The purpose of an interview is for the interviewer to find out about you, the prospective employee. The employer wants to know about you in order to make a decision about hiring and you want the employer to know about you so that the decision will be favorable. Through reviewing various interviewing literature, we have compiled the following list of 40 interview questions frequently asked of college students and graduates. Read the questions and formulate your answers. Good answers are ones that are specific and exemplify your strengths. Remember that an interview often determines whether or not you get hired. Preparation is the key.
Questions About Yourself
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why did you choose your major? What courses were your favorite? Least favorite? Why?
3. What are your long and short range goals? How are you preparing to achieve them?
4. What motivates you?
5. How do you work under pressure? (example)
6. Who is your hero? Why?
7. What are three of your strengths and weaknesses?
8. What failures have you experienced? What have you learned from your mistakes?
9. Are you a team player or an individualist? Give an example.
10. What do you think makes a good manager?
11. Why did you leave your past jobs?
12. How did you become interested in this field/industry?
13. Why did you select the University of Delaware?
14. If you could do it all over again, how would you plan your academic studies differently?
15. Assuming that you could do anything you wanted, what would you really like to do in life?
16. How do you determine or evaluate success?
17. What is your favorite book?
18. What do you do in your free time?
19. Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree?
20. What was the best and worst thing about college?
21. Tell me about a recent problem and how to solve it.
22. What, if any, extracurricular activities have you participated in? What did you learn from them?
23. What haven’t I asked you that I should have asked?
24. Tell me about any leadership responsibilities you’ve had.
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why did you choose your major? What courses were your favorite? Least favorite? Why?
3. What are your long and short range goals? How are you preparing to achieve them?
4. What motivates you?
5. How do you work under pressure? (example)
6. Who is your hero? Why?
7. What are three of your strengths and weaknesses?
8. What failures have you experienced? What have you learned from your mistakes?
9. Are you a team player or an individualist? Give an example.
10. What do you think makes a good manager?
11. Why did you leave your past jobs?
12. How did you become interested in this field/industry?
13. Why did you select the University of Delaware?
14. If you could do it all over again, how would you plan your academic studies differently?
15. Assuming that you could do anything you wanted, what would you really like to do in life?
16. How do you determine or evaluate success?
17. What is your favorite book?
18. What do you do in your free time?
19. Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree?
20. What was the best and worst thing about college?
21. Tell me about a recent problem and how to solve it.
22. What, if any, extracurricular activities have you participated in? What did you learn from them?
23. What haven’t I asked you that I should have asked?
24. Tell me about any leadership responsibilities you’ve had.
Interest in Organization
25. What criteria are you using to evaluate the organizations for which you hope to work?
26. What do you know about our organization?
27. Do you have a geographic preference? Why?
28. What do you see as the biggest challenge currently facing organizations such as ours?
29. What are the most important rewards you expect from your career?
30. Why did you decide to seek a position with us?
31. What two or three things are important to you in your job?
32. What other fields/organizations are you interviewing with?
33. Describe the ideal job for you following graduation.
25. What criteria are you using to evaluate the organizations for which you hope to work?
26. What do you know about our organization?
27. Do you have a geographic preference? Why?
28. What do you see as the biggest challenge currently facing organizations such as ours?
29. What are the most important rewards you expect from your career?
30. Why did you decide to seek a position with us?
31. What two or three things are important to you in your job?
32. What other fields/organizations are you interviewing with?
33. Describe the ideal job for you following graduation.
Why Should I Hire You?
34. How have your education and other experiences prepared you for this position?
35. Do you think your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement? Why isn’t your GPA higher?
36. Why do you feel we should hire someone with your background?
37. What two accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?
38. Why should I hire you?
39. What makes you better than the other people I’m seeing today?
40. Describe a contribution you made to the University of Delaware or in your last job.
34. How have your education and other experiences prepared you for this position?
35. Do you think your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement? Why isn’t your GPA higher?
36. Why do you feel we should hire someone with your background?
37. What two accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?
38. Why should I hire you?
39. What makes you better than the other people I’m seeing today?
40. Describe a contribution you made to the University of Delaware or in your last job.