Common Interview Questions
General
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why are you excited about this new opportunity?
- What is your greatest strength/ weakness?
- Why do you want to work for this company?
- What specific goals do you hope to accomplish in the next 5-10 years?
- Why are you the best candidate for this job?
- How do you handle ambiguity?
- Do you have any questions for me?
Behavioral
Provide an example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
By providing examples, convince me that you can adapt to a wide variety of people, situations, and environments.
- Describe a time in which you were faced with problems or stresses that tested your coping skills. How did you respond? What was the outcome? Looking back, what could you have done better?
- Give me an example of an important goal that you set in the past and tell me about your success in reaching it.
- Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
- Describe a situation where your decisions were challenged by your supervisor/professor. How did you react? What was the outcome?
- Describe a situation where you made a compromise for the overall good of the team. Why was compromising the right thing to do? What was the outcome?
- Tell me about a time when you learned a valuable lesson from a success or a failure. How did this event shape your approach to problem solving?
- Describe a time when you “went the extra mile” to help someone? Why did you assist them? What was the outcome?
- Let’s say your manager gave you ten things to do by 5:00 p.m. and you realized that you couldn’t finish them all. What would you do? How would you prioritize them?
- Describe a time in which you worked with a difficult supervisor or teammate.
- Tell me about a time when you delegated a project efficiently.
- Give an example of when you were able to learn a new skill in a short period of time.
Academic
- How did you choose your major?
- Describe a tough academic choice you had to make.
- Tell me about a time you had a particularly heavy course load. How did you manage that?
- Which of your courses or projects have helped prepare you for this internship?
Questions by Industry
Business
- In your opinion, what elements are necessary for a successful team and why?
- Tell me about the project you are most proud of, and what your contribution was.
- Walk me through your latest budget preparation process.
- What do you recall as the greatest trends affecting the economy today?
Service/Non-Profit
- What attracted you to working for a nonprofit organization?
- Tell me about your most rewarding volunteer experiences.
- Do you have a personal connection to our mission? If so, which one and why?
- Tell me about your experience with fundraising.
- Tell me about a time when you raised community awareness for a cause.
- Describe a time when you accomplished big results on a limited budget.
Scientific/Analytical
- How do you approach a multi-step problem?
- Relate a specific instance when you found it necessary to be precise in your actions in order to complete the job.
- Tell us about a time when you had to analyze information and make a recommendation. What were your thought processes? What was your reasoning behind your decision?
Technical
- What languages are you most familiar with?
- Tell me about the project you are most proud of, and what your contribution was.
- Describe your production deployment process.
External Resources and Tools
- Ready Prep Interview – Find lists of interview questions specific to the position you are interviewing for.
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