QUICK
LINKS
> Register / Log In
> Resume
Creation
> Reference
File Service
> First
Destination Survey
> Specific
Populations
> Giving
Opportunities
> Contact
Us
> Schedule
an Appointment
> Events
at UCS
Interviewing Tips: Sample Questions
Preparation |
What to Wear | During
the Interview | Follow-Up
Sample Questions | UCS Interviewing Resources
Questions that may be Asked of You
Education
How
did you happen to choose this major/college/field? What would you change
about your education?
How has your education prepared you for work in this field? Tell me about
your grades. What courses have you enjoyed most?
Work Experience
What
jobs have you had? What was your relationship with your supervisor?
How has your experience prepared you for a job with our organization?
Knowledge of Career Field
Why have you chosen
this career field? What opportunities do you see in this field?
Your Goals
What
are your short- and long-term career goals? Do you have plans for graduate
study? What do you see yourself doing in five years?
Ten years?
Your Work Values
In what kind of work environment
are you most comfortable? What type of work appeals to you most? How
well
do
you work
under pressure?
How would you describe your ideal job? What two or three things are most
important to you in your job? What criteria are you using to evaluate
the organization for which you hope to work? How do you feel about regular
hours/routine work/overtime/irregular work hours?
Extracurricular Activities
What leadership
roles have you had? What organizations have you joined and what have
you
learned from them? What
activities will you continue after graduation?
Your Limitations
Could you live in a big
city/country/suburban environment? What size city do you prefer? What
geographical location? Are you willing
to travel/relocate? How about overtime work?
Your Personality
What do you read in your
spare time? Where do you like to spend your vacations/spare time? What
displeases you most about people?
What qualities do you admire in other people? How would you describe
yourself? What motivates you to put forth your best effort?
Your Communication Skills
Tell me a
story. Tell me about a crisis situation and how you dealt with it.
Why should we hire you? Define cooperation.
How do you determine or evaluate success? Why do you think you might
like to live in the community in which our organization is located?
Leadership
Tell
me about a situation in which you used your leadership skills. Have
you ever supervised anyone? What kind of supervisor (committee
chairperson, club officer) were you? What did you learn from that experience?
Sales Aptitude
Have you ever sold anything?
(If so, what?) Tell me about a time when you had to persuade someone
to do
something.
How did you
go about it? Were you successful? Give me an example of a situation in
which you had to manage time effectively (or set priorities, or handle
many activities at once). Do you have a high energy level? Are you competitive?
How do you handle rejection (or criticism)?
Questions You might Want to Ask the Interviewer
- What are the opportunities for personal growth?
- Identify typical career paths based on past records. What is the realistic time frame for advancement?
- How is an employee evaluated and promoted?
- What are the opportunities for personal growth?
- What is the retention rate of people in the position for which I am interviewing?
- Describe the typical first-year assignments.
- Tell me about your initial and future training programs.
- What are the challenging facets of the job?
- What are the organization's plans for future growth?
- Is the organization stable and financially sound?
- What is the organization's record of employment stability?
- What industry trends will occur in this organization?
- How has this organization fared during the recent recession?
- What makes your firm different from its competitors?
- What are the organization's strengths and weaknesses?
- How would you describe your organization's personality and management style?
- Is it organization policy to promote from within?
- What kind of career opportunities are currently available for my degree and skills?
- What are the expectations for new hires?
- Describe the work environment.
- What is the overall structure of the department where the position is located?
- Why do you enjoy working for your organization?
- What qualities are you looking for in your new hires?
Possible Answers to Questions Asked of You
What type of job are you seeking?
Response- Give information related to the industry, organization, or
type of job to show that you have definite immediate objectives and
well-thought-out, long-range plans. NEVER say you "just need a job," or that
you "will do anything."
Why do you think you might like to work here?
Response- Indicate that you know the organization and its reputation,
that you have long-range goals, and that there is a match between you
and the organization. Show that you make logical decisions and plan
your future carefully. DO NOT use simple generalizations (good organization,
treat employees well, valuable experience, etc.). NEVER say that their
organization has the highest salaries in the area.
Tell me about yourself.
Response- Indicate only your experience, accomplishments, and skills
relevant to the job you are seeking. DO NOT make the mistake of giving
your entire life history.
What kind of salary do you expect to receive?
Response- Until you have a clear understanding of the job, do not offer
a figure. Ask for time to mutually explore the position and your qualifications.
Try to determine salary ranges for the position you want BEFORE the interview. UCS counselors, individuals working in the field, or library resources can help you in this determination. Indicate that you would consider a reasonable offer consistent with the area's cost of living and your responsibility and authority.
What is your opinion of your present boss and co-workers?
Response- Indicate the nature and responsibility of your work. Answer
objectively and avoid personal opinions-be positive. Do not knock others.
What are your greatest strengths?
Response- Provide work-related strengths and give examples of your
success in previous work, school, or community activities. Broad,
general statements
(hard worker, good education, willingness to learn, good rapport with
people, etc.) are not as helpful as specific examples.
What are your weaknesses?
Response- Everyone has at least one liability; you may have several.
Be aware of your weaknesses, mention a few, but definitely follow each
weakness with a positive statement about what you have done or plan to
do to overcome the liability. You may want to mention a weakness you
had several years ago but have successfully corrected. AVOID unresolved
weaknesses.
With which other organizations do you plan to interview?
Response- This appears to be an innocent question but it is really
a probing and loaded question. If you have definite job objectives
and
future plans this is an easy question to answer. Related organizations
have similar products or services and similar interests. Thus they need
people of similar skills. Avoid mentioning organizations in unrelated
fields unless the positions you are investigating are closely related.
What is the toughest situation you have ever faced?
Response- Think ahead of time about your biggest challenges and how
you rose to meet them. Perhaps it was financing 100% of your education.
Maybe
it was maintaining a 3.0 GPA while working 20 hours a week and being
an officer of a campus organization. Another example is a door-to-door
sales job you had one summer. Do not say being admitted to college, changing
majors, or lasting the four years to graduation (unless there were special
circumstances).
What are your future plans?
Response- Try to show logically that the job you are seeking is related
to your future objectives. Organizations try to hire employees who will
stay with them in order to reduce turnover and hiring/training costs.
NEVER give the idea that this job is a short-term commitment. Many students
think about starting their own business someday. But no employer wants
to invest $50,000 or more on a management training program for someone
who will leave after a few years. An M.B.A. is another common goal. But,
will that degree make you more valuable to this employer? They may fear
you will leave before you become fully productive. Or that you would
not perform well in a demanding job if pursuing a part-time degree at
night. Many MBA’.s leave their organizations, so your loyalty and
commitment may be questioned.
Questions, comments? Email us
at ucs@unc.edu
919-962-6507
Campus Recruiting & Job Listings
Networking: It's Easier than You Think
Diversity in the Career Search: Resources for Specific Populations
