Have You Ever Fired Anyone?
That’s another question for supervisory positions. Firing someone is a difficult task, but as a supervisor, it’s something you may have to do. Don’t just answer “Yes” or “No.” If you have fired an employee, explain what happened, why you made the decision to fire the person, and what the end result of that decision was. If you have never fired anyone, tell what you would do if it ever became necessary.
Sample Answers:
“Yes, I have. The person I fired had a negative attitude, often missed deadlines, and always turned in work of very poor quality. Because he didn’t want to take action to improve his performance, and was adversely affecting on the rest of the team, I made the decision to let him go. After his departure, the team’s morale and productivity went up, and the person I hired to replace him was a great team player who did much better job.”
“No, although I’ve been a supervisor for several years, I’ve been very fortunate in that I’ve never had to terminate anyone. If such a situation were to come up, I would follow the organization’s procedures for disciplinary action and take the action necessary for the good of the team and the company.”