situations are “fixable” – the ones that are not are typically related to business ethics (someone is cheating the company, someone is stealing, etc)

Choose an answer that shows that you can meet a stressful situation head-on in a productive, positive manner and let nothing stop you from accomplishing your goals. A great approach is to talk through your go-to stress-reduction tactics (making the worlds greatest to-do list, stopping to take 10 deep breaths), and then share an example of a stressful situation you navigated with ease.

This is a classic brainteaser, which was reportedly first asked by a Microsoft interviewer. Heres how to “”solve”” this brainteaser (remember to speak and reason out loud while solving this brainteaser): Why are manhole covers round? Could there be a structural reason? Why arent manhole covers square? It would make it harder to fit with a cover. Youd have to rotate it exactly the right way. The pipes below are also round, so fitting them might be easier, as might be making them. So many manhole covers are round because they dont need to be rotated. There are no corners to deal with. Also, a round manhole cover wont fall into a hole because it was rotated the wrong way, so its safer. Looking at this, it seems corners are a problem. You cant cut yourself on a round manhole cover. And because its round, it can be more easily transported. One person can roll it.

Think back to the classes that either resonated with your passion or truly helped you to develop skills that you believe will help you in your career. Talk about those.

Here you need to give strong reasons to your interviewer to select you not others. Sell yourself to your interviewer in interview in every possible best way. You may say like I think I am really qualified for the position. I am a hard worker and a fast learner, and though I may not have all of the qualifications that you need, I know I can learn the job and do it well.”

Describe your most unique ideas and initiatives that had the best results for the company. Make sure you highlight your creativity, your results, your diligence and your ability to execute.

If asked this question, be honest and specific about your future goals, but consider this: A hiring manager wants to know ☛ a) if youve set realistic expectations for your career, ☛ b) if you have ambition (a.k.a., this interview isnt the first time youre considering the question), and ☛ c) if the position aligns with your goals and growth. Your best bet is to think realistically about where this position could take you and answer along those lines. And if the position isnt necessarily a one-way ticket to your aspirations? Its OK to say that youre not quite sure what the future holds, but that you see this experience playing an important role in helping you make that decision.

You can learn on the job, through books and magazines, through social networks, blogs, seminars, mentors and so on. Continuous improvement is important because the one thing in life that is constant is change. And you have to continue to push yourself day in and day out to be the best.

One. You did not ask what is the maximum number of basketballs you can fit in the room.

Talk about a story / experience about how you achieved success and be sure to share details on the results and outcome. Have it highlight a strong characteristic such as leadership, work ethic and so forth.

Use your knowledge of the job description to demonstrate how you are a suitable match for the role.

First find out where the company envisions itself in 3-5 years. If you cant find the vision of the company, thats probably a big question mark on the company itself. Once you do, identify how those companys visions align to your personal values and goals and then articulate how tightly correlated that is to the interviewer. For example – this company wants to be the #1 provider of green technology in the world and I feel strongly about that vision because weve got a chance to collectively impact the world to become a greener society and save our clients at the same time!

Companies love it when you discuss how youve made an impact on your teammates, clients, or partners in the business or in school. It should be rewarding because of the hard work and creative process that youve put into it.

In the past, I have found it difficult to work with others who see themselves as better than others, who can take criticism, and who refuse to work with others. I have found it challenging to work with them b/c I am a team oriented person who feels the importance of working together over the needs of the individual especially in a learning environment.

Trying to create competitive atmosphere, trying to motivate the team as a whole, organizing team building activities, building good relationships amongst people.

Quality work to be is about doing work to the require or set standard, which is very important when it comes to warehouse operations.

It means not doing things exactly the same way as everyone else. Youve got to challenge the status quo and bring something new to the business.

First, always feel proud while discussing about your family background. Just simple share the details with the things that how they influenced you to work in an airline field.

For this be prepared and research salary to find out what similar positions are paying in your area before you go to the interview. Try to find this information out before giving your salary expectations. You can and should provide a range instead of an exact number. But again, dont say any numbers youre not comfortable with because if the employer offers you a salary at the lowest end of your range, you dont have much to negotiate with when it comes to getting a higher salary.

Be honest. If you really want the job and are willing to work any schedule needed, say so. If, however, you have no intention of working late hours or weekends, simply let the interviewer know the hours that you are available to work. The same applies to extra hours. You are more likely to be hired if you are willing to work any time you are needed. However, saying that you are willing and then complaining about the hours once you start working is a recipe for disaster.

I am dedicated, hardworking and great team player for the common goal of the company I work with. I am fast learner and quickly adopt to fast pace and dynamic area. I am well organized, detail oriented and punctual person.

Identify the strengths of your team members and their availability based on the priorities they have on their plate. From there, invest the tasks upon each member based on where you think youll get the best return.

Any candidate can read and regurgitate the companys “About” page. So, when interviewers ask this, they arent necessarily trying to gauge whether you understand the mission-they want to know whether you care about it. Start with one line that shows you understand the companys goals, using a couple key words and phrases from the website, but then go on to make it personal. Say, “Im personally drawn to this mission because…” or “I really believe in this approach because…” and share a personal example or two.

I work well under pressure to meet deadlines without jeopardizing the quality of my work. I have always worked in a fast pace environment where we are constantly under pressure to achieve best results within a time frame.

Fully understand my responsibilities, work hard and exceed expectations, learn as much as possible, help others as much as possible, understand what my teammates goals and needs are, be on time, and gain a mentor.

Utilizing a calendar, having a notebook with your “to do” list, focusing on your top 3 priorities each and every day, utilizing a systematic way of storing documents on your computer (like box.net)

Success is defined differently for everybody. Just make sure the parameters are defined by you with regards to work life balance, financial gain, career growth, achievements, creating meaningful work / products and so forth. If you can clearly articulate what it means to you that is a strong answer.

Its easy to talk about what you liked about your job in an interview, but you need to be careful when responding to questions about the downsides of your last position. When youre asked at a job interview about what you didnt like about your previous job, try not to be too negative. You dont want the interviewer to think that youll speak negatively about this job or the company should you eventually decide to move on after they have hired you.

One of the most useful interview tactics is to remain positive about your work and achievements. This question lets the candidate draw on their own personal history to show how they have been positive and successful in the face of difficulties. Choose a specific occasion to describe, rather than dealing with generic platitudes.

Start by explaining what youd need to do to get ramped up. What information would you need? What parts of the company would you need to familiarize yourself with? What other employees would you want to sit down with? Next, choose a couple of areas where you think you can make meaningful contributions right away. (e.g., “I think a great starter project would be diving into your email marketing campaigns and setting up a tracking system for them.”) Sure, if you get the job, you (or your new employer) might decide theres a better starting place, but having an answer prepared will show the interviewer where you can add immediate impact-and that youre excited to get started.

My friends would probably say that Im extremely persistent – Ive never been afraid to keep going back until I get what I want. When I worked as a program developer, recruiting keynote speakers for a major tech conference, I got one rejection after another – this was just the nature of the job. But I really wanted the big players – so I wouldnt take no for an answer. I kept going back to them every time there was a new company on board, or some new value proposition. Eventually, many of them actually said “yes” – the program turned out to be so great that we doubled our attendees from the year before. A lot of people might have given up after the first rejection, but its just not in my nature. If I know something is possible, I have to keep trying until I get it.

You should be able to join it right away, barring plans youve already made (family travel, vacation, other obligations). The key is to simply be open in communication of whats already committed on your schedule. Most companies are accommodating. If they are not, weight the importance of joining that company vs. your plans.

There was a time when one of my employers faced the quitting of a manager in another country. I was asked to go fill in for him while they found a replacement and stay to train that person. I would be at least 30 days. I quickly accepted because I knew that my department couldnt function without me.

