How does your previous experience apply to the work we do here?
The interviewer asks this question to see if you have experience working with their target population. If the organization works with clients who have substance abuse issues, they want to hear what experience you have working with those individuals and their families.
Focus on describing any experience related to the position you are interviewing for. You can use past paid work experience or volunteer experience in your response.
If you do not have experience related to the organization's work, avoid saying you have no experience. You can describe other skills you have that will benefit the organization, such as your soft skills, the research you have performed on the target population, your area of study, or the leadership positions you have held.
"I have previous experience working as a counselor for troubled youth with substance abuse issues. I spent three years working with adolescents 13-18 years old, which is directly related to your organization's work. I have experience doing risk assessments, holding individual and group counseling sessions, helping develop treatment plans using evidence-based practice, and monitoring the client's progress."
