Investigator Interview Questions with Answer Examples
Could you give me examples from your past experience where you displayed excellent memory abilities?
District Attorney Investigators need outstanding short-term and long-term memory capabilities. Listen carefully for the potential hire to reveal this attribute.
District Attorney Investigator Interview Questions:
The prospective hire needs to display this ability, as a district attorney investigator needs to communicate with diverse people in the course of their duties.
Could you tell me more about your interviewing and questioning abilities and techniques?
The candidate’s answer will demonstrate this ability. A large portion of a district attorney investigators success hinges on their ability to extract pertinent information from relevant people.
Interviews for Top Jobs at San Diego County Public Defender’s Office
Post Bar Clerk Interview
I applied online. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at San Diego County Public Defender’s Office (San Diego, CA) in Dec 2015
Interview
I interned for the office in three locations during law school. Following my final semester as an intern, I had two interviews with a mock performance aspect. The process was friendly, but I received little feedback.
- Prepare a strategic trial plan based on a thirty minute review of a fact pattern.
Office Assistant Interview
I applied online. I interviewed at San Diego County Public Defender’s Office
Interview
Interviewed earlier this year for an “Office Assistant” position. At the end of the interview myself and other candidates that had interviewed were informed it was actually for a transcribing position, where we would be listening to a headset all day. Not relevant to the official County of San Diego Office Assistant job description for this position, nor were we informed of this while scheduling the interview.
- What relevant skills do you have for this position?
Certified Interview
I applied in-person. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at San Diego County Public Defender’s Office (San Diego, CA) in Jul 2014
Interview
Paper application through law school and then an in-person interview with the internship coordinator. Fairly simple and straight forward process. Interview was one-on-one, and very formulaic with questions being asked from a sheet and typed into an answer. Almost like talking with a computer. The questions were actually fairly difficult and they were looking for specific answers.
- Why do you want to work in Public Defense?
Interviews for Top Jobs at Public Defender Service For The District Of Columbia
Investigator Interview
I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Public Defender Service For The District Of Columbia (Washington, DC)
Interview
Behavioral interview with the internship coordinator. On skype because I live in a different state. He asked about past experiences, then the ethics of public defense, then gave me hypotheticals to answer.
- How would you feel defending a child rapist?
Investigator Interview
I applied through college or university. I interviewed at Public Defender Service For The District Of Columbia (Washington, DC) in Feb 2019
Interview
Be prepared for scenarios. They’re looking for quick and critical thinking. If you review your application materials and think about them from multiple angles, you should be just fine. Make sure to have some familiarity with the DC court system.
- The interviewer gave me scenarios that I may face whilst on the job.
I have 15 years of field investigative experience in private industry gathering evidence, facts, reports, locating and interviewing witnesses and subjects, scene canvassing, dealing with 3rd parties and liaising with government and law enforcement agencies.
I was recently offered an interview/assessment with a public defender’s office in CA for an investigator role.
#1 Why do you want to be a public defender? The most obvious of all public defender interview questions.
This is the biggest of the common public defender interview questions. Why public defense? How about the ACLU? Or maybe do some policy work ending mandatory minimums? Prisoner rights advocacy? These are all worthy causes!
“Why do you want to be a public defender?” is an obvious question, so you need to have a solid answer.
Do you have a personal story? Did you witness something that inspired your passion? Maybe it was a book? (Check out my blog post on books to read before you interview.)
You should also be able to speak to the systemic need for public defenders. And to that point, if you haven’t read Gideon v. Wainwright, get on it!
In this guide, we’ll provide you with some sample questions and answers that will help you ace your public defender interview.
Example: “I would first try to talk to my colleague in private. If they were aware of what they were doing but refused to stop, I would report them to our supervisor. In this situation, it’s important to remember that we’re all on the same side and need to support each other. It’s also important to be honest and not make things up or exaggerate because that could lead to more problems.”
Example: “I typically see my clients once every two weeks or so. I try to meet with them in person at least once before their trial date. This helps me get to know them better and understand their case. It also gives me enough time to prepare for court and ensure that I have all the necessary information to present my client’s case effectively.”
Example: “In my last position as a public defender, I had a client who was accused of stealing from his employer. My client claimed that he didn’t steal anything, but the prosecution wanted to give him jail time. To help prove my client’s innocence, I went through surveillance footage with a team of investigators. We were able to find proof that my client wasn’t at work during the time of the theft, so we won the case.”
Example: “I have always been passionate about criminal justice reform, so I would love to focus my efforts as a public defender on helping clients who are facing charges related to nonviolent crimes. I believe that many people in our prison system could benefit from rehabilitation rather than incarceration, and I would like to use my skills as a lawyer to help those individuals find better lives.”
FAQ
How do I prepare for a public defender interview?
How do you prepare for an investigator interview?
- Can you tell me about your training and background as a criminal investigator? …
- What is your case success rate? …
- What was your most challenging investigation? …
- Can you describe the proper evidence collection techniques employed by criminal investigators?
What questions do they ask during interview?
- Could you tell me about yourself and describe your background in brief? …
- How did you hear about this position? …
- What type of work environment do you prefer? …
- How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations? …
- Do you prefer working independently or on a team?
How do you answer why do you want to be a public defender?
- Emphasize your skills. Public defenders have a wide skill set that makes them effective as both lawyers and public officials. …
- Talk about your experiences. …
- Describe your goals. …
- Show your passion.
