Questions About School
- Why did you choose your major?
- Which classes did you like the most/least?
- Why did you select your college? How have you liked it?
- Has your college experience prepared you for a career?
- Describe your most rewarding college experience.
- Describe your most significant college accomplishment.
- If you could do it over, how would you plan your education differently?
- What teaching styles do you react best to?
- Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
- Do you plan to go to graduate school?
- Are your grades a good indicator of your potential?
- What have you learned from your extracurricular activities?
- Tell me about one of the papers you wrote while in school.
- Describe a successful team experience.
- Describe an unsuccessful team experience. How did you handle it?
- What role did you play on the team?
Questions About Candidate
- Tell me about yourself. Or, how would you describe yourself?
- What are three adjectives that describe you?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Why should we hire you? Why would you be right for the job?
- Why are you qualified for this position?
- How did you choose this career direction?
- What would your last boss/coworkers/references say about you?
- How would one of your friends describe you?
- What motivates you to work hard?
- What does success mean to you?
- What are you most proud of?
- What kind of environment do you work best in?
- How do you handle pressure?
- What's important to you in a job?
- Do you have a geographical preference? Would you relocate or travel?
- Would you be willing to work overtime?
- Describe a major obstacle you've encountered? How did you overcome it?
- What have you learned from mistakes you've made?
- What are your biggest accomplishments in the last two years?
- What do you see yourself doing in five years from now? Ten? Fifteen?
- What do you really want out of life?
- What would you do if you won the lottery?
- Who's your hero?
- What else should I know about you?
Questions About Experience
- Tell me about your jobs/internships.
- What kind of computer experience do you have?
- Tell me about a time when you were given bad information. How did you handle it?
- Did you ever have a problem with a supervisor/co-worker? How did you handle it?
- What was the toughest job challenge you faced and how did you deal with it?
- What was your biggest accomplishment in the workplace?
Questions To See If Candidate Knows What He's Getting Into
- What do you know about this organization?
- What do you think it takes to be successful in this organization?
- Why do you want to work for us?
- Why do you want to work in this industry?
- What do you look for in a job?
- How can you make a contribution to our organization?
- Where do you think this industry is headed?
Questions Candidates Can Ask At The End Of The Interview
- History, size, and growth
- Current events that affect the company
- Profitability, products, and services
- Financial history and current status
- Organizational structure and its key management
- Company philosophy and culture
- Recent changes in company structure
- Changes in product or service lines
- Geographic area job trends
- And the type of position you are applying for
Candidates Can Ask Questions About The Job
- Where does this position fit into the structure of the department and the organization as a whole?
- What are the future plans for this department?
- How much contact is there between departments or areas (if a large organization)?
- To whom would I report?
- What percentage of my time would be spent in the various functions you described that this job involves?
- Is it organizational policy to promote from within?
- What is a typical career path for people in this position?
- Why is this position available?
- What personal qualities make someone successful in this job?
- What functions would I be performing on a typical day?
- How is performance evaluated?
Questions Candidates Can Ask After An Offer Has Been Extended
Questions About the Benefits
- What kind of insurance policies do you offer?
- How much vacation time would I receive in the first year, second year, etc...?
- Do you pay for overtime?
- Do you pay for continuing education?
- Do you provide programs for working mothers?
- What is the salary? Bonuses, etc...
- Do you pay for review courses and test materials for professional examinations?
Questions About the Workplace
- Can I take a tour of the workplace?
- May I contact current or previous employees?
- What kind of computer programs do you use?
- What is a typical work day?
- How soon will I be working in ______? (Where _____ is a specific area of your interest.)
- Can I meet different levels of staff in the area I'll be working in?
- How much time does it typically take to get promoted?
- Do you provide transfers to other geographical areas (in a big company)?
- How much travel will I be expected to do?
- How much overtime is typical for this job?
- Why did you choose your major?
- Which classes did you like the most/least?
- Why did you select your college? How have you liked it?
- Has your college experience prepared you for a career?
- Describe your most rewarding college experience.
- Describe your most significant college accomplishment.
- If you could do it over, how would you plan your education differently?
- What teaching styles do you react best to?
- Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
- Do you plan to go to graduate school?
- Are your grades a good indicator of your potential?
- What have you learned from your extracurricular activities?
- Tell me about one of the papers you wrote while in school.
- Describe a successful team experience.
- Describe an unsuccessful team experience. How did you handle it?
- What role did you play on the team?
Questions About Candidate
- Tell me about yourself. Or, how would you describe yourself?
- What are three adjectives that describe you?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Why should we hire you? Why would you be right for the job?
- Why are you qualified for this position?
- How did you choose this career direction?
- What would your last boss/coworkers/references say about you?
- How would one of your friends describe you?
- What motivates you to work hard?
- What does success mean to you?
- What are you most proud of?
- What kind of environment do you work best in?
- How do you handle pressure?
- What's important to you in a job?
- Do you have a geographical preference? Would you relocate or travel?
- Would you be willing to work overtime?
- Describe a major obstacle you've encountered? How did you overcome it?
- What have you learned from mistakes you've made?
- What are your biggest accomplishments in the last two years?
- What do you see yourself doing in five years from now? Ten? Fifteen?
- What do you really want out of life?
- What would you do if you won the lottery?
- Who's your hero?
- What else should I know about you?
Questions About Experience
- Tell me about your jobs/internships.
- What kind of computer experience do you have?
- Tell me about a time when you were given bad information. How did you handle it?
- Did you ever have a problem with a supervisor/co-worker? How did you handle it?
- What was the toughest job challenge you faced and how did you deal with it?
- What was your biggest accomplishment in the workplace?
Questions To See If Candidate Knows What He's Getting Into
- What do you know about this organization?
- What do you think it takes to be successful in this organization?
- Why do you want to work for us?
- Why do you want to work in this industry?
- What do you look for in a job?
- How can you make a contribution to our organization?
- Where do you think this industry is headed?
Questions Candidates Can Ask At The End Of The Interview
- History, size, and growth
- Current events that affect the company
- Profitability, products, and services
- Financial history and current status
- Organizational structure and its key management
- Company philosophy and culture
- Recent changes in company structure
- Changes in product or service lines
- Geographic area job trends
- And the type of position you are applying for
Candidates Can Ask Questions About The Job
- Where does this position fit into the structure of the department and the organization as a whole?
- What are the future plans for this department?
- How much contact is there between departments or areas (if a large organization)?
- To whom would I report?
- What percentage of my time would be spent in the various functions you described that this job involves?
- Is it organizational policy to promote from within?
- What is a typical career path for people in this position?
- Why is this position available?
- What personal qualities make someone successful in this job?
- What functions would I be performing on a typical day?
- How is performance evaluated?
Questions Candidates Can Ask After An Offer Has Been Extended
Questions About the Benefits
- What kind of insurance policies do you offer?
- How much vacation time would I receive in the first year, second year, etc...?
- Do you pay for overtime?
- Do you pay for continuing education?
- Do you provide programs for working mothers?
- What is the salary? Bonuses, etc...
- Do you pay for review courses and test materials for professional examinations?
Questions About the Workplace
- Can I take a tour of the workplace?
- May I contact current or previous employees?
- What kind of computer programs do you use?
- What is a typical work day?
- How soon will I be working in ______? (Where _____ is a specific area of your interest.)
- Can I meet different levels of staff in the area I'll be working in?
- How much time does it typically take to get promoted?
- Do you provide transfers to other geographical areas (in a big company)?
- How much travel will I be expected to do?
- How much overtime is typical for this job?