Tell me about your experience as a mentor. How would you handle inspiring an employee who wasn't doing well at our organization?

"I had a very strong mentor when I was first in the industry and am always excited to offer the same type of leadership to my junior team. If I have an employee who is not doing well within our organization, I will offer them one-on-one time with me twice per week until their performance improves. This will include suggested reading as well."

How do you go about teaching junior Economists? Are you dedicated to ensuring the success of everyone on your team? Talk to the hiring manager about your dedication to mentorship.

What do you do to stay "in-the-know" on economic related news and topics?

How do you stay up to date on new happenings affecting the economy? As an Economist, you will always need to stay "in-the-know". Assure the hiring manager that you are able to do so.

Would you consider yourself tech savvy? What programs are you strongest in?

"In my career I have been exposed to a variety of programs. I am best versed in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Access. In addition to these, I use Freedcamp for Project Management as well as an internal SAP based program called XYZ. Overall, I certainly do consider myself tech savvy, however; there is always more to learn."

Talk to the hiring manager about your level of technical knowledge. You can talk about specific programs that you have used in your career, and the extent of your expertise in them.

Have you considered upgrading your education to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)?

"I have considered upgrading my education to my Doctorate. I will likely do so within the next few years, however; it would need to be in tandem with my commitment to full time employment."

Is it important to you to obtain your Doctor of Philosophy? Talk to the hiring manager about any education related goals that you have set for yourself.

Would you say you are more analytical or creative in your thinking?

"I would certainly consider myself an analytical individual. I do not make any decision without first analyzing the data and utilizing that information to form a strong decision."

How do you view yourself? Talk to the hiring manager about how you think, and process, work-related activities and challenges.

Are you comfortable with public speaking and creating presentations?

"I am very comfortable with public speaking and creating presentations. I am confident in my abilities to create a presentation through PowerPoint and have a great deal of experience presenting and public speaking. In my current position I give a public presentation approximately 3 times per month."

Walk the hiring manager through your experience in presenting and public speaking. Are you comfortable creating your own presentations as well? Give an overview of this experience.

In a pure capitalist environment, would the end result be a monopoly?

"Theoretically, I believe that in a capitalist environment there is a very high chance of the end result being a monopoly. Governments are still a body made up of people with personal and self interest and it is unrealistic to think otherwise."

Display to the hiring manager that you are familiar with the basic concepts of economics. Your answer can be to the point, however; your opinion should be supported.

Have you performed any studies on the socioeconomic impacts of new public policies?

"My most notable study was on the socioeconomic impacts of innovation investments. The idea behind the study was that innovation was the primary driving force behind material and social progress. If you'd like to learn more about the study, I have brought some highlights for you to review."

Tell the hiring manager about your experience and knowledge on public policy and the potential socioeconomic impacts. Bring examples of your work if possible and/or be prepared to direct the hiring manager to your study.

Tell me about a recent research project you conducted. Were the results what you expected?

"My most recent research project was on 'Economic Policy, Financial Markets, and Economic Growth.' During my research, I found that although the importance of government policy is widely recognized, the effects of policy on economic growth, in terms of direction and of magnitude, are difficult to measure. This was very interesting to me."

As an Economist, a great deal of research will be required of you. Talk to the hiring manager about your most recent research project. Was the outcome what you expected? What was the most significant finding?

What have you done to help your subordinates to be more productive?

"I dedicate quite a lot of my time to helping my subordinates be more productive. I show them some 'tricks of the trade' and allow them to shadow me on the job. I also send out a weekly tips sheet, and a newsletter, full of industry tips. I like to recognize those who are productive as I feel this fosters an environment of encouragement."

How important is productivity to you? Talk to the hiring manager about your ability to coach your junior staff/team members in order to ensure that productivity is at its finest.

Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback. How did you handle it?