Quality work to be is about doing work to the require or set standard, which is very important when it comes to warehouse operations.

All in a nutshell. But I think Ive attained a level of personal comfort in many ways and although I will change even more in the next 5-6 years Im content with the past 6 and what has come of them.

Wow, do we have problems! Where do I begin? Well, most of the problems are internal, just people not working well with each other. I have one person on our team who is a real problem, but it seems like management is afraid to do anything about it. So we all end up having to do extra work to cover for this person, who just doesnt work. We all say that hes retired in place. I think hes just holding on until retirement in a couple years. But hes a real problem. I complain about it–a lot–but nothing ever seems to get done. Ive even written negative reviews about the person, hoping he will get canned, but it doesnt happen. I cant wait for him to retire.

Demonstrate both loyalty and ambition in the answer to this question. After sharing your personal ambition, it may be a good time to ask the interviewer if your ambitions match those of the company.

When you are interviewing for a new job, it is common practice for the company to ask you about your salary history. I typically want to know what the candidates base salary is, if they receive any bonus, the average bonus amount, and any additional compensation or perks, such as 500k matching, stock grants or stock options, paid time off and how much they are required to pay towards their medical premiums.

Public Works Director interview questions

Interviews for Top Jobs at LA County Department of Public Works

Mechanical Engineering Assistant Interview

Application

I applied online. The process took 3 months. I interviewed at LA County Department of Public Works

Interview

The hiring process is longer than most companies because it is a government job. So, you have the typical 1st interview (test) to place you in a list of candidates. Then you move on to 2nd interviews with the team that you will be working on.Both interviews were not bad. The first interview is more of a test to test your knowledge on certain areas of mechanical engineering that the department deals with. The rest are behavioral questions.The second interview was about my experience and how my experience fits with the job description in the team.Both processes were smooth and fast, the engineers that interviewed me were respectful, nice and fair. HR was also very helpful throughout the process.I ended up declining the offer because I was making more at my company at the time. For entry level, the County does not negotiate a higher salary, according to HR.

Interview Questions

  • Tell me what you know about one of the following three engineering topics: HVAC, hydronic design, and thermal and fluid design.

Civil Engineering Assistant Interview

Application

I applied online. The process took 3 months. I interviewed at LA County Department of Public Works

Interview

I applied online and got an email requesting an online video interview a month after submitting the application. A few weeks after the interview, I received a physical letter with my evaluation score and my ranking. I was emailed a few weeks after that requesting a second interview, also an online video interview (I’m not local at this time). Questions were non-technical, mostly general ones about how to handle a certain situation. A few weeks after that, I received an offer.

Interview Questions

  • What clubs/organizations are you involved with?

This question can help the interviewer determine how often you interact with vendors and suppliers. This is an important part of your job as a public works director, so it’s likely that you’ll need to update your list regularly. Consider mentioning any specific methods you use for keeping track of vendor information or if you have a system in place for doing so.

Public works directors are responsible for implementing new programs and initiatives to improve the quality of life in their communities. This question helps employers understand your ability to implement change within a public works department. In your answer, describe how you would approach this project and what steps you would take to ensure it’s successful.

This question can help the interviewer get a better idea of your experience with public works projects and how you’ve handled them in the past. When answering this question, it can be beneficial to mention some of the more challenging aspects of working on public works projects and how you overcame those challenges.

This question can help the interviewer determine how often you stay up to date on industry trends and advancements. It also shows them that you’re willing to learn new things, which is an important skill for public works professionals. In your answer, try to mention a specific technology or process that has changed recently.

Public works projects often require the cooperation of many different departments and individuals. Employers ask this question to make sure you have good interpersonal skills. Use your answer to show that you are a team player who is willing to collaborate with others. Explain how you plan projects with input from other departments.

To help you prepare for a Department Of Public Works job interview, here are 30 interview questions and answer examples.

