Talk about a challenging conversation you had with a colleague or stakeholder.

"During my time as Director of Donor Operations, I oversaw a team of incredibly hardworking employees responsible for receiving, processing, and acknowledging every donation we received. During one of our busiest times, we were notified that we needed to prepare for an upcoming audit. I assigned the task to one of our newer associates who quickly compiled the reports we needed. However, I noticed that some details were off, so I requested a private meeting with the employee. I thanked her for her work and asked about her process for developing the report. After she explained, I realized she had been incorrectly running queries in our CRM system, which resulted in slightly inaccurate reporting of quarterly donations. I showed her how to alter the difficult queries, and she happily adjusted."

People often avoid difficult conversations because they are afraid of inciting conflict or harming a relationship with a co-worker, donor, volunteer, supervisor, etc. However, approaching these conversations in a respectful, professional manner reflects well on the organization and can strengthen stakeholder relationships.

Reflect on situations from your work experience where you had to discipline someone or offer them constructive feedback. Describe how you first identified the problem and brainstormed solutions to address it with the stakeholder. Next, describe how you broached the subject, the conversation that ensued, and the result.

"When I worked as a volunteer manager for Meals on Wheels, we received a massive grant that allowed us to take on one hundred new clients. Most of our volunteers had been working with us for five years or longer, and they had developed relationships with the clients on their regular delivery routes. To accommodate the increased client number, my organization's leadership wanted us to add five new clients to each route. This potentially meant an extra hour of volunteer time or less time spent with regular clients. We organized a small thank-you reception for volunteers, during which we unveiled the plan to add clients to each of their routes. Along with the new clients, we provided information about their unique needs and interests so that the volunteers could engage them immediately. We also coordinated a fleet of backup volunteers for support in case the increased load was too much and offered alternate routes for anyone who could not volunteer the extra time. I emphasized our open-door policy for volunteers and made sure we listened to any concerns."

How do you handle stress and conflict?

"I have worked for nonprofits for fifteen years, and in that time, I have learned a few methods for managing stress. Every morning I wake up two hours before work to go on my daily run. Running awakens my brain and helps me focus, which prepares me for my workday. I also practice breathing exercises and meditation, which has helped me maintain poise and professionalism in the face of challenging situations."

Nonprofit organizations often require employees to wear many hats. This means the work can be fast-paced and rapidly changing, which can sometimes lead to stress, interpersonal conflict, and professional disagreement. The interviewer wants to know that you maintain professionalism and focus during these situations.

Think back to situations in a previous position where you managed stress or interpersonal or professional conflict well. Tell the interviewer what steps you took to successfully address any conflicts and explain what strategies you employ to manage stress at the office.

"At an organization I worked for five years ago, I had a co-worker who would gossip loudly with another co-worker every day in his cubicle next to mine. Their conversations distracted me and others from work and created a lot of stress as we attempted to focus. Since I felt this behavior contributed to negative work culture, I decided to address the issue, and I met privately with our team leader. I shared my concerns and asked if it would be possible for her to steer the two co-workers away from those discussions at the workplace. She agreed and did so privately. When dealing with conflict, I always try to be firm while also being respectful and considerate."

How would you represent United Way in the community?

"While examining the website for United Way of Palm Beach County, I discovered the section that identifies key organizational values. I was especially drawn to the words 'inspiring' and 'approachable.' These two words describe how I strive to be in my interpersonal and professional relationships and endeavors. I want to empower individuals with the work I do and make them feel comfortable asking for help. As an employee of United Way, I would model inspiration and approachability in all of my interactions with others."

United Way administers billions of dollars a year to programs improving the lives of individuals in 1800 communities in 40 countries around the world. Stakeholders include thousands of volunteers, donors, clients, strategic and community partners, employees, and more. As such, any employee of United Way must always represent the organization with professionalism no matter the context.

The value statements for each United Way chapter differ slightly, and they can usually be found on the chapter's website, along with its mission statement. Share the values you connect with most from the specific chapter to which you are applying and explain why.

"I share many values with United Way of the Midlands, but the one I connect with most is 'impact.' I strongly believe in the importance of being good stewards of funding; this means applying financial resources in strategic ways to create the most impactful change possible. Analyzing the effectiveness of programs allows an organization to refine its efforts so that change is not only positive but measurable. If hired, I would ensure that the community continues to view United Way as an organization committed to results."

Share how you display self-awareness and ethical awareness in your work.

"In my previous position with a small, local nonprofit, I was required to take on many roles as an individual contributor and did not have a direct supervisor. As such, it was incumbent upon me to maintain a standard of excellence that would exceed the expectations of the leadership team. At the end of every week, I devoted an hour to cataloging all of the work I had accomplished and determining if I could improve my efficiency in any way. This practice heightened my sense of self-awareness in terms of time and project management."

Being self-aware demonstrates to the interviewer that you are capable of reflecting on, admitting to, and learning from mistakes and ultimately growing personally and professionally. Displaying solid business and moral ethics shows that you can be a strong representative of United Way and an asset to its team.

Choose two specific instances in which you have shown your ability to be self-aware at work. These could be situations where you changed your behavior or acted on your strengths. Focus on ethical decisions you made that resulted in positive outcomes.

"As a fundraiser, it is essential to maintain strong ethical standards when interacting with donors and managing their donations. When a donor requests that funds go towards a specific program, I ensure this is accomplished by meeting with our accounting director and the program representatives. I share with the donor the exact ways the money will be used and follow up with them to share the program results and impact. This ensures transparency and builds trust with the donor."

If you could have your ideal work environment, what would it be like?

"Generally speaking, I think it is important to adapt and be flexible, and I am always open to new ideas about how to create a better workspace for myself and others. That said, there are a few qualities I seek and try to foster. I value clear, respectful communication centered around constructive feedback and a leadership team that incorporates staff input. As a mission-driven individual, I thrive in a culture where people are passionate about the cause and proud of the organization."

Provide the interviewer with details about the preferred physical space and organizational culture of the environment in which you work. Explain how these details increase your focus and productivity.

Current and former employees of United Way say that the company culture is supportive, committed, and passionate. Talk about how these qualities professional satisfaction and contribute to an appropriate work-life balance.

"I believe the physical space one works in makes a big difference in terms of one's productivity. I am an extrovert and thrive in a team dynamic, but I also embrace some quiet time each day to work on more complex, individual tasks. Having space to do this helps me focus and clarify my vision. As a manager, I think it's important to extend this practice to my employees as well; I want to take the time to get to know how to create a space that helps each of them function at peak performance individually and as a team member."

