Are you truly prepared for the interview? You've researched the company, as well as prepared your attire and credentials, but…are you able to successfully portray yourself in an interview? Effective interviewing requires preparation and practice. Utilize the following lists of questions as a guide to identify areas needing personal reflection. Review your responses with someone who will be objective in their evaluation and provide you with meaningful feedback.

Student Employment & Career Services can assist you further in interview preparation through the experience of a mock interview which is the best way to assess your interviewing skills. If interested, call 231.591.2685 for an appointment. Good luck in your interviews!

Note: Headings indicate the type of information employers may be seeking when asking such questions.

1. Tell me about yourself. Click here for sample answers to this question

2. What are some of your most significant accomplishments or achievements?
3. What would you say was the main thing you learned in your last job?
4. What qualities should a successful manager possess?
5. What have you admired in people who have previously supervised your work? What haven't you admired in these individuals?
6. What classes did you like most in school? Which gave you the most difficulty? Why?
7. For you, what are some of the pros and cons of working on a team project?
8. Please tell me about your accomplishments in extracurricular activities.
9. What was the most difficult aspect of obtaining a college degree?
10. What prior work experiences have you had?
11. Describe three things that are most important to you in a job?
12. Why did you choose this major field of study?
13. Recall an important report you had to prepare. How did you go about planning and organizing it?
14. What was the toughest decision you had to make in the last year? What made it so difficult?

Personality and Self-Awareness (skills and strengths)

15. What would you say are your main assets, strengths, and limitations?
16. Please list three personal attributes that you would like to improve, and tell me any efforts you've made to make improvements in these areas.
17. Please tell me five things about yourself that would make you an asset to any organization that hired you.
18. If you could change one thing about your personality with a snap of your fingers, what would it be and why?
19. What have you done that shows initiative and willingness to work?
20. How would a co-worker, friend, or boss describe you?
21. What qualities do you admire most in others?
22. Who or what had the greatest influence on your life?
23. What do you enjoy doing most?
24. Why did you choose your particular college or university?
25. Should grades be used as an indicator of future career potential when an organization is considering new college graduates?
26. How you determine or evaluate success?
27. Under what kinds of conditions do you do your best work? What kinds of working conditions do you find the most difficult?
28. What aspects of this job do you think you'll find the most interesting?
29. If you were hiring a graduate for this position, what qualities would you look for?
30. If you could relive your college experiences, what would you do differently?
31. When comparing one company offer to another, what factors will be important to you besides starting salary?
32. It's possible, of course, to be loyal to your employer but still to disagree with some of the rules and policies. Can you provide an example in your own experience?
33. Describe a typical school week. Tell me how you planned the week's activities.
34. If you were hired by our organization, how would you identify the major roles and responsibilities of your new position?

Desire and Career Goals (motivation)

35. What do you expect from a job?
36. What happens if you accept a position with our company, and then you are offered another job more closely related to your chosen field?
37. Why did you leave your last job?
38. What salary do you expect? What company benefits are most important to you?
39. What motivates you to put forth your greatest efforts?
40. If you could create the perfect job for yourself, what would you be doing?
41. What are your long range goals and objectives? How are you preparing to achieve them?
42. Please tell me about your plans for the future. How do you plan to achieve your career goals?
43. If you could, what changes would you make in your school's academic program?

Knowledge of the Organization

44. How will employment with us contribute to your career plans?
45. Why do you want to work for XYZ company?
46. Why do you want to work in the position you are seeking?
47. What do you know about our organization?
48. Is there anything about this company or job that makes you apprehensive? Why?
49. What criteria are you using to evaluate the organization for which you hope to work?
50. What do you think it takes to be successful in an organization like ours?