The following list presents questions most often asked by recruiters who interview new graduates at college campuses. Although some of the questions may not apply to your situation, they give you a good idea of the types of questions a trained interviewer might ask you in an interview. Look over the list and check any that would be hard for you to answer well. Then practice coming up with positive answers for those problem questions using the Three-step Process for answering interview questions that has been used here.
1. What interests you most about working for this company?
2. What is your greatest strength? What are your weaknesses?
3. What were your major contributions to your last job?
4. What are your greatest career accomplishments?
5. What kind of contribution will you make to our company?
6. What interests you most about this job?
7. What are your professional career goals?
8. Are you willing to travel?
9. Why have you changed jobs so frequently?
10. What would other people say about your work?
11. Have you been responsible for making hiring decisions?
12. Can you delegate responsibility? Give an example.
13. Do you have any questions about the company or the job?
14. How do you work under pressure or tight deadlines? Give example.
15. How do you feel about working for a team? Do you prefer to work independently?
16. How do you deal with conflict?
17. What do you think makes a good employee?
18. Why do you want to work for this company?
19. What kind of work do you enjoy the most?
20. How would you describe the ideal job for you?
21. What jobs are most interesting to you?
22. How would you describe yourself?
23. What kind of work would you like to be doing in 5 or 10 years? (What are your long term goals?)
24. Are you planning on continuing your education?
25. What training have you had that qualifies you for this position?
26. What skills do you have that you can use successfully in this job?
27. What contributions can you make to this organization?
28. Doesn’t this represent a career change for you?
29. How would you describe your current or last employer? May we call them for a reference?
30. Why did you leave your last job?
31. What motivates you towards high job performance?
32. What did you like best or least about your last job?
33. What type of person do you prefer to work with?
34. What physical work environment would you most enjoy?
35. How did you select_______as your occupation?
36. Could you tell me what you know about our company?
37. What qualifications do you have that make you feel you will be successful in your field?
38. What is your viewpoint, or rational, for a starting salary?
39. What do you feel determines an individual’s progress in a good company?
40. Why do you think you would like this job?
41. What type of supervisor style do you prefer?
42. What type of skills have you acquired from some of the positions you have held?
43. What does “cooperation” mean to you?
44. Which position in our company would you choose if you were entirely free to do so?
45. What have you done to grow within your occupation within the last two years?
46. Which types of people are difficult for you to get along with? Have you had to deal with them in the past? How would you deal with them in the future?
47. Which jobs have you enjoyed the most? Why?
48. Which jobs have you enjoyed the least? Why?
49. What are your special skills or abilities?
50. How do you feel about working overtime?
51. Have you had summer or previous employment in this or a related field?
52. What are the most important points that you consider in choosing an employer?
53. Which courses have you taken that you feel have prepared you for this position?
54. Which work experiences do you feel have prepared you for this position?
55. If you are the person we select when could you begin working for us?
56. Describe yourself as a person.
57. Do you feel that your college grades are indicative of your abilities? Why?
58. Did you ever make any suggestions to management in a former job?
59. Why should we hire you?
60. Do you think you will be underemployed if you take this position?
61. Are you willing to relocate?
62. How would you define leadership? Success?
63. What is your philosophy of business?
64. What was the most creative work project that you ever completed?
