Sample Interview Questions

While an interviewer can ask you almost anything, it's good to prepare for the most commonly asked questions. Nearly every interview will include these three questions: 

Tell us about yourself.

While this is the most common question, it is often the question interviewees have the hardest time answering because it is open-ended. Take the time to think about how you want to answer this question for this particular position. Think about what the 3 to 5 most important skills, skills, abilities, and traits you'd like to highlight to the employer, and touch on them as a quick pitch of yourself. For example, you might pick your degree, an internship experience, a computer program you know how to use, and a strong interpersonal skill. Once you know what you want to highlight, practice talking about those experiences as a brief introduction to yourself. With enough practice, you'll be able to answer this question confidently when it comes up during an interview. 

Why are you interested in this position?

Any time you are answering a question, do your best to empathize with the employer. Every candidate will be interested in the job in order to gain experience or in order to get paid. When answering this question, think about your unique interest in this role. Perhaps the position will enable you to connect with the community, which is an important value you'd like to include in your work. Make it clear that while you are interested in the position for many reasons, you have unique strengths and goals that would make you a strong candidate.

Why are you interested in working with our organization?

While this sounds similar to the previous question, it touches on your unique connection to the company to which you are applying. Having an interest in the company specifically demonstrates to an employer that you have a long-term interest in working there, which will strengthen your candidacy.

A hiring manager can ask a large variety of interview questions during the time you have together. Below are a few examples of what you can expect to hear during an interview.

Behavioral Questions ("Tell me about...")

Behavioral interview questions are one of the most common and effective types of interview questions. The best way to prepare for them is not to memorize examples, but to practice telling stories from your own experience. When thinking of answers to these questions, look at your resume and try to think of specific stories you could tell to demonstrate your answers.

• Tell us about two or three accomplishments that have given you the most satisfaction? Why?

• Describe a time you had to make a difficult decision in a work setting? What made the decision difficult, and what did you have to compromise in order to make it effective?

• Provide an example of a time you demonstrated initiative at work? What was your idea, and how did you sell that idea to your leadership team?

Career Outlook

• What are your long-range and short-range goals and objectives?

• What do you see yourself doing five years from now? Ten years from now?

• What do you really want to do in life?

• How do you plan to achieve your career goals?

• What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?

• Why did you choose this career?

• What qualifications do you have that will make you successful in this career?

• Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree?

Work Style

• Describe the best job you’ve ever had.

• What would your last boss say about your work performance?

• What motivates you to go the extra mile on a project or job?

• How do you determine or evaluate success?

• Describe the worst boss you've ever had.

• Describe the relationship that should exist between an employee and supervisor.

• How well do you adapt to new situations?

• What two or three things are most important to you in your job?

• Are you seeking employment in a company of a certain size? Why?

• In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?

• How do you work under pressure?

Leadership

• What qualities should a successful manager possess?

• Do you consider yourself a leader?

• What are the attributes of a good leader?

Collaboration

• How well do you work with people? Do you prefer working alone or in teams?

• How would you evaluate your ability to deal with conflict?

• How would a good friend describe you?

About the Company

• What do you think it takes to be successful in a company like ours?

• In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company?

• What can you tell us about our company?

• What interests you about our products?

• What do you know about our competitors?

• Why did you decide to seek a position in this company?

Experience/Skills Outside of Work

• Do you have any hobbies? What do you do in your spare time?

• What’s the most recent book you’ve read?

Location/Travel

• Do you have a geographic preference? Why?

• Are you willing to relocate?

• Are you willing to travel for the job?

Salary Questions

Questions on salary may come up during an interview. While some states prohibit employers from asking these questions, it is helpful to be prepared by researching ahead of time and anticipating an appropriate salary range.

• What do you expect to be earning in five years?

• What’s more important to you—the work itself or how much you’re paid for doing it?

• What are your expectations regarding promotions and salary increases?

Case interview are primarily used for business consulting or investment banking jobs. The questions are meant for you to show how you think about problems and their solutions and how you perform under stress.

Sample Questions:

• How many new houses were built in Chicago last year?

