Good interview questions for Social Impact / Development Sector

Preparing for interviews isn’t about memorizing answers—it’s about clarity of thought and structured reflection. I’ve curated 45 high-impact interview questions, clearly split into must-prepare and situational, along with crisp frameworks to respond with confidence.

MUST-PREPARE (You should have polished, confident answers)

1. Tell me about yourself
2. What are your strengths?
3. What is your weakness?
4. Why should we hire you?
5. Why do you want this role?
6. Where do you see yourself in five years?
7. Why are you leaving your current or previous job?
8. Why have you changed jobs multiple times?
9. What do you know about our organization?
10. How do you measure success or impact in your work?
11. Describe a major challenge or toughest decision you’ve faced
12. Tell me about a time you failed or missed a deadline
13. Can you handle high-pressure situations?
14. How do you prioritize tasks?
15. Describe your work style
16. What does leadership mean to you?
17. How do you balance speed vs quality in execution?
18. What would you do in your first 90 days in this role?
19. What are your salary expectations?

SITUATIONAL (Prepare frameworks + 2–3 strong examples)

1. How do you manage multiple deadlines or multitasking?
2. How do you deal with conflict or disagreement in a team?
3. Describe your management style
4. Tell me about a time you took initiative
5. Tell me about an idea or innovation you introduced
6. What steps did you take to implement your idea?
7. Describe a process problem you identified and improved
8. Describe a project implemented largely because of your efforts
9. Tell me about a time you went beyond expectations
10. Describe a situation where you positively impacted someone
11. How do you motivate an unmotivated team?
12. How do you ensure accountability in large or distributed teams?
13. Tell me about a time you influenced stakeholders without authority
14. Describe a decision taken with incomplete information
15. Tell me about a time you had to say “no” to a senior stakeholder
16. How do you react to setbacks or failure?
17. How do you stay motivated after setbacks?
18. Which role satisfied you the most and the least, and why?
19. What are your career and life goals?
20. How easy is it for you to change your mind when you’re wrong?
21. How much do you learn from failure?
22. How quickly do you learn new things?
23. How comfortable are you letting others take the lead?
24. How long will you push a project before pivoting or stopping?
25. What processes or techniques help you be effective?
26. What is your ideal work environment or culture?

Happy Reading from HBR: How to respond to “So, Tell Me About Yourself” in a Job Interview

Circular Economy - Introduction 101

The circular economy is rapidly emerging as a transformative approach to sustainability, reshaping how we design, produce, utilize and consume resources. A highly insightful course on this topic is offered by Dr. Gordana Kierans on Udemy. 

Key Learnings from the Course: 

Definition: Products and services that maximize use and reuse of materials and other resources can be both growth opportunities and sustainability measures. [Source]

1. Circular economy is opposite of linear economy as it focuses on preserving resources rather than consuming them for growth.

2. Circular innovation applies to diverse sectors like textile sector, e- waste, coffee processing, food wastage, packaging, electronics, toys, automtive industry, sportswear, and more.

3. The Circular Cities Network was launched in 2016 by 12 pioneering cities with the aim to move cities towards circular systems that reuse, recycle, and reduce waste and resource consumption

Business Models

1. Closed-Loop Recycling: Use materials from discarded products to create new ones; e.g., North Face’s program collecting and recycling polyester fabric.
2. Upcycling: Transform used materials into higher-quality products; e.g., Pentatonic makes furniture from smartphone screens or cigarette butts.
3. Downcycling: Convert materials into products of lower quality; e.g., Nike’s reuse-a-shoe program turns old athletic shoes into sports surfaces.
4. Lock-In: Sell a product with necessary consumables that force repeat purchases; e.g., Diapers with reusable covers and compostable inserts.
5. Local Loop: Bring production and consumption closer, using local currency and markets to retain economic value; e.g., Findhorn Eco-Village’s local currency.
6. Industrial Symbiosis: One company's waste becomes another’s resource, creating economic and environmental benefits; e.g., Kalundborg Symbiosis in Denmark.
7. Collection Services: Business model based on collecting used products for recycling or reuse; e.g., Beijing Subway’s recycling incentive program gives transportation credits.
8. Product as a Service: Customers pay for product usage, not ownership; e.g., Philips’ Pay per Lux lighting service with long-term contracts and product responsibility retained by provider.
9. Personalisation: Customize products based on user data, encouraging returns and recycling; e.g., Lyf’s 3D printed modular customizable shoes with QRCodes for lifecycle tracking.
10. Modularity: Design products in easily replaceable modules to extend lifespan; e.g., electric toothbrushes with swappable heads.

Book Recommendations: According to Jim Kwik, a survey of top CEOs revealed that they each read an average 60 books per year. Reading just 45 minutes a day can unlock the lifetime knowledge authors have distilled, helping circle entrepreneurs stay informed and inspired in this rapidly evolving field. Starting a journey into the circular economy can be greatly enhanced by reading foundational and inspiring books. Sharing top recommended reads (too costly for Indian student, better to use library):

1. "Confessions of a Radical Industrialist" by the late Ray Anderson of Interface, an inspiring story of sustainability leadership
2. "The Circular Economy: A Wealth of Flows" by Ken Webster, offering deep insight into circular system thinking
3. The Circular Economy Handbook by Peter Lacy, Jessica Long, and Wesley Spindler, detailing practical organizational strategies for circular transition
4. "Waste to Wealth" by Peter Lacy and Jacob Rutqvist, exploring circular business models in industry

Website Recommendation: EntrepreneurCircle.World is your ultimate membership platform to dive deeper into the circular economy. It offers a vibrant community where entrepreneurs and investors committed to circular economy principles connect, learn, and grow together. Members gain access to exclusive workshops, seminars, networking events, and an extensive library of practical resources to support their circular business ventures.  Please also find LinkedIn Group for Circular Entrepreneurs.