QUESTIONS MOST OFTEN ASKED BY EMPLOYERS

DURING THE INTERVIEW WITH GRADUATING COLLEGE STUDENTS

Interview questions ideally are designed to facilitate the employers' success in familiarizing themselves with you as an individual as thoroughly and quickly as possible. Generally the questions asked cover several different categories--personal goals, personal assessment, work attitudes, your evaluation of your education, career expectations. The interviewer may ask questions from several categories, a few or none at all. However, the best approach is preparation for all contingencies.

1. What are long range and short range goals and objectives, when and why did you establish these goals and how are you preparing yourself to achieve them?

2. What specific goals, other than those related to your occupation, have you established for yourself for the next 10 years?

3. What do you see yourself doing five years from now?

4. What do you really want to do in life?

5. What are your long range career objectives?

6. How do you plan to achieve your career goals?

7. What are the most important rewards you expect in your business career?

8. What do you expect to be earning in five years?

9. Why did you choose the career for which your are preparing?

10. Which is more important to you, the money or the type of job?

11. What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

12. How would you describe yourself?

13. How do you think a friend or professor who knows you well would describe you?

14. What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?

15. How has your college experience prepared you for a business career?

16. Why should I hire you?

17. What qualifications do you have that make you think that you will be successful in business?

18. How do you determine or evaluate success?

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

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

21. What qualities should a successful manager possess?

22. Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and those reporting to him\her.

23. What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?

24. Describe your most rewarding college experience.

25. Why did you select your college or university?

26. What led you to choose your field or major study?

27. What college subjects did you like best? Why?

28. What college subjects did you like least? Why?

29. If you could do so, how would you plan your academic study differently? Why?

30. What changes would you make in your college or university? Why?

31. Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree?

32. Do you think that your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement?

33. What have you learned from participation in extracurricular activities?

34. In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?

35. How do you work under pressure?

36. In what part-time or summer jobs have you been most interested? Why?

37. How would you describe the ideal job for you following graduation?

38. Why did you decide to seek a position with this company?

39. What do you know about our company?

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

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

42. What criteria are you using to evaluate the company for which you hope to work?

43. Do you have a geographical preference? Why?

44. Will you relocate? Does relocation bother you?

45. Are you willing to travel?

46. Are you willing to spend at least six months as a trainee?

47. Why do you think you might like to live in the community in which our company is located?

48. What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it?

49. What have you learned from your mistakes?

50. What book have you read for pleasure lately?

51. What have you been criticized for in your work?

52. If you could be any animal you wish, what would it be?

53. What kinds of personal crises have forced you to miss work days?

54. What are your interests outside of work?

55. What accomplishments are you most proud of?

56. Presume you are the supervisor; what would he say about you?

57. Why do you want to work in government?

58. What features of the job interest you the least?

59. How would you describe yourself as a person?

60. What do you really enjoy doing the most? --Least?

61. What have been one or two of your best successes--times you really felt proud and productive of your capabilities and potential?

62. What would you like to do more?

63. Could you describe your ideal self?

64. Who are your heroes? What do you like about them?

65. If you could have any job at all, what would you do? What would be an ideal job?

66. What if I told you I was not impressed with you?

67. What one thing are you most proud of?

68. What will your peers say about you?

69. What did you like/dislike about your last supervisor?

70. What project has been accomplished which would not have been without you?

71. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

72. If your supervisor could change one thing about you, what would it be? Why?

73. If you could change one thing about your supervisor, what would it be? Why?

74. What have you done to prepare for this interview?

75. If you could change anything you have done in your life, what would you change?

76. What contributions have you made to a project you have worked on?

77. What do you like to do in your leisure time?

78. What is the biggest crisis you have faced in your work experience?

79. If you could be anybody, who would you be? Why?

80. Who is your favorite hero?

81. Is there anything in your background that could be found out that I should know about? (example: if you should be fingerprinted or have a background search)

82. What motivates you?

83. Give me 3 words that describe you. (One of the best words: Loyalty)

84. What do you like most about yourself?

85. What do you like least about yourself?

86. What qualities do you like most in a supervisor?

87. There are 150 other qualified candidates applying for this position. What makes you more qualified than the other 150?

88. On a scale from 1 to 10, rate yourself in the following areas: Health; working with peers; working with supervisors; work habits; ethics.

MASTFORM/JOBSEARCH/Interview Questions