AIE — Adventures In Education

College Students

Typical Interview Questions

Prepare for your interview by anticipating the questions an employer might ask.

We've put together a list of characteristics that employers are often trying to assess, the questions they use to help evaluate those characteristics, and some questions you can ask during the interview, as well.

One of the most effective ways to prepare for an interview is to anticipate the questions employers might ask. Usually, interviewers are going to ask questions based on the following areas:

Adaptability
Ambition and drive
Analytical ability
Assertiveness
Business philosophy and work ethic
Characteristics and traits
Communication skills
Creativity
Education
Integrity
Interpersonal skills

Job performance
Judgment
Learning ability
Organizational skills
Persistence
Persuasiveness
Planning skills
Preferred style and type of work
Risk taking
Self assessment
Strengths
Weaknesses

Now that you know what your prospective employers will be looking for, here are some questions they might ask you to bring out that information:

Can you tell us a little about yourself?
What is the most difficult adjustment you have ever had to make?
How would you describe your work style?
If you had a dispute with a co-worker, how would you handle it?
What are your career goals for the next three to five years?
What factors most influence your willingness to take a risk?
What examples can you give me that reflect your ability to apply good judgment in a challenging situation?
What has been your experience in working as a part of a team?
In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of working as a part of a team? Why?
Give me an example of something you had to learn that was difficult.
On a scale from 1-5 (one being the lowest) how do you rate your communication skills?
If you found out that one of your co-workers was doing something dishonest, what would you do?
What is your personal definition of success?
What is your personal motto?
What are your plans for self-improvement and personal development?
How would you go about organizing yourself to accomplish goals?
What is your process for establishing priorities?
What is one thing about yourself that you would most like to change?
Which of your personal characteristics do you feel enhances your effectiveness in communicating with others?
Why do you think you are a good fit for this position?
If you had an opportunity to develop a basic set of values and beliefs which would serve as a company's foundation for success, what would those be?
In your opinion, what is the difference between a vision and a mission?
If I had three people in here that you consider to know you best, how would they describe you?
What are one or two areas in which you think you could improve your performance?
Of what accomplishments in your life are you most proud?

During the interview, the interviewer might ask if you have any questions, or you might want to ask some questions on your own. Here are some ideas:

What is your timeframe for filling this position?
What is the career growth potential for this position?
I'm familiar with the corporate culture, but what does a regular day look like for this department/business?
How many people are on staff in the _____________ department/business?
Does the ____________ department work closely with any other internal departments?
What is the customer service philosophy of your company?
What is your favorite thing about working here?

First Impressions

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Interview Follow-up

What do you think?