LADWP INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Briefly23explain23how23your23background,23experience,23education23have23prepared23yo
u23for23this23position.23-23answer--
I23graduated23from23Cal23State23Northridge23in23201423with23a23Bachelor's23degree23in23
Accounting.23During23my23time23as23a23student,23I23worked23as23a23Fiscal23Admin23Inter
n23for23the23Bureau23of23Street23Services.23My23responsibilities23included23processing23
daily23payroll23and23equipment23timesheets23and23assisting23the23accounting23clerks23wi
th23sorting23and23filing23financial23documents.
Upon23graduation,23I23worked23as23an23Administrative23Assistant23for23USC.23My23respo
nsibilities23included23processing23all23reimbursements23and23purchasing23orders.23I23als
o23managed23all23of23our23procurement23cards23and23reconciled23our23accounts23on23a2
3monthly23basis.
After23a23year,23I23was23promoted23to23a23new23dept.23within23USC23called23Clinical23Tri
als23Office,23where23I23worked23as23an23Accountant.23Within23my23role,23I23managed23o
ver2330023clinical23trial23accounts23for23the23Keck23School23of23Medicine.23Within23the23
management23of23the23accounts,23I23mainly23dealt23with23accounts23receivable23by23cre
ating23invoices23and23running23aging23reports.23I23was23also23responsible23for23presenti
ng23financial23updates23to23the23doctors23and23their23team23for23each23clinical23trial23acc
ount.
After23working23there23for23about23223years,23I23received23a23job23with23the23city23as23an
23Accounting23Clerk23for23the23Bureau23of23Street23Services.23My23responsibilities23inclu
ded23processing23payroll23in23accordance23with23the23guidelines23set23forth23by23the23Bu
reau23and23City23policies23and23resolving23payroll23errors23and23issues.
After23a23year,23I23received23my23current23position23as23a23Management23Assistant23for2
3the23Bureau23of23Street23Services.23In23my23current23position,23I23am23responsible23for2
3assisting23with23our23billing23and23revenue23as23well23as23managing23procurement23wh
ere23I23process23all23of23our23department's23purchase23orders.23I23have23also23assisted2
3preparing23the23budget23submission23to23CAO23(City23Administrative23Officer)23by23cre
ating23budget23requests23forms23and23budget23summaries.
My23background23and23experience23relate23to23the23current23position23as23I23have23reco
nciled23and23pr
, You're23given23three23projects.23They're23each23due23at23about23the23same23time.23How
23would23you23go23about23completing23these23tasks?23-23answer--
In23my23current23position23as23a23Management23Assistant,23I23handle23multiple23tasks23
and23often23faced23with23overlapping23deadlines.23Learning23to23juggle23and23properly23
prioritize23high23volume23of23work23is23something23that23I23comfortable23with23and23kno
w23how23to23handle.
In23my23current23position,23I23am23responsible23for23managing23procurement.23An23exa
mple23of23how23I23prioritize23is23if23I23have23multiple23invoices23that23need23to23be23paid2
3out,23I23would23process23the23ones23that23offer23discounts23on23them23(2%23off23if23paid
23within231223days)23to23save23the23City23money23and23then23process23those23invoices23
that23can23be23paid23out23in23net233023days.
To23ensure23each23deadline23is23met,23I23create23running23to-
do23lists,23utilize23my23email23by23creating23folders23and23subfolders23for23different23proj
ects23I'm23working23on,23and23set23reminders23in23my23email23to23follow23up23on23assign
ments.23I23also23prioritize23each23item23focusing23on23those23with23more23immediate23de
adlines.23I23also23prioritize23based23on23who23gave23me23the23assignment.23For23exampl
e,23a23task23assigned23by23my23division23manager23or23even23director23would23be23the23
most23important.23To23avoid23feeling23overwhelmed,23I23break23up23projects23into23man
ageable23parts23and23group23similar23tasks23together23to23limit23the23transition23time.
Communication23is23also23an23essential23factor23in23completing23tasks.23I23will23keep23m
y23supervisor23and23any23relevant23people23in23the23loop23in23an23email,23which23allows2
3for23transparency23of23status23and23to23assess23if23extra23help23or23time23is23required.
In23working23in23an23efficient23manner,23I23am23able23review23my23daily23progress23and2
3status23of23an23assignment,23complete23my23tasks23on23time,23and23ultimately23provide
23the23best23outcome23for23my23manager23and23overall23department.
You23and23a23co-
worker23are23working23on23a23project23together23and23you23both23have23come23up23with2
3two23very23different23solutions.23How23do23you23go23about23choosing23which23option23t
o23use?23-23answer--I23would23first23have23a23conversation23with23my23co-
worker23going23into23it23with23an23open23mind.23I23always23appreciate23different23viewpoi
nts23from23my23own.23It23is23important23to23have23dynamic23relationships23with23all23my2
3peers.23I23would23listen23to23my23co-worker23explain23his/
her23solution23making23sure23to23listen23actively23and23understanding23my23co-
worker's23point23of23view.23Then23I23would23share23my23ideas.23Afterwards,23I23would23t
hen23try23to23collaborate23with23my23coworker23to23find23the23most23effective23and23effici
ent23solutions23to23the23project23that23will23most23benefit23the23division23or23department.
