Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Interview Questions
& Process

They send you time slot options through email and you pick your first picks. It's first-come, first-served. They advised me to wear business professional attire. You get 15 minutes to look over the interview questions and jot down notes beforehand. The interview itself was with a panel of 3 people who asked those questions out loud. The actual interview was about 30 minutes, making the total time about 45 minutes including the prep. They requested my cover letter, resume, and references, which I had to submit online. It felt like they hadn't even looked at my cover letter or resume. Only after all this did they mention that 1) it's completely in-person for the first 60 days, not hybrid, and 2) they weren't actually hiring at the moment. So, it felt like a waste of about two hours of my time, including the 30-minute drive each way. If they want to hire you, they put you in a general applicant pool that lasts six months, and you have to start the whole process over if you're not hired by then. It was pretty discouraging, honestly, and a bit insulting given the current job market. They should really make it clear upfront if it's not an active hiring role. I wouldn't have bothered if I had known.

The entire interview process was conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams. Two interviewers asked questions, and each had their own set. They were interested in how your current job skills translate to this position. As a former employee, I found my prior knowledge helpful, but they specifically requested details about skills gained from my current unrelated role.

I had a traditional interview with three managers from relevant departments. They each had a copy of the questions to take notes. After the interview, there was a 30-minute problem-solving test that was like a basic college finance test. It mostly involved calculating expected expenses from projected increases and one-time purchases. They said I'd hear back within a week, as they were in a rush to fill the position, even though state jobs can be slow. An HR rep I hadn't met before called and made an offer below my current salary. They wanted my two most recent paystubs to negotiate a higher offer. The next day, they made another offer that was a bit higher, but not enough to make me want to switch jobs. The HR part of the process and the offers felt impersonal. Even though I have an MBA and 3 years of relevant experience, they only offered an entry-level salary and position.

Before the actual interview, you're given a short letter to write to a potential client, and also the questions that will be asked during the interview, a note pad to write your notes on, and a paper called "A Day in the Life of a Payments Worker." You have about 30 minutes to go through everything. Then the interview happens, and they ask you the questions they gave you at the beginning. This is where you use the notes you wrote (basically the answers to the interview questions). They loosely use S.T.A.R. It's a pretty easy interview as long as you get your answers ready.