About you
- Tell me about yourself.
- What are 2 of your strengths?
- What are 2 of your weaknesses?
- What are three things you want to change about yourself?
- How do you stay motivated?
- Explain your leadership/research/volunteer experiences.
- What extracurricular activities are you engaged in?
- Which of your college courses interested you the most?
- What do you do for self-care?
- Why did you choose the undergraduate school you went to, and if you could, would you do anything differently?
- What course was most academically challenging for you?
- What life experiences have made you a better person?
About the profession
- Explain the role of a counselor.
- What do you feel are the most important qualities in being a good counselor?
- What steps have you taken to acquaint yourself with the role of a counselor?
- What did you like/dislike about the counseling/mental health offices you have observed?
- There are many specializations in counseling, which specializations are you more interested in and why?
- Provide an example of a time that you had to make an ethical decision.
About your goals
- Why do you want to be a counselor?
- When did you decide counseling was a good career choice for you?
- What steps have you taken to confirm that you want to be counselor?
- How will you handle the stress of counseling to avoid burnout?
- Why do you believe you have the ability to undertake the study and work involved in this counseling program?
- What aspects of your life experiences do you think makes you a good candidate for this program?
- Where do you see yourself in five/ten years?
- What would you like to do if you were not accepted into this program?
About the program
- If you were to find yourself struggling after the first semester of the program, what would the reason be?
- What are the biggest challenges facing counseling today?
- What schools did you apply to and why?
- What motivates you about counseling?
- Describe your method of learning. How does this fit with the counseling program?
- Why should this counseling program choose you over other candidates?
Current Issues / Scenarios
- Explain a difficult situation you have encountered with someone, what you learned from it, and what you would do differently now.
- You have a client whose English is not very clear to you, and you do not speak their language. How do you overcome the language barrier to assist them with their needs?
- How have you/would you respond to someone who was verbally hostile towards you?
- Describe a difficult challenge you had to help someone overcome, and how did you motivate them to overcome it?
Interview Reminders & Tips
The day before your interview
- Review your resume, cover letter/personal statement, and requirements for opportunity/program/job.
- Research program information such as mission statement, values, current events, etc.
- Prepare a list of questions to ask interviewers.
- Plan to arrive on time for in-person interview or prepare appropriate (clean and organized) background for virtual interview.
- Lay out professional outfit.
The day of your interview
- Dress professional
- Have copies of your resume and cover letter or personal statement ready to share.
- Arrive 15 mins early (if in-person) or join video call 5 mins early (if virtual).
- Turn off or silence your cell phone.
- Take some deep breaths.
- Rock your interview.
- Ask questions at the end and thank everyone for their time.
The day after your interview
- Send a follow-up email thanking the interviewer(s) for their time and re-express your desire for the opportunity.
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