written assignment for job interview

6 interview writing prompt examples to qualify content candidates

Share this article

Get monthly executive saas marketing advice in your inbox.

Qualifying candidates for content can be a longer process than you think. After all, your content is how people find you, learn from you, and choose you. And good quality and execution of content are what may set you apart from others. So, how do you make sure they’re fit for the role? Or if they can deliver the results you’re looking for? A good place to start is by asking them to complete writing prompts as an early step in the interview process.

As a manager of a content team, writing is one of the most important things I need to vet in order to see if a candidate is fit for the role. And I don’t just want to see writing they’ve done in the past, I want to test them now . That’s why I’ve come up with several different written task prompts to put candidates to the test. Are they a good fit for the role? For the company? For the team?

When you're building your first marketing team, a content writer will be one of the first roles you should consider hiring for , and when working with a small team it'll be essential that you hire the right person the first time, rather than wasting time and resources training someone who's a poor fit. Writing prompts are a perfect way to allow candidates to show off their skills.

When should you ask content job candidates to complete a written task?

There are different stages of the interview process in which you can offer written assignments. First, if candidates maybe lack a portfolio or you need more information upfront, you can ask candidates to complete writing prompts before you even speak to them. Second, and my preferred method, you can ask them to complete writing prompts later on in the process. Alternatively, you can do a mix of both. I’ll let you decide what works best for your hiring funnel. 

Here are examples of what a typical interview process may look like and where the writing prompts may fall:

• Resume, portfolio & video introduction reviewed
• Pre-interview writing prompts completed
• Phone screen or initial interview
• Writing prompts completed
• Interview with the hiring manager (where writing prompts are presented)
• Interview with another member of the team 
• Interview with higher-level managers/CEO if needed
• Hired :) 

Let’s take a look at 6 different sample writing exercises for job applicants you may find helpful in your next round of interviews.

3 short writing prompt examples 

Now that your hiring pipeline is full, you’ve reviewed resumes, portfolios, maybe a quick applicant video introduction, and the like, and you’re probably ready to start scheduling interviews. At this stage, it might be wise to ask some of your top choices to do a bit of homework that applies to your product/company to kick it off. You can do this before you start the first round of interviews, or after.

These short writing prompts should give you just enough to test the legitimacy of their work. To make the most of their time and yours, make sure that all assignments and expectations are clearly explained to candidates, especially if it’s before they get the chance to speak to anyone.

Short writing prompts to choose from

These examples can be tweaked and modified to the position at your company or depending on what exactly you’re looking for. Nonetheless, they can help you get started on how to develop short writing prompts. 

1. ‘Wow’/awareness prompt  

Please choose something on our website that you can build upon and write a blurb to ‘wow’ our audience. Make sure to use language that draws them in and makes them the center (it should be less about us and more about them). Consider a headline that sparks interest or curiosity from the reader. 

Add a short description explaining what you expanded on and why you did what you did. 

2. ‘How’/Consideration Prompt

Write a short blurb that helps our audience answer questions they have or learn something to help them along their buyer’s journey—whether they’re in the awareness, consideration, or decision stage. This can be for website copy, an email—just something to show you know how to write for this stage of the funnel.  

Add a short description explaining how your writing piece guides readers along in their journey.  

3. ‘Now’/decision prompt 

Please write an email inviting someone to do something—download our new guide to X, reach out to us, schedule a demo, etc. Make sure to describe why you wrote what you did and how it requires action from the audience. 

These are good tests that force candidates to really think about their targeted audience and the stage of the funnel they’re in and how to write for them—a true marketing skill. They are interesting, yet broad topics you can have job candidates complete to really challenge them—both in writing and in marketing knowledge. 

Now, let’s take a look at project-based writing prompts that are a bit broader. 

3-part project-based sample writing prompt 

I personally prefer to ask candidates to complete a project-based writing exercise after an initial interview. This gives us the opportunity to learn more about them and their experience, so instead of short samples, the project-based writing prompts allow us to further determine if they are a good fit. 

For this project-based writing prompt, I ask candidates to complete 3 stages of a writing assignment. First, I test their ability to edit and improve their writing. Second, I test their ability to write a piece, and third, I test their ability to plan and build a content strategy. 

