by Jaclyn Westlake
re-posted from The Muse
The pandemic affected all of us in one way or another (often in many more ways than one), so it’s probably inevitable that COVID-19 will be on our minds for the foreseeable future. We’re still processing what we’ve gone through (and will continue to experience) and that means you can probably expect the pandemic to remain a topic of conversation across all types of social interactions—including at work and yes, even during job interviews.
On top of your typical interview questions, pandemic-related questions can be used to identify key traits, such as adaptability or a willingness to learn. “What most COVID-related questions are ultimately getting at is: Do you have the qualities we believe you’ll need in order to do this job well? Things like productivity, working under pressure, resilience, and grit,” says Eleanor Meegoda, CEO and Lead Career Coach at JobStep, which finds and applies to openings for job seekers and provides resumes and cover letters along with interview coaching.
Surely we’re all very, very tired of thinking about the pandemic by now. But that doesn’t mean we’re done talking about it. Here are eight COVID-related questions recruiters, hiring managers, and other interviewers might ask during and after the pandemic, along with insight into what they’re really getting at and advice on how to answer.
