General
- What attracted you to this position?
- Tell me about yourself.
- What interests you about this position? …organization?
- What do you know about this organization?
- How can you contribute to our company?
- How will working here help you to reach your goals?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years? …in 10 years?
- Tell me about your ____________ degree.
- Tell me about your experiences in the ____________ field.
- Do you have plans for continued study?
- What qualities should a successful manager possess?
- What was your most significant contribution in your last position?
- How do you determine or evaluate success?
Personality Traits
- What strengths do you bring to this position?
- What do you see as your greatest strength?
- What is your biggest weakness?
- What would your former boss say if I were to call her for a reference?
- When have you assumed positions of leadership?
- What kind of leader are you?
- What motivates you?
- Are you an independent worker or more of a team player?
- In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
- How do you work under pressure?
- How has your approach to your job changed in the last year?
- How have you changed your management style (in the past year)?
- If you came to work for us, who would you bring with you?
- Why do you want to leave your previous employer/organization?
Sample Behavioral
Remember to be specific in your answers! If you were unhappy with the results in the situation you are discussing, you may also talk about what you would have done differently now. Use examples from a variety of experiences. Current or past jobs, internships, professional association involvement, and community activities are some areas to potentially discuss.
- Tell me about a time that a project you were managing experienced problems and how you dealt with the challenges.
- Tell me about a specific challenge you faced in your most recent position.
- Tell me about one of your greatest successes.
- What would your proudest accomplishment be if you came to work here?
- What is one of the toughest problems you’ve ever had to solve, or decisions you’ve ever had to make? Why was it difficult? How did you solve it?
- Tell me about a time you had to manage a group of people.
- What have you done when a group project started going awry?
- Give an example of a time you had to go above and beyond the call of duty to get the job done.
- Tell about an unpopular decision you have made. How long did it take to make the decision? Why did the decision arise? How do you think you handled it?
- Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way.
- Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.
- Give me an example of a time you took on a leadership position.
- Tell me about a time you had to acquire knowledge quickly and then apply it quickly.
- Give me an example of a time you had to make a split-second decision.
- Describe a time you had to work well under pressure.
- Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures.
- Give me an example of how you dealt with conflict.
- Why should I hire you?
Questions to Ask Interviewers
Ask questions that show thought and your ability to synthesize and analyze your research into the company. Do not ask about items you can easily find on the organization’s website or questions that may raise red flags, such as inquiries about salary or benefits.
- What are the most important characteristics someone in this position should have?
- What is your management style?
- What do you expect from your staff?
- In my research into your company/organization, I read about a new venture in ______. What are your plans/future goals?
- What other growth areas do you anticipate in the future?
- How does your firm handle the problem of ______? (A current topic/issue in the industry)
- What attracted you to your current position?
- What do you enjoy most about your job?
- What is the promotion/advancement potential in the company?
- What opportunities are available for professional development?
- Why are you hiring for this position?
- When can I expect to hear from you?
- What is the timeline for hiring?