Of course, this is specific to what the content role does here at Kalungi on a day-to-day basis, but I’m confident any content marketer or content manager should know how to do these 3 tasks (or hopefully you can get some inspiration for how to tweak this for your company). As a note: no matter what, this longer, project-based writing prompt should specifically do 2 things:

• Allow the candidate to get a taste of what they will be doing during their day-to-day
• Allow you as the hiring manager to see if they will be a good fit for their job depending on the work they deliver 

Let’s dive into this 3-part writing project. You can choose to assign all the parts, or select one or two. However, we’ve found this to be a good test of whether they’re a good fit for us, and we’re a good fit for them.

Project-based writing prompt for job candidates

1. editing & improving writing .

Please edit, leave suggestions and optimize this blog: [insert blog here]. Let us know what you’d change or improve to make it the best it can be.

2. Writing a blog 

Please showcase your ability to create high-quality content that adds value, drives organic traffic, and boosts keyword rankings. Write an 800-1,000 word blog post on ‘[insert keyword here]’ for [website].

3. Planning & strategy 

Demonstrate your ability to strategize, plan, and advise a topic cluster content strategy . Put together a topic cluster strategy in this spreadsheet [insert link here]. 

This 3-part writing project requires the hiring manager and the job candidate to discuss the decisions that were made in the next interview. I prefer to invite candidates to schedule an interview with me right when this project is completed so we don’t delay the process. This is because I’ve found that although sometimes people don’t ‘nail’ these projects, or do complete them with the quality I hoped for, I can tell if they are on the right track or if they can learn quickly when they explain the approach they took—especially for the editing and planning projects. 

An example of what I added to the end of the project description: 

Present your work! Please schedule a 30-minute content interview with the hiring manager. Contact [email protected] to schedule.

An optional portion of the project I also like to include is a self-review where the candidate answers the following questions. 

• How do you think you did? What do you think you did well? 
• What did you struggle with? What do you want to learn more about?

I give them the option to answer these questions in the project document or to be ready to discuss them in our interview. These are questions that allow you to tell the kind of person they are and the attitude they have towards work and learning. I think it also opens up the conversation and makes us more human. After all, honesty is key, especially during interviews :)

Good luck with your next hire

I hope these writing sample prompts help you better determine which candidate is best for your business. Remember, it’s the work that should impress you, not their resume or their experience. 

If you do use any of these writing prompt examples—we’d love to hear your feedback on what you (or the candidate!) thought about them and how they helped you in your hiring journey. You can reach out to me personally at [email protected] . 

Looking to build your marketing team? See our resources on " What roles to hire first " and " How to hire your B2B SaaS CMO " or get in touch with our team to learn more about how Kalungi's outsourced marketing services could provide you with a full-service, instantly-on marketing team .

CTO and co-founder at Kalungi, Fadi has helped SaaS companies grow with Inbound Marketing strategy and tactical best practices. as well as Marketing & Sales alignment to generate over $250MM in revenue for companies globally.

Similar posts

You can’t skip 2nd base growing your b2b saas business.

These are the “4 bases” of SaaS Marketing priorities in chronological order. While you can go through these fast and hit a home run, you can't skip...

What A SaaS CMO Can Learn From IKEA Instructions

If you have to dismantle your project and start over, the impact on your trajectory can be devastating. Can you get it right the first time?

Why a fractional CMO is a no-brainer for B2B SaaS startups

Your first SaaS VP of Marketing shouldn't be in-house. Find and hire the right SaaS Fractional CMO can drive radical growth and scale for your...

Get notified on new marketing insights

Be the first to know about new B2B SaaS Marketing insights to build or refine your marketing function with the tools and knowledge of today’s industry.

Empire Resume

Interview Projects and Assignments

Interviewing in today’s job market can sometimes feel like a never-ending process. You’ll likely be called for a virtual interview first. Then you’ll go through at least three in-person interviews, if not more. Then, you must wait for references to be verified, and a background check to be completed.

The latest statistics say it can take 43 days for the average candidate to go from first interview to job offer. In 2017, it was just 24 days according to research conducted by Glassdoor .

The time from first interview to hire is likely to increase because employers are requiring candidates to take on a sample assignments or projects as part of the interview process.

What is a Job Interview Assignment?  

