SAMPLE INTERVIEW

QUESTIONS

 Tell me about Common

Strengths
Convey your top five reasons to be hired.
 What do you consider your 3 greatest strengths? Provide me an example of when
you used your strengths.
 What is your greatest weakness?
 What qualifications do you have that make you think you will be successful?
 Why should we hire you?

Motivation
Show the interviewer you are motivated to contribute, stay with the
organization, and grow.
 Why did you decide to pursue a career in this field/industry?
 Tell me about the jobs you have enjoyed the most. Tell me about the jobs you have
enjoyed the least. What about those jobs did you specifically like or dislike?
 Where would you like to see yourself three years from now with this company?
 How much did you research this company before applying? What specific things about
this job most excite you? What specific things about this job least excite you?
 Tell me about any professional development you have completed. Why did you
choose it? What professional development opportunities would you like to take in
the future and why?

Fit
Know the organization and match your personality, goals, knowledge and
values to it.
 Why did you decide to seek a job with us?
 In what type of work environment do you perform best? How would you change your
previous work environment to make it more productive?
 What type of individuals do you enjoy working with the most? What types of
individuals do you like working with the least?
 Tell me about the best supervisor with whom you have worked. What was his or her
management style? Tell me about the most difficult supervisor you have had. Why did
you find it difficult to work with him or her?
 In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company?

Behavioral Questions
 Tell me about a time when you had to meet a deadline which didn’t seem to allow
enough time. How did you proceed? What was the outcome?
 Give me an example of a conflict or problem that you experienced in previous work
settings, and how you handled it.
 Describe a situation when you had to make a decision and key information was slow in
coming to you. What action did you take? What was the outcome?

 Give me a specific example of time when you sold your supervisor (professor) on an
idea or a concept. How did you proceed? What was the result?
 Describe the system you use for keeping track of multiple projects. How do you track
the progress of various projects in relation to their deadline? How do you stay
focused?
 Describe two of the most significant challenges you have experienced in your career
(education). How did you overcome them? What did you learn?
 Give me a specific example of a time when you took the initiative to improve or
streamline a task at a previous job (class). Why was a change necessary? What was
the outcome?
 Describe a time when you went out of your way to help someone understand a new task
or procedure.

QUESTIONS TO ASK DURING AN INTERVIEW

Matching Qualifications/Strengths
 What qualities are you looking for in new hires?
 What characteristics does a successful person in your organization possess?
 What are your expectations of new employees?
 What are some of the achievements made by employees in this position in the past?

Fit
 Describe the ideal candidate for this job.
 What is the organization’s attitude about advancing people from within?
 How would you describe the overall work atmosphere?
 What tasks will occupy the majority of my time?

Hiring Process
 What is the next step in the hiring process?
 Do you have any questions or concerns about my ability to do this job that would
prevent us from moving to the next step in the process?
 When do you want to have the position filled?

Position Information
 What would a typical day’s work look like in this position?
 Will I work as part of team and if so, who will be in the group?
 What are the three top goals you’ve set for this position for the coming year?
 What are the biggest challenges I’ll face in this position?

Management
 How will my performance be evaluated?
 How would you describe your organization’s personality and management style?
 Is there a current organizational chart available for the company/ this department?

QUESTIONS TO AVOID
Avoid asking specific questions on salary, benefits, perks, vacation time, or focus too
much on the compensation during the preliminary interview process.
 Most Common Interview Questions
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Walk me through your resume.
3. How did you hear about this position?
4. Why do you want to work at this company?
5. Why do you want this job?
6. Why should we hire you?
7. What can you bring to the company?
8. What are your greatest strengths?
9. What do you consider to be your weaknesses?
10. What is your greatest professional achievement?
11. Tell me about a challenge or conflict you’ve faced at work, and how you dealt with it.
12. Tell me about a time you demonstrated leadership skills.
13. What’s a time you disagreed with a decision that was made at work?
14. Tell me about a time you made a mistake.
15. Tell me about a time you failed.
16. Why are you leaving your current job?
17. Why were you fired?
18. Why was there a gap in your employment?
19. Can you explain why you changed career paths?
20. What’s your current salary?
21. What do you like least about your job?
22. What are you looking for in a new position?
23. What type of work environment do you prefer?
24. What’s your work style?
25. What’s your management style?
26. How would your boss and coworkers describe you?
27. How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations?
28. What do you like to do outside of work?
29. Are you planning on having children?
30. How do you stay organized?
31. How do you prioritize your work?
32. What are you passionate about?
33. What motivates you?
34. What are your pet peeves?
35. How do you like to be managed?
36. Do you consider yourself successful?
37. Where do you see yourself in five years?
38. How do you plan to achieve your career goals?
39. What are your career aspirations?
40. What’s your dream job?
41. What other companies are you interviewing with?
42. What makes you unique?
43. What should I know that’s not on your resume?
44. What would your first few months look like in this role?
45. What are your salary expectations?
46. What do you think we could do better or differently?
47. When can you start?
48. Are you willing to relocate?
49. How many tennis balls can you fit into a limousine?
50. If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?
51. Sell me this pen.
52. Is there anything else you’d like us to know.
53. Do you have any questions for us?