Questions You May Be Asked in the Interview
A key component of interviewing is to know your strong points. If an employer
asked, "Why should I hire you?" would you know how to
respond? Are you aware of your marketable skills? Can you provide a one-minute
sales pitch on yourself? To interview well, you must believe in yourself
and be able to verbalize your best qualifications with conviction.
Interviewing well takes time and practice. Below is a list of most frequently asked questions. Take some time and prepare yourself for your next interview.
Questions About Yourself
- Tell me about yourself.
- What do you consider to be one of your weaknesses (strengths)?
- What can you do that someone else can't do?
- What qualifications do you have that indicate you will be successful
in your field? How would they relate to our position? What do you have
to offer?
- What are your own special abilities?
- What new skills or capabilities have you developed over the past
year?
- What have you done which shows initiative and willingness to work?
- What are your greatest work and non-work accomplishments during the
past two years?
- Describe three things that are most important to you in a job. What
motivates you? What have you been doing since your graduation from college?
Since you left your last job?
- How would a co-worker, or friend, or boss describe you?
- What are your interests outside of work, school?
- What qualities do you admire most in others?
- How would you describe your own work style?
Questions About Your Career Goals or Plans
- What would you like to being doing five (ten) years from now?
- What type of position are you interested in?
- What are your salary requirements--short term/long term?
- What is success? What personal characteristics will contribute to
your success?
- How will employment with us contribute to your career plans?
- What do you expect from a job?
- What are your career objectives - short and long range?
- This job is a total change from previous employment. How does it
fit your career goals?
- What are your location preferences?
Questions About School/Education
- How did your education relate to this position (or how did your education
prepare you for this position)?
- What activities did you engage in at school?
- What classes did you like most in school? Least? Why?
- Why did you decide to go to _______________ school?
- Why did you choose your major?
- Describe your academic strengths and weaknesses?
- What are your plans for continuing your education?
- What career-related skills do you possess as a result of your academic
preparation?
- What have you read recently in your field?
Previous Experience Questions
- What have you learned from your past jobs?
- How often, and in what way, did you communicate with your subordinates
and superiors?
- What were the biggest pressures on your last job?
- How did your job description for your last job change while you held
it?
- What specific skills acquired or used in previous jobs relate to
this position?
- How does your previous experience relate to this position?
- Why did you leave your last job?
- What did you like most/least about your last job?
- Whom may we contact for references?
Questions Specific to the Company/Job
- Why should we hire you?
- Why do you want to work here?
- What do you know about this organization?
- What salary do you expect?
- Why do you think you would like this type of position? Company?
- What kind of boss do you like to work for?
- How long do you intend to stay here?
- What do you think determines a person's progress in an organization?
- What interests you about our product or service? How would you improve
it?
- What do you think would be your greatest contribution to our operation?
- How do you solve problems?
- When can you start to work?
- Can you travel overnight?