A job interview assignment is a task that’s similar to the type of work you’d be doing if hired for the job. The hiring manager will use the assignment to further assess your skills and abilities. It gives them tangible evidence of your ability to perform the job at a satisfactory level if hired.

If you knock the assignment out the park, it may help you land the job. However, if you fail to impress your potential employer, then you might not get the offer, no matter how well you did on your interviews.

How Do You Handle a Job Interview Assignment?

No matter how you might feel about interview assignments, it looks like they are here to stay so you have to know how to succeed.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Do understand the expectations of your industry

There are some roles where interview assignments have always been the rule rather than the exception. If you’re applying for a position as a graphic designer, copywriter, proofreader, then you should expect an assignment.

Beyond that, it’s becoming increasingly popular for employers to ask candidates to create a marketing plan for a certain product. If you’re going for a process management role, employers may want to see your take on a process-improvement plan. If you’re into data analysis, then you may be asked to give a report on a set of numbers they provide.

It’s hard to predict what type of assignment you’ll get from each employer. The point is to have a general expectation that you’ll be asked to complete a project, so you’re not surprised when it comes.

2. Do follow the instructions

Read the instructions of the assignment carefully. Avoid the temptation to go “above and beyond” to try and wow the hiring manager. That approach may backfire. Turning in a solid product that demonstrates your understanding of the assignment should be your priority.

3. Do ask questions

It’s perfectly okay for you to ask questions. In fact, it shows that you’re engaged and really want to do a quality job. You don’t want to fail the assignment just because you didn’t ask a simple question.

Remember to ask about the deadline. Are they expecting you to hand in a report or present your work to the hiring manager? What criteria will they use to assess your work?

4. Do protect your intellectual property

You want to do your best, but at the same time you don’t want the company to just take your work and use it. It sounds unethical, but it does happen.

Ask how your work will be used once you provide it. Is the work for evaluation purposes only? Or will any work you do become property of the company? Knowing the answer may influence whether you want to do the assignment.

Some jobseekers may ask employers to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to ensure they don’t use the work without consent. That could be a turnoff for some employers, but don’t hesitate to request that one be signed if you’re truly concerned.

5. Do research the company

You want your final product to reflect the tone, style, and values of the firm you’re interviewing for. Ask for a copy of the company’s style guide to use while completing the assignment. They may not want to give you that proprietary information, but it’s worth asking.

Whether or not you get the style guide, reading the company’s website, looking up press releases, and reviewing marketing materials can give you a sense of the company’s culture. Showing that you did a bit of “homework” before you completed the assignment will surely impress the hiring manager.

6. Do set aside time for the assignment

 Give yourself plenty of time. You don’t want to wait until the night before the assignment is due to start the assignment. Put time on your calendar well before the due date to start. You may need to complete the assignment over two or more sessions.

7. Do complete the work yourself

If you’re not too sure about the assignment you may be tempted to ask a friend or colleague to do it for you. While it’s okay to ask for a bit of advice or an opinion on your work, make sure you do it yourself. Handing in someone else’s work is not only dishonest, but if you get the job and can’t do similar tasks, you might not hang onto the job for very long.

8. Do proofread your work

Make sure you have time to thoroughly proofread your work before handing it in. You may also want to have a friend or colleague review your work as well. You don’t want a careless typo or mistake to sink your chances of landing the job.

9. Do show enthusiasm about the project

When submitting the assignment, take a moment to include a note. Thank the hiring manager for the opportunity to complete the project. Remind them why you’d be a good fit for the role. And, put in at least one thing you learned while doing the assignment to entice the hiring manager to look further.

Here’s an example of a note you could include:

Thank you for the opportunity to complete this assignment. I really enjoyed the challenge. You’ll see that I’ve made three low-cost recommendations that I believe would increase paid subscribers by 10% over the next quarter.  

Completing the assignment confirmed to me that I have the passion and skill set to be successful in this role.

10. Do be prepared to walk away

Interview assignments shouldn’t take more than four hours to complete. You may review the assignment and decide that it would take up too much of your time and energy. You may have second thoughts about even doing it. That’s perfectly okay.

You can decline the assignment by writing an email to the hiring manager that says something like this:

Thank you for offering me the opportunity to interview with your company. I’ve enjoyed the experience, but I’ve decided to pursue other job opportunities at this time and won’t be completing the assignment given to me at the end of the last interview.

