Written by Jessica Marabella These questions can help you identify the most qualified additions to your team.
City Council Member interview questions
Example: “I think city council members should meet at least once a month. This is usually enough time for us to discuss any pressing issues and make decisions together. If we need to meet more frequently, I am happy to do so. However, I believe it’s best to only meet as often as we need to.”
This question can help the interviewer understand your ability to work with others and collaborate. This is an important skill for city council members, as they must often compromise or negotiate with other officials on issues that affect their constituents. In your answer, try to highlight how you have worked well with others in the past and what skills helped you do so.
Example: “I believe one of the best ways we can improve public safety is by ensuring our police force has adequate resources. I know many departments across the country struggle with underfunding, so I would work with my colleagues on the city council to find solutions to this problem. For example, I would consider raising taxes if necessary to ensure our officers have the tools they need to do their jobs effectively.”
Example: “I am passionate about my community and have been involved in many local organizations. I believe that having experience working with different groups of people will help me understand what issues our city needs to address. I also think that my communication skills will help me work well with other members of the council. I am committed to finding solutions to problems and collaborating with others to find those solutions.”
Example: “My top priority as a city council member will be to increase funding for our public schools. I believe that education is one of the most important things we can do for our children, and I want to make sure that all students have access to quality teachers and resources. Another priority of mine is to reduce crime in our city. I plan to work with law enforcement officials to find ways to improve safety.”
Do you think our main street/downtown is healthy and successful? If not, what would you do to change that?
What To Listen For: First ask yourself what you think could be improved about your main street. Is it safe to walk there? Are businesses thriving? Do people spend time there? If so, then this might be an easy question for your candidate to answer. If not, then think about the small steps that could be taken to make Main Street safer: narrowing lanes of traffic, installing benches, planting trees, hosting pop-up shops in empty storefronts to encourage business activity, etc. Does the candidate mention these sorts of initiatives and understand the importance of a healthy downtown, or does he/she just talk about moving traffic or increasing parking?
What’s more important for our city right now: building new homes and commercial space or rehabbing/expanding/better utilizing our existing homes and storefronts?
What To Listen For: Depending on what sort of community you live in, you probably have a sense of whether your town has vacancies and endless subdivisions on the edge of town, or whether you truly have a housing shortage. But even if you are one of the rare cities that falls in the latter category, you likely still have plenty of underutilized properties that could be renovated or expanded to accommodate more people and businesses. Your candidate should respond with a balanced perspective that focuses on the need to better utilize existing buildings and only build when truly necessary with an eye toward adaptability and keeping costs down.
Jessica is the director of content and communications at CivicPlus. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Rochester, and a Master of Arts degree in Advertising from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She has over 15 years of experience in communications, public relations, and content creation with a focus on writing in the digital marketing space. Authors
Written by Jessica Marabella These questions can help you identify the most qualified additions to your team.
FAQ
What questions do they ask in a government interview?
- Why do you want to work for the government? …
- Why do you want to work at this agency? …
- Tell us about yourself. …
- Why did you leave your last job? …
- What do you think of your previous boss? …
- This position is less senior than your last one.
What are the qualities of a good council member?
- What do you know about our company, and why do you want to work here?
- What skills and strengths can you bring to this position?
- Can you tell me about your current job?
- What could your current company do to be more successful?
What are the questions asked in interview for student council?
- Proven Performance. …
- Commitment. …
- Time and Financial Resources to Serve. …
- Understanding of Teamwork. …
- Sound Judgement and Integrity. …
- Communication and Good “Teaching” Skills. …
- Ability to Subordinate Special Interests. …
- Strategic Thinking.
