DHS interview questions tips

Interviewing With the DHS: Homeland Security Interview Questions & Tips

A relatively young agency of the federal government, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created in 2002 by combining 22 different federal departments into one unified cabinet agency. The mission of this agency is to “secure the nation from the many threats we face,” which includes threats from abroad and from within our own borders. DHS employs more the 240,000 employees in a wide variety of field including cybersecurity, border security, and emergency response teams, among others.

If you are considering a future with DHS, you will need to follow the standard procedures that most federal agencies require. Before you even reach the interview stage, you must complete a federal application that will then be reviewed by human resource personnel. Only the most qualified candidates will be selected from the many applications that are submitted, and those selected will be offered an opportunity of having an interview.

You’ve Been Selected for an Interview . . . Now What?

The hard part begins once you've been selected for an interview. Hiring managers for the federal government rely heavily on the interview process to find their best candidates. Most interviews will be conducted using a behavior-based style of interviewing, which can be very stressful if you haven’t properly prepared.

This style of interviewing surmises that the best indicator of future behavior is past performance. You could be asked to identify specific times when you used skills or behaviors that you would be expected to use if you were hired for the position you have applied for. The interviewer will grade you on your responses. It is important to do your homework before your interview and fully research the organization and the position in which you are applying.

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What Interview Questions Could You Expect?

Some questions you could expect from your interviewer may include:

  • What do you know about the DHS?
  • What brings you here today?
  • Why are you interested in working for the DHS?
  • If we did not hire you, what other career would you be interested in?
  • Why should I recommend that we hire you?
  • What was your course of study in school?
  • Where do you see yourself in five years?
  • Where have you previously worked?
  • Why are you leaving your current job?
  • Describe your work ethic for me.
  • Do you have a problem with working more than 40 hours per week?
  • Do you work well with a team?
  • How have you dealt with confrontation in the past?
  • What do you think your greatest skill is?
  • How are your leadership skills…do you enjoy being a leader?
  • How would your former coworkers describe you?
  • How would your last supervisor describe you?
  • What would be the worst thing your former manager could say about you?
  • What is a weakness that you would like to improve upon?
  • What do you consider your strengths?
  • What is the toughest problem you have had to face and how did you overcome it?
  • Can you tell me about a situation where it was important that you pay attention to details? How did you handle the situation?
  • Tell me about an instance when you showed initiative and took charge of a team project?

Preparing for Your Interview with the Department of Homeland Security

  • Review your résumé and application and be ready to support your accomplishments with information that would be relevant to the position you have applied for.
  • Ask for information regarding the interview, such as where it will be held, the time it will be held and whom your contact will be, and how many interviewers you will be speaking to.
  • Make sure your schedule is flexible to allow enough time for your interview, so that you do not appear to be rushed or distracted on the day of your interview.
  • Practice your interviewing techniques by recording yourself on video or audio so you can better see how you come across to others.
  • Review the questions above and prepare your answers so that they are in line with the skills and competencies that are required for the position.

A great way to prepare yourself for a possible future with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is to build a solid educational foundation. By enrolling in ECPI University’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Homeland Security, you could complete your education in as little as two and a half years. Successful completion of this program could prepare you for opportunities with DHS, U.S. Border Patrol, FEMA and law enforcement agencies. Contact ECPI today to learn more about this program. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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