It may be hard to walk away from a job opportunity when you’ve come so close. But think of it like this: if a company is asking you to do a lot of work and you haven’t even been hired yet, then just imagine what they ask their paid employees to do.

What are Examples of Job Interview Assignments?

Here are three examples of job interview assignments that you might receive from a potential employer. 

1. You’re interviewing with Scheer & Douglass Marketing Group. They’re looking for a new Director of Content Management who understands SEO best practices and long-form blog writing.

For your assignment, you’ll receive a topic, keywords, the audience you’re writing for, and a company style guide. You’ll also receive several samples of the company’s best-performing blogs. Your assignment is to provide a 1,500-word blog that includes at least five mentions of each keyword and a strong call to action.

2. Save the Date, Inc. is a software company that develops and sells scheduling and dispatch software for pest control companies, cable installation companies, and more.

You’ve applied for a sales position with the company. For your assignment, your potential manager gives you information about their latest software, a spec sheet, and a price list. Your assignment is to create a 10-minute presentation to help sell the company’s latest software to a flower delivery franchise that’s reluctant to upgrade.

3. Cumulous Software, LLC needs a software engineer who can oversee ongoing updates and improvements to their brand-new mobile app.

The hiring manager is interested in testing your coding skills. You receive several pages of sample code that’s not working properly. You’re given limited instructions and access to the company’s source code library. Your assignment is to find the problems within the code provided and write the simplest, most practical code possible to solve the issues.

Interview Projects and Assignments are Here to Stay  

Like it or not, interview assignments are the new normal, and it’s best to assume that you’ll be asked to do one sooner or later. Use the tips above to make sure you turn in the best work possible.

Maria Gold is a Content Manager/Writer for Empire Resume. She is dedicated to helping educate and motivate people with the latest career articles and job search advice. Her interests range from writing to programming and design. She is also passionate about innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology.

Related Articles:

Key Recruiting and Hiring Statistics (Updated for 2022)

How to Get an Internal Promotion

How Long Do Hiring Managers Spend Reviewing Resumes?

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes:

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

How to Nail The Amazon Writing Assignment

How to Nail The Amazon Writing Assignment in your next interview

Book a coaching session today!

Don't leave your interview to chance.

For certain positions at Amazon (usually mid to senior level, L6 and above), as part of the interview process you’ll be required to submit a writing sample. This should be roughly two pages and given to you to complete on your own so that you can do it at home. You usually have 48 hours to complete the assessment. 

This writing sample is taken seriously as part of the interview process. Amazon famously doesn’t use powerpoints, and instead relies on written memos in their meetings. When you have a new marketing or product idea to pitch, instead of having a bunch of fancy slides to present, you’ll be expected to write a 6 page, structured memo explaining your idea. In the meeting, the first few minutes are spent in silence reading the document, followed by stakeholders diving deep and asking questions about your memo. 

As you can imagine, your ability to write clearly and concisely is an important skill to have! 

How is the Amazon Writing sample assessed? 

Almost all of the prompts for the writing sample will be a Behavioral Question based on the Amazon Leadership Principles . You’ll usually get the option to answer one of two questions, for example, “Write about a time where you had limited data but had to make an important decision,” or “Tell me about a time you had to convince a stakeholder of your viewpoint.”

The writing sample will be assessed based on the relevance of your example, the structure, your adherence to the Leadership Principles and the logic. If you’ve done the preparation of your STAR stories for Amazon, then you should already have plenty of examples to choose from. The best way to write this is to choose a very solid example and use the STAR format to have a structured story. If you’re new to STAR, you can start here.

It’s very common for an interviewer to bring up your writing sample in the actual interview and ask probing questions about it — so make sure to review your writing sample before going into the interview! Be ready to dive deep.

The curve balls

After coaching hundreds of people on the Amazon writing sample, I’ve noticed that sometimes an interviewer will throw a curveball or two. This happens either one of two ways: 

• During the interview they bring up the example you wrote in your writing assignment, but are not happy with the example you gave. So, they ask you for another example to answer the question! (A bit stressful if you’ve only prepared that one example)
• Usually there are two question prompts in the writing sample. They will probe into the one you answered, but then ask for an example/answer to the other question that you haven’t answered!