What is your philosophy regarding work-life balance?

"I utilize my work hours very efficiently, so the only time that I take my work home is when there is an extremely stringent deadline. In my current position, I rarely take work home except during the holidays when our large fundraising event required extra hours of preparation and travel to different locations around town procuring items for the silent auction. It's all about being diligent with your time in the office!"

Nonprofit work relies on the tenacity and dedication of limited staff to accomplish big missions. The majority of staff work overtime hours if the organization allows it or take work home with them on occasion. Talk to the interviewer about how frequently you take your work home. It is important to show your willingness to take work home on occasion, but it is also important to show your personal views on maintaining a work-life balance.

The most important point to make here is that you will work as efficiently as possible to ensure that you will complete all of your required tasks within the allotted time. Highlighting your time management skills is critical in an interview for a nonprofit position.

"I value a strong balance between work and home life. A healthy personal life refreshes me for the work I do during the week. If I get enough sleep, spend with family, and prepare healthy meals, I will be more focused on and attentive to the work I am doing. However, I also know that sometimes last-minute assignments are unavoidable. There have been plenty of times in the past when I had to fulfill a rush request from a supervisor needing the profile of a qualified lead to meet our fundraising goal by our quarterly deadline. With proper time management, I was able to complete all of those requests, and I communicated to my supervisor the reasons I needed a few additional hours to work on this task from home."

"I grew up facing extreme poverty, so I understand the stress and fears associated with financial instability. Watching my parents work hard and creatively to sustain our family, I learned that income inequities in this country can leave even the hardest workers destitute. To me, this is an injustice, and correcting it has become my core source of motivation in terms of my career. My past experiences combined with the desire to ensure everyone has access to the same resources I did has led me to the United Way, and I hope to use my passion and motivation to advance its mission."

Think of what drives you to achieve your personal and professional goals. Then, find similarities between these and the mission of United Way.

Remember, intrinsic motivation comes from within. Extrinsic motivation comes from interpersonal relationships, social expectations, and societal pressures. You can structure your answer by sharing examples of each kind of motivation in your own life.

"I have a lot of personal and professional ambitions that guide every major decision I make. Setting smaller goals and achieving them invigorates me and motivates me to keep working harder towards my larger ones. Three years ago, I began what I hoped would become a career in nonprofit development when I accepted a position as a development specialist for a local animal shelter. In that time, I learned everything I could about development work and have since advanced to my current position managing donations under $5,000. Any time I meet a goal, I set a new one, and this helps maintain my motivation."

What are your professional goals?

"The thesis for my Master's degree explored the impact of decades of illegal waste dumping on clean water available to the oldest neighborhood in my city. I used to live in this neighborhood, so the project was personal to me, and I wanted to gather data that would inform strategies for stopping the pollution entirely. Through this process, I discovered my desire to pursue a career leveraging good data to enact sustainable change. In the next five years, I would like to be in a directorial position guiding community impact analyses."

Structure your response in terms of the job for which you are interviewing. Think about how this position fits within your overall career path and explain to the interviewer that this is the next logical step in that direction.

Due to high turnover rates, nonprofit organizations seek employees who want to pursue careers within their issue areas. Determine if there are any positions at United Way that align with your professional goals. Highlight these positions in your answer; this will demonstrate your institutional knowledge and suggest to the interviewer that you are willing to invest in a career with United Way.

"While researching United Way's organizational structure, I was delighted to found the position of Chief Equity Officer. Although I am only two years into my human resources career, I have already discovered my interest in refining and advancing DEI models in the workplace. I would welcome the opportunity to continue this at United Way as I work toward my ultimate professional goal of overseeing an organization's efforts to embrace equitable change."

Are you applying for any other jobs?

"I am actively seeking work since I was laid off from my previous position due to budget cuts related to the pandemic. I want to stay in the nonprofit field because it is fulfilling work that gives me the motivation to work hard every day. My passion is conducting field research that contributes to the betterment of the lives of the most vulnerable in my community. Those are the kinds of roles I am pursuing, but I am most excited about the possibility of working with United Way. It combines my love of research with my desire to bring relief to those suffering in the wake of disasters or emergencies."

The number of job seekers wanting to work at nonprofits has never been higher and is increasing all the time. People want to engage in work they consider meaningful or personally fulfilling. As such, nonprofit work has become quite competitive. It always puts a little bit of fire under the hiring manager if they are aware that you are actively looking for a new position, but be sure to balance details about your job search with a reminder of why you want to work at United Way specifically.

Emphasize your desire to work with United Way and do not simply lump it in with a wider net of nonprofits you have applied for. Explain why you think United Way is unique instead of giving a long list.

"Although I am currently employed full-time and satisfied with my position, I am always seeking new challenges and ways to develop professionally. After working as a development associate for so long, I started to realize it was time for me to take the next step in my career. I will be forever grateful to my current employer for the early-career training I have received, but I know United Way is the logical next step in pursuing a development career globally. I have applied for other positions, but United Way is the organization I am most excited about."

About which philanthropic cause are you the most passionate?

"What initially attracted me to United Way was its focus on global health issues. Healthcare is not only my profession but also my passion in life. It runs in the family! My mother was a dentist, my father was a doctor, and I have been working as a registered travel nurse for the past four years. I believe that every individual deserves access to high-quality, affordable healthcare, and I have been so happy to use my skills to help people heal. Now, I am ready for the next step in my career, and working as a field nurse for an organization like United Way would combine my skills and experience with my desire to help others."

The nonprofit field has become increasingly competitive over the past few decades as more and more workers seek jobs that positively impact the community. The drive to enact societal change is a positive quality, but to stand out as a United Way candidate, you must illustrate how your interests and passions align with the organization.

Your answer should differ slightly from your answer regarding United Way's mission. While highlighting your knowledge of United Way's programs and mission is necessary, here you want to hone in on one of the organization's three main issue areas (education, health, and income) and discuss why it is so important to you.

"I was impressed by the scope of United Way's programs addressing education, health, and income, and I was especially interested in United Way's work in communities to support financial stability. I grew up in a family that relied on food stamps to supplement our nutrition and rental assistance to stay in our home. Because of this, I understand first-hand the stresses and fears associated with struggling to provide the basics for survival. Financial stability eases that burden and gives families and individuals a chance to realize their potential. This is the cause I want to devote my life working to improve."

Why do you want to work for United Way?

