10.2  Typical Questions Asked During Interviews



    Below are some of the most frequently asked questions for interviews.  The questions are designed to get at the information an interviewer needs to decide if you are a good prospect for a position with their company.  The questions might be asked in a different way but the information you need to convey is tucked into these questions.                                                                                                                       
  1. Why are you interested in our company?
  2. What do you know about our company?
  3. What do you know about the position?
  4. What makes you qualified for this position?
  5. What are your long-term goals (i.e. what do you want to accomplish in the next 5-7 years)?
  6. What are your short-term goals (i.e. what do you want to accomplish in the next 3-5 years)?
  7. What are your greatest strengths?
  8. What are your weaknesses?
  9. How would you describe the ideal boss?
  10. What tools do you believe you will need to be successful in your career?
  11. What courses did you enjoy the most during your education? Why?
  12. What courses did you like the least? Why?
  13. Be prepared to answer very tough technical questions that relate to your major and the specific employer you are interviewing with.
  14. What courses gave you the most difficulty? Why?
  15. Describe your senior/masters project.
  16. What was the most challenging aspect of your senior/masters project?
  17. What conflicts arose during the course of your project? How did you resolve the conflicts?
  18. How would the members of your team describe you?
  19. Describe any leadership roles you have had during the past 4 years.
  20. Do you prefer to work in teams or alone?
  21. Describe your related work experience. What did you learn? Why was it important?
  22. What is communication and why is it important to your success in a company?
  23. Do you have anything to add?
  24. Do you have any questions?
CalHR provides great sample questions to help you prepare for state jobs interviews. Below are the lists that they provide. The questions are good for preparing for just about any other interviews as well.  The information included even indicates what you should be focusing on in your answers to each specific question.   

 The second list includes examples of questions you should ask the employer in an interview.  Asking questions demonstrates that you are interested in the position, so be sure to prepare a list of questions to ask in your interview. 

 Types of Interview Questions

 Types of Interview Questions Page 2