| Typical interview questions |
| Not
every interviewer will ask you every one of these questions.
However, if you are prepared to address these questions, you will
leave the impression that you were prepared for your job interview,
even if additional questions take you by surprise. |
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| On this page: |
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Typical interview questions |
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What
the interviewer is looking for |
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Typical interview questions: |
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What are your long-range goals and
objectives? |
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What are your short-range goals and
objectives? |
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How do you plan to achieve your career
goals? |
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What are the most important rewards
you expect in your career? |
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Why did you choose the career for which
you are preparing? |
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What are your strengths, weaknesses,
and interests? |
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How do you think a friend or professor
who knows you well would describe you? |
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Describe a situation in which you had
to work with a difficult person (another student, co-worker, customer,
supervisor, etc.). How did you handle the situation? Is there anything
you would have done differently in hindsight? |
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What motivates you to put forth your
greatest effort? Describe a situation in which you did so. |
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In what ways have your college experiences
prepared you for a career? |
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How do you determine or evaluate success? |
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In what ways do you think you can make
a contribution to our organization? |
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Describe a contribution you have made
to a project on which you worked. |
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What qualities should a successful
manager possess? |
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Was there an occasion when you disagreed
with a supervisor's decision or company policy? Describe how you
handled the situation. |
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What two or three accomplishments have
given you the most satisfaction? Why? |
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Describe your most rewarding college
experience. |
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What interests you about our product
or service? |
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Why did you select your college or
university? |
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What led you to choose your major or
field of study? |
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What college subjects did you like
best? Why? |
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What college subjects did you like
least? Why? |
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If you could do so, how would you plan
your academic studies differently? |
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Do you think your grades are a good
indication of your academic achievement? |
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What have you learned from participation
in extracurricular activities? |
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In what kind of work environment are
you most comfortable? |
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How do you work under pressure? |
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Describe a situation in which you worked
as part of a team. What role did you take on? What went well and
what didn't? |
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In what part-time, co-op, or summer
jobs have you been most interested? Why? |
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How would you describe the ideal job
for you following graduation? |
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Why did you decide to seek a position
with this organization? |
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What two or three things would be most
important to you in your job? |
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What criteria are you using to evaluate
the organization for which you hope to work? |
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Will you relocate? Does relocation
bother you? |
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Are you willing to travel? |
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Are you willing to spend at least six
months as a trainee? |
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| What
the interview is looking for: |
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| Interviewer: |
Tell me about yourself. |
| You: |
Remember, this is a job interview,
not a psychological or personal interview. The interviewer
is interested in the information about you that relates to
your qualifications for employment, such as education, work
experiences and extracurricular activities. |
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| Interviewer: |
What do you expect to be doing
five years from now? Ten years from now? |
| You: |
The interviewer is looking for
evidence of career goals and ambitions rather than minutely
specific descriptions. The interviewer wants to see your thought
process and the criteria that are important to you. |
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| Interviewer: |
Why should I hire you? |
| You: |
Stress what you have to offer
the employer, not how nice it would be to work there or what
you want from the employer. |
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| Interviewer: |
What are your ideas about salary? |
| You: |
Research
salaries in your field before your interviews so that
you know the current salary range for the type of position
you are seeking. |
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| Interviewer: |
Why do you want to work for our
company/organization? |
| You: |
Not having an answer is a good
way to get crossed off the candidate list, and is a common
pet peeve of interviewers. Research the employer before your
interview; attempt to find out about the organization's products,
locations, clients, philosophy, goals, previous growth record
and growth plans, how they value employees and customers,
etc. |
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| Also
see: |
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Typical interview format |
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Interview attire |
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Sample questions for teaching
candidates |
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Behavioral interviewing |
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Interview DOs & DON'Ts |
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Researching employers
— why and how |
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Questions to ask the employer |
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Responding to salary questions |
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On-site interviews |
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Dining
Etiquette |
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Interview expenses |
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After
your interviews / follow up / thank-you letters |
|
The
Mock Interview Program |
