Urban and Regional Planners Interview
Questions

6. What is your greatest strength? How does it help you as a Urban and Regional Planner? The answer that you give will help the hiring manager to determine if your greatest asset is something that they could use on their team. Be sure to follow your answer up with some type of confirmation of it's truth. Here is an answer example: "My greatest strength is my ability to see the project in a large, full picture, before beginning any solid plans. My ability to view all facets of a plan has been incredibly helpful in my career as it prevents me from making some unnecessary errors and oversights. My current manager has made this comment to me multiple times in my past performance reviews."7. What area in this city do you believe has the most potential? The research you have retained on the company prior to the interview will be important when answering this question. It is great to tell the interviewer about the areas of the city you would love to see revitalized however, be sure to know the company's past, current and future projects as well. Here is an answer example: "I feel that the Inglewood area has the most potential as it's central, has a great vibe, and has a lot of thriving small businesses to offer amenities to the residents. Your recent project in the Renfrew area is a perfect example of that. It's another great neighbouring area that could benefit from a revitalization."8. Why should we hire you? Similar to the 'What makes you the best candidate for us?' question, you will want to talk a bit about what makes you a stand out candidate for the role. This particular question also offers you the opportunity to ask for the job. Here is an answer example: "You should hire me because I am a very talented planner with direct experience in the types of projects that you focus on. I know the industry and hold a strong reputation within it. Knowing what I have told you about myself; is there any reason why you would hesitate to hire me? Is there anything more I can clarify for you about my background?"9. Why is urban planning important to you? This answer can be simply stated. Talk briefly about what you feel the benefits are to others' by having urban planning experts. Here is an answer example: "Urban planning is not only important because it creates a sense of order in a city but it is also required for the safety of its citizens. I can make a difference in my city by providing insight towards a great future for generations to come."10. Tell me about your education. How has it prepared you for a career as a Urban and Regional Planner? Talk about your level of education, where you went to University/College and where you completed your internship. Were you mentored by anyone along the way? Here is an answer example: "I completed my Degree in Urban Planning from McGill University in Montreal. For my apprenticeship I worked for ABC architecture firm and was mentored greatly by one of the senior partners. This experience gave me a really full, and broad scope of the industry and it's expectations. The high level of quality work that was expected was immense but the pressure benefited me greatly."11. Tell me about a project you studied in college that impressed you the most. The answer that you give will show the interviewer what types of projects seem to interest you the most. Be sure to give examples of why you found the project impressive. (If, during college, you studied one of the past projects of this company you are interviewing with, even better!) Here is an answer example: "One stand out project that I studied while in school was the Lotus building in Seattle. I believe your firm headed this project up? The fact that it was such an environmentally friendly project was really impressive to me. I see that your company continued with a focus on staying green. That is great, and a big interest of mine."12. How have you incorporated public transportation into your past designs? Planning public transportation in your designs can be a tedious task so be sure to bring examples of your work with you. Sometimes it is easier to show, than to tell! You can take the interviewer through your work history as well and touch on some of the designs you have done in the past. Here is an answer example: "I have a few examples with me that I would be happy to show you. As far as incorporating public transportation into my designs, I have done so approximately 5 times this past year. Let me show you..."13. Where do you get your inspiration from? What inspires you to be the best? Do you stay motivated through new inspiration? This answer can be basic or you can get a little bit more personal. Here is an answer example: "My initial inspiration came from watching my mentor, a senior urban planner, take such pride when a project was complete. It truly is a great feeling to walk or drive through a project upon completion and be able to say that these were YOUR ideas, implemented. I also subscribe to a couple of architecture and planning magazines."14. What is most important to you, something quick and flashy, or something that is timeless? This question will be important to the interviewer, as it will determine much about your potential fit within their organization. Do your research on the planning group prior to the interview. Are they known for flashy work or are they a reputable company with a reputation for long standing design? Here is an answer example: "I fully believe that creating a timeless design is the most important. That doesn't mean that it can't be attractive or somewhat 'flashy' either. It needs to catch the eye, but also keep it."15. What projects have you worked on in the past? It is really important to mention projects that the interviewer will be familiar with. The more they can visualize your work, the better. Here is an answer example: "The projects that you would be most familiar with would be some of the larger scale projects that I have worked on. For example, the community of Madigan is a big one in my portfolio. Mount Pleasant is another. For commercial, I also worked on the traffic flow, parking and green space for the Crossroads Mall development."16. What would you begin to change about our community if you were given full access for planning today. Your answer will speak to your level of attention to detail. It will also show the interviewer that you have the ability to think outside of the box and understand how communities continue to need improvement. Here is an answer example: "In my current community I would start by adding more green space. The area is starting to see more young families and there are not a lot of options for them as far as parks and playgrounds go. I would also make room for more single family homes. There are a lot of condo developments which has caused some population congestion and parking concerns."17. Tell me about your portfolio. What do you like about it? What would you change? Which projects are you really proud of, and are there some that you feel mediocre about? Be sure to bring your portfolio as well so that you can physically show examples. IE: "My portfolio has a wide range of both commercial and residential planning. I began my career in commercial development and have since been working on building communities and park areas. I really like my portfolio - even my early