Common Interview Questions

Typically employers will ask questions about you, your education, your career goals, and the organization/position for which you are applying. Additionally, it is common to receive questions related to skills important to the organization/ position, such as decision-making, analysis/problem-solving, initiative, interpersonal attributes, teamwork, communication, and leadership development.

Although you can never anticipate the exact questions you will receive during an interview, the following list will serve as a general guide as you prepare:

Personal

  • Tell me about yourself.
  • What goals have you set for yourself? How are you planning to achieve them?
  • Who or what has had the greatest influence on the development of your career interests?
  • What two or three things are most important to you in a position?
  • What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?
  • What are your strengths and weaknesses?
  • What has been your greatest challenge?
  • Are you willing to relocate or travel as part of your job?
  • Do you feel your GPA reflects your academic ability?

Education

  • Why did you choose your major?
  • What is the most important lesson you have learned in school?
  • How do you think you have changed personally since you started college?
  • Knowing what you know now about your college experience, would you make the same decisions?

Company

  • What expectations do you have for your future employer?
  • What are your interests in this position or the company?
  • Why are you the best person for this position?
  • What can you contribute to this company?
  • What challenges are you looking for in a position?
  • How have your educational and work experiences prepared you for this position?

Experience

  • What are your team-player qualities? Give examples.
  • Describe your leadership style.
  • What is your approach to handling conflict? Solving problems?
  • How do you motivate others?
  • Describe a leadership role of yours and tell why you've committed time to it.
  • What work experience has been the most valuable to you? What did you learn?
  • What was the most useful criticism you received and who provided it?
  • How did you decide which extracurricular activities to join? What did you gain from these experiences?
  • What contributions have you made to a group project?
  • What types of situations put you under pressure? How do you deal with the pressure?
  • What have you found most frustrating in your work experience?

Behavioral

  • Take me through a project where you applied __________skills.
  • Describe a situation when you displayed your critical thinking skills.
  • Describe the project or situation that best demonstrates your analytical skills.
  • Describe a situation where you had a conflict with another individual and how you handled it.
  • Give an example of a problem you solved and the process you used to arrive at the solution.
  • Describe an idea that you developed and implemented that you felt was particularly creative or innovative.
  • Tell me about a difficult decision you have made.
  • Give an example of a situation in which you failed and how you handled it.
  • Tell me about a time when you had to persuade another person to your point of view.
  • Tell me about a project you initiated.
  • Tell me about a team project that you are particularly proud of and what your contribution was to the project.