Have23you23ever23taken23a23lead23position23for23a23group23or23project?23-23answer--
Inventory23Example
ANSWERS
Briefly23explain23how23your23background,23experience,23education23have23prepared23yo
u23for23this23position.23-23answer--
I23graduated23from23Cal23State23Northridge23in23201423with23a23Bachelor's23degree23in23
Accounting.23During23my23time23as23a23student,23I23worked23as23a23Fiscal23Admin23Inter
n23for23the23Bureau23of23Street23Services.23My23responsibilities23included23processing23
daily23payroll23and23equipment23timesheets23and23assisting23the23accounting23clerks23wi
th23sorting23and23filing23financial23documents.
Upon23graduation,23I23worked23as23an23Administrative23Assistant23for23USC.23My23respo
nsibilities23included23processing23all23reimbursements23and23purchasing23orders.23I23als
o23managed23all23of23our23procurement23cards23and23reconciled23our23accounts23on23a2
3monthly23basis.
After23a23year,23I23was23promoted23to23a23new23dept.23within23USC23called23Clinical23Tri
als23Office,23where23I23worked23as23an23Accountant.23Within23my23role,23I23managed23o
ver2330023clinical23trial23accounts23for23the23Keck23School23of23Medicine.23Within23the23
management23of23the23accounts,23I23mainly23dealt23with23accounts23receivable23by23cre
ating23invoices23and23running23aging23reports.23I23was23also23responsible23for23presenti
ng23financial23updates23to23the23doctors23and23their23team23for23each23clinical23trial23acc
ount.
After23working23there23for23about23223years,23I23received23a23job23with23the23city23as23an
23Accounting23Clerk23for23the23Bureau23of23Street23Services.23My23responsibilities23inclu
ded23processing23payroll23in23accordance23with23the23guidelines23set23forth23by23the23Bu
reau23and23City23policies23and23resolving23payroll23errors23and23issues.
After23a23year,23I23received23my23current23position23as23a23Management23Assistant23for2
3the23Bureau23of23Street23Services.23In23my23current23position,23I23am23responsible23for2
3assisting23with23our23billing23and23revenue23as23well23as23managing23procurement23wh
ere23I23process23all23of23our23department's23purchase23orders.23I23have23also23assisted2
3preparing23the23budget23submission23to23CAO23(City23Administrative23Officer)23by23cre
ating23budget23requests23forms23and23budget23summaries.
My23background23and23experience23relate23to23the23current23position23as23I23have23reco
nciled23and23pr
, You're23given23three23projects.23They're23each23due23at23about23the23same23time.23How
23would23you23go23about23completing23these23tasks?23-23answer--
In23my23current23position23as23a23Management23Assistant,23I23handle23multiple23tasks23
and23often23faced23with23overlapping23deadlines.23Learning23to23juggle23and23properly23
prioritize23high23volume23of23work23is23something23that23I23comfortable23with23and23kno
w23how23to23handle.
In23my23current23position,23I23am23responsible23for23managing23procurement.23An23exa
mple23of23how23I23prioritize23is23if23I23have23multiple23invoices23that23need23to23be23paid2
3out,23I23would23process23the23ones23that23offer23discounts23on23them23(2%23off23if23paid
23within231223days)23to23save23the23City23money23and23then23process23those23invoices23
that23can23be23paid23out23in23net233023days.
To23ensure23each23deadline23is23met,23I23create23running23to-
do23lists,23utilize23my23email23by23creating23folders23and23subfolders23for23different23proj
ects23I'm23working23on,23and23set23reminders23in23my23email23to23follow23up23on23assign
ments.23I23also23prioritize23each23item23focusing23on23those23with23more23immediate23de
adlines.23I23also23prioritize23based23on23who23gave23me23the23assignment.23For23exampl
e,23a23task23assigned23by23my23division23manager23or23even23director23would23be23the23
most23important.23To23avoid23feeling23overwhelmed,23I23break23up23projects23into23man
ageable23parts23and23group23similar23tasks23together23to23limit23the23transition23time.
Communication23is23also23an23essential23factor23in23completing23tasks.23I23will23keep23m
y23supervisor23and23any23relevant23people23in23the23loop23in23an23email,23which23allows2
3for23transparency23of23status23and23to23assess23if23extra23help23or23time23is23required.
In23working23in23an23efficient23manner,23I23am23able23review23my23daily23progress23and2
3status23of23an23assignment,23complete23my23tasks23on23time,23and23ultimately23provide
23the23best23outcome23for23my23manager23and23overall23department.
You23and23a23co-
worker23are23working23on23a23project23together23and23you23both23have23come23up23with2
3two23very23different23solutions.23How23do23you23go23about23choosing23which23option23t
o23use?23-23answer--I23would23first23have23a23conversation23with23my23co-
worker23going23into23it23with23an23open23mind.23I23always23appreciate23different23viewpoi
nts23from23my23own.23It23is23important23to23have23dynamic23relationships23with23all23my2
3peers.23I23would23listen23to23my23co-worker23explain23his/
her23solution23making23sure23to23listen23actively23and23understanding23my23co-
worker's23point23of23view.23Then23I23would23share23my23ideas.23Afterwards,23I23would23t
hen23try23to23collaborate23with23my23coworker23to23find23the23most23effective23and23effici
ent23solutions23to23the23project23that23will23most23benefit23the23division23or23department.
Have23you23ever23taken23a23lead23position23for23a23group23or23project?23-23answer--
Inventory23Example
