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Counsellor Interview Questions

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Counsellor interview questions and answers.

  1. If hired, how do you plan to improve your performance and that of our counselling programme? See answer
  2. How do you handle criticism and feedback on your counselling methods? See answer
  3. Have you encountered aggressive or angry clients? How did you handle the situation? See answer
  4. How would you help a teenager if she told you she was pregnant? See answer
  5. What would be your response if a client shared their suicide plans? See answer
  6. How do you describe your counselling style? See answer
  7. In the event of a conflict between the teacher and a student, which side would you pick? See answer
  8. If a teenager wanted to drop out of school, what would you do? See answer
  9. How do you perceive the paperwork associated with counselling? See answer
  10. What inspired you to become a counsellor? See answer
  11. What offers you the most job satisfaction as a counsellor? See answer
  12. What attributes and qualities do you possess that are in line with the requirements of a good counsellor? See answer
  13. Have you encountered clients with issues that you were unable to solve? What did you do? See answer
  14. How do you plan to gain your clients’ trust?
  15. With patience and fortitude being essential in counselling, have you developed these qualities?
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Counsellor Interview Questions and Answers

If hired, how do you plan to improve your performance and that of our counselling programme?

This is a general question that you can ask at the beginning of the interview to get the interviewee talking. This gives you the chance to know more about the interviewee. What to look for in an answer:

  • Confidence in answering the question
  • Willingness to collabourate
  • Precision

Example:

"As a professional counsellor, there are multiple metrics that I use to assess my sessions' performance and their overall efficacy in any institution or organisation. These metrics include assessing client dropout cases, performance improvement, feedback and rating through surveys, and the number of resolved conflicts."

How do you plan to gain your client's trust?

Trust is important in every profession, and particularly counselling, as the process involves people sharing some of their deepest secrets. Therefore, the counsellor should confidently explain how they can gain their clients' trust and offer an example if needed. What to look for in an answer:

  • Patience
  • Experience, where an example is provided
  • Skills in gathering info

Example:

"Gaining the trust of students I work with is a huge determinant of the success of my counselling. Without trust, students will fail to provide me with the needed information to help them, and they might also fail to heed my advice. Therefore, I always try to remain honest, fair, and transparent to gain students' trust. I also treat them respectfully."

How do you handle criticism and feedback on your counselling methods?

Mainly, you should ask behavioural questions to understand the interviewee's behaviour in case they encounter challenging working conditions. To answer this, it's highly advisable to use the STAR framework. What to look for in an answer:

  • Previous criticism encountered
  • Counsellor's problem-solving skills
  • Creative thinking ability

Example:

"In my past roles, I have encountered constructive and destructive criticism. Constructive criticism has helped me improve and better my skills. Destructive criticism mainly portrays poor or ineffective communication. Therefore, it helps me adjust my communication style with the client to ensure I get the desired results."

Have you encountered aggressive or angry clients? How did you handle the situation?

This is another behavioural question. Mainly, it would help if you used it to assess the candidate's communication skills and personality. The interviewee should exercise empathy and a willingness to find common ground with different clients. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding and compassion
  • Candidate's personality
  • Communication skills

Example:

“Differences in opinions between the parent and I have, at times, resulted in the parent becoming angry. However, I understand that parents can be protective of their children. In such situations, I try calming the parent down by listening to them and acknowledging their perspective. Fortunately, since we are always working on solutions that highly benefit the children, we mainly get a positive outcome.”

How would you help a teenager if she told you she was pregnant?

Pregnancy is a common discussion among teenagers, and most of them don't know how to deal with it. However, a professional counsellor should exercise kindness when handling such personal issues, especially in young people's lives. The answer should reveal their experience and prior training received. What to look for in an answer:

  • Non-judgmental attitude
  • Experience in handling personal issues
  • Ability to withhold clients' confidentiality

Example:

“As a counsellor, it's my ethical responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of my clients. So, if a student told me she is pregnant, I would keep that confidential. I would then work to understand their family situation and how the pregnancy impacts it. I would also advise them to talk to an adult in their life and seek medical care and psychological counselling. Finally, I would follow up to ensure they got the right care.”

What would be your response if a client shared their suicide plans?

Depression and depression-related deaths are on the rise. The interviewee needs to showcase their proficiency in handling such a dire situation and do that with the weight the given issue requires. What to look for in an answer:

  • Urgency in solving the issue
  • Their success in dealing with similar situations
  • Listening ability

Example:

“I have only had one case of a client contemplating to end their life. I naturally take the issue very seriously. I patiently listen to the client's issues and learn why they are harbouring such thoughts. I then recommend multiple courses of action, including individual psychological counselling and therapy. If the client agrees with the recommendations, I remain close to ensure they follow through.”

How do you describe your counselling style?

