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Tips for Social Work Interviews

Make Sure to Prep!

Prepping for the interview is absolutely crucial. You may look good on paper, but if you don’t stand out, you won’t get the job.

We created a list of 20 common interview questions for you, and how to respond. Get ready to ace your interview!

Starter Questions

What led you to apply for this job? Be able to discuss specifics of the job

description that you found interesting; identify specific reasons why your specific skill set fits the job description; and always express a passion about the job and the agency.

 What interests you about working with the XYZ population? You should be able to demonstrate WHY you

want to work with this group, your understanding of the issues that the group might face, etc. If it is a population you haven’t worked with before, you should be honest about that and try to show links between other clinical work you have done that is related to that.

Have you read the job description? Do you have any questions? You should have at least one question

(preferably a couple) that reflect your understanding of the job description – it helps show the interviewer that you’ve done your homework and understand what they are looking for, but it also helps you gather more information for yourself. 

What interests you about working for our agency?  Identify how your interests match up

with the agency’s mission; be able to show that you have done your homework in terms of researching the agency and understanding its programs and emphases; Specifically mention that you have reviewed the website and learned x, y, z, that really impressed you about the work they are doing.

What training and experience do you have that would make you a good fit for this position or for this agency? This is the point in the interview where

you would go over your resume with the interviewer. Even if you don’t have experience working with the specific population, be able to make a link between the experience you have and what the position calls for or what you understand the agency culture to be.

More Targeted, Specific Questions

Tell me about a case you worked on where you felt you were particularly effective. You should be able to give a brief overview of the case: who

the client was, the presenting problem, your approach, any struggles along the way, and the outcome. Highlight specific things that you did that were helpful and how you and the client defined “success.” It is important to acknowledge what you learned from the case.

Tell me about the toughest case you ever worked on. Again, be able to give an overview of the case and then be

able to describe what made it so tough – a complex diagnosis, environmental challenges, etc., and discuss what you did to try and work through the challenges.

 Here’s a case example: now walk me through the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation process. Discuss particulars of the assessment: any structured

instruments you would want to use, or specific areas of focus. What are possible treatment goals and objectives for this client? What interventions would you use and why? How would you know if it was working? What would progress look like for this client?

What is your work style? What do you do to seek balance in your life? Talk about your preferences – do you work best in a

collaborative environment or are you more independent? You could mention environmental or social factors that enhance your productivity or performance (like an open working environment, lots of contact with colleagues, professional development activities, etc.). And then discuss how you approach self-care; identify ways in which you manage your stress or actively work to prevent burnout. ?

What types of clients are difficult for you to work with? What are your thoughts on why that might be? We all have certain clients who push our buttons, and it’s okay

to identify this here. Interviewers want to know that you have reflected on your strengths and understand yourself and your capabilities.

How and when do you use supervision? What type of supervision do you prefer?  If possible, use specific examples to demonstrate your use of

supervision and be able to identify whether or not you like a lot of oversight/feedback or are more comfortable being independent.

What is it about supervisors, clients and co-workers that can frustrate you?  How do you handle your frustrations? Avoid bad-mouthing anyone. This is NOT an opportunity to

bash whatever agency you worked at last, or one of your internships, or a client population that you’d prefer to avoid, but rather a chance to discuss how you handle conflict in the workplace – and you should demonstrate that you CAN handle conflict in professional relationships and work through it in a healthy way. If someone does something frustrating, how do you handle it? 

What is it about supervisors, clients and co-workers that can frustrate you?  How do you handle your frustrations? Avoid bad-mouthing anyone. This is NOT an opportunity to

bash whatever agency you worked at last, or one of your internships, or a client population that you’d prefer to avoid, but rather a chance to discuss how you handle conflict in the workplace – and you should demonstrate that you CAN handle conflict in professional relationships and work through it in a healthy way. If someone does something frustrating, how do you handle it? 

Career Oriented Questions

What are your career goals?

 Interviewers want to know that you’re thinking long term and not just until your next paycheck. If you’re career goals don’t line up with the agency’s mission or if you’re interested in specializing in a population that you won’t be working with, you’ll want to go for a genuine, but less specific answer. If you are taking a clinical position, and you aren’t already licensed, you should talk about your goal of becoming licensed. You can even mention that you have researched good social work exam preparation programs to help you pass. That shows that you are motivated. Most agencies require you to be licensed in order to supervise, so if you want to move up you are going to need your license.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Again, you’ll want to demonstrate that you’ve thought about where you’re going and how you see yourself progressing as a professional – Do you hope to be licensed? To be working in private practice in addition to doing agency work? To be supervising others? To be in an administrative position? People like to be flattered. One thing you can do with this type of question is saying something like, “I know I want to work in some way with this population. I really like clinical work, but once I get more experience I anticipate that I will want additional challenges like supervising and managing others. What is your role here at the agency?” Let the person answer. Find something in what they do that interests you. Then say, “Yeah, in 5 years I hope to be on the pathway to doing work like you are doing. I think our field needs good people at the top, overseeing everything.”

Final Questions

At this point, what is your level of interest in the job? You should be able to articulate and demonstrate

genuine interest in the specifics of the job – not just the idea of getting a paycheck or logging hours, but interest that reflects your understanding of the

position, agency, and community served.

What is your availability? Be honest, but also consider the potential benefits

of being flexible. Don’t refuse to work evenings if that’s a condition of employment, but if you have childcare responsibilities at home, let them know that you wouldn’t be able to work every evening.

What questions can I answer for you? You should always have questions ready at this

point in the interview – interviewers want to know that you’ve thought and considered the position, and this is reflected in your curiosity. Some possible questions include: How would you describe the work culture of this agency? What is the typical career track of social workers here? What type of supervision will I receive, and how often? Where does the agency get its funding from? What kinds of professional development activities do employees here engage in?

What is your theoretical orientation? Even if you practice “eclectically” you should

be able to discuss the theories or modalities that you draw your approach from – how do you view clients, their problems, and potential solutions? If you know that the agency uses a particular theoretical model, you don’t have to pledge allegiance, but you should demonstrate an understanding of how this model might fit in with your established approach. Hopefully you have done your research on the agency and if there is any indication of their orientation you should read up on it and be able to talk about it.

What are the risk assessment/signs of abuse and/or neglect? First be aware of the population and the

culture of the clients you’ll be working with and how this might impact your assessment of risk signs. You’ll want to be able to identify specific risk factors and/or signs that you would look for in interactions with clients. This may also be an opportunity for you to demonstrate your knowledge of state and local regulations regarding reporting and your comfort in your role as a mandated reporter.

Good Luck!

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