"I feel it is always necessary to have a relationship of some sort with the individual before you can appropriately and effectively provide feedback. My approach is always to ask permission before I give feedback. Last week a junior economist was speaking to other colleagues on a topic that he was not well versed in. I approached him later to let him know that I really appreciate his tenacity and excitement for the job. I then gently recommended that he research a topic a bit deeper before speaking on it as an expert. He took the feedback very well and I showed him some new resources for information gathering."

Giving feedback to a colleague or subordinate can be a very difficult task. Talk to the hiring manger about your ability to have difficult conversations. How do you approach the situation and what do you say?

What other profession would you be doing, if you weren't an Economist?

"If I were not an Economist, I would have been an Educator. For many years I was interested in becoming a teacher, most likely obtaining my masters and then PhD so that I could educate in a University setting."

You can learn a lot about a person from the type of career they choose. Talk to the hiring manager about your other interests and passions. If you could not have been an Economist, what would you have chosen as a career path?

What is the most exciting part of this career path?

"As an Economist, every day is different. I feel like with an ever changing world, marketplace, and economy, there will never be a dull moment in this industry. This creates a passion in me to learn more and continually keeps me excited and engaged."

What keeps you excited to go to work every day? The hiring manager would like to understand more about what attracted you to this career path as an Economist, and what continues to keep you here?

"I understand Monetarism to be the theory or practice of controlling the supply of money as the chief method of stabilizing the economy."

Display to the hiring manager that you are familiar with the basic theories of economics. Your answer can be basic and to the point.

When Economists talk about 'The Invisible Hand' what are they referring to?

Display to the hiring manager that you are familiar with the basic concepts of economics. Your answer can be basic and to the point.

Explain Keynesian Economics.

"From my understanding, Keynesian economics was developed by the British economist John Maynard Keynes during the 1930s in an attempt to understand the Great Depression. Keynes advocated increased government expenditures and lower taxes to stimulate demand and pull the global economy out of the Depression."

Display to the hiring manager that you are familiar with the basic concepts of economics. Your answer can be basic and to the point.

How do you handle stressful situations?

"I handle stressful situations very well. Whenever I feel a bit overwhelmed, I will take a step back for a breather. I try to re-assess the situation and look at it in a new light. My current manager comments quite often on my ability to handle high pressure very well."

Talk to the hiring manager about how you are able to maintain a level head during stressful situations. Give an example of positive feedback you have received on your ability to handle stress.

Tell me about the most difficult work-related decision you have made in the last 6 months, and how you handled it.

"Due to the struggling economy, I was recently asked to recommend layoffs within our organization. Being a leader, it was incredibly difficult for me to choose who would lose their job. I decided to remove all emotions and make my choice based on performance analytics alone. That made the decisions much simpler, but still not easy."

Are you a strong decision maker, and are you able to successfully handle difficult choices in the workplace? Talk to the hiring manager about your decision making process. Give an example of a very difficult you choice you have had to make. The more recent, the better.

When given an important assignment, how do you approach it?

"When I receive a new and important assignment, I will first gather all of the information required. I create a list of necessary tasks and then I prioritize those tasks by level of importance and it's ability to generate revenue. I will assign any tasks to junior staff and begin from there."

Take the hiring manager through your process once you have received an important assignment.

How do you keep your manager informed on your progress?

"In our current firm, we use a web based application called Basecamp. The majority of the time, my works' progress in documented in that system. My manager can see daily, weekly and monthly updates as well as projected completion dates."

Walk the hiring manager through your process of submitting your progress. Do you use specific tools or software to track progress?

What was the most difficult course for you during your time in University?

"Mathematical economics was my most challenging course while attending University. I found it to be a very fast moving course and was not completely prepared. Looking back, I should have completed an additional pre-requisite before taking the course. I completed this course with an average grade but have continued to work on those skills and am now very strong in most mathematical economic concepts."

During your post-secondary education, which courses did you find more challenging? Talk to the hiring manager about the course, how you ended up succeeding, and what you currently do to ensure you remain strong on this topic.

