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General Interview Questions

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Skills and Personal Qualities:

  • Tell me about yourself.
  • How would your peers describe you?
  • What one characteristic/skills and qualities do you possess that would make you stand out from other candidates?
  • What accomplishment are you most proud?
  • In what way are you trying to improve yourself?
  • What leadership skills do you/would you value in your supervisor?

Career-Related Questions:

  • Why are you interested in this industry/occupation? Why are you interested in working for ABC company/organization? Tell me what know about ABC company/organization.
  • How do you think your education prepared you for this job/work? How have your previous work/volunteer experiences prepared you for this position?
  • What are your long-range career goals and how are you preparing to achieve them?

College Experiences:

  • What factors influenced your choice of major/study?
  • Are you satisfied with your academic accomplishments?
  • What was your favorite course(s), your least favorite?
  • If you could re-live your college experience, what would you do differently?
  • Please describe your most rewarding college experience.

Behavioral Questions:

  • Describe a time you worked on a successful team project. What was your role? What was the outcome?
  • Tell me about a mistake you made. What did you learn from it?
  • Describe a frustrating experience you've encountered and tell me how you dealt with it.
  • Tell me about a time you had to persuade a person or group.
  • Can you think of a specific situation that reflects your ability to show initiative? Describe it.

Printable General Employment Interview Handout