The solution to mitigate these curveballs is to over prepare. In case 1, you should prepare and write out one extra example for the same question prompt (for yourself), which you can use as backup in case it’s asked for. For case 2, you should definitely answer both questions in the writing prompt, even though you are only submitting one. Putting this extra effort will make you more confident in the interview and moreover give you a larger pool of quality stories to choose from.  

• Keep the length to two or three pages - no more than that.
• Keep in mind the Leadership Principles as you write and frame your examples from the lens of these values.
• Revise your writing sample to be as logical and concise as possible using the STAR format.
• Always include the reasoning behind decisions you made in the story.
• Include numbers/data where you can.
• If possible, have someone else review your example to get a second opinion.

Here is an example of what an Amazon writing sample looks like for a candidate who successfully received a job offer. Successful Writing Sample

Can I use the same STAR story I used for my leadership principle stories? Or should I have a different one? 

It’s okay to reuse a story you’ve already prepared. What’s more important is how well the story is written!

Should I include headers and bold/italics? 

Yes, it’s definitely fine to add in headings and subheadings to structure the document if necessary.

What font should I use?

It doesn’t matter too much, but I’d suggest using Calibri 10. This is actually the font that Amazon uses internally, so you’ll automatically create some familiarity…and familiarity breeds trust!

How should I use numbers? 

It’s super important to add data. Be specific. Instead of saying you increased sales or marketing spend, give the number. If you have no numbers or data in your example, it’s likely a no-go.

Can I include graphs, images or tables?

This is a big no! And would usually result in a rejection. Amazon is focused on the written word, and the expectation is that you should be able to explain your points without the support of extra images.

Can I write 3 pages? 

No, definitely don’t go over the 2 page requirement. If you’re trying to squeeze in a bit more, make the font a bit smaller. :)

Can I use an example from 10 years ago? It’s old, but it’s really relevant to the question!

I don’t recommend it. As a rule of thumb, choose an example within the last 5 years. Amazon prefers examples that are fresh and relevant. 

What other tips do you have? 

The person reading your writing sample is busy and wants you to get to the point as soon as possible. Don’t make it hard for them! So, get your long version written down first and then edit. To edit, use this method: remove 1 paragraph from each page, one sentence from each paragraph, and one word from each sentence. Be strict and cut out any fat.

Related articles

The #1 Tip to Make Your Google Job Application Stand Out

What are hiring managers really looking for?

A 9-step plan to approach the software engineer interview at Microsoft and other FAANGs

What does carrus offer.

Interview Assignment Example-Template-Format | Pocket HRMS

Interview assignments are an integral part of contemporary interviews. They help the recruiters with brilliant insights as to the thinking pattern of candidates and understand their aptitude for working. On the other hand, it is a great avenue for the candidate to showcase their skill set as well as stand out from the crowd.

Since the assignment helps the interviewer understand the candidate’s problem solving and analytical skills better, it is used by recruiters whenever a technical position is being filled. Irrespective of how the candidate fares during the interview, the recruiter might still go ahead and hire a poorly performing candidate solely due to the fact that they were able to complete the assignment on time and were able to explain it well.

Importance of The Assignment

Interview and interview questions are an essential part of any recruitment process. However, what really helps the recruiter narrow down their search is the assignments and the way they are completed. If you are a candidate applying for any position where analytical skills and problem-solving is involved, then you can be sure that you will be asked to complete some form of assignment by the recruiter. Nowadays, even positions requiring creative thinking also requires the candidates to fulfil some assignments for their interview.

The assignments help the HRs understand the thinking pattern of candidates. It also gives them a good overview of their abilities. This helps them weed out others who might not be suited for the vacant position. The way the candidate approaches the problem at hand also helps in understanding whether they would enjoy the daily challenges of their job while they work in the company. Hence, based on how they complete the assignment, the HRs can make a sound decision.

On the other end, the candidates themselves can benefit from the assignments given by their recruiters. It provides a window for them to understand the kind of challenges they might face while undertaking their daily duties. It is also a chance for them to showcase their talents and abilities in a practical situation and hence, it would also help those candidates who might be a bit reserved.

Why is an Assignment requested by The Hiring Manager?

