Unit Coordinator Interview Questions

The goal for a successful interview for Unit Coordinator is for the interviewer to assess the candidate’s experience in coordinating unit operations and activities, ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with staff, knowledge of industry regulations and standards, as well as problem-solving and decision-making capabilities that align with the organization’s objectives.

Situational interview questions

• A lecturer in charge of a course gives you a last-minute directive to switch the classroom to another location. On your way to make the necessary arrangements, you receive a call from the facilities team that the new classroom has experienced a breakdown, and they cannot fix it in time for the class’s schedule. What is your course of action?
• A student teaching group has booked a room for a required tutorial session, but you find that the student numbers require a larger room because of the social distancing regulations. How would you use your problem-solving skills to seek a solution?
• A student who submitted their assignments late claims that they are claiming ill-treatment and bias. The student’s submission was in a file format not compatible with your system, and as such, you cannot authenticate the time of submission. You have a family emergency that will have you out of town to address. What do you do to resolve the situation?
• There is a flood risk alert for the school building, but the principal insists on keeping the institution open for the day, citing an assessment of the situation. You have a class that morning, and it is not safe to drive or commute through flooded areas. How would you tackle the dilemma?
• A younger employee has brought in a problem that has been worked on by other colleagues, but its complexity requires a higher level of attention and skill-set. As a unit coordinator, how do you reconcile the experience and knowledge gaps to achieve the best solution?

Soft skills interview questions

• Can you give an example of a time when you had to effectively communicate with a difficult team member or colleague to achieve a common goal?
• Describe a time when you had to work under pressure to meet a tight deadline or complete a project. How did you handle the situation?
• Give an example of when you had to adapt to a change in plans or a new approach in the middle of a project. How did you handle the change and ensure a successful outcome?
• Describe a time when you had to mediate a conflict between team members or colleagues. What strategies did you use to resolve the conflict and ensure everyone was heard?
• Tell me about a time when you had to take initiative to solve a problem or improve a process. What did you do and what was the outcome?

Role-specific interview questions

• What experience do you have with coordinating the efforts of a diverse team of developers, designers, and project managers to ensure efficient workflow and timely delivery of project milestones?
• Explain your experience with test-driven development and how you ensure high-quality software delivery while testing at all stages of the development process.
• How do you prioritize tasks and delegate responsibilities to team members effectively so that they can execute them efficiently and meet project timelines?
• Describe your experience with Agile development methodologies, including Scrum and Kanban, and how you ensure team members are adhering to best practices and principles.
• Elaborate on your experience with version control systems such as Git, Subversion, and Mercurial, with a focus on best practices and how you lead the adoption and implementation of these systems within your team.

STAR interview questions

1. Can you tell me about a time when you faced a difficult situation while coordinating a unit, and how you overcame it? (Situation, Task, Action, Result)

2. What was your responsibility as a unit coordinator in a particular project or event, and how did you execute it effectively? (Task, Action, Result)

3. Describe a specific initiative you implemented to improve the performance or efficiency of a unit you were coordinating. How did it turn out? (Task, Action, Result)

4. Can you give an example of a time when you had to resolve a conflict or misunderstanding within a unit you were responsible for, and how did you handle it? (Situation, Task, Action, Result)

5. Walk me through a project or task that your unit completed successfully. What was your role in it, and what actions did you take to ensure its success? (Task, Action, Result)