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100 Potential Interview Questions
100 Potential Interview Questions
100 Potential Interview Questions
by Thad Peterson
Monster Staff Writer
While there are as many different possible interview questions as there are interviewers, it
always helps to be ready for anything. So we've prepared a list of 100 potential interview
questions. Will you face them all? We pray no interviewer would be that cruel. Will you face a
few? Probably. Will you be well-served by being ready even if you're not asked these exact
questions? Absolutely.
7. Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?
9. If you were at a business lunch and you ordered a rare steak and they brought
it to you well done, what would you do?
10. If I were to give you this salary you requested but let you write your job
description for the next year, what would it say?
12. How would you go about establishing your credibility quickly with the team?
13. There's no right or wrong answer, but if you could be anywhere in the world
right now, where would you be?
14. How would you feel about working for someone who knows less than you?
15. Was there a person in your career who really made a difference?
27. Tell me about a time where you had to deal with conflict on the job.
32. What did you like least about your last job?
38. What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?
39. What negative thing would your last boss say about you?
40. If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?
47. How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?
49. What was the last project you headed up, and what was its outcome?
50. What kind of goals would you have in mind if you got this job?
51. Give me an example of a time that you felt you went above and beyond the
call of duty at work.
53. Can you describe a time when your work was criticized?
54. Have you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own
weight? How did you handle it?
56. Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback. How
did you handle it?
57. What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it?
58. What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it?
60. Who has impacted you most in your career, and how?
61. What do you see yourself doing within the first 30 days of this job?
63. What three character traits would your friends use to describe you?
65. If you were interviewing someone for this position, what traits would you look
for?
69. If I were your supervisor and asked you to do something that you disagreed
with, what would you do?
71. What's the most difficult decision you've made in the last two years?
76. What was the most difficult period in your life, and how did you deal with it?
77. What is your favorite memory from childhood?
78. Give me an example of a time you did something wrong. How did you handle
it?
79. Tell me one thing about yourself you wouldn't want me to know.
84. What are three positive character traits you don't have?
85. What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it?
86. If you found out your company was doing something against the law, like
fraud, what would you do?
89. What assignment was too difficult for you, and how did you resolve the issue?
90. If I were to ask your last supervisor to provide you additional training or
exposure, what would she suggest?
91. If you could choose one superhero power, what would it be and why?
92. What's the best movie you've seen in the last year?
93. Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish
multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you
could finish them.
94. What techniques and tools do you use to keep yourself organized?
95. If you could get rid of any one of the US states, which one would you get rid
of, and why?
96. With your eyes closed, tell me step-by-step how to tie my shoes.
97. if you had to choose one, would you consider yourself a big picture person or a
detail oriented person?
98. If selected for this position, can you describe your strategy for the first 90
dayss
If you have done your pre-interviewing research, then you should have prepared
some intelligent questions in advance. Some questions you might ask:
1. What kind of training do you provide? How long is the training period?
2. What is the normal progression of a trainee over the first few years?
3. How much travel is involved in this position?
4. Do you encourage continuing education in the local colleges on a tuition
reimbursement basis?
5. What options do I have in selecting (or accepting) assignments?
6. What staff development programs are available after the initial training?
Never ask about vacation time or retirement. These are not work-related activities.
Focus on opportunity, not security. You could ask for more information regarding all
fringe benefits. It will also be helpful to prepare questions concerning the
organization's markets, methods, and projected plans. Ask them not only as they will
affect you, but for general information. Interviewers will be impressed by your
interest in the organization.
During the interview you should be sensitive to signs that the interview has run its
course. Campus interviews are usually scheduled for twenty or thirty minutes.
Interviews end in different ways. Some interviewers might look at their watch, which
is a cue for you that the interview is nearing an end; some interviewers are blunt by
standing up, holding out their hand, and thanking you for coming in. Most employer
representatives however, expect you to sense the proper time to leave on the basis
of subtle indications that your time is up.
When the interview is over, thank the interviewer for taking time to talk with you.
Re-emphasize your interest in the position and your appreciation for being
considered. This is important, since many candidates mistakenly assume that
interviewers sense their interest.
If the interviewer does not definitely offer you a job (this is very rarely done in the
initial interview) or indicate when you will hear from him/her, ask him/her to
estimate a date when a decision might be made for further job interviewing or for an
actual offer. This is important because even though the interviewer is interested in
you, sometimes s/he may wait until s/he finds someone more qualified. If you get a
deadline date, s/he cannot keep you hanging. If the interviewer is impressed with
your performance, you will probably be invited to visit the organization, meet other
personnel and go through more extensive screening. For more information on second
interviews, see the Second Interview Preparation Guide. It is usually after this
second interview(s) that a job offer will be given. So in effect, the main purpose of
an initial interview is to qualify you for a follow-up.
Write A Follow-up Letter · Ask for the interviewer's business card and write
him/her a letter or follow-up e-mail. But make it more than a plain thank-you note.
Tell him/her you are still interested in the position and go over some of your
qualifications that were discussed in the interview so that his/her memory will be
refreshed. Possibly include a couple of pertinent questions that you did not ask in the
interview. If s/he answers you quickly, this might be an indication that s/he is
interested in you. For further instruction, refer to suggestions in the Letter Writing
Guide.
By reviewing your performance, you can make plans to improve your skills.
Remember, the more you interview, the sharper your skills become and the sooner
you will receive an offer!
What are your 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?
What specific goals, other than those related to your occupation, have you
established for yourself for the next 10 years?
What do you see yourself doing five years from now?
What do you really want to do in life?
What are your long range career objectives?
How do you plan to achieve your career goals?
What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?
What do you expect to be earning in five years?
Why did you choose the occupation for which you are preparing?
What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
How would you describe yourself?
How do you think a friend or professor who knows you well would describe you?
What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
How has your college experience prepared you for your chosen occupation?
Why should I hire you?
What qualifications do you have that make you think that you will be successful in
this field?
How do you determine or evaluate success?
What do you think it takes to be successful in an organization like ours?
In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our organization?
What qualities should a successful manager possess?
Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and those reporting
to him or her.
What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?
Describe your most rewarding college experience.
If you were hiring a graduate for this position, what qualities would you look for?
Why did you select your college or university?
What led you to choose your field of major study?
What college subjects did you like best? like least? Why?
If you could do so, how would you plan your academic study differently? Why?
What changes would you make in your college or univerisity? Why?
Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree?
Do you think that your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement?
What have you learned from participation in extra-curricular activities?
What have you learned from your previous jobs?
In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
How do you work under pressure?
In what part-time or summer jobs have you been most interested? Why?
How would you describe the ideal job for you following graduation?
Why did you decide to seek a position with this organization?
What do you know about our organization?
What two or three things are most important to you in your job?
Are you seeking employment in an organization of a certain size? Why?
What criteria are you using to evaluate the organization for which you hope to work?
Do you have a geographical preference? Why?
Will you relocate? Does relocation bother you?
Are you willing to travel?
Are you willing to spend at least six months as a trainee?
Why do you think you might like to live in the community in which our organization is
located?
What have you done that shows initiative?
What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it?
What have you learned from your mistakes?
Describe an example where you worked as part of a team.
But don’t pretend to be flexible when you aren’t. If you’re worried that your
salary requirements are too high for the job, you may need to do some serious
thinking about how low you're willing to go. Don't sell yourself short, but ask
yourself how much you honestly think you’re worth. Do research about what
similar jobs pay and what salaries are like in the region. If a company comes
back with too low an offer, you can always try and negotiate up.
3. "It would be hella cool to get jiggy with this job."
Maybe that is how all of your friends talk (and it’s become a habit with you),
but it’s not the way you should speak during a job interview. Using slang is a
serious turnoff for interviewers. You may be articulate, intelligent, and
confident, but like, you sure won’t sound that way.
Even if you don't plan to stick around long, say something that reflects a
commitment to the position and the company. This may seem to contradict
the previous exhortation about lying, but try to think of it as a rhetorical
question. You might still be at the same company in five years, right?
Remember, you’re the one being interviewed, and while you should use the
opportunity to get your questions answered, you shouldn't make it seem as if
you'll be doing them a favor if they hire you.