"United Way invests in communities, and I strongly believe in the transformative and strengthening power of community mobilization. I used to be the director of a community center in my neighborhood, and we operated several programs for youth, adults, and seniors who lived in that area. We held classes, hosted afterschool tutoring sessions, had sports and games, and provided meals and companionship. We even had monthly neighborhood clean-up events. Seeing the community unite to get to know their neighbors and take ownership of the neighborhood inspired me. In my opinion, it was a microcosm of the work that United Way does around the world, and I would relish the opportunity to join in that work."

United Way wants employees who are passionate and dedicated to "fight[ing] for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community." The interviewer wants to see that you are a truly mission-driven individual who supports and can eloquently verbalize the purpose of United Way programs.

Familiarize yourself with United Way's mission statement: "United Way improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good." Highlight specific ways you have reflected this mission in previous experiences and demonstrate how it is important to you in your personal and/or professional pursuits.

"From petitioning state legislatures to ban voucher systems from school districts to lobbying for more funding for city schools, I have been a passionate advocate for equity in education my entire career. I truly believe that many problems communities face can be traced back to a lack of educational resources, so I admire the holistic approach United Way takes to address these challenges around the world. I would be honored to bring my knowledge and experience to bear in this role."

Please share what you know about United Way programs.

"I was excited to read about the variety of United Way programs operating in nearly two-thousand communities around the world. During my research, I learned about the organization's focus on addressing education, health, and financial stability issues and the specific projects it operates to do so. I was especially thrilled to discover the organization's 211 hotline, which operates 24/7 across America connecting people in need with essential resources. It also supports survivors in the wake of natural disasters in finding food, shelter, clothing, and more. This program exemplifies United Way's mission because it addresses all three focus areas simultaneously."

United Way focuses on three main issue areas in the United States and around the world: education, income, and health. Within these three areas, the organization operates dozens of programs through its thousands of global chapters. The interviewer wants to know that you are familiar with these issue areas and how United Way directly addresses them.

Be prepared to present what you know about United Way programs. Stick to an elevator speech that is passionate and informed rather than canned and memorized. Show that you understand the breadth of United Way's work, and then highlight a few specific programs to demonstrate its mission in action as well as its results.

"In addition to its many programs related to education, health, and income, I was impressed to find out about the variety of digital resources that United Way offers. The organization's MySmartMoney tool assists users with immediate financial planning assistance along with long-term guidance. Digital resources have greater accessibility which in turn empowers individuals and communities to reach their goals."

Tell me something unique about yourself that is not included on your resume.

"I spent half a year living at an orphanage in Tanzania. During my time there, I tutored the boys in English speaking skills, helped them with their community garden, and joined them in countless basketball games. I not only developed important relationships and learned a great deal about the country, but I also learned first-hand about the struggles of children living on the streets. This experience was the root of my desire to be part of an organization working to improve educational and financial outcomes for children."

Pick something you haven't mentioned thus far in your interview. Whatever you pick should demonstrate the versatility and diversity of your interests.

Whatever you choose to talk about, connect it to the specific job for which you are applying. Your answer will be even stronger if it relates to the United Way mission in some way.

"When I was eight years old, I joined a pen pal program that connected me with a girl my age living in the Phillippines. We wrote back and forth, excitedly sharing about our lives and explaining elements of the cultures of our home countries. Although we no longer hand-write letters, we maintain communication digitally. This friendship has taught me the importance of connecting with people whose lives and experiences are different from our own. I believe this is the first step toward building bridges and communities."

Think about a supervisor or manager who made a positive impression on you. In your opinion, what qualities and characteristics contributed to their success, and what did you learn from their management style?

"When I worked as a volunteer coordinator at my previous organization, I reported to the Community Engagement Officer. At the time, I was idealistic and passionate about our cause, but this idealism was not tempered by realism or practicality. I developed several new volunteer opportunities to boost our community support, but my supervisor carefully demonstrated how to use data to determine which volunteer opportunities would provide the greatest benefit to us. Her patience and willingness to participate in honing my thought process helped me work more efficiently and molded me into the leader I am today. Now, when I have new employees, I sit down with each of them, express my openness to hearing new ideas, and make sure they feel comfortable working together to turn those ideas into workable options for our organization."

The interviewer wants to know about your management style and how well you observe and identify positive characteristics in others. This is an important skill as a leader or even an individual contributor on a team.

Talk about a supervisor or manager to answer the interviewer's specific question. However, spend the majority of your answer showing how you embraced what you learned from them and applied those lessons in specific ways at work.

"My first supervisor after graduating college had four decades of experience in nonprofit administration and had served in every imaginable leadership role, from Director of Development to Chief Operating Officer. She was honest but never rude. She wanted to conduct thorough cost-benefit analyses before exploring new program options, and she welcomed these discussions as essential to delivering life-saving services in the area of women's reproductive rights. She was passionate yet measured. I admired her and emulated her example in the work I have done since. In my communications with co-workers and managers, I am respectful and clear. I want to talk things all the way through before implementing new ideas. I am also mission-driven, which guides my ability to make smart decisions on behalf of the organization."

As a manager, how have you nurtured and led team members to success?

"As a manager, I believe strongly in the importance of communication. Transparency is key in building trust within a team, as is making my employees feel comfortable talking to me about concerns, questions, or challenges. I work hard to ensure each team member feels heard and listened to. I meet with team members every week and ask how they are doing and if they have any new ideas for our fundraising activities. During team meetings, I share some of these ideas to discuss as a group and give acknowledgment to individuals. When each team member feels empowered as an individual, they are more likely to contribute to the team's work as a whole."

This question is unique for individuals interviewing for management or leadership positions. The interviewer wants to know about your experience and skills when it comes to managing a team.

Highlight qualities and characteristics that are unique to your management style. Provide some insight into how you foster a productive environment and support employees' professional development.

"Professional development is an essential aspect of my strategy for team building and supporting each employee's continued growth. As such, I would create an annual calendar to include workshops, training, and team-building programs in which we participate together. I have led several accounting teams in the past, and each time I show how invested I am in their professional development, the result is a greater commitment to the work we are doing."

How do you manage your time during a professional presentation?

"When I trained as an English language instructor in South Korea, I learned how to properly pace myself when conducting a lesson to ensure all material could be taught. I structured each lesson based on skill areas: vocabulary, grammar, reading, practice, and presentation. I allotted specific times for each area and kept a stopwatch on my desk that I would glance at occasionally to keep me on track. With proper preparation and organization, I believe I can efficiently use my time to craft a compelling and engaging presentation."

Effective time management will ensure you touch on all essential points, leave time for questions, and have a good pace. Tell the interviewer your process for preparing for a professional presentation. Explain how you cater your presentation to a specific audience and organize the material based on the allotted time.