If the Government borrows a lot of money, what will this do to interest rates?

"I feel that when the Government borrows funds, the affect it has on interest rates may depend on a few factors such as if the funds are being deployed to support war/military, the current interest rate of the central banks, and the debt to GDP ratio. An interesting read is a white paper published by Noriaki Kinoshita. He shows that borrowing from Governments has minimal effect on interest rates. You may be interested in reading it."

Display to the hiring manager that you are familiar with the basic concepts of economics. Your answer can be to the point, however; your opinion should be supported.

What would be the effect of tightening monetary policy on the value of bonds in the bond market?

"I have completed significant research on this topic and have found that with interest rates at low levels, bond yields trend lower, and their inverse relationship with bond prices means that most fixed-income instruments post sizeable price gains. For example, according to an article I recently read on Investopedia.com; If policy is accommodative for too long, inflation concerns may send bonds sharply lower as yields adjust to higher inflationary expectations. Cash is not king during periods of accommodative policy, as investors prefer to deploy their money anywhere rather than parking it in deposits that provide minimal returns."

Display to the hiring manager that you are familiar with the basic concepts of economics. Your answer can be to the point, however; your opinion should be supported.

As an Economist, are you most interested in the area of Law, Finance, or Politics?

"I am happy to work in any area of economics, however; I am most interested in the political side of economics. My major was focused on Government policy and it's effects on the economy."

Do you have a more specific area of interest? Talk to the hiring manager about your deeper interests.

What makes you a stand-out candidate?

"What makes me a stand-out candidate is my authentic passion for what I do. Even outside of work, I sleep, eat, and breathe economics. I will never turn my 'Economist' brain off...it's just who I am. Also, I am very good with information retention. Once I learn a fact, I remember it. Almost like a photogenic memory. My above average ability to recall information is incredibly instrumental in my success."

Why should you be the successful candidate? Convince the hiring manager that they cannot possibly pass up hiring you! What makes you unique? It can be difficult to brag about yourself and your abilities, but now is definitely the time to do it.

If awarded this position, what is the first thing you will do to make an impact in your new role?

"If I am awarded this position, I would first make an impact by meeting with the junior economists to discover where there may be holes in their knowledge. A team works well only if everyone has the same understanding of the end goal. By taking this step, I can ensure complete efficiency right away."

Assure the hiring manager that you plan to make a positive impact immediately after being hired. What will you do to ensure that this happens?

How long would you expect to work for us if hired?

"You can see from my work history that tenure is very important to me. As much as you are looking for a fit within your organization, I am seeking a long term fit for myself as well. I would be very happy to finish my career strong, and with your organization."

Assure the hiring manager that you view this opportunity as a long term fit. Talk about how their organization will offer you long-term interest.

Are you a reliable individual with great attendance and punctuality?

"I am a very reliable person and have great difficulty in being late. Generally speaking, I aim to be 10 minutes early for work every day. My previous manager comments quite frequently on how pleased she is with my level of reliability."

Are you a reliable individual? Tell the hiring manager about your punctuality and attendance. You can also refer to any feedback you have been given from a previous manager or supervisor.

Why did you choose a career as an Economist?

"I chose a career as an Economist because I felt it was a perfect way to blend my interests in politics, finance and sociology."

Talk to the hiring manager a bit about the path that brought you here.

What do you like most about being an economist?

"What I enjoy most about being an Economist is that I am paid to do what I love! Being on top of the news, economy, policy change and the law is all very exciting to me. The ever-changing landscape of the economy is fast-paced and keeps me engaged on a daily basis."

Discuss with the hiring manager what you enjoy most about your career path. What keeps you engaged even on the most stressful of days?

Tell me about your education/training.

"I completed my degree at Western University and graduated with Honors. My focus was on politics and socioeconomic climate. Being on the Deans list for 3 of the 4 years was a proud accomplishment of mine."

Your post-secondary experience is important to the hiring manager as they would like to understand the full landscape of your focus. Talk about your coursework, how you performed and any additional information such as awards or scholarships that you received.

