Describe a challenging experience while you were counseling a student. What did you do to overcome it?

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Similar to the other questions, the basic guide to answering situational questions is to describe the circumstance, explain your course of action and then the result of your action. Answering this way also shows the interviewer that you know how to organize your thoughts.

"There was a time when I had to counsel a student who was giving me an attitude the entire time because she didn't want to talk to me. I told the student that if she didn't cooperate, she'll be seeing more of me in the coming days because I'll schedule more sessions until she decides to cooperate. I believe she wants to get it over with and so she cooperated. In return, I made the sessions worth her while by being very understanding of her concerns. Eventually, we were able to complete her sessions with me."

Anonymous Answer

"There was a time when I was counseling a student who did not want to talk with me and was difficult in our counseling sessions. I continued to question the student learning more about the student's interests, hobbies, or outside activities. I built a rapport with the student by greeting in the morning or in the lunchroom. Showed interest in the student's life at school and outside of school. Eventually, the student warmed up to me and worked with me in a more positive manner."

Cindy's Feedback

Good start. The example provides good information about your problem-solving skills and judgment.

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Anonymous Answer

"I was working with an adolescent male who did not want to work with me, and I just kept showing up. I started building rapport with him by discussing his interests, listening to some of his favorite music, and talking about that, playing games that he enjoyed. He eventually came around and began sharing his concerns with me."

Stephanie's Feedback

Great response; it's clear that you were able to build a genuine connection with this young man, which caused him to open up to you. My only feedback would be adding a bit more detail to the part where you mention that he "did not want to work with me." Was he just quiet or openly defiant? This information might be helpful to your interviewer.

Anonymous Answer

"I think a challenging experience might be when a student won't talk and just sits in my office, pouting or being silent. I would overcome this by giving the child options to express themselves in other ways like coloring a picture or journaling."

Marcie's Feedback

This is a good example but too vague. Instead, discuss a specific instance when a student reacted in this way. Provide lots of information about how you helped the student get past this. Doing so will strengthen your answer and make it much more meaningful to the interviewer. Good job!

How to Answer: Describe a challenging experience while you were counseling a student. What did you do to overcome it?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a School Counselor job interview.

34. Describe a challenging experience while you were counseling a student. What did you do to overcome it?

How to Answer

Written by Ryan Brown on August 12th, 2014

Answer Example

Written by Ryan Brown on August 12th, 2014

Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

Anonymous Answer

Cindy's Feedback

Good start. The example provides good information about your problem-solving skills and judgment.

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Anonymous Answer

Stephanie's Feedback

Anonymous Answer

Marcie's Feedback

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About the Author

Krista Wenz

I began my career in emergency medical services (EMS) over 30 years ago, working as a Firefighter-Paramedic, EMS Captain, Mental Health Technician, ER Technician, EMT and Paramedic Adjunct Instructor, and EMS Educator. During my career, I served on over one thousand interview panels to help various organizations choose the right candidate for the job.

My interview experience includes hiring emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters, professors, school counselors, nurses, medical assistants, school support staff, home health aides, and physician assistants. I have created curricula and training materials to prepare candidates for interviews and held mock interview courses for healthcare and educational professionals. I have coached paramedic and EMT students to pass their licensing exams and counseled and mentored many other healthcare professionals in providing compassionate patient care.

As a coach and contributor for MockQuestions, I am excited to help you navigate your upcoming school counselor interview. While these questions assess your critical thinking and communication skills, interviewers also ask these questions to gain insight into your personality to determine if you will be a good fit with the company culture. Remember to be relaxed and be your authentic self. Best of luck in acing your interview!

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