work, because it got me to where I am today. I wouldn't change anything about it but I will say that my work has become much more detailed since the beginning of my career." Here is an answer example: "My portfolio has a wide range of both commercial and residential planning. I began my career in commercial development and have since been working on building communities and park areas. I really like my portfolio - even my early work, because it got me to where I am today. I wouldn't change anything about it but I will say that my work has become much more detailed since the beginning of my career."18. What do you believe makes a happy community? Think of the things that you really appreciate about your own community. Do you feel that everyone should have those amenities? Here is an answer example: "The few things that I always think of when I am planning a new community are flow of traffic, safety, green space and ample amenities for ease and convenience. Individuals really like to feel a sense of community within their neighbourhoods. No matter how large the city is, I believe that most people like to feel as though their neighbourhood is a small town or community within itself."19. What cities have you studied that impressed you the most? Which city impresses you the most, and why? Be sure to include some thoughtful detail in your answer. Here is an answer example: "For myself, I am very impressed with the design of Berlin, Germany. Berlin has become one of the greatest creative centres of the world and is now becoming leader in design. It's focus is environmentally conscious and sustainable."20. Have you studied a poorly planned city project? Tell me about it and what went wrong. How you answer this question will show the interviewer more about your keen eye for detail and your ability to think critically. Answer this is a way that remains positive but is also constructive. Avoid bashing the work of another firm. Here is an answer example: "I was tasked to study a couple of former city projects during my time in University. One being the residential community of Waterfront and the other being the residential community of Silverado. These projects are full of confusing traffic circles which has made for an increase in vehicular and pedestrian accidents over the years. Drivers are afraid of missing their turn to get to the correct shopping area and they forget to keep an eye on the road."21. Where do you see yourself in five years? When you answer this question be sure to include your thoughts on where you would like to be with this particular company in 5 years. Here is an answer example: "One of the really big things that attracts me to your company is the fast growth that you've displayed over the past few years. I would be thrilled to join a company such as yours and grow into a management position over time."22. Are you a detail oriented person? Being a talented Urban Planner requires great attention to detail. If you are successful in this career path, you are - in fact - going to be naturally detail oriented. Talk a bit about your ability to see the small, finite details. Include an example of a time when you caught an error or oversight. Here is an answer example: "I am very detail oriented and am a careful planner. Just last month I was reviewing a co-workers plans prior to client submittal. It was missing a small detail on the roadway which would have caused too severe of narrowing and blind spots while turning around the corner. We fixed the error right away which saved us a lot of un-billable hours."23. Describe a time where you worked well under pressure. Be sure to use a recent and relatable example when you answer this question. Spend less time talking about the problem and more time talking about what you did to find a solution. What was the outcome? Here is an answer example: "Last week our client made some pretty significant changes to our plans just 2 days before the submittal deadline. Everyone was really stressed. I agreed to work many hours of overtime for those 2 days so that we could hit the deadline our client required. It's easy to freeze up in times like that so I was sure to create a milestones schedule and stick to that. I also made sure to utilize our technical staff and junior planners more than usual. We hit our deadline and our client was thrilled!"24. How are your communication skills? This answer can be brief and should include an example of something that you do to ensure you are communicating clearly. Here is an answer example: "I have been told by my current manager that my communication skills are very good. I try to always break my emails and phone conversations down to the simplest facts so that everyone involved is receiving the most pertinent information. I also possess great follow up skills."25. How would your former employer describe you? Talking about previous reviews and also your references are going to be really important when answering this question. Here is an answer example: "My previous employer and I worked very closely together for many years. He would say that I am a hard worker who is willing to go above and beyond expectations to ensure a job well done. My performance reviews were always good. He will be happy to provide a strong reference for you. We parted on very amicable terms."26. The planning process involves input from numerous groups, which requires great communication skills. When have you exemplified such skills in past work? Multiple groups means multiple personalities so it's best to give an example of a time when perhaps you were working with a team that didn't always see eye to eye. Here is an answer example: "I am continually working with multiple groups that do not necessarily see eye to eye. We almost always have the same end-goal but not necessarily the same ideas on how to get there. Strong communication is key since it is so easy to misunderstand. What I do is take my time to talk to the other party and repeat back what my understanding of it is. This way, we know for sure if we are on the same page."27. What civic organizations do you belong to? This is a simple and straightforward answer. Be sure to have these listed on your resume if you have any involvements as well. Here is an answer example: "I am a current member of the city's Urban Planning Association. I am also an alumni member of the local CSO."28. What do you know about our company? It is imperative that you do research on the company history and its past/current projects. Have they won any awards or received recognition for a job well done? Here is an answer example: "I have done a lot of research on your company because I want to ensure that it is the right fit for me as well. What stands out to me most is that, as such a well established company, you are still developing new and creative ways to stand out from the crowd. Your reputation is impeccable and I really enjoy the projects that you do. They are unique and very well done."29. How well do you know this market? If you are new to the city, you should let the interviewer know this, but also follow up with some of your current knowledge about the city. Here is an answer example: "I moved to Seattle just 1 year ago but in that time I have been able to get to know the flow of the city very well. I also did a lot of research on Seattle and the urban sprawl prior to moving here."