CASPer/Behavioral Interview Questions

A time you dealt with a conflict

colleague not completing her tasks properly and always delegated them to other people which affected camp operations - sat down privately to see if there were underlying issues that caused that - mentioned she simply didn’t want to do it - explained to her that other people also have their own responsibilities and she is committed to her assigned tasks when she accepted the job - important to address any problems early to minimize the impact on others and the organization - illustrates the importance of open communication and conflict resolution in a team setting

What are your weaknesses

Hard time saying no - overloads myself
Takes time to get comfortable to share

A time you failed

failed module course

What is something you've done that you regret?

played the violin since I was a child - despite the long time, seem to be getting more terrified about performing - instead of doing it more to overcome the fear, I just avoided any performing opportunities - missed chances for growth and improvement in my skills

Describe a time you dealt with a problem or conflict

children were always tired and complaining by the end of the day of the camp - took up the issue with supervisor - they sent out surveys asking parents and for more specific feedback and desired outcomes - they then changed the schedule which the children enjoyed a lot more - don’t be afraid of authorities and take initiative to seek solutions collaboratively

A time you demonstrated compassion

first day of camp - a chinese girl was crying and didn’t want to join the class - sat down with her privately in a separate room and asked if she could share her feelings with me - opened up and mentioned she was afraid since she couldn’t speak fluent english and was the youngest of all campers - actively listened and reassured her that she is in capable hands and that she can reach out to any staff if she has any trouble following the instructions - she was still scared so i assigned her a volunteer who was asian to help her feel more comfortable and supported throughout the camp - importance to empathize and support others in challenging situations, fostering a sense of belonging and reassurance.

A time you were dependable

the day before an assignment deadline - one of my groupmates wanted to be in charge of the final review and edits of our paper - mentioned that she would text us to let us know when she was done and when she submitted the paper - just a couple hours before the deadline, still no message from her was received, and the submission time was approaching, so I stepped in to review the paper one last time and ensured the paper was submitted on time - demonstrates reliability and commitment to team success by taking initiative when others falter

Intervened on behalf of someone in a public space

guy following girl at subway station - pretended to be the girl’s friend - left the station and sat on the bench by the street until guy left and made sure he was no longer around or following - while I was also a woman and afraid in that situation, I thought of what I would have wanted to happen if I were the one being followed, and therefore decided to intervene

A time the group didn't use your suggestion

difficulty following the predetermined procedure for the recipe since the risk for injuries was very high - I suggested that we only do a demonstration for the children, but my colleague suggested that we should change the procedure entirely which although takes more time, has lower risk for injuries and the children could still make it themselves - went with the colleague’s suggestion instead, which worked out perfectly, and despite being rejected for my suggestion, I was happy that everything went well without any incidents, which is my first priority - at times like this, it is important to look at the big picture and achieve collective success, rather than individual advantage

Disappointed in a teammate

as the kitchen assistant, one of my responsibilities was to complete campers’ baked goods back of house with the stove and oven - put them in the oven, referred to recipe booklet and set the time and temperature accordingly - left to complete other tasks and found out that everything was burnt only halfway into the time I set - while this isn’t really a teammate, I think it applies to the question since we were working like a team - i apologized to the campers and admitted that it was my fault - since the recipe was very time-consuming, i made them cookies to compensate - apologized again by the end of the day and ensured that it won’t happen again - importance of acknowledging mistake and not to follow instructions blindly, but to observe and adjust accordingly

Describe a time when you were not as dependable as you would've liked

burnt goods example

Describe a time you dealt with anger of an individual

one of the campers was constantly causing trouble in class, so the staff gave them a time-out - the next day, the parent came in upset - sat down with them privately, asked them what their understanding of the situation is, turns out the camper only mentioned about the time-out and nothing else - carefully explained to the parent that we had to give them a time-out since their child was disrupting the class and distracting other campers - the parent ultimately understood our decision - importance of understanding the other’s perspective, instead of being defensive

Navigating a personal crisis or difficult decision

deciding where to go for university - parents wanted me to attend a prestigious university but I wanted to attend a smaller university that has a better program for what I wanted to study - after many discussions and reaching out many people like academic advisors, teachers, upper-year students and more, I decided to attend the smaller university - It was hard to go against my parents’ wish, but I knew it was the right choice, and I learned to trust my instincts

A time you worked with others unlike yourself

ava p.

