Frequently Asked

questions and
your answers

05/25/09 1
 About you

05/25/09 2
 Tell me about
yourself?
• Include:
• Strongest skills
• Education
• Work experience
(something YOU did -
goal, solution)
• Greatest personality
traits
DON’T EXAGGERATE
05/25/09 3
 Why did you select X
college and your
current major?

• College:
Academics, people,
character, tradition
• Major: Skills
developed,
interests
05/25/09 4
What is your career at
College best prepares
you for this position?
• You want to
mention things
like:
•Mix of classes
(technical)
•Dorm life, clubs,
extra-curricular
05/25/09 activities 5
 Why should we hire you
instead of the 75 other
people we are
interviewing?
• List all of your
relevant strengths
• Don’t be afraid to
brag a little
• Point out things
that set you apart
from your peers
05/25/09 6
 What can you do for
us that someone else
cannot do?
• List skills and
experience that set
you apart

• Relate past work

experience to the
job you are
05/25/09
interviewing for 7
 How would you
evaluate your
years at college?
• They have been
successful because I
have learned to
appreciate ______ and
gained competence
in ______.

05/25/09 8
 What have been
you most
significant
accomplishments in
your life so far?
• Use this question
to show off your
strengths again

• Also, convey the

things that you
05/25/09
value most in life 9
 Describe a few
situations in
which you have
been criticized?
• Show the
interviewer that
you can handle
criticism well,
perhaps you even
appreciate a
certain degree for
growth
05/25/09
• Don’t forget to tell 10
 What are your
greatest
strengths?
•Show intellect
(natural aptitude),
knowledge,
experience,
personality traits,
and motivation
(where to you get
your drive)

• State general
05/25/09
strengths and then 11
 What is your biggest
weakness? How do
you plan to correct
that weakness?
• Mention 1 or 2
areas where you
need to grow

• Make sure they are

fairly easily
redeemable
characteristics
05/25/09 12
•
 What are your
biggest failures?
• Give examples of
times when you
perhaps set goals
that were too lofty
and then were
unable to achieve
what you had
05/25/09
planned 13
 What are your
biggest regrets?

• Tell about an
opportunity that
you passed up

• Examples:
•Going Abroad
•Taking CAPP
05/25/09
classes 14
 Describe your
short-term and
long-term goals or
objectives?
• Show desire for
continuous learning
and growth
• Show ambition
• Show interest in
this industry and
firm
• Describe areas in
05/25/09
which you would 15
 What is your
definition of
success? Of
failure?
• Make sure you
include both a
personal and a
professional
perspective of these
two
05/25/09 16
 What work
experience has
been most
valuable to you
and why?
• Tell about an
experience in which
you created or
managed (not just
played a small part
in)

• Show how you grew

05/25/09
from the experience 17
 Give an example of a
problem you solved
and the process you
used?
• Go Step-by Step
through the
The star approach process
•Situation
•Task
•Action
•Result
Do not forget to
05/25/09
emphasize on the 18
Describe a situation
where you had a conflict
with another individual,
and how you dealt with it?
• Try to convey
important traits in
your answer
• Examples:
•You stayed calm
and objective
•You listened to
the other
05/25/09
person’s view 19
•
What types of situations
put you under pressure
and how do you deal with
the pressure?
• Choose situations
that mirror those you
may face in the
workplace
• Show that you have
developed
constructive ways in
which to deal with the
situations
• Example:
05/25/09
•Tell how you worked20
through a time
 Tell me about a situation
when you had to
persuade another person
to your point of view?
• Tell about a group
project, dorm event
or a situation from
a club you were in

• Show how you

supported your
05/25/09
view with fact 21
 Tell me about a
leadership role of yours
and why you committed
time to it?
• Tell about a group
or club you were in

• Tell them why it

was important to
you and what you
did to be successful
05/25/09
in the role 22
How would your peers
describe you?

