Officer Interview Questions

[LawlessNavyman]

I have looked around for a little while for something about the actual interviews that people have gone through but couldn't find a post. I figure this would be a good one to start. So I am about to sit down with my CO and other officers tomorrow to do interviews and was hoping for some possible questions to prepare for. I have thought about the main ones, Why do you want to be an officer?, What does an officer mean to you?, etc.. But what are some other people's experiences with the interviews and what other questions have you heard of so as to help so people prepare for these interview boards.

I sit in my CO's officer all the time doing other jobs at my command but tomorrow I am super nervous because he is judging me and I don't feel as prepared for some of the more odd ball questions that he could ask. What are some of the strangest questions people have encountered and how did you prepare for these interviews?

 

[Spookcumber]

A lot of my questions were based around being an LPO vs being a DIVO. Like, "As a future DIVO, your responsibilities will be much different than your current LPO responsibilities. What are some of the biggest changes you think you will have to make to your leadership style?" Or, "As a DIVO, how would you handle (insert situation here) compared to how an LPO would". Stuff like that. The command I'm at now is the first time I've had a dedicated DIVO so a lot of those questions were tougher for me but the board could tell I knew that there was a distinct separation between the leadership styles and responsibilities so keep that in mind. Hope that helps!

 

[LawlessNavyman]

Another opinion question i have is that in my current command i only have 3 officers. CO,XO and LegalO. I have known my XO for some time and the new LegalO (who is an O3 NFO) just checked in. I want to take advantage of getting their inputs into my package but who should i have do the interviw and who should i have write an LOR. I know that the officer interviews you do can only have 1 from your command. Should i have my XO write me a LoR because he knows my work ethic and have the LegalO do my interview. Or would the board members put more weight on an O4 doing an interview and an O3 LoR. These are silly questions I know but I'm trying to present the best package to the board because my time line is so tight with this command, ill finish my degree in September and will be transfering 6 months later so i have only a 3 month window to turn in my package.

 

[avid]

The toughest questions for me revolved around leadership. I would read a few books on the subject for a solid foundation. I recommend "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John Maxwell.

 

[mosst75268]

Depending on the designator you are applying for, I would have the highest ranking officer for that designator do your interview appraisal sheet and the other do your LOR. When I had my interview for pilot they were looking for someone who really wants to be a pilot and not someone who is on the fence. Also try and think "big Navy" when answering and how a Senior officer would answer. Also try and come up with questions to ask them once they are done asking you such as, what challenges have you faced as a junior and senior officer and what did you do to overcome them. If you need additional help getting your package together just shoot me a message. I was PRO Rec from the December board.

MA1

 

[TA910]

Main thing is just to relax. Your being judged on that as well. How you handle pressure. Appear confident and give clear answers to the questions. Really no way to prepare. Most questions you've been asked before

 

[e6bflyer]

Main thing is just to relax. Your being judged on that as well. How you handle pressure. Appear confident and give clear answers to the questions. Really no way to prepare. Most questions you've been asked before

Don't know how or why I stumbled on this thread, but that is horrible advice.

Prepare for this like you would any job interview. Have someone who has been there, preferably someone who got selected, drill you with tough questions shotgun style. Have a mental "box" with some good leadership examples and good and bad stories that you can open up and reach into when asked a question that applies. There aren't any new questions, people. These interviews have been going on since the dawn of time.

I have done about a dozen interviews and I have seen them go very well and very poorly. I had to end one early it was going so bad. Yes, you want to seem confident and poised, but by preparing, preparing, preparing that will come naturally.

The advice above about reading a leadership book is also bad advice. People that have books about leadership on their desks are, by and large, horrible bosses. Experience is the best teacher. Other people's experiences are the second best.

Take this advice for what it's worth. I usually don't peruse the wannabe threads, but thought I would drop this bomb of knowledge on you.

Boom.

 

[TA910]

Don't know how or why I stumbled on this thread, but that is horrible advice.

Prepare for this like you would any job interview. Have someone who has been there, preferably someone who got selected, drill you with tough questions shotgun style. Have a mental "box" with some good leadership examples and good and bad stories that you can open up and reach into when asked a question that applies. There aren't any new questions, people. These interviews have been going on since the dawn of time.

I have done about a dozen interviews and I have seen them go very well and very poorly. I had to end one early it was going so bad. Yes, you want to seem confident and poised, but by preparing, preparing, preparing that will come naturally.

The advice above about reading a leadership book is also bad advice. People that have books about leadership on their desks are, by and large, horrible bosses. Experience is the best teacher. Other people's experiences are the second best.

Take this advice for what it's worth. I usually don't peruse the wannabe threads, but thought I would drop this bomb of knowledge on you.