As we have established, the interview assignment and the way it is completed helps HR understand various kinds of parameters and abilities of candidates. However, there are other reasons too where the recruiter might request the candidate to complete some assignment for their interview.

One common example is to verify whether the aptitude and qualifications mentioned in the resume are legitimate. A candidate might have the necessary qualifications, yet, may not be capable enough to face the daily challenges while working in the company. Hence, providing them with a challenge will expose them to the daily work which would help them make the right choice.

If you are being asked to submit an assignment towards the end of a hiring process, you can be almost sure that you have stiff competition and you are being asked to complete the assignment by the recruiter to help them decide between you and your competition. In this case, it is vital that you understand what the company is looking for and tweak your assignment accordingly to increase your chances of being placed.

Email Template for Requesting Intake Meeting | Pocket HRMS

Interview Assignment Email Checklist

Before furnishing your candidate with the assignment email, kindly check whether the following pointers are covered and conveyed clearly:

1. The expected outcome

2. the deadline to submit the assignment, 3. contact information for resolving any doubts related to the assignment, 4. an example, a link or an attachment with all required instructions, 5. the exact timeline of the assignment, 6. the instructions for submitting the assignment, the interview assignment template.

Email Subject Line: Assignment for the position of [Job title]

Dear [Candidate Name]

Thank you once again for applying for the role of [Job title]. As part of our hiring process, we have decided to send assignments to talented candidates such as yourself!

In the attachment, you will find the assignment along with detailed instructions about completing and submitting it. Kindly read and follow the instructions in order to complete it successfully.

I wish you to understand that there are no right or wrong answers in this assignment. It mostly consists of situations relevant to the position being offered, and we want to evaluate your behaviour when facing situations like that during the course of your work here.

Kindly note that the due date to return the assignment is [Due Date].

If you have any questions or doubts about your assignment, make sure you contact me here. Wishing you the very best with the assignment, and I am looking forward to reading your insights.

[Your name]

[Email Signature]

Reply To Job Application Acknowledgement Template | Pocket HRMS

Template for informing Candidates about the receipt of Assignment

Dear [Candidate Name],

Thank you for completing and sending over the assignment within the defined timeframe. I hope you have followed all the instructions of this assignment.

Our team will review and evaluate the answers to your assignment. Once it is done, we will get back to you with detailed feedback and any further information we may have. I hope your insights help us understand you better and moves you forward with the hiring process.

Wishing you a good day, and please don’t hesitate to contact us with any doubts you may have!

[Signature]

Download Interview Assignment Template[FREE]

Found this article interesting? Share it on

Get in touch, recent post.

Experience Next-level Employee Engagement

Get in touch to digitalize your hr today.

Experience Futuristic Employee Management with Pocket HRMS: The Only smHRt HRMS in India with Microsoft GenAI.

• Payroll Software
• HRMS Software
• Leave Management
• Attendance Management
• Employee Management
• Performance Management
• smHRty Chatbot
• HR Template
• Infographic
• HR Glossary
• What is Payroll System?
• Holiday Lists 2024
• Why Pocket HRMS?
• Industry Solutions
• Partner with Us
• What is Payroll Software?
• What is HRMS?

Subscribe to Newsletter

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

• Skip to main content
• Skip to main navigation
• Accessibility Statement

More topics

• Career Conversations
• Application screening

Interviews and assessments

• Past work performance
• Applicant feedback
• You got the job

On this page

How to prepare, interview questions, behavioural competencies, closing the interview, working for the bc public service.

Read the job profile to understand the role:

• If you need more information about the position, send your questions in an email to the contact person listed in the posting
• Look at the ministry website, press releases and other information
• Research the position and the organization to prepare for an interview
• Some examples include a written component or test, providing samples of your work, preparing a presentation, an oral interview that may have situational and/or behavioural questions and past work performance (reference) checks

The interview can be conducted by a panel, in a round robin format, by phone, in person, or virtually (Skype or MS Teams).

Hiring Tips: Preparing for the Interview

There are 4 types of interview questions:

• Knowledge: testing knowledge of procedure, legislation, policy, computer applications
• Situational: what action would be taken in a hypothetical situation?
• Behavioural: what action was taken in a particular situation?
• Role and organizational alignment: what do you understand about the position?