• Think of 3 or 4
descriptive words or
phrases
• Use CREATIVE
adjectives and
provide examples of
WHY they apply to
you
05/25/09 23
What one or two
accomplishments in the
past few years have given
you the most satisfaction?
• Mention things
such as being
elected as an
officer of a club

• Also talk about

honors or awards
05/25/09
you may have 24
 Give an example of an
obstacle you have had to
overcome in the past
couple years?
•Talk about an
area that was
a weakness
for you that is
relevant to the
job that you
05/25/09
are 25
 Do you work more
effectively alone or
as part of a group?
• Make sure to
mention examples
of how you do both
very well

• You don’t want to

commit to one or
the other
05/25/09
completely because26
 What is the
biggest mistake
you have made?
• Mention things like
choosing not to go
abroad during
college or deciding
not to take
advantage of some
other opportunity
05/25/09
that was available to
27
 you had to make a
decision, but didn’t
have all the
information you
needed?• Tell how you first
tried to find the
information on your
own

• Then explain how

you made
05/25/09
reasonable 28
Are you good at gathering
data and computing the
results or analyzing these
results and drawing
conclusions?
• Again, tell how you
are effective in
both tasks

• Focus more on your

skills in analyzing
results as this is
05/25/09
the more 29
 Tell me about someone
you didn’t particularly
get along with?
• Describe someone
who embodies
traits that are
undesirable to the
firm

• Examples of these
05/25/09
traits would be 30
 Are you an organized
person?

• Obviously you
should answer yes,
unless you want to
cut the interview
short

• Be sure to give
05/25/09
examples of how 31
 Do you manage your
time well?
• Again, you’ll want to
answer yes and give
an example of a busy
time when you were
able to manage
everything well

05/25/09 32
 What do you like to do
when you are not at
work?
• Show that you are
a community-
minded, well-
rounded person
with an interesting
personality

• Give a variety of
05/25/09 33
 Is there anything else
I should know about
you?
• Yes, use this one to
close the sale

• Be sure to mention
any relevant
strengths or skills
that haven’t come
05/25/09
up thus far in the 34
 What are you bad
at?

• Name something
that isn’t key to the
position, but
something that is
not irrelevant to
you life such as
basket weaving
05/25/09 35
I'm looking at your
experience and it troubles
me. Can you explain to me
why you have no pertinent
work experience?

• Mention group
projects, dorm
council, sports
teams, etc

05/25/09 36
 Why are you
interested in our
organization?
• Leader in the
industry

• New Products

• Plans for expansion

05/25/09 37
About the company

05/25/09 38
 What do you know
about our
company?
• LOTS!!!

• Be sure you know

as much as
possible!

05/25/09 39
 What
characteristics do
you think are
important for this
position?
• Analytical,
communication,
writing skills

• Be sure to mention
how you possess
them!
05/25/09 40
 How long would you
expect to stay with
company?
• Say a minimum of 2
years, No company
would take you for
less than that or
probably say as long
as you grow with the
company
05/25/09 41
 What aspect of the job
I have described
appeals to you least?
• Think of something
that is of secondary
importance and why
it doesn’t appeal to
you

05/25/09 42
 Are you willing to
travel?

• Say yes regardless

- you can negotiate
it once you have an
offer

05/25/09 43
 What aspect of this job
would be hardest for you
to adjust to if you were
hired?
• Don’t mention
anything too major

05/25/09 44
 What kind of position do
you believe you are
interviewing for?
• One in which I can
apply my X, Y and Z
skills

• Don’t be too
specific or too
general
05/25/09 45
 Describe a time when
you were in a
management
position?
• Think of
Something!

• Group project,
activity or process

05/25/09 46
 Describe a time when
you added value to an
existing work process?
• Eliminated
busywork
(computer)
• Eliminated
unnecessary steps
• Put in check-
05/25/09
balance system to 47
 Where do you find
yourself in 5 years
time?
• Tell him you are a
growth oriented
person and your
willingness to grow
with the company

05/25/09 48
 Questions
to ask

05/25/09 49
 About the
interview
process?
• What are the next
steps in the
interview process
• How long would it
take for a decision
on the appointment
• Should you follow up
05/25/09 with them, if so to50
 About the
training?
• Find out whether you
will be put on a
training program by
the company or its
affiliates
• If so, for what period
etc
05/25/09 51
 About the job?
• Ask him about the
exact role you have
to play in the job
Examples:
• The skills you have

to employ
• The group you have
05/25/09
to work with etc 52
 Any other
information?
• Find out whether
they would require
any other
information about
you, your skills,
education,
experience etc
05/25/09 53
 Questions not to
ask?
• Do not ask any
questions about the
salary, perks or
remunerations.
• Compensation.
• Working hours,
recreation, vacations
05/25/09 or holidays. 54