  • How to Answer
  • 1st Answer Example
  • 2nd Answer Example
  • In public works, there are a variety of areas in which you can work, including public recreational areas such as parks and green spaces. Public works can also include the care of community centers and government-owned building. Transport infrastructure and roads are often considered public works as well. In addition to these, public services such as water supply, sewage treatment, and electrical grids fall under the umbrella of the public works. The interviewer would like to know, aside from the role to which you have applied, what other areas of public works catch your attention. Discuss any other interests that you have.

    “I have a variety of interests and, aside from this position, would be happy to learn more about water supply and treatment. I believe that water supply is one of the most important services we can provide to the public. Its important to me that I understand how water treatment processes work.”

    “Although my primary interest is in the landscaping and beautification of public spaces such as parks and green spaces, I do have an interest in roads and infrastructure. If there were an opportunity to learn about other public works services at Department Of Public Works I would choose roads and bridges. Its fascinating to me how the city comes to decisions on road expansions and more.”

    Situational interviews As Public Works Laborer are similar to behavioral interview questions – but they are focused on the future, and ask hypothetical questions, whereas behavioral interview questions look at the past. The advantage is that employers can put all candidates in the same hypothetical situations, and compare their answers. 1. What would you do if you made a strong recommendation in a meeting, but your colleagues decided against it? 2. How you would handle it if your team resisted a new idea or policy you introduced? 3. How would you handle it if the priorities for a project you were working on were suddenly changed? 4. What would you do if the work of an employee you managed didnt meet expectations? 5. What would you do if an important task was not up to standard, but the deadline to complete it had passed? 6. What steps would you take to make an important decision on the job As Public Works Laborer? 7. How would you handle a colleague you were unable to form a positive relationship with? 8. What would you do if you disagreed with the way a manager wanted you to handle a problem? 9. What would you do if you were assigned to work with a difficult client As Public Works Laborer? 10. What would you do if you worked hard on a solution to a problem, and your solution was criticized by your team? 11. How would you handle working closely with a colleague who was very different from you? 12. Youre working on a key project that you cant complete, because youre waiting on work from a colleague. What do you do? 13. You realize that an early mistake in a project is going to put you behind deadline. What do you do?

    Demonstrate both loyalty and ambition in the answer to this question. After sharing your personal ambition, it may be a good time to ask the interviewer if your ambitions match those of the company.

    When you are interviewing for a new job, it is common practice for the company to ask you about your salary history. I typically want to know what the candidates base salary is, if they receive any bonus, the average bonus amount, and any additional compensation or perks, such as 500k matching, stock grants or stock options, paid time off and how much they are required to pay towards their medical premiums.

    I work well under pressure to meet deadlines without jeopardizing the quality of my work. I have always worked in a fast pace environment where we are constantly under pressure to achieve best results within a time frame.

    You should be able to join it right away, barring plans youve already made (family travel, vacation, other obligations). The key is to simply be open in communication of whats already committed on your schedule. Most companies are accommodating. If they are not, weight the importance of joining that company vs. your plans.

    FAQ

    What should I wear to a DPW interview?

    Interview tips at Department of Public Works
    • Business casual (e.g. dress slacks)42%
    • They didn’t have a dress code19%
    • Formal (business suit)17%
    • Special outfit (e.g. protective gear)12%
    • Casual (t-shirt and jeans)10%

    What are the 3 Ps in the interview process?

    Top 10 Support Worker Interview Questions and Answers
    • Can you tell me about yourself? …
    • What is your interpretation of a Support Workers role? …
    • What would you bring to the position? …
    • What was a challenging experience you encountered and how did you deal with it? …
    • How do you assess a client’s needs?

    Why do you want to work for public works?

    When you have an interview scheduled, there are three essential actions you should take so that you can go in and conquer it: get prepared, be professional, and stay positive. All of these actions have different missions, but they go hand-in-hand and work together.

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