School Counselor Interview Questions

The goal for a successful interview for a School Counselor is for the interviewer to assess the candidate’s expertise in providing individual and group counseling, creating and executing student social-emotional development programs and interventions, and collaborating with other school staff members to support positive learning experiences for all students.

Situational interview questions

• You have a student who is struggling academically and is showing signs of stress and anxiety. How would you approach and work with this student to help them both academically and emotionally?
• One of your students has a history of behavioral issues and is disrupting classroom learning. What strategies would you employ to address this behavior and help this student understand the impact their actions are having on their classmates?
• You have a student who has been struggling with bullying both in and out of school. How would you support this student and work with them and their parents to help reduce the impact of bullying on their daily life?
• You have a student who is considering dropping out of school due to family problems at home. How would you work with this student and their family to create a support network and keep them engaged in their education?
• One of your students has expressed suicidal ideation. How would you assess the level of risk and provide support for this student, while also engaging their parents or caregivers in the process?

Soft skills interview questions

• Can you describe a time when you had to utilize your communication skills to resolve a difficult conflict between a student and their parents?
• How do you prioritize your workload when you have multiple students with different needs requiring your attention?
• Can you provide an example of how you have used empathy to connect with a student who was struggling with a personal issue?
• What steps do you take to ensure you are maintaining professional boundaries with your students while still building a rapport with them?
• When working with families from diverse backgrounds, how do you ensure that you are being culturally competent and respectful?

Role-specific interview questions

• Can you describe your approach to providing counseling services to students dealing with behavioral and emotional challenges?
• How do you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in counseling and mental health support for students?
• How would you handle a situation in which a student presents a serious safety concern, such as suicidal ideation or plans to harm others?
• Have you ever encountered a student with a particularly challenging or unique situation, and how did you work to support them effectively?
• Can you discuss your experience working collaboratively with educators, administrators, and other support staff to provide comprehensive counseling services to students?

STAR interview questions

1. Can you tell us about a time when you had to support a student through a challenging situation? What was the situation, what was your role, what steps did you take, and what was the outcome?

2. Describe a situation where you had to work with a resistant or difficult student. What task were you assigned, what actions did you take, and what was the result of your efforts?

3. Tell us about a time when you had to implement a new program or initiative to support student success. What was the situation, what was your role, what steps did you take, and what was the outcome of the program or initiative?

4. Have you ever advocated for a student’s needs with administration or other stakeholders? Can you describe the situation, what was your task, what actions did you take, and what was the result of your advocacy efforts?

5. How have you supported the emotional or mental health needs of students in your previous roles? Can you give us an example of a specific situation, what was your task, what actions did you take, and what was the result for the student(s) involved?