Behavioural interview preparation

• Review behavioural competencies in the job profile
• Find examples from your past experiences that illustrate your competencies and successes
• Prepare your best examples of how you have demonstrated the competency
• Choose an example which best demonstrates the competency or knowledge being assessed
• You may be asked for a reference for your examples
• You may or may not be able to bring notes into the interview
• Use the STAR technique

Hiring Tips: What to Expect at the Interview

STAR technique

The STAR technique works to develop your competency examples.

Describe the situation:

• Be brief, but give enough detail so the interviewer understands the problem you faced in your role
• You may need to provide more background if context is critical in explaining your example

Describe the specific task involved:

• What was the task that needed to be accomplished?
• What was your specific role in the situation?
• Why were you involved? What were you expected/expecting to achieve?

Actions should be the focus of your example:

• Logically take the interviewer through the steps you took to handle the situation or resolve the problem
• What were your actions? Use 'I' not 'we'

Give enough detail so that the panel understands all of your actions and why you took them:

• What did you do or say?
• Why did you take this particular approach?
• What did you think or feel?
• Who did you consult or interact with and why?
• This may include the behaviour of others as it directly relates to your actions

Keep your answer clear and concise. Talk about what you did, not what you might do.

The panel may ask you questions to clarify information.

The results should link back to the task:

• What were the results of your actions?
• Describe the results or outcome of your actions and the event
• This may include how you felt about the outcome and why

Interview tips

• Research the job and the organization before you arrive to the interview
• Always arrive early for your interview
• If you're allowed to take notes, you should make your notes brief and in bullet form for quick reference and to ensure you have not missed key points
• You may be asked to leave your notes behind when the interview is over
• Listen carefully to the questions and answer them clearly and concisely
• Describe your interview responses as if you were talking to someone who knows nothing about what you do, the situation, or your role
• If you do not provide the verbal information, you may lose marks
• Learning can be something that worked well or something that in hindsight you would do differently
• For example, if the interview is one hour and has 4 questions, your responses should be approximately 10-15 minutes each

Hiring Tips: Sharing Your Experiences

Behavioural competencies describe the behaviours, attributes, traits and motives that you demonstrate when doing your job.

Find out more about competency interviews and in the  BC Public Service Competencies List (PDF, 146KB) .

Continuous service

Continuous service is a factor of merit that's considered and may be assessed depending on whether the position is covered by the BCGEU, PEA, UPN or BCNU Collective Agreements , or is excluded.

If there’s time remaining at the end of the interview, feel free to ask if you can revisit any answers you provided.

The following is recommended:

• This is your chance to find out more about the position, the team or the organization
• Ask about the next steps to clarify timelines and expectations
• No matter the result, all candidates will be notified of the outcome

Hiring Tips: Closing the Interview

Current job postings

• BC Public Service employees (IDIR restricted)
• External applicants (non-B.C. government employees)
• Executive opportunities

The B.C. Public Service acknowledges the territories of First Nations around B.C. and is grateful to carry out our work on these lands. We acknowledge the rights, interests, priorities, and concerns of all Indigenous Peoples - First Nations, Métis, and Inuit - respecting and acknowledging their distinct cultures, histories, rights, laws, and governments.

Should you give job applicants an assignment during the interview process? Be thoughtful about the ask

Hiring is a time-consuming and expensive endeavor. Companies need candidates who offer the right skills and experience for a given role, and who align with their organization’s vision and mission.

To find the best fit, many companies still lean on a strategy that continues to generate debate : the assignment. Some candidates believe their experience and interviews should give prospective employers enough information to determine whether they will fit the role. Employers have to ask themselves whether they are willing to turn off a strong candidate by asking them to do additional work.

Is the assignment valuable enough to the evaluation process that they cannot move someone forward without it? Sometimes it is—sometimes they help an employer decide between two strong candidates. And if they are necessary, how can employers make assignments fair and equitable for the candidate or candidates?

When done right, assignments help assess practical skills and problem-solving abilities, giving a clearer picture of a candidate beyond what their resume or interview reveals. But employers should be thoughtful about the ask. While it may make sense for roles that require specific technical expertise or creative thinking, it isn’t appropriate for all roles—so assignments should always be given with a clear reason for why they are needed.

