Questions Asked by an Employer

While you can never know for sure what interviewers will ask you, it is always helpful to practice your answers to some of the most common questions by writing out your answers to be sure you’re including all you want, then saying them aloud for friends or family. During the interview, listen carefully to what the interviewer is asking. If the question is unclear, ask for clarification. Or use the ambiguity to provide some information about yourself that the interviewer hasn’t asked of you. Be sure to let some of your passion for the job and your personality come out in the interview. That’s easier to do and feels more natural, the more you practice in advance.

You will encounter both skilled and novice interviewers. Skilled interviewers will ask questions that require more than a "yes" or "no" answer and encourage you to elaborate on your experiences. If you are asked a question that only requires a "yes" or "no" answer, you may choose to elaborate on your answer to provide the interviewer with more information.

Some interviewers will use behavioral interview questions. In these questions, employers will ask you to describe a situation that demonstrates a particular skill, what your role was, what specific actions you took in the situation, and what results were accomplished. Behavioral questions are based on the belief that past performance is the best indicator of future performance. Behavioral questions are indicated below with a (B).

If you want formal practice, we recommend scheduling an appointment with a career counselor for a mock video-taped interview.

Personal
1. Tell me about yourself? Why should we hire you rather than another candidate?

2. Why did you choose to interview with our organization?

3. What do you know about our organization (products or services)?

4. Describe your ideal job.

5. What do you consider to be your greatest strengths?

6. What is one weakness that you have?

7. What is your definition of success?

8. Tell me about a time when you failed at something. What did you learn? 
(B)
9. What is one accomplishment that you are most proud of?

10. Who has been a role model for you? Why?

11. How does your college education or work experience relate to this job?

12. What motivates you most in a job?

13. Tell me about a time when you worked on a team where there were disagreements about how to meet the goals.

14. Describe a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer. (B)

15. Describe a time when you needed to work on several assignments or tasks simultaneously. (B)

Education
1. Why did you choose your major?

2. Why did you choose to attend your college or university?

3. In which campus activities did you participate?

4. Which classes in your major/elective classes did you like best? Least?

5. If you were to start over, what would you change about your education?

6. Were you financially responsible for any portion of your college education?

7. Do you plan to return to school for further education?

Experience
1. What job-related skills have you developed?

2. Did you work while going to school? In what positions?

a. What did you learn from the work experiences?

b. Have you ever done any volunteer work? What kind?

3. What did you enjoy most about your last (or any) employment? Least?

4. Have you ever quit a job? Why?

5. Give an example in which you provided a solution to an employer. (B)

6. Give an example of a time in which you worked under deadline pressure. (B)

7. How do you think a former supervisor would describe your work?

Career Goals
1. Describe your ideal supervisor.

2. Describe the type of organization you’d like to work for (large or small, structured or not).

3. Would you be able and willing to work overtime if necessary? Are you able to work flex-time if necessary?

4. Would you be able and willing to travel for this job?

5. Would you be able and willing to relocate if necessary?

Rev. 6/06