If you are preparing for an upcoming interview, there is no way of knowing the exact questions you will be asked. You can, however, anticipate general areas that will be covered and prepare accordingly. The more you know about yourself, the position, and the company, the more impressive you will be. Preparation is essential to success!
The following is a sampling of common interview questions to use as a starting point as your practice for your next job interview:
Why are you interested in this position and this organization?
Tell me a little about yourself.
How will your previous experience help you in this job?
Tell me what you know about our company and our services.
What are your long-term career goals?
What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?
Have you generated any new ideas or suggestions in your previous jobs?
Have you ever done more than was required?
In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
What computer skills do you have?
Describe projects you have undertaken that have required the use of computers, software, internet, etc.
Describe how you’ve gone about learning a new technical task.
Tell me about a situation where you encountered a problem and developed a remedy to fix it. What was the problem? What was your approach to solving the problem? What was the result?
What was the greatest challenge you’ve faced in a previous position?
We all make decisions that turn out to be mistakes. Describe a work decision you made that you wish you could do over.
What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses?
Why should we hire you?
What do you consider to be your three greatest work achievements?
How do feel about working as part of a team?
Do you enjoy working independently?
How do you deal with conflict?
Tell me about a time when you encountered a conflict with a co-worker. How did you handle it? What was the outcome?
Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a frustrating person. What did the person do that was frustrating? How did you resolve the difficulty? How did the person react?
Have you ever been not finished a project or assignment on time? What was the reason for the delay? How did you handle it?
How do you organize your typical day? Give examples.
How do you keep track of your paperwork, schedules, etc.?
Describe a situation that required you to be detail oriented. Did you enjoy it? Why?
Describe a time when you were in a high-pressure situation. How did you react?
Describe a time you face a particularly demanding rush situation – emergency deadline. How did you react?
Tell me about a time when you needed to make a presentation to a group of people. How did you prepare? What was the outcome?
Tell me about a presentation you did on a topic that was new to you that didn’t go well. What happened? How did you handle it?
Have you ever written instructions for other people? Were they able to follow your directions?
How would you rate your communication skills?
Tell me why I should hire you and not someone else.
What do you want me to remember about you when you leave?