This question is meant to allow the candidate to explore how their style, experiences, and methods will suit your institution. They may mention specific techniques such as CBT or RET. Regardless of their approach, it should be backed with education and experience. What to look for in an answer:

  • Experience
  • Ability to use multiple counselling techniques
  • Ability to point out the style that fits your organisation

Example:

“I have unique counselling history and a great deal of experience working with young adults. I mainly prefer a client-centreed approach. The style enables me to help my clients in a non-directive and non-judgmental way. The style is also flexible and an ideal fit for students.”

In the event of a conflict between the teacher and a student, which side would you pick?

Counsellors are known not to pick sides, as this might cloud their decision-making process and overall ability to solve an issue. The counsellor's role is to look for an ideal solution to the conflict that's positive and appreciated by both parties. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to solve an issue without picking sides
  • Good problem-solving capabilities
  • Unbiased view

Example:

“Teacher-student conflicts are a daily occurrence. To solve the issue, the best way is to work with the student first, as this will give you a chance to explain the teacher's perspective and the accomplishment they are trying to meet. In case the issue remains unsolved, I engage the two and talk until the issue is resolved.”

If a teenager wanted to drop out of school, what would you do?

This question reveals the interviewee's ability to face situations that depend on their action. Despite the issue not being as dire as the pregnancy or suicide-related challenges, it still has an enormous impact on teenagers' lives. What to look for in an answer:

  • Description of actions taken
  • Acknowledgement of the frequency of the situation
  • Empathy and interpersonal skills

Example:

“I face many issues of teenagers contemplating to drop out of school. Mostly, the issue results from an inability to solve an issue that is disturbing them. I have learned that to solve the issue, you first need to understand the teenager's feelings. This often takes several sessions. Mostly, teenagers need the tools to overcome the situation and continue learning.”

How do you perceive the paperwork associated with counselling?

Notes are important in counseling sessions as they help the counsellor keep essential records for future reference. However, this might not be the most exciting undertaking, but its importance makes it vital during the sessions. What to look for in an answer:

  • Good organisation skills
  • Ability to multitask and offer undivided attention
  • Acknowledgement of the importance of paperwork

Example:

“Paperwork is highly essential in counselling. It also needs to be done accurately. I choose to complete my paperwork early or late in the day. This ensures that I can interact with the clients, without dividing my attention.”

What inspired you to become a counsellor?

It's important to understand the motivation behind a candidate's desire to work as a counsellor. They should be passionate about helping others. What to look for in an answer:

  • Passion
  • Commitment to help others at a personal level
  • Understanding of common issues

Example:

“I have always had a strong desire to help others overcome their difficulties in life. I have also witnessed many of my close friends suffer depression, and some harbour suicidal thoughts. This gave me the drive to become a counsellor and help others."

With patience and fortitude being highly essential in counselling, have you developed these qualities?

Sitting through long and difficult counselling sessions calls for a great deal of patience. Besides, patience helps you hold space for those who need venting, processing, or thinking about their emotions. What to look for in an answer:

  • Description of growth of patience skills
  • Professionalism
  • Empathy

Example:

“I believe that patience and fortitude play a crucial role in counselling. These help you understand that your clients might take time to reach the finish line since the healing process and change require room to achieve the desired results. As I grow my career, I plan to introduce therapeutic exercises, which are crucial in helping clients exercise patience with themselves and avoid anger and anxiety issues.”

What offers you the most job satisfaction as a counsellor?

People who want to be counsellors often take great pride in being able to help others. It's important to see that a candidate has a genuine passion for helping others. What to look for in an answer:

  • Interactions and positive impacts made
  • practises that have positively to mental health improvement in others
  • Successful projects

Example:

“Seeing clients reach success and achieve their goals is highly satisfying. It's also gratifying to learn about clients, who they are, and how I can assist them. Gaining clients' trust is highly enriching. I'm also motivated to help clients apply new and positive coping mechanisms to their lives and find fulfilment in what we've learned together.”

What attributes and qualities do you possess that are in line with the requirements of a good counsellor?

Many attributes define a good counsellor, and the interviewee needs to learn them so they can implement them in their lives. The response here reveals the interviewee's maturity and ability to reflect on their personality. Good listening skills, empathy, and patience are among the key answers that aspiring counsellors should include. What to look for in an answer:

  • Calm demeanour and positive attitude
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Patience

Example:

“I possess incredible written and verbal skills. I have experience with people from a range of cultural backgrounds. I'm calm and patient with clients so that I can give them the help they need."

Have you encountered clients with issues that you were unable to solve? What did you do?

In counselling, you should always ensure that clients don't feel as if their issues are unsolvable. In case there's an issue that you are unable to solve, talk to the client and let them know that you lack the right skills to handle it. At the same time, it is important to refer the client to another professional counsellor. What to look for in an answer:

  • Readiness to include other counsellors
  • Willingness to put clients' needs first
  • Readiness to consult specialists

Example:

“Having been in a situation where the client's issues were beyond my intervention, I advised the client to seek help from other counsellors who could offer a better solution to the issue. I also went ahead to help them with the referral process.”

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