• You have two empty jugs. One holds three gallons, the other holds five. How do you get exactly 4 gallons of water from the tap?

• You are consulting for one of the largest supermarket chains in the country. This chain is considering opening its own bank branches in its supermarket locations. What is your advice?

• How many golf balls were lost in England this year?

The content of the solutions may not matter—the goal is to have you problem-solve out loud. Be willing to ask the interviewers for clarification (which they may or not give). State your assumptions, and then proceed to solve the problem in front of the interviewers.

This kind of interview demands preparation. If you are interested in consulting or banking jobs, read about case interviews, and then practice them alone, with friends, and at Career Services with an advisor.

At some point in an interview, the interviewer will ask if you have any questions. You will want to prepare a few questions, but also be willing to ask questions that come up organically during the interview. Your first questions will often demonstrate a knowledge of the company and industry that goes beyond their other applicants (Hint: read the company website!). Good questions indicate your desire and interest in the job, but avoid questions that are easily discovered by browsing the company's website (such as "What is your mission statement?"). Strong questions will highlight your interest in the position and show you've done your research.

• What are the qualifications of individuals who have excelled in this position or a similar position?
• What type of person are you seeking?
• Can I progress at my own pace or is there a structured training program?
• What would a normal working day be like?
• How would you describe your company culture?
• Can I expect to be closely supervised, or will you expect me to work independently?
• What will be the measurement of my success in this position?
• What happened to the last person in this position?
• What are typical projects and assignments?
• How soon could I expect to be advanced to the next level in the career path?
• How much travel is normally expected?
• Will I be expected to meet certain deadlines? How frequent are they?
• How often are performance reviews given?
• How much decision-making authority is given after one year?
• Does the company provide any professional development or educational benefits?
• What are the next steps in the hiring process?
• What’s the most important thing I can do to help within the first 90 days of my employment?
• Do you have any questions or concerns about my ability to perform this job?
• What do you see in me? What are my strongest assets and possible weaknesses? Do you have any concerns that I need to clear up in order to be the top candidate?

While you can ask many questions during an interview, you'll want to ensure your questions demonstrate an interest and are research-based. Make sure to avoid questions that run counter to those types of inquiries. 

Questions to Avoid: 

• What does this company do? (Do your research ahead of time.)

• How much money does the company make? (Unless you are an accountant, this is not your business).

• If I get this job, when can I take time for vacation? (Wait until you receive a job offer to mention prior commitments.)

• Can I change my schedule if I get the job? (If you need to figure out the logistics of your work schedule, do not mention it during the interview.)

• How many sick days am I allowed? (Again, wait until you receive a job offer.)

• Will I have to work overtime? (Display an eager and consistent willingness to work).

In the United States, interviewers are legally barred from asking questions about your religion, color, race, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, childcare arrangements, or any other subject that can be linked to a protected class. These questions are always inappropriate for the employer to ask, because they are unrelated to the job qualifications sought in the job position description. Nevertheless an interviewer might ask questions about your personal life or other issues that are not job related. Handling these questions can pose a personal dilemma. Know that there are no strict guidelines to follow in dealing with these questions and many times the interviewers are unaware that the questions are inappropriate.

If you feel uncomfortable about a question, consider the following:

• Does the interviewer realize that this question is inappropriate? Often times they do not, and simply asking them to clarify the question can help focus it in a way that is more appropriate for the job.
• Does the question relate to your professional self and your ability to do the job?
• Do I really want to work for an organization that asks inappropriate questions?

Based on how you answer these questions, you have several options for how to respond:

• Politely ask the interviewer what relevance the question has to the position or why the question is being asked.
• Re-direct the conversation towards a discussion of your skills and abilities as they relate to the position.
• Answer the question only as it relates to the job, without mentioning details that would make you uncomfortable.
• You can always choose to refuse to answer the question or, if you are in an uncomfortable situation, even end the interview.

Keep in mind that the way you handle this situation says a lot about your professionalism and maturity. Avoid being rude and argumentative; remain positive, polite, and assertive. Often times employers ask these questions without trying to be malicious, so handling these situations with tact is essential.