Addiction Counselor Mock Interview

Practice 30 Addiction Counselor interview questions covering ethical dilemmas, crisis intervention, and client-centered approaches.

Question 1 of 30

What made you choose a career as an Addiction Counselor?

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Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"I wanted to find a career that would challenge me to grow and become a better person by giving back to others. When I started seriously thinking about my future and what possibilities there are, I really felt like if I could make a difference in just one person's life and help them overcome the stronghold of addiction, that it would be worth it all."

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"I actually did not start my career path as an addiction counselor. My career path began when I was an addict. Like many people, I started out using once in a while and those 'here and there' moments turned into several times a week and often daily. I suffered physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I went through more than I can tell you in the time an interview allows, but what I can say here is, when I hit rock bottom, I promised myself if I could crawl out of the hole I was in I would help others as much as I could. I got into an inpatient rehab program, then did outpatient therapy and joined support groups. When I got healthy again, I started pursuing a career in addiction counseling. I made a promise to myself and I intend to keep it as long as I live. It's one thing to know the facts; it's completely another thing to live them. I am living proof that someone can overcome addiction and live a better life."

Heather Douglass

Heather Douglass has over 20 years of experience as a Career Coach, Recruiter, and HR Specialist. Much of her experience is as a Technical Recruiter in the healthcare industry.

In almost all interviews, the employer will ask why you chose this specific career. Everybody has his own story to tell, and the interviewer wants to hear yours. If you had some experience that led you to this career choice, this is a good time to share that. Remember, though, this is an interview, not a conference where you are a guest speaker. Tell your 'why' and tell it with passion, but be conscientious of the time that you are being given.

Heather Douglass

Heather Douglass has over 20 years of experience as a Career Coach, Recruiter, and HR Specialist. Much of her experience is as a Technical Recruiter in the healthcare industry.

"If someone had told me many years ago that I would have chosen a career dealing with addiction, I would never have believed them. I love psychology and have always wanted to help people. It wasn't until I really began to research the different types of counseling that are available that I realized the critical role that many addiction counselors have in the lives of those who are struggling with addictions. The more I researched, the more I felt like this is what I was meant to do."

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Anonymous Answer

I've always been very motivated to help others, but in what capacity has never been clear until a few years ago when a college friend of mine decided to seek help for her opiate addiction. I feel like I was helpful and supportive of her as she was estranged from most of her family and other friends. In 2015, not long after she got clean, it became clear to me that I wanted to pursue addiction counseling as a career.

Kristine's Feedback

Excellent response! The interviewer will see your genuine interest in pursuing the profession.

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30Addiction Counselor Interview Questions & Answers

1.What made you choose a career as an Addiction Counselor?

2.What is something that is difficult for you to deal with being an addiction counselor?

3.If you had a client who told you he was only coming to counseling because he was ordered to by a judge and that he had no intention of quitting drugs, how would you handle the situation?

4.What are some addictions that you have worked with previously and can you share something about one addiction with me?

5.Have you or a loved one ever been directly affected by an addiction?

6.What would an ideal work schedule be like for you?

7. What is something that is rewarding to you about being an addiction counselor?

8.If a client began to be physically aggressive toward you, how would you handle the situation?

9.How would your coworkers describe you?

10.If a client has a food addiction, what are some things that you like to do with them as part of their counseling?

11.Do you have experience doing group counseling sessions, and if so, what are your thoughts?

12.What makes you feel you will be a good fit for our organization?

13.Other than individual counseling, what are some other services you have provided to clients and/or their families?

14.What are some major factors that may cause a patient to relapse, and how do you approach preparing clients to cope with or avoid these risk factors?

15.If you were the person responsible for hiring new employees, what qualities would you look for in a candidate, and do you think you possess those qualities?

16.If you were to teach a counseling intern regarding signs to observe for that may indicate signs of drug abuse, what would you tell them?

17.Tell me about a time you were trusted with confidential information regarding a patient's care.

18.Is there a type of patient or specific diagnosis that you find it more difficult to treat?

19.What are you thoughts regarding involving a client's family in their treatment, and how do you go about doing that?

20.If you had a client who consistently lied to you regarding his continued substance abuse, how would you handle that situation?

21.Have you ever considered choosing a different specialty?

22.What are your thoughts about inpatient treatment facilities, and what do you think could make the chances of staying in recovery better for clients after they have been discharged from inpatient care?

23.Has there ever been a time that you had a disagreement with a coworker, and if so, how was it resolved?

24.What characteristics do you think are important for an addiction counselor to possess?

25.Under what circumstances would you feel that you need to turn the care of a client over to another counselor?

26.Have you ever done any volunteer work or public education related to substance abuse or addiction disorders?

27.If a client was under the care of another counselor at your place of employment, but that client came to you and suggested that his current counselor had made inappropriate advances toward him, how would you respond?