Describe the effective strategies you use to make a presentation engaging and punctual. Some examples include not filling the screen with words, only using essential key phrases and supporting images so that your audience understands the main points of the presentation, using notes to remind yourself how long to speak during a given section, and running a timer to keep you on pace.

"Strategic partnership meetings are essential in strengthening relationships with some of our most generous financial supporters. When I present program results to our strategic partners, I want them to feel inspired and motivated to continue giving. In addition to providing partners with data that demonstrates the specific ways their funding has been put to good use in the community, I share client stories that illustrate positive life changes or improvements. I organize these presentations into three ten-minute parts: data first, client stories second, and time for questions at the end. Although I am flexible, having this structure allows me to focus on delivering the essential information in a professional manner that is also sensitive to the partner's time."

Please share any ideas you have about creating new fundraising opportunities.

"Since this United Way chapter is located in my hometown, I am well-positioned to leverage the network I've forged in thirty years of living here to the financial benefit of the organization. I have a portfolio of potential donors with whom I already maintain strong relationships. This includes the president of a philanthropist club that donates to causes addressing community health issues. He has access to nearly fifty members, all of whom are well-qualified and eager to get involved. I believe this would be an incredible opportunity for United Way."

United Way fundraises billions of dollars every year to finance the activities of its global programs. The interviewer wants to know that you not only understand the fundraising cycle but that you are also able to imagine creative new ways to fundraise and discover new funding sources.

United Way's fundraisers have a talent for securing large donations, so do not attempt to reinvent the wheel in your answer. Instead, come to the interview prepared with a few modest proposals for new fundraising ideas. This could be a special event, a well-qualified funding source, or even some software or tool specially designed to support donor engagement.

"In my previous role as special events associate, we planned a small food truck festival to raise funds for our clients who were victims of domestic violence. My job was to assemble local food truck businesses to participate; in the end, I recruited ten trucks for the event, and they agreed to donate 100% of the proceeds to our organization in exchange for positive publicity. As a result, we raised over $50,000 and created an extremely fun and popular event. I believe this model could be expanded and refined to support this United Way chapter."

The position you are interviewing for is brand new. If hired, how would you take ownership of this position and further refine its role within the team?

"I understand the role of the digital content specialist is part of the broader communications team and is new to this chapter, which I consider to be an exciting opportunity. More and more nonprofits like United Way are leveraging their digital presence and social following to not only advertise their organization's work but also advocate for causes. In the future, I could see myself crafting more content for United Way's website and social media related to education, income, and health advocacy and informing our followers about how to get involved with systemic change."

Nonprofit departments often restructure or reformat their work to accommodate shifting priorities, budget adjustments, and personnel turnover. Sometimes this means creating a new position whose responsibilities may evolve over time. The interviewer wants to see that you can adapt and innovate in this kind of scenario.

Prepare to answer this question by conducting as much research as you can on the job responsibilities and the structure of the team you will potentially be joining. Since this is a new position, you want to show that you can be practical and efficient in tackling your responsibilities while also being creative and bold in your vision for the position's future.

"While reading over the position description for the partnerships coordinator (rental assistance and homeless prevention), I was thrilled by the prospect of taking on this new role and seeing how I can embrace it and expand its effectiveness within the housing department. This position requires ensuring grant compliance in addition to managing several rental assistance associates; both of these responsibilities play to my strengths and experiences thus far in my career. I see a great deal of potential in this position, including investigating how to incorporate new technology into our assessment process and how to procure funding for that."

Talk about a situation where you were required to maintain a great amount of energy over a long period of time in order to complete a project.

"I worked as an event planner for music festivals for eight years, and during that time I planned dozens of festivals. However, the festival we held in Costa Rica was by far the most demanding in terms of stamina. First, there were complicated legal matters to sort through since it was our first international music festival. Any time you run a festival, the planning stages require a significant amount of creative energy. When you enter the building stage, you're exerting a great deal of physical force. So, I had to make sure to get enough sleep, eat properly, and take breaks to ensure my mind and body were focused and strong. I also required consistent updates from team members on their tasks and offered guidance and support when necessary. We spent months planning for the festival itself, and it took about a week to build at the location. The festival lasted five days, and we spent three days packing up our supplies afterward. It was tiring, but it was also professionally rewarding and personally fulfilling. I thrive in situations where I can focus my energy to execute large-scale projects."

Nonprofit organizations are fast-paced and ever-evolving, which requires employees to have patience, stamina, and focus. The interviewer wants to see that you maintain excellent quality in your work during periods of higher energy output.

Focus on specific strategies you employ to balance your energies to complete extended projects. This will also demonstrate to the interviewer that you understand how to be intentional and strategic during times that can be physically and mentally demanding.

"As a middle school science instructor, I am required to not only maintain high energy levels during lessons to keep students engaged but also to keep that energy positive and constructive. I plan for a variety of educational activities that blend kinesthetic learning with reading and audiovisual materials. This allows for variation in the lessons I teach, grabs the class's attention, and makes me excited to teach each new section. I also encourage students to learn from one another by participating in group discussions and projects. Although I gently facilitate these group situations, they give me a chance to refill my energy for when I am instructing the class as a whole."

Describe your experience coordinating volunteers.

"I have worked as a volunteer manager at the same organization for the past six years. In that time, I have recruited nearly three thousand active volunteers in partnership with universities, corporations, religious groups, and government and civic agencies. Not only do I recruit volunteers, but I also train them to represent the organization well while serving the community. I am confident in my ability to recruit large numbers of volunteers and train them to expertly and efficiently deliver United Way's services to communities in need."

United Way has an impressive fleet of over three million volunteers worldwide to administer United Way's programs. Any United Way staff person working in special events, fundraising, or program operations will interact with or manage volunteers.

The interviewer wants to know that you understand the unique needs and interests of volunteers. If you have volunteer coordinating experience, share what you have learned about how to recruit, train, supervise, retain and recognize volunteers.

"When I plan special events for my organization, I rely on hundreds of volunteers annually to execute any event we sponsor, whether it is a fundraiser, panel discussion, or service activity. I hand-pick volunteers with specific skillsets for each task. For example, I recruited a fraternity from a local college to set up and tear down the event space for our annual nonprofit fair. At that event, I utilized two volunteers with accounting experience to manage donations and be responsible for the cash box. During events, I float between stations to ensure each volunteer is comfortable and answer any questions they might have. After the event, we gather to reflect on the experience and make suggestions for improvement. As a person who coordinates volunteers, I believe it is vital to seek their feedback to strengthen the organization's events in the future."

