Sample Interview Questions

Below are some sample questions that an interviewer might ask. You don't need to memorize an answer for each question, but you should be familiar with them in order to develop some answers that set you apart from other candidates.

An article by The Muse provides some ideas on how to answer some common interview questions.

Getting to Know You

Tell me about yourself (your background, interests, etc.).
What do you do in your spare time (hobbies, interests)?
How would you describe yourself?
What do you consider to be your greatest strengths/weaknesses?
What is your greatest accomplishment?
What accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?
What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
How do you handle criticism?
Talk about a situation where you had to convince someone to see your point of view.
Talk about a situation where you had to deal with someone who was being difficult.
What are your long-range and short-range goals, personal and professional?
What do you see yourself doing five/ten years from now?
What qualifications do you have that will make you successful in the field?
Why do you feel you are qualified for this position?

Education

Why did you select Monroe Community College to attend?
What college subjects did you like best/least? Why?
Do you think your grades are a good indication of your academic achievements?
How much effort did you put into your course-work?
Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree? Why?
How has your college experience prepared you for a career?
What have you learned from participation in extracurricular activities?
What are your skills (leadership, organizational, interpersonal)?

Work Experience and Career Goals

What is your supervisory and or management style?
Have you had previous experience in supervising a staff or other individuals?
Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and an employee.
Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing? How did you choose it?
What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?
In your present or last position, what aspects did you like the most/least?
How would a previous employer, professor or friend describe you?
What things are most important to you in your job?
How do you work under pressure?
Tell me about a time where you had a major disagreement with an employer and how you handled the situation.
If you and another co-worker are working together and you end up doing a majority of the tasks and getting half of the credit, how would you handle it? What would you do?

About the Hiring Company

Why did you decide to seek a position with this firm?
What do you know about our organization?
How do you determine or evaluate success?
What do you think it takes to be successful in an organization like ours?
What contributions can you make to our organization?
As you view this position, what are some of the ways you would measure accountability?
If you were hiring someone for this position, what qualities would you look for?
What do you see as being your first goal if you take this position?
What do you feel this position should pay?
How would you compare us to our competitors?

Typical Final/Closing Questions

What questions do you have about this company, the position, or anything related?
What additional information can you tell me, that we haven’t covered so far, that would make you the ideal candidate for this position?
Why should we hire you?