Plus, they don’t just benefit the employer. For job seekers, an assignment during the interview process might also help them stand out from the competition. It can also offer a window into what their day-to-day in the new role might entail. Remember that the candidate should be interviewing the company, too. Having a test run of the work they’d be asked to do is a great way to see whether they believe the role is a fit.

However, there is a rift in how people perceive the assignment as part of the interview process. Workers today span many generations, each with unique values and expectations. Whereas older workers often prioritize stability and loyalty, younger millennials and Gen Zers are more focused on flexibility and work well-being, Indeed data shows .

This mindset impacts the amount of time and energy a candidate is willing to devote to each application. After multiple rounds of interviews and prep, taking on an in-depth assignment may feel like a bridge too far—especially if the expectations for the assignment are not clearly communicated ahead of time.

Some candidates are wary of providing free labor to a company that may use their work and not hire them. Hiring managers should be clear about how the work will be used. They may also consider offering compensation if the assignment requires more than a couple hours of someone’s time, or if they plan to use the work without hiring the candidate.

The key for early career candidates in particular is to ensure their time and efforts are respected. This is a win-win for employers: By providing clarity and transparency, they not only elicit the additional information they want from candidates, but they demonstrate that the organization is transparent and fair.

Equity is also imperative: Which candidates are being asked to complete assignments? Is the hiring team consistent in giving out assignments across ages, experience levels, and roles? There should always be a process and clear evaluation criteria in place to ensure fairness.

As we adapt to the rapidly evolving world of work, we must continue to think critically about each step in the hiring process. Candidate assignments can be a valuable tool, but only with appropriate respect for job seekers’ time and contributions.

With the right strategy, we can bridge the gap between generations in the workplace and build a hiring culture that values efficiency, talent, and integrity.

Eoin Driver is the global vice president of talent at Indeed.

More must-read commentary:

• Fannie Mae  CEO: Beyoncé is right. Climate change has already hit the housing market—and  homeowners aren’t prepared

Congress could soon spell the end of employment arbitration—but it’s not all good news for American workers

• Outdated laws prevent gig economy workers from getting benefits. This pilot program shows the path forward
• No, combustion engines won’t be supplanted by electric vehicles—and they’re  critical for sustainable transport

The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of  Fortune .

Latest in Commentary

Apple says privacy is a ‘core value.’ Tim Cook shouldn’t compromise it to bridge the gap on AI

Employees have a once-in-a-generation chance to reimagine work—and they’re using it to demand an ‘emotional salary’

Birthing mothers’ near-death experience rates are 100 times higher than maternal mortality—and we don’t even know exactly why

Shark Tank entrepreneur: E-commerce giants are eating my sister’s lunch—and destroying the American Dream

Most Popular

The collapsed Baltimore bridge will be demolished soon, and the crew of the ship that’s trapped underneath will be onboard when the explosives go off

The housing crisis in the U.S. is flipped upside down in Japan, where each home that’s occupied could be next to an empty one by 2033

Meet the boomers who’d rather spend $100k to renovate their homes than risk the frozen housing market: ‘It would be too hard to purchase anything else’

Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin says college protests are the result of a ‘cultural revolution’ and Harvard should ’embrace our Western values’

Meet the 81-year-old CEO who built a $10.4 billion luxury cruise line tailored just for baby boomers: ‘They’re the richest group we have around’

‘Housing has hit rock bottom’: Top real estate CEO says high home prices are shutting people out of the market

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Welcome to the Purdue Online Writing Lab

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out-of-class instruction.

The Purdue On-Campus Writing Lab and Purdue Online Writing Lab assist clients in their development as writers—no matter what their skill level—with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue Writing Lab serves the Purdue, West Lafayette, campus and coordinates with local literacy initiatives. The Purdue OWL offers global support through online reference materials and services.

A Message From the Assistant Director of Content Development 

The Purdue OWL® is committed to supporting  students, instructors, and writers by offering a wide range of resources that are developed and revised with them in mind. To do this, the OWL team is always exploring possibilties for a better design, allowing accessibility and user experience to guide our process. As the OWL undergoes some changes, we welcome your feedback and suggestions by email at any time.

Please don't hesitate to contact us via our contact page  if you have any questions or comments.

All the best,

Social Media

Facebook twitter.