Talk about an important project you managed.

"I once managed the historical preservation of a small neighborhood of Victorian-style homes in my city. This was a grant-funded endeavor, and I was hired as a project manager due to my experience restoring cathedrals in Europe. The grant lasted two years, and I was responsible for completing the restoration process of all seven homes at that time. This was no small task. First, I sourced local artisans and craftsmen familiar with the architectural style, and they advised me on the estimated cost of labor and materials. Then, I consulted with historians and architects to ensure the soundness of the homes' structural integrity and aesthetic consistency. Finally, I met with local officials to ensure the buildings met zoning and safety standards. By following the advice of these experts, I was able to successfully restore the homes within the tight deadline."

United Way administers billions of dollars every year to community projects around the world, addressing issues related to income, education, and health. As such, the organization wants to employ experienced and dedicated project managers to oversee these projects.

Think of all the projects you have managed throughout your career. Some projects are large in scale, while others involve overcoming challenging obstacles. Pick a project that highlights your ability to manage large-scale, complex projects to successful completion.

"In the wake of recent flooding in my community, many pets were separated from their families, and it was my responsibility as Emergency Services Coordinator to plan and execute the effort to reunite as many of them as possible. First, I worked with our IT specialist to devise a special page on our website where families could report their lost pets. Then, I worked with our volunteer coordinator to gather a fleet of over a hundred specially-trained volunteers to carefully sort through the rubble and rescue any pets that survived. Once we had these pets in our care, I devised a system for identifying the animals and connecting them with their owners. If we were unable to do so, I met with our communications director to craft messaging for local media outlets announcing the pets that had yet to be reunited and how to claim them at the shelter."

Please share your fundraising skills and experience.

"I understand that United Way fundraises billions of dollars every year, and I feel that I am uniquely qualified to contribute to this impressive figure. Over the course of my twenty-year career, I have amassed over $50 million in individual and corporate donations by utilizing the proven method of identifying, qualifying, engaging, asking, and stewarding donors. I focus my efforts on building lasting relationships with highly-qualified individuals who have great potential for long-term giving. This strategy has allowed the organizations I have worked for to meet their operating costs and shore up endowment efforts."

United Way fundraises billions of dollars every year with very limited overhead. The interviewer wants to know that you are not only capable of fundraising, but that you are also able to fundraise in large quantities with limited resources.

After offering a brief overview of your overall fundraising experience, talk about your process for soliciting large gifts. Share your fundraising budget with the interviewer and explain how you use that funding creatively to enhance your organization's financial resources via individual donor relationships, special events, or corporate and foundational giving.

"Because I work for a smaller nonprofit, I am not required to raise vast sums to sustain our programs. However, I do have an extremely limited budget, and as a result, I have developed a talent for creatively using any budget given to me to maximize its fundraising return. For example, last year I was given a budget of $2,000 to host an event where local faith leaders would participate in a panel discussion about violence in the community. Normally, we only set up a donation table at these events. However, I was able to use the budget to procure a nicer location for the event and more sophisticated food and drinks. A local business donated items for a silent auction. Because of the moving nature of the panel discussion and the enhancements to the event, we were able to turn a $2,000 budget into over $40,000 for our anti-violence programs."

Have you ever been advised by a fellow employee or supervisor to lie about a situation? How did you handle this ethical dilemma?

"During a particularly difficult year of fundraising, one of my teammates, the corporate fundraiser, asked me to fudge a bit in my line items. He had not met his quarterly fundraising goal, and I had exceeded mine by a few thousand dollars. He suggested I allow him to add a thousand dollars to his report and remove that amount from mine. He assured me he would have the funding by the next report. I told him I could not participate in that offer and encouraged him to seek the counsel of our department head, who is gifted in procuring last-minute donations of that size. After meeting with her, the corporate fundraiser was able to fulfill his quota and apologized for his behavior."

Ethical dilemmas in the workplace will come up from time to time. Assure the interviewer that you can handle these difficulties with professionalism and poise.

Instead of focusing too heavily on the negative behavior of your co-worker or supervisor when you share this experience, highlight the specific ways you engaged the person asking you to participate in the lie. Then, talk about the steps you took after denying the request.

"I was working on a research project in the Phillippines with a fellow researcher when we were both employed with an NGO studying the effects of tsunamis on coastal communities. As we integrated ourselves into their society, my fellow researcher made connections with representatives from the local government who had information about governmental responses to natural disasters that my associate could not resist. They offered him this privileged information in exchange for omitting a few key details regarding their negligence in providing proper assistance to impoverished districts. My associate knew this would boost his career as well as mine, so he offered me the opportunity to partake in this information, even though it was unethical. I refused, but my associate kept insisting. Because of his persistence, I had no choice but to report his activities to our immediate supervisor, who insisted I attend a virtual meeting with human resources to make a statement about the situation. Although it wasn't easy to report a friend and co-worker, I knew it was the right thing to do to preserve the integrity of our organization's global image."

How do you manage your workload so that you can meet tight deadlines?

"As a project manager, I am accustomed to balancing multiple projects with similar deadlines. As a visual learner, I have to write everything out on a physical calendar in my office and maintain a tidy digital calendar to share with essential members of each project. This way, I can visualize the deadline and prioritize complex larger tasks. I used this method recently to schedule and roll out our organization's new mobile application."

Time management questions are common in any interview. Nonprofits seek employees who are excellent at managing their time because they often have multiple last-minute deadlines to meet. You must have strong time management skills to be considered for any position in a large organization like United Way.

Share the strategies you employ to meet tight deadlines. Then, talk about one or two situations in which effective time management resulted in the completion of an essential project or task by the deadline.

"I believe in keeping a steady flow of manageable work to slowly inch towards a goal or deadline and give myself a few days of wiggle room to account for any setbacks or delays. In my experience in the nonprofit world, I have learned to expect the unexpected. Recently, I was preparing an accounting report for a semiannual audit and simultaneously managing a reworking of our direct deposit system. When the auditor showed up five days earlier than expected, I had to adjust my timeline. Because I gave myself a few additional days to complete the direct deposit project, I was able to pause and meet the auditor's request immediately."

How do you manage ambiguity and complexity in your job?

"Having worked for several tech start-ups in my early career, I am used to environments characterized entirely by ambiguity. As we developed our business plan, organizational structure, and client network, we had to be comfortable and maintain confidence in the face of ever-shifting circumstances. Nothing was certain except our belief in the mission of the organization and our pride in the products we delivered. Holding fast to persistence, confidence, and trust grounds me in times of ambiguity."

