4 Common NGO Interview Questions & Answers In Kenya

4 Common NGO Interview Questions & Answers In Kenya

By Lillian Wamaitha

Like many Kenyan job seekers, you have been yearning for a long time to work for an NGO. You may have recently applied for a job opening and were lucky enough to get considered for an interview.

However, you can’t help but freak out about the NGO interview questions that you are likely to encounter.

Basically in a job interview, the questions are usually related to the job. This means that you have to be knowledgeable about the job, the industry it falls under, current issues in that area as well as the responsibilities that come with the role.

The following tips will provide you with what to expect as the NGO interview questions as well as the answers.

Must Read >>> Best Sample CV For NGO Jobs You Can Use

Top NGO Interview Questions And Answers To Expect

1. Tell Us About Yourself

This is one of the most common interview questions present in any job. So why this question?

This NGO job interview question is asked just to get a sense of your personal vision and how strongly tied your personal values are to those of the organization.

A mistake most job seekers make is starting to highlight their personal achievements which are not related to the job.

In giving out a response, summarize how your skills and experience fit well for the job. If you have had previous NGO experience the better.

Just make sure that in your answer you find ways to connect your skills to what is needed from the job description.

A good example would be something like;

“I’m an innovative Finance Executive with close to 4 years of working experience. I have spent the last 3 years developing my skills as a Grants Officer for Action Africa where I won several performance related awards and has been promoted twice. With my current skills and experience, I am now ready for a more challenging position.”

2. What Do You Know About Our Organization?

The meaning behind this interview question is that the interviewer wants to make sure you did your homework and understand what the organization is all about.

They also want to know if you have a realistic expectation of what it would be like to work for such a company.

A good answer to this question would be;

“According to my research, Watoto Wetu Foundation is a humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children from less privileged backgrounds to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. I strongly believe my skills and experience are going to help the organization reach this goal.”

3. What Are Your Key Achievements?

The employer will be interested in knowing just how much you have accomplished and how you can relate that to the new position.

However, no matter your accomplishments, tie them to the position you are interviewing for.

I mean, don’t go bragging about how you were the sales person of the month when you are interviewing for an accounting role.

Refer also to your previous work experience and how it relates to the new role. The best way to go about it is to talk about something you did over and above the call of duty.

A good example would be like;

“During my tenure as a Finance Officer I helped develop financial controls methods that successfully scaled, as the company revenue grew from Kshs 3 million to Kshs 10 million of revenue per year.”

Related Article >>> 5 Top NGOs In Kenya That Your Can Find Work At In 2017

4. What is your expected salary?

This is a common job interview question that is always present in any job interview.

At this point, the interviewer wants to know whether he can afford you or even how you value yourself.

Are you going to ask for a salary you deserve or just accept any offer because you need the job so badly?

The key to answering this interview question is to quote a reasonable amount using

Avoid demanding very high amounts, contrary to what you were earning previously just because the company pays well.

Some organizations go as far as quoting the salary range in their adverts.

If for instance the salary range stands at 80K to 100K, you would say:

“Based on my experience, skills and what I will bring on board, I am looking to earn between Kshs 80,000 to Kshs 100,000.”

Are you attending an interview at an NGO soon? Above are the top NGO interview questions and answers in Kenya. Understand however that, NGOs have different departments so pointing out which one fits you well will be a plus in the interview. You only get one chance to make a first impression so make sure you shine in the interview room!

The writer is a Communications Officer at Career Point Kenya. Send your queries to lilian@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke or leave them in the comment section below.

Categories: