Preparing for Your Interview

What to expect during your interview

Congratulations, you were asked to interview for the position! So now what? Getting called in for an interview is exciting, but preparing for it can be daunting. The information below is provided to give you an idea of what to expect so you can better prepare. 

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The Interview

• Interview Structure: The Department of Mental Health, like all state agencies, conducts interviews in a standard manner, with variations depending on the specific position.  Typically, you will meet with a committee of three to five persons, however, this may also vary.  The process of creating a group consensus reduces the likelihood of individual biases influencing the final decision, and is therefore likely to produce a better outcome. 

• Job-related Questions: During the interview, applicants are asked identical, pre-determined questions based on the job description, and their responses are written down.  The questions are created before the interviews start, and all applicants are asked the same questions. Responses are rated by each interviewer using a numerical scoring system. After the conclusion of the interviews, the scores are totaled up and these numbers are used to help determine the best candidates. 

• Timing: Every interview is allotted the same amount of time. The schedule is designed to enable the applicant ample time to respond to each question as well as leave enough time at the end for the applicant to ask questions of his or her own. 

After the Interview

Next steps: After the initial interview, the process varies depending on the position. However, it's important to remember the Commonwealth of Massachusetts employs nearly 100,000 individuals and it does take time to process all of the necessary paperwork before employment can be offered. Furthermore, there are regulations and policies in place which limit the amount of contact the hiring manager can have with a potential employee. Do not get discouraged if you don't hear back immediately. This is normal. 

Contact Information

If you have questions about the hiring process for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, please contact the Human Resources Division. Main Phone: [phone].
 

If you have questions about DMH’s non-discrimination policy they may be directed to the DMH Diversity/Civil Rights Officer at [e-mail] or [phone].