Nonprofits often deal with rapidly changing circumstances, and this is true of United Way, as it is one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the world. The interviewer wants to know that you can take initiative and succeed in the face of uncertainty.

Share one example of a time you dealt with ambiguity in the workplace and one example of a time you thrived in a complex situation. Demonstrate your comfort and good judgment when faced with unprecedented, confusing, or difficult situations.

"As a creative thinker, I am motivated by complexity on the job. Embracing challenges as they come gives me purpose and a sense of accomplishment once I've sorted out how to address the complexity. As a program manager in my previous position at a local soup kitchen, I was tasked with providing shelf-stable meal boxes as an additional service for clients with limited mobility. However, this expense had to be subtracted from my current budget. I tapped into my network of corporate donors and managed to procure a sponsor for the shelf-stable boxes and maintained my operating budget for the fresh meals at the same time."

When have you experienced failure in the workplace, and how did you react?

"When I first started working at my current organization, I was responsible for receiving, sorting, dispersing, and acknowledging donations such as clothing, non-perishable food items, and diapers. At the time, I believed it was best to accept all donations so that we could provide people with a greater quantity of items. However, I failed to consider that we should be more selective with the items we receive. One week, we would have fans available for free, and the next week, we would not. People would come looking for a fan, having heard we carried them, only to find we only had fans for that one week. So, I carefully curated a list of in-kind donations we could accept, process, and disperse. This gave our program greater consistency and allowed us to be more reliable for our clients. I try never to dwell on my failures except to learn and grow from them. This was one of those experiences!"

Failing well is just as important as succeeding. As with any industry, nonprofit employees should learn and grow from failure. Demonstrate your ability to fail gracefully, assess why the failure occurred, and move forward constructively.

Avoid being negative about yourself and others. Show that you can accept responsibility for your role in the failure of a project, event, or fundraising goal.

"Several years ago, I was in charge of implementing a fundraising event that involved local celebrities playing in a baseball game. I had a slate of celebrities lined up for the event. However, I did not have any backup players scheduled in case a celebrity had to drop out of the event at the last minute. This ended up happening, and a volunteer graciously offered to fill the spot. I learned from that experience to always have a Plan B in case something does not go as planned. In my work, I want to be honest with others, but I also want to be honest with myself so that I understand why I made a mistake or failed to meet a goal. This will allow me to perform better in the future."

How do you maintain strong relationships with international clients and/or co-workers?

"As a freelance English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor, I maintain a portfolio of roughly fifty regular students that I teach privately. I also offer corporate ESL training to employees working with international clients. Since I work with students from over a dozen countries, I must constantly educate myself on customs, etiquette, and current events to develop a sincere, respectful relationship. This has allowed students to trust me, and they are therefore more open to the language acquisition process."

According to the organization's website, "United Way is engaged in nearly 1,800 communities across more than 40 countries and territories worldwide." The interviewer wants to know that you are comfortable and skilled at maintaining relationships with people living in countries outside of the United States.

Emphasize any experience you have that illustrates your cultural competency and sensitivity. Unless you are applying for a job at a specific field office, you don't necessarily know what countries you will be interacting with. Talk about how you take the initiative to educate yourself on unfamiliar cultures and how that affects your ability to maintain relationships with international clients and co-workers.

"Communication is key when developing and maintaining relationships with people you may have never spoken to in person. A virtual environment has different challenges than a real-world encounter, but it also has opportunities. In a virtual setting, you can easily connect with someone thousands of miles away, and you must do so regularly. I always check a client's time zone and coordinate my communications accordingly. I want to be respectful of the time of day and connect frequently enough that I am a consistent presence."

Talk about a time you disagreed with a decision made by your manager or supervisor. How did you address this situation?

"Part of my role working with a private foundation is to read grant proposals and choose a finalist group that followed the proposal guidelines and closely aligned with our foundation's mission to fund organizations addressing mental health issues. There are several mental health-focused nonprofits in our city, so my supervisor wanted me to focus on the ones addressing men's mental health issues. However, the vision of our founder explicitly stated his desire to improve the lives of children dealing with these kinds of struggles. I requested a private meeting with my supervisor and politely shared my belief that letting the mission and vision guide our selections would give our foundation clear direction and allow us to share legitimate reasons for any proposal rejections. My supervisor agreed with this, and I was able to filter for children's groups."

Disagreement is a fact of working life, and it is guaranteed to happen at some point in any industry. Although nonprofit employees are mission-driven, they do not always agree on the best ways to work towards advancing that mission. The interviewer wants to see that you can handle disagreement professionally.

Avoid negativity when answering this question. Simply explain the steps you took to bring your disagreement to your manager or supervisor's attention. Then, share how your manager or supervisor reacted and how you worked together to address the situation.

"Every year, my organization hosts an inter-faith gathering that brings together faith leaders and religiously-affiliated agencies from around the city to discuss their community work and engage in thoughtful discussions about how to properly address increasing violent crime. My manager was responsible for procuring panelists for a conversation about oversight for local law enforcement and had selected individuals primarily representing the Protestant Christian faith. During a planning session, I respectively voiced my suggestion that we include Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, Mormon, Buddhist, and other representatives to accurately reflect the demographics of our city as well as our supporters. My manager liked this idea, and I met with him privately later to share some specific suggestions for individuals I knew who might like to be involved with this event."

Discuss a time you contributed to innovation or embraced change in the workplace.

"In any position I have, I think about creative ways to improve the way we do things. Innovation is necessary because the world is always changing, and we have to adapt to those changes to continue to meet our goals and push the mission forward. For a few years, we had issues with our paid staff getting lost on their way to client assessment visits. For several years, we printed hardcopy route sheets for our staff. When I reviewed the process, I realized we were wasting a lot of money on paper and giving staff poor directions. I worked with our Chief Financial Officer to allocate some funding to procure a contract app development specialist who worked with program leaders to create an app that could optimize client routes. This saved us nearly $5,000 and eliminated instances of staff getting lost in the field."

Innovation and progress are fundamental to the sustainability of any organization. The interviewer wants to know that you are a creative thinker and can adapt when processes, programs, and procedures change.

Show that you not only embrace change but can also be a catalyst for change that enhances the mission of the organization. Displaying a forward-thinking vision shows that you are committed to your work.

