Education

"Why did you select your college or university?"

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"Why did you choose your major?"

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"What class did you like best and least and why?"

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"How has your college experience prepared you for a career with our organization?"

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"What are your plans for continued study?"

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"Do your grades accurately reflect your ability?  Why or why not?"

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Experience

"What did you like best and least about your last job?"

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"What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?"

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"What experience do you bring to this job?"

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"What have you learned from participating in extra curricular activities?"

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"Are you a leader?  Give examples."

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"Describe your most rewarding experience."

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Motivation

"What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?"

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"Why did you choose this career?"

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"How would you describe the ideal job for you?"

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"What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?"

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"How do you determine and evaluate success?"

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"What salary are you looking for?" (Try to avoid answering this until you reach the final interview stage.)

 

Company-Related

"Why do you want to work for this company?"

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"What position in our company interests you the most?"

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"What do you know about our company?"

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"In addition to the literature that was sent out, what other sources did you use to find out about our company?"

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"What do you think it takes to be successful in a company like ours?"

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"In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company?"

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"How long do you intend to stay with our organization?"

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Behavioral Interview Questions

Behavioral interview questions are open-ended and allow the interviewer the opportunity to see how you will react in a particular situation.  This enables the interviewee a chance to provide examples of decisions they have made in the past, while allowing the interviewer to see in more detail your thought processes.  Below are samples of some commonly asked behavioral-related questions.

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Decision Making/Problem Solving

"Describe an instance when you had to think on your feet to resolve a difficult situation."

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"Give a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem."

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"Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventative measures."

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"Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision."

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"Give me an example of a time when you could not make a decision because you did not have enough information?  How did you handle the   situation?  What was the result?"

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"Describe a situation in which you had to make a decision involving an element of risk.  What was the outcome?  How comfortable were you in making the decision?"

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"Describe a creative solution you have developed.  How did you do it?"

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Communication Skills

"Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way."
 

"Tell me about a time when you had to use your written communication skills in order to get an important point across."
 

"Describe the most significant or creative presentation you have given."
 

"Give an example of a time when you were able to successfully communicate with another person even though that individual may not   have personally liked you (or vice versa)."
 

"Sometimes employees must communicate sensitive or unpleasant information to customers or other team members.  Describe a time, in a   work setting, when you had to communicate unfavorable information to someone.  What did you have to tell them?  How did you   communicate the information?  How did this person respond?  Were you able to keep the interaction positive?  If so, how?  What was the   outcome of this situation?"

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Adaptability/Stress and Time Management

"By providing examples, convince me that you can adapt to a wide variety of people, situations, and environments."

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"Describe a time when you had to function in a new environment that was different from one you had functioned in previously.  How did   you adapt?"

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"Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills."

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"Tell me about a time when you had to work with competing priorities or an excessive workload."

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"Give me an example of a time when your schedule was interrupted.  How did you react to this?"

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"Tell me about a situation when you had to learn something new in a short time.  How did you proceed?"

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"Give me a specific example of a time when you did not meet a deadline.  How did you handle the subsequent situation?"​

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Leadership/Personal Effectiveness

"Give an example of an important goal you set and tell about your success in reaching it."

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"Tell about a time when you went above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done."

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"Describe a time when you decided on your own that something needed to be changed, and you took on the task to get it done."

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"Give me an example of a time when you tried to accomplish something and failed.  How did you deal with the failure?  What did you learn   from the experience?  What would you have done differently?"

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"Give me an example of a time when you motivated others."

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"Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively."

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"Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem."

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"What are three effective leadership qualities you think are important.  How have you demonstrated these qualities in your past/current       position?"

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"How have you motivated yourself to complete an assignment or task that you did not want to do?"

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"Tell me about a time when you constructively dealt with disappointment and turned it into a learning experience.  What was the situation?   What factors lead to the disappointing outcome?  What did you learn from this situation?  What would you do differently if you had it to do all over again?"

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"Give a specific occasion in which you conformed to a policy with which you did not agree."

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Questions to ask Employers

You should ALWAYS have questions for employers.  It shows interest in the company, and that you have done research about the organization and the position.  You can better prepare for an interview by visiting the company's web site and/or reading any literature available.  Your questions should not be the type that could have been answered by doing basic research.  Be aware that some interviews have strict time limits (such as 30 minutes), so don’t ask an excessive number of questions.  At the end of the interview, find out the company’s next steps.  Also remember to get the exact name or names of anyone who may have interviewed you.  It is best to do this by getting a business card or contact information from every person you interview with.  This will be important when preparing your "Thank You" or "Follow Up" letter.

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Questions About the Company

"What expansion is planned for this department/facility?"

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"What are your growth projections for next year?"

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"What is the largest single problem facing your staff (department) now?"

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"Do you fill positions from the outside or promote from within?"

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"What do you consider to be your organization’s three most important assets?"

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"Tell me about your company’s culture."

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"What is unique about the way this company operates?"

     

Questions About the Position

"Please describe the duties of the job for me."

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"What is a typical day like?"

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"What kinds of assignments might I expect the first six months on the job?"

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"What are the potential career paths within the company?"

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"Has there been much turnover in this job?"

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"Is this a new position or am I replacing someone?"

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"What is the person doing now that previously held the position?"

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"What qualities are you looking for in the candidate who fills this position?"

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"What skills are especially important for someone in this position?"

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"Is there a lot of team/project work?"

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"Will I have the opportunity to work on special projects?"

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"How much travel, if any, is involved in this position?"

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Personal Questions

"What do you like most and least about working for the organization?"

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"Can you tell me about your own experience with the organization?"

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"What does it take to advance in this field?"
 

Wrap-Up Questions

"What is the next course of action?  When should I expect to hear from you or should I contact you?"
 

"When will a decision be made as to whom will be offered the job?"

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Always send a thank you note to each individual within 24 hours following the interview.  Thank you notes can be typed, handwritten, or emailed; use your personal preference.

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Questions on Salary

Let the company initiate salary discussions.  Some experts suggest deferring salary discussions if they come up early in the interview process, but always be prepared by knowing the appropriate salary range.

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When asked for salary requirements, suggest to the interviewer that you would like to discuss this topic after exploring the nature of the position and your qualifications.  If pressed, try to get the interviewer to state a range first.  Here is an example of how to turn the question, “I expect to earn a salary that is appropriate for my education and qualifications.  What is the range that the company has in mind?”