The more questions you think about and prepare for, the less you have to worry about being put on the spot during an interview. You may not get these exact questions, but chances are that you will have thought about a wide enough variety of topics with this list, that you should be ready for whatever the interviewer throws at you!
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why are you interested in this position?
- How has your college experience prepared you for your career?
- What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
- What are your short-term and long-term goals?
- How do you work under pressure?
- Can you tell me of a recent problem you faced and how you resolved it?
- Can you tell about the last time you took a significant risk? What were the results?
- How do you work as a member of a team?
- Can you tell me about a time you dealt with a challenging person and how you handled that situation?
- In general how do you handle conflicts?
- Think of a time when you had to make a significant decision. Walk me through your decision making process.
- When was the last time you thought “outside the box” and how did you do it? Why?
- Discuss a time when your integrity was challenged. How did you handle it?
- What is the accomplishment that has given you the most satisfaction?
- What are your most important considerations when choosing a job?
- Tell me about a project or piece of research you have worked on while at the university.
- If you were unable to meet a commitment or deadline, what would you do?
- How do you plan to achieve your career goals?
- How would a friend or professor who knows you well describe you?
- Why should we hire you?
- What qualifications do you have that would make you successful in this field?
- What do you think it takes to be successful in an organization like ours?
- What qualities should a manager possess?
- Describe your ideal supervisor-staff relationship.
- What led you to choose your field of study?
- Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree?
- Do your grades fairly describe your academic achievement? Why or why not?
- Sometimes it is easy to get in “over your head”. Describe a situation where you had to request help on a project.
- In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
- How do you work under pressure?
- How would you describe the ideal job for you following graduation?
- What did you decide to seek a position with this company?
- What two or three things are most important to your in your job?
- What qualities, skills, attributes do you think it would take to be successful in this position?
- Tell me about a specific accomplishment which you are proud of.
- What are 2-3 things you seek in a work environment?
- Give me an example of a problem you faced, how you solved it, and what was the result?
- What were your most and least favorite courses?
- What did you like most and least about your last job?
- How do you handle stress?
- Tell me about one of your recent goals and what you did to achieve it.
- Are you willing to relocate/travel?
- What areas would you need training in?
- If you could be any kind of fruit / tree / animal… what would you be and why?
- Do you have any questions for me?