"I believe that regular reflection on procedures is necessary to ensure that we are working as efficiently as possible. I manage a program that pairs volunteers with homebound seniors seeking companionship; the volunteers would call their 'phone buddy' once a week to talk about life and see if there was anything they needed. During a reflection session on program operations, volunteers informed me that they loved the opportunity, but they felt they could have more impact if they were each paired with more than one client. I embraced this idea wholeheartedly and worked with volunteers to develop a process for confidentiality training and scheduling calls. Ultimately, this change allowed us to include more seniors in the program."

Whether you are a project manager or have simply been involved in the implementation of a strategic plan, share your involvement in that process. Talk about the plan's overall goal, and then highlight the objectives to which you contributed.

"As Special Events Director, part of my role in our five-year strategic plan to increase our organization's endowment was to create and implement two small annual special events and one major fundraising event in tandem with our sixtieth anniversary serving the community. To meet the objectives, I organized a task force from the Community Outreach team covering logistics and planning, fundraising, volunteer coordination, and corporate sponsorships. Together, we broke down our larger objectives into manageable pieces with individual deadlines and met weekly to summarize what we accomplished that week and see if anything needed to be changed. This model allowed us to increase our fundraising efforts and deliver three new special events by the deadline."

Whether you are a project manager or have simply been involved in the implementation of a strategic plan, share your involvement in that process. Talk about the plan's overall goal, and then highlight the objectives to which you contributed.

Emphasize how you worked with co-workers assigned to the same objective. This question allows you to explore your ability to see the big picture and simultaneously pay attention to details. Think about your process toward achieving a goal and how you take the initiative to ensure success.

"As Volunteer Recruitment Manager, my task was to increase our active volunteer numbers by ten percent over three years. This meant I was responsible for recruiting roughly 300 new, regular volunteers. This was about triple my typical recruitment numbers, so I studied data from our volunteer database to analyze the demographics of current volunteers. I discovered we lacked participation from college-aged adults, so I began to network with representatives from local colleges and universities. I partnered with several community service groups and developed special volunteer activities that worked better with college student hours. In addition, I met with our social media manager to make our accounts more attractive to that age group. This strategy allowed me to meet the overall goal of boosting volunteer participation in our organization."

What is your strategy to support and encourage employees' professional development?

"As team manager, I received approval from our board of directors to use a small percentage of my annual budget to pay for costs associated with team members' professional development activities. When I discussed the matter with my team, they indicated they would be interested in attending conferences and workshops related to nonprofit administration. I agreed with this idea and set up a rotation. Each team member would attend a conference once every two years as well as local workshops twice a year. The team eagerly availed themselves of this opportunity, and it increased their knowledge and skills as well as their desire to continue doing this work."

As a manager, it is critical to invest in your employees' professional development. Besides helping them stay updated on new technologies, regulations, and strategies, professional development builds confidence and increases employee retention.

There is a myriad of ways to go about offering this kind of support, from e-learning to attending conferences. Be specific about how you have leveraged professional development to strengthen your team as a whole.

"In my role as a human resources director, I want to encourage employees to pursue opportunities for professional development, and we have some resources reserved for that express purpose as an organization. I plan and coordinate all of our in-house professional development programs, which include regular e-learning workshops, presentations from community leaders and nonprofit professionals, panel discussions, and more. I believe this is a consistent way to build skills and stay updated on industry trends, new technology, and best business practices."

Describe a time you applied your technical knowledge and skills to resolve a situation.

"As a communications expert, I believe it is essential to stay up-to-date on current technology and digital trends to enable the organization to spread awareness of its work. A few months after I was hired at my current organization, I realized that we shared a name with a restaurant in a different state. People on social media were sharing a negative viral video of the restaurant and accidentally tagging us in their posts. Because of my expertise using social media, I was able to quickly un-tag the posts and craft unique posts addressing the matter on each of our social media accounts using a light-hearted tone. Not only did this smooth over the situation, but it also gained us more followers and even yielded some donations for us."

Since United Way is one of the world's largest international nonprofit organizations, technology is critical in maintaining communication and operating effectively across time zones. Share details of your technical knowledge and skills and describe a time you used them to effectively solve a problem.

Explain how you stay up-to-date on rapidly-evolving technology. New technology can be used to improve best practices, and your answer to this question will emphasize your willingness to take initiative in this area.

"During my years as an IT specialist, I have had to stay aware of technology updates, not only as a matter of professional necessity but also to continue to build knowledge and expertise. When I first started working with local nonprofits, I discovered a great need for technology training. As such, in my first position as IT Director, I immediately developed a staff training session to share my knowledge of updated technology and talk about how it could support program efficiency. Once I had staff buy-in, I was able to present a proposal for purchasing new laptops for social workers and a rotation for training them individually. When the board accepted my proposal, I purchased the laptops and completed the training, and we were able to save social workers hours every week they could devote to advocating for clients."

Discuss your familiarity with specific technology that aids in virtual communication.

"In my current position as an online English language instructor, I maintain consistent contact with clients from all around the world. As such, I am required to have an advanced understanding of messaging applications, video chats, and email to balance my workload and sustain client relationships. I use Skype forty hours a week to conduct lessons. Between lessons, I communicate with my supervisor via email and Skype chat."

Share the names of the specific messaging applications that can be used for seamless communication with people you will contact on the job. Demonstrate how you utilize these applications to work more efficiently.

United Way is well-funded and uses updated technology. If you have no experience using these kinds of applications, this is an opportunity to show that you are capable of quickly learning them by talking about past experiences in which you adapted to new technology.

"Since the entire marketing team has gone remote, we have had a learning curve in terms of communicating from our home offices. It is different working as a team when you are not together physically. Therefore, it is extremely important to utilize new technology to make communication as clear and fast as possible. My team uses Slack to discuss work on projects and provide updates on our daily tasks. We hold meetings over Zoom and even have WhatsApp groups for people who are working on small groups projects. I feel comfortable learning new technology quickly."

Talk about your experience using data to assess need. How did this data contribute to actionable change?

"I prepared a brief report to share with you that tracks the number of active and one-time-only volunteers I recruited this past fiscal year. It includes information about the programs they served, the number of hours they served, and their impact on each program in terms of clothing units dispersed and clients aided. I have shared the estimated in-kind value of all their hours and tracked the number of volunteers that became inactive over a year. By following these numbers, I can see which programs are the most popular among volunteers and use that knowledge in my recruitment efforts. I can also analyze trends in volunteer inactivity to discover patterns related to the time of year and available opportunities. Analyzing this data regularly helped me boost the volunteer program and ensure it was sustainable in the future."

Leveraging accurate data to inform decision-making is an important skill in any professional environment. For nonprofits, data not only helps procure funding but also contributes to the growth and improvement of programs. The interviewer wants to know that you have experience gathering and analyzing data.