When you worked closely with someone who had a very different personality from you

personally, i would describe myself as very calm and takes my time - worked with someone who is very loud and tends to rush things - first i tried to follow her pace - but didn’t work out so i asked if we could sit and talk - explained how i felt - talked it out and found a middle ground - project ended successfully, and we are still close now - important to talk about any problems, instead of avoiding conversations, which may end up a larger conflict

Faced a conflict while working on a team

ka incident

A time you didn't meet a client's expectations

as the vp marketing of a student club at school, I always had to design different resources - one time, after spending some time making an educational material, my team didn’t really like it - while I was slightly defeated by the criticism, I accepted the feedback and made adjustments accordingly - ultimately, everyone loved the end product - importance of accepting criticism since it gives a new perspective and help us grow and improve

Made sure a customer was pleased

camper who was celiac - did everything to prevent cross-contamination of her food - prepping her ingredients first, storing them separately, having her work on a separate table while working with flour without making her feel isolated, had a discussion with all campers about celiac so that others can understand her situation - camper had no discomfort or reactions, and enjoyed the camp a lot, and came back during the next summer - with just a few more extra steps could make a huge impact on her experience with food and cooking

Worked with a difficult customer

parent incident

Describe your leadership style

As a leader, I prefer to be engaged and communicative with my team members. When I was on the executive of a student club, I kept open communication with my members, allowing me to address issues before they become major problems. For example, I realized a couple of my members were having trouble meeting deadlines, and by reaching out to them, I was able to reassign their tasks to other members who were interested in more responsibility.

Describe a time when you had to say no to a friend’s request for help

group mate was struggling with their part - asked if I could write a paragraph for them - said no - instead guided them through their part by asking questions and referring them to appropriate sources - they were able to complete their part nicely - important since I could get them think and work out the solution themselves instead of giving the answer right away, helping them grow

How have you managed conflict with a superior in the past?

summer camp - casual conversation with supervisor privately - supervisor started to express her frustration about our volunteers, and describing them with some rude terms - asked what situations had made her think that way - explained that the volunteers are still learning and therefore would take a longer time to complete tasks in comparison to other staff - explained that we should collectively support them so that they can enjoy their time and learn different things, while also completing tasks efficiently

Think of a time when you had to make a sacrifice in order to accomplish a goal

summer camp - one staff was constantly coming in late - parents couldn’t drop off their kids until they arrived, demonstration table was not ready when camp started - they were the opening shift, while I had the closing shift -i suggested switching schedules with them since I wanted to make sure that we could represent the company professionally - had to wake up at 5am since I lived far - but it worked out and the lesson plans were not affected and ran smoothly

Describe a time you had an ethical dilemma and how you resolved it

summer camp - colleague asked they could take some ingredients home from our pantry so she could do some baking at home - said no and politely explained to them that it is still considered stealing and that it would harm the trust between us and the company

Briefly describe a time when you hesitated or chose not to help someone. What were the reasons behind your dilemma?

paragraph writing

Name a time in your life you had to persevere toward a goal.

first year of uni - struggled a lot in a mandatory module course - failed the first midterm - i felt defeated but since I knew that I wanted have a career in the field that i’m studying, i studied harder, reached out the prof for help, found resources at school to help - finally passed the course - now, I am enjoying my program a lot and no longer having a hard time - every setback or failure presents an opportunity to learn and grow

How do you manage stress in your life?

For me, stress is combated through organization. When I am stressed, I know it is because I have not simplified whatever is worrying me. I am constantly making lists and keep a detailed planner/journal. If the situation calls for it, I also meditate, especially for events like an interview or tough work day. In addition, I have learned that sometimes all it takes is one night's rest and whatever is causing me stress seems less overwhelming.

If you could choose any other career what would it be?

I am currently studying nutrition. If I could choose another career, I would still be involved in something food related, perhaps working towards a chef. Food is essential in everybody’s lives for both survival and social. I believe that food can bring different people together, and altogether improve the quality of life - dietitians and chefs are also similar in the way that dietitians are involved in the planning phase of eating, and chefs are providing the food

What makes a good leader?