Tell me about your ideal company culture.

"My ideal company culture is one where employee engagement and growth is front and centre Engaged employees are more productive and a productive environment is the main factor I am looking for in my next opportunity."

Company culture and environment are very important factors when choosing fit. Talk to the hiring manager about what you feel would be the best culture fit for you. Why would their organization be a fit?

Economist Interview Questions

Go Back

1. Tell me about your experience as a mentor. How would you handle inspiring an employee who wasn't doing well at our organization?
2. What do you do to stay "in-the-know" on economic related news and topics?
3. Would you consider yourself tech savvy? What programs are you strongest in?
4. Have you considered upgrading your education to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)?
5. Would you say you are more analytical or creative in your thinking?
6. Are you comfortable with public speaking and creating presentations?
7. In a pure capitalist environment, would the end result be a monopoly?
8. Have you performed any studies on the socioeconomic impacts of new public policies?
9. Tell me about a recent research project you conducted. Were the results what you expected?
10. What have you done to help your subordinates to be more productive?
11. Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback. How did you handle it?
12. What other profession would you be doing, if you weren't an Economist?
13. What is the most exciting part of this career path?
14. What is Monetarism?
15. When Economists talk about 'The Invisible Hand' what are they referring to?
16. Explain Keynesian Economics.
17. How do you handle stressful situations?
18. Tell me about the most difficult work-related decision you have made in the last 6 months, and how you handled it.
19. When given an important assignment, how do you approach it?
20. How do you keep your manager informed on your progress?
21. What was the most difficult course for you during your time in University?
22. If the Government borrows a lot of money, what will this do to interest rates?
23. What would be the effect of tightening monetary policy on the value of bonds in the bond market?
24. As an Economist, are you most interested in the area of Law, Finance, or Politics?
25. What makes you a stand-out candidate?
26. If awarded this position, what is the first thing you will do to make an impact in your new role?
27. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
28. Are you a reliable individual with great attendance and punctuality?
29. Why did you choose a career as an Economist?
30. What do you like most about being an economist?
31. Tell me about your education/training.
32. Tell me about your ideal company culture.

Economist Interview Questions

1. Tell me about your experience as a mentor. How would you handle inspiring an employee who wasn't doing well at our organization?

2. What do you do to stay "in-the-know" on economic related news and topics?

3. Would you consider yourself tech savvy? What programs are you strongest in?

4. Have you considered upgrading your education to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)?

5. Would you say you are more analytical or creative in your thinking?

6. Are you comfortable with public speaking and creating presentations?

7. In a pure capitalist environment, would the end result be a monopoly?

8. Have you performed any studies on the socioeconomic impacts of new public policies?

9. Tell me about a recent research project you conducted. Were the results what you expected?

10. What have you done to help your subordinates to be more productive?

11. Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback. How did you handle it?

12. What other profession would you be doing, if you weren't an Economist?

13. What is the most exciting part of this career path?

14. What is Monetarism?

15. When Economists talk about 'The Invisible Hand' what are they referring to?

16. Explain Keynesian Economics.

17. How do you handle stressful situations?

18. Tell me about the most difficult work-related decision you have made in the last 6 months, and how you handled it.

19. When given an important assignment, how do you approach it?

20. How do you keep your manager informed on your progress?

21. What was the most difficult course for you during your time in University?

22. If the Government borrows a lot of money, what will this do to interest rates?

23. What would be the effect of tightening monetary policy on the value of bonds in the bond market?

24. As an Economist, are you most interested in the area of Law, Finance, or Politics?

25. What makes you a stand-out candidate?

26. If awarded this position, what is the first thing you will do to make an impact in your new role?

27. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?

28. Are you a reliable individual with great attendance and punctuality?

29. Why did you choose a career as an Economist?

30. What do you like most about being an economist?

31. Tell me about your education/training.

32. Tell me about your ideal company culture.