Bring metrics to the interview table to answer this question. It might help to bring a one-sheet that shows data from your research, program assessments, service numbers, etc. Explain what the data shows and how you were able to use it to make a positive difference in your organization's work.

"A deceased donor made a large bequest to our organization that enabled us to pursue expanding our program options serving seniors living in our community. As Client Advocacy Officer, I spearheaded an initiative to visit the homes of our registered clients and listen to their ideas for resources the community wants and needs. After collating the data, I determined that the majority of seniors living in the neighborhood were unable to find transportation for doctor appointments, hospital visits, and grocery runs. We used a portion of the bequest to purchase three minibusses and began running regular routes between client homes and these essential locations."

Do you have experience with writing grant proposals?

"I fully understand the importance of grant proposals, as this process accounts for millions of dollars awarded every year to a variety of causes. Because of my undergraduate and graduate research in public policy, I have developed strong writing skills. Although my current organization employs professional writers to do these tasks, I have provided data for grant proposals and understand the grant-seeking cycle. I would be thrilled to further develop my skills in this area by completing grant proposals for United Way."

Grant seeking is a vital part of many nonprofit organizations. If you have exposure to this type of work, walk the interviewer through some of your grant-seeking successes. Don't be shy about sharing the financial yields of some of your grant-seeking efforts! If you do not have experience in this area, discuss how you could assist and learn.

United Way receives funding from a variety of sources, but highlighting any experience you might have securing government funding would be especially beneficial. Although United Way does not receive a large amount of government funding relative to its fundraising, government grants tend to be the most complicated. Demonstrating that you have the knowledge and skillset to procure one of these grants will impress the interviewer.

"I have written hundreds of grant proposals throughout the years seeking funding from private foundations, corporations, individual entities, and government agencies. These proposals have resulted in fully-funding five programs providing food and shelter for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. I understand that United Way does not receive a great deal of government funding, but I have years of experience sourcing funding from private foundations and corporations in addition to government agencies. Consequently, not only is my portfolio vast but so is my knowledge on how to find new sources."

United Way Interview Questions

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1. Talk about a challenging conversation you had with a colleague or stakeholder.
2. How do you handle stress and conflict?
3. How would you represent United Way in the community?
4. Share how you display self-awareness and ethical awareness in your work.
5. If you could have your ideal work environment, what would it be like?
6. What is your philosophy regarding work-life balance?
7. What motivates you?
8. What are your professional goals?
9. Are you applying for any other jobs?
10. About which philanthropic cause are you the most passionate?
11. Why do you want to work for United Way?
12. Please share what you know about United Way programs.
13. Tell me something unique about yourself that is not included on your resume.
14. Think about a supervisor or manager who made a positive impression on you. In your opinion, what qualities and characteristics contributed to their success, and what did you learn from their management style?
15. As a manager, how have you nurtured and led team members to success?
16. How do you manage your time during a professional presentation?
17. Please share any ideas you have about creating new fundraising opportunities.
18. The position you are interviewing for is brand new. If hired, how would you take ownership of this position and further refine its role within the team?
19. Talk about a situation where you were required to maintain a great amount of energy over a long period of time in order to complete a project.
20. Describe your experience coordinating volunteers.
21. Talk about an important project you managed.
22. Please share your fundraising skills and experience.
23. Have you ever been advised by a fellow employee or supervisor to lie about a situation? How did you handle this ethical dilemma?
24. How do you manage your workload so that you can meet tight deadlines?
25. How do you manage ambiguity and complexity in your job?
26. When have you experienced failure in the workplace, and how did you react?
27. How do you maintain strong relationships with international clients and/or co-workers?
28. Talk about a time you disagreed with a decision made by your manager or supervisor. How did you address this situation?
29. Discuss a time you contributed to innovation or embraced change in the workplace.
30. Whether you are a project manager or have simply been involved in the implementation of a strategic plan, share your involvement in that process. Talk about the plan's overall goal, and then highlight the objectives to which you contributed.
31. What is your strategy to support and encourage employees' professional development?
32. Describe a time you applied your technical knowledge and skills to resolve a situation.
33. Discuss your familiarity with specific technology that aids in virtual communication.
34. Talk about your experience using data to assess need. How did this data contribute to actionable change?
35. Do you have experience with writing grant proposals?

United Way Interview Questions

1. Talk about a challenging conversation you had with a colleague or stakeholder.

2. How do you handle stress and conflict?

3. How would you represent United Way in the community?

4. Share how you display self-awareness and ethical awareness in your work.

5. If you could have your ideal work environment, what would it be like?

6. What is your philosophy regarding work-life balance?

7. What motivates you?

8. What are your professional goals?

9. Are you applying for any other jobs?

10. About which philanthropic cause are you the most passionate?

11. Why do you want to work for United Way?

12. Please share what you know about United Way programs.

13. Tell me something unique about yourself that is not included on your resume.

14. Think about a supervisor or manager who made a positive impression on you. In your opinion, what qualities and characteristics contributed to their success, and what did you learn from their management style?

15. As a manager, how have you nurtured and led team members to success?

16. How do you manage your time during a professional presentation?

17. Please share any ideas you have about creating new fundraising opportunities.

18. The position you are interviewing for is brand new. If hired, how would you take ownership of this position and further refine its role within the team?

19. Talk about a situation where you were required to maintain a great amount of energy over a long period of time in order to complete a project.

20. Describe your experience coordinating volunteers.

21. Talk about an important project you managed.

22. Please share your fundraising skills and experience.

23. Have you ever been advised by a fellow employee or supervisor to lie about a situation? How did you handle this ethical dilemma?

24. How do you manage your workload so that you can meet tight deadlines?

25. How do you manage ambiguity and complexity in your job?

26. When have you experienced failure in the workplace, and how did you react?

27. How do you maintain strong relationships with international clients and/or co-workers?

28. Talk about a time you disagreed with a decision made by your manager or supervisor. How did you address this situation?

29. Discuss a time you contributed to innovation or embraced change in the workplace.

30. Whether you are a project manager or have simply been involved in the implementation of a strategic plan, share your involvement in that process. Talk about the plan's overall goal, and then highlight the objectives to which you contributed.

31. What is your strategy to support and encourage employees' professional development?

32. Describe a time you applied your technical knowledge and skills to resolve a situation.

33. Discuss your familiarity with specific technology that aids in virtual communication.

34. Talk about your experience using data to assess need. How did this data contribute to actionable change?

35. Do you have experience with writing grant proposals?