Good leaders are those who are able to utilize a team to their fullest potential by identifying each individual's strengths and combining them to solve problems. I believe this is accomplished through active listening, good communication skills, and problem-solving abilities. With these skills, members will respect their leader, leading to cohesive team dynamics and collaboration.

What makes effective teams?

I believe team members should be communicative and dependable. Each member should uphold their responsibilities and communicate any problems. Through communication and dependability, trust can be built, which creates effective teams. (example ka problem)

Give an example of positive feedback you have received.

late staff - got recognized for being a team player - appreciated the feedback since it was very difficult to wake up so early in the morning - but I get energized again every time I think about the feedback since I remember how much this little sacrifice can impact the campers and the organization

What does it mean to be a professional?

Professionals have a duty towards those they serve. This means that professionals must act in good faith towards patients. Their decisions and actions must serve the welfare of their patients or clients. Members of a profession should have and obey a code of ethics which includes accountability, altruism, excellence, honor, and integrity.

biggest strength

attention to details - focused on the finer things in everything I do - ensures accuracy and efficiency in my work - allows me to manage multiple projects at one time and easily HIGHLIGHT the MOST important requirements of each project

What type of feedback do you like to receive?

I believe good feedback involves both positive and negative reinforcement. Although I appreciate it when others point out things I have done well, I also like to know what I could improve on so I could perform better next time.

What makes you mad?

I don't get angry often, but injustice is one thing that does make me angry. If I believe something is unfair, I will get angry. In that situation, I assess whether or not I can make a difference, and if I can, I try to facilitate change. If I can't, I try to accept the situation and reframe it or use it as an opportunity to learn a lesson about how I will not do things or treat others.

How can you advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

First, I would make sure to identify my biases and work on them. I would call out acts of discrimination when I see it in the workplace. I would also advocate for a diversity committee or workshop to make sure we can develop long term solutions to building a more inclusive workplace. If I was in a leadership position, I would make sure our hiring practices were fair to all applicants. If our applicant pool is not representative of the population, I would also propose outreach measures to reach diverse, qualified individuals.

Why is it important to have a diverse workplace?

Diversity and inclusion are important, especially in healthcare, as our patients come from all walks of life and we need to address our own biases to ensure that all patients get the best treatment. A diverse team lends different perspectives, allows everyone on the team to feel included and welcome. It is not only racial, as it also encompasses sexual orientation, gender, religion, physical differences and more. A diverse team will also lead to cultural competence, which is important for providing quality care

What makes you happy?

I like helping others and making a difference. Hence I have enjoyed all my community service projects. I also enjoy setting goals and achieving them.

How would you tell a superior that you think they are 'wrong'?

If I believe that a superior is doing something unethical or something that will harm our patient, I would approach them in a private conversation. If it is urgent, then I would try to make it as private as possible by either taking them around the corner or a corner of the room and speak in a quiet voice. Embarrassing them will not help with delivering my message and could make them defensive. I would be calm and rational, listing the reasons why I believe are wrong. I would also be prepared for a rebuttal and understand it may strain our relationship if they do not take kindly to criticism.

Is it ever appropriate to keep quiet and not speak up against a superior even though you are certain they are making a 'wrong choice'?

A good team has different personalities and leadership styles and there are usually multiple solutions to a problem. Thus, I understand that I may not always agree with my superior on the best course of action. However, if my superior is doing something I believe is unethical or unprofessional, it is best to speak up and address the problem. Superiors are also human and make mistakes, a good team member should not be afraid of speaking up to correct wrongs.

A time when you were collaborative.

ava p

Why is equity important?

Equality is important because everyone deserves fair treatment and opportunities. Discrimination against the color of your skin, socioeconomic circumstances, or where you live has far-reaching effects that lead to early death and poorer quality of life.

Health is influenced by more than the interactions between a clinician and a patient. We must be cognizant and address the health inequities caused by social determinants, such as socioeconomic disparities, lack of green spaces, food deserts, access to health services, and poor education and literacy. Through education, outreach, and community activism, we can influence the well-being of neighborhoods.