Boom.

He can prepare all he want but if it's not inside then it's not inside. I did the interview and was selected. Skipper told me he would serve alone side me any day (BOOM)

 

[e6bflyer]

He can prepare all he want but if it's not inside then it's not inside. I did the interview and was selected. Skipper told me he would serve alone side me any day (BOOM)

I guess you're right. My being selected for ECP 17 years ago and conducting a plethora of officer interviews (most of which I was the senior member) doesn't qualify my advice at all. You are clearly more experienced in this area than me. People preparing for interviews is dumb and they should rely on their natural charisma and charm to get them through.

For anyone with a lick of sense, prepare for your interviews. It helps immensely.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

The advice above about reading a leadership book is also bad advice. People that have books about leadership on their desks are, by and large, horrible bosses. Experience is the best teacher. Other people's experiences are the second best.

I wouldn't say reading a book on leadership is bad, but it doesn't make you a leader, it *may* give ideas that a person could integrate into what they already do, I agree that experience is the best teacher.

 

[BackOrdered]

Bottom line, you should be mature enough to know what you need to do in an interview; either by locking yourself in a Naval library to study or going in cold. If you don't know, then you have an issue.

I guess you're right. My being selected for ECP 17 years ago and conducting a plethora of officer interviews (most of which I was the senior member) doesn't qualify my advice at all. You are clearly more experienced in this area than me. People preparing for interviews is dumb and they should rely on their natural charisma and charm to get them through.

For anyone with a lick of sense, prepare for your interviews. It helps immensely.

100% agreed.

I don't have as much experience as you, but I have done pre-interviews for Senior Officers and a few STA-21 murder boards for Skipper recommendation screenings/interviews. I have put the brakes on guys who didn't prepare to save them embarrassment. Simple things like "what kind of job will you have once commissioned in your chosen community" or basic current events questions like "where do you think you may deploy and how will you aid the mission of your platform?" One went south quick for the guy just off the fact there was a large map in the conference room and he couldn't point out large bodies of water that we routinely operate in. I warned him, but he insisted on an interview from one of our O-5s and got hammered.

On the flip side, I had one petty officer who prepared, but what she didn't know she followed up with intelligent talking points on what she did and didn't know about it and wasn't afraid to ask me good questions. A clear willingness to learn. She is now a nurse-option in STA-21.

 

[TA910]

I guess you're right. My being selected for ECP 17 years ago and conducting a plethora of officer interviews (most of which I was the senior member) doesn't qualify my advice at all. You are clearly more experienced in this area than me. People preparing for interviews is dumb and they should rely on their natural charisma and charm to get them through.

For anyone with a lick of sense, prepare for your interviews. It helps immensely.

Never told him not to prepare. My advice was to relax. Really no way to know what someone is going to ask in any interview. Unless everyone asks the same questions, then others could give heads up. If he doesn't know what job he wants and what it entails then, the real question would be why. Why would you seek a position you know nothing about? Personally, I didn't know everything but I knew what I wanted to do and what it requires. If it's changed then that's were adaptation plays in.

 

[Renegade One]

Bottom line, you should be mature enough to know what you need to do in an interview; either by locking yourself in a Naval library to study or going in cold. If you don't know, then you have an issue.

Simple things like "what kind of job will you have once commissioned in your chosen community" or basic current events questions like "where do you think you may deploy and how will you aid the mission of your platform?"

Agree, certainly, with the first part. An interview is an interview…be prepared.

Disagree whole-heartedly with the second part. WTF? Who TF knows what kind of job one might have, or where one might be deployed? Is this a modern luxury? Fuck current events…know how to make every switch position and every sensor/weapon in or on your platform cockpit or bridge/weapons suite "work as advertised" and you'll do fine. F-it…leave the "where and why" to those who get paid bigger bucks. Show up ready to contribute.

This is the shit we do in peacetime screening interviews, I guess. None of which matters, of course, except that the interviewers can puff a cigar at the end go the day over a single malt and say "Well, damn my eyes, we picked the best of the best!" Which they probably didn't...

 

[robav8r]

He can prepare all he want but if it's not inside then it's not inside. I did the interview and was selected. Skipper told me he would serve alone side me any day (BOOM)

Dude - don't be a smart ass to those that have gone before you and done what you haven't. Naval Aviation is a small community with a long memory.

 

[Mr Spenz]

Dude - don't be a smart ass to those that have gone before you and done what you haven't. Naval Aviation is a small community with a long memory.

Agreed. Hell when I was at OCS before I commissioned we were already hearing about the stupid shit people were doing in A-pool. People don't forget.