City of Seattle Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 147 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
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30 roles · 147 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at City of Seattle.
City of Seattle
Lifeguard
Entry Easy Positive experience Accept offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral
The interview involved a practical swimming assessment where I had to show my skills in freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly because I'd be teaching swim lessons. Not being perfect at all strokes was okay, as long as I showed I was coachable and eager to learn. They also asked questions based on Red Cross lifeguard training and CPR/First Aid, and it was important to be comfortable with the material and explain why I gave certain answers. The whole thing was in person, and combined, the questions and swimming part lasted about an hour.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- Regarding a scenario where someone has an issue on the pool deck, what do you think is happening and how would you handle it?
- Show your swimming skills, including freestyle, breast stroke, back stroke, and butterfly.
- Be ready for questions about Red Cross lifeguard training and CPR/First Aid, and explain the reasoning behind your answers.
City of Seattle
HR Director
Director Easy Negative experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Panel Panel Background check
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation
I got the interview questions a little bit before each interview. Each interview was an hour long and they asked questions in order with little interaction. The first round was a small panel of 3 people. Then, I was invited to a larger panel with the leadership team for the final round. For the second interview with the leadership team, everyone seemed busy and wasn't paying attention. The odd thing was, as a finalist for an executive HR role, I wasn't expecting to be ghosted. They never got back to me, not even with a rejection email. It was rude and made me not want to work for the City of Seattle.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Are you prepared to discuss race equity?
City of Seattle
Administrative Assistant
Entry Average Neutral experience Accept offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Panel Presentation Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Group Presentation
I sent in my resume online and it took a few weeks to hear back. Then I got a call for an interview with a panel of 4 general City of Seattle staff members, one of whom was on the team I applied for. It took a few more weeks after that to get a request for a final interview with the Director, Deputy Director, and another high-ranking person from a different team. I got the job offer the very next day.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Could you share your thoughts on the importance of Race and Social Justice?
City of Seattle
Strategic Advisor
Mid Difficult Positive experience Accept offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Take home Panel Background check Offer
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral
I was contacted by the hiring manager after applying online. We had a phone interview with about 6-7 questions and then I asked some questions. Next was a practical exercise which was a bit tough with the time limit. Finally, a panel interview over Teams with staff and managers, again with prepared questions. It took a week or two to hear back, then a verbal offer, followed by a written one a week later. Background checks can take a while, mine took 3 months before I could start, which they told me upfront. This gave me time to give notice and finish up at my old job.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Watch a video and respond to prompts about its content
City of Seattle Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from City of Seattle interview reports.
“Considering a defendant is single, has a child, gets $900 child support, and makes $1500/month part-time, with $65 for car insurance and medical covered by a co-hab, would you classify them as low-income?”
Read reports →“What is fund accounting, and what's an encumbrance in governmental accounting? Also, what is an escrow payment/deposit and how does it appear on a balance sheet?”
Read reports →“Can you show the last names and hire dates for the most recently hired employees in each department at location 1500?”
Read reports →“Considering the City of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI), which aims to advance racial equity in city government and the community, what are your thoughts on applying race and social justice principles to labor standards enforcement?”
Read reports →“How would you handle a situation where a coworker damaged someone's property and didn't want to report it?”
Read report →“In terms of policy, how would you incorporate a racial and social equity perspective?”
Read report →“How do you assess and choose the most effective strategy for a given situation when attempting to persuade or influence others?”
Read report →“How do you maintain time and labor records, especially when dealing with both direct employee time entry and the Work Assets Management System?”
Read report →“Regarding your work with victims, how do you view the impact of racism, and how does this understanding inform your job approach?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 147 City of Seattle interview reports.