Social Service Manager Interview Questions with Answer Examples

Social Service Manager Interview Questions with Answer Examples. We review 5 great Social Service Manager interview questions, with advice on how to answer each question, and our own answer example. For our full list of Social Service Manager QAs, visit:

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0:00 - Introduction
0:16 - Question #1: Tell me about a time you successfully adapted to a culturally different environment.
1:40 - Question #2: Why are you the best candidate for this position?
2:58 - Question #3: Have you had to discipline an employee or fire an employee? How did you handle that situation?
4:22 - Question #4: Tell me about your supervisory style.
5:37 - Question #5: Have you ever made the decision to cut a program? What was the reason, and what was the result?

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1) Tell me about a time you successfully adapted to a culturally different environment.

Answer Example:
"Growing up in a big city, then attending a big, public university, I was accustomed to a fast-paced work environment and a general culture of busyness. In my first job after college, I landed in a smaller town where the pace was much slower. At first, I kept my old habits and tried to bring my clients and colleagues along with me. But I soon learned that my way was just as foreign to them as their way was to me. I was the odd one out, so I learned to appreciate their slower, more thoughtful perspective. I've carried that with me and now have a good balance of being 'productive' and 'present.'"

2) Why are you the best candidate for this position?

Answer Example:
"I hope we have discussed my experience enough that you feel confident I could be successful in this position. The organization seems like a good professional fit. I have felt a good rapport with everyone I've met so far, and I can see myself integrating seamlessly into the team. I know that I contribute best when I feel a sense of belonging, and I already feel like I belong here. I believe that I could help you move forward as an organization, both because of my skill set and my strong desire to be here."

3) Have you had to discipline an employee or fire an employee? How did you handle that situation?

Answer Example:
"Yes, I have had to discipline and terminate employees. I feel strongly that no employee should ever be surprised in a performance review, so I make sure to provide feedback, whether positive or negative, as soon as possible after the behavior takes place. If an employee is consistently not meeting expectations, I would put them on a performance plan where we set very specific short-term criteria they must meet to remain in good standing. I would meet with the employee frequently to give them the best chance to get back on track."

4) Tell me about your supervisory style.

Answer Example:
"I like to provide a pretty high degree of structure for my employees with lots of room for communication and flexibility within that structure. For example, I hold team meetings every other week, and in the off weeks, I meet with each employee one on one. Sometimes there isn't much to discuss in the one-on-one meetings, but we never cancel them, so that the structure is in place. I also make a practice of observing my employees in client-facing settings at least twice a year and providing direct feedback following those observations."

5) Have you ever made the decision to cut a program? What was the reason, and what was the result?

Answer Example:
"Yes, I had to cut a program designed to assist homeless teens by providing access to a computer lab and technology instruction. The program required significant startup costs and oversight but did not serve enough kids to justify the expense. We eliminated that specific initiative but repurposed the computer lab to serve seniors, grade-school children, and teens at different times of the day."

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