50 Interview Questions

1. Tell me about yourself Brief work history Education List 4-5 Characteristics Hobbies

2. Why did you leave your last job? I haven’t left; I’m still employed The school year ended, my job was seasonal If fired – give reason why and what you did to fix it. The Business closed

3. What experience do you have in this field? People related skills Experience operating a cash register Organizational skills

4. Do you consider yourself successful? Yes, particularly in the area of __________________ I have continued to work had in school and will be getting my diploma _______________.

5. What do co-workers say about you? 3-5 positive statements

6. What do you know about this Organization? Who owns it? What is there? Type of business?

7. What have you done to improve your knowledge this past year? Going to school (where) Job training (Wright Tech) Participated in Work Skills Day, an activity day focused on job training Volunteer (if job related)

8. Are you applying for any other positions? Yes, although I am extremely interested in this position No, this is the only position I am applying for. Yes; I need to be employed but this job would be my preference.

9. Why do you want to work for this organization? This just seems like a friendly environment to work People skills I’ve been a customer here for many years and I trust the product/service here.

10. Do you know anyone who works here? I know who some of the people are who work here but they are just acquaintances. Yes, I know _______________. No, I do not know anyone who works here.

11. What kind of salary do you need?

12. Are you a team player?

13. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?

14. Have you ever had to fire anyone?

15. What is your philosophy towards work?

16. If you had enough money to retire right now would you?

17. Have you ever been asked to leave a position?

18. Explain how you would be an asset to this organization.

19. Why should we hire you?

20. Tell me about a suggestions you have made.

21. What irritates you about co- workers? This is a trap question! Think real hard, but fail to come up with anything that irritates you. “I seem to get along with most people, so I can’t really think of anything” I’m a pretty tolerant person, so not much irritates me”

22. What is your greatest strength? Stay positive! “My ability to prioritize” “I have great problem solving skills” “I work well under pressure” “I focus on what needs to be done” “I have a great attitude and I love to work”

23. Tell me about your dream job Stay away from a specific job – you cannot win! You don’t want to make it look like the job you’re interviewing for is your dream job (you’ll sound insincere), and you don’t want to mention another job because they’ll think you won’t stick with the job they hire you for! “A job where I love the work, like the people, can contribute and can’t wait to get to work”

24. Why do you think you would do well at this job? Give several reasons Include skills, experience and interests “I worked on a cleaning crew and enjoyed doing a thorough job”. “I learned how to perform simple auto maintenance at Wright Technical Center and I am very efficient.”

25. What are you looking for in a job? (similar to #23) “A job where I love to work” “A job where I like the people I work with” “A job with a friendly environment where I can work as a team.”

26. What kind of person would you refuse to work with? Do not mention minor things – it will make you look like a whiner or someone who doesn’t get along well with others! “A violent person or one who tries to intimidate others” “Someone who is disloyal to the company or doing something illegal on the job”

27. What is more important to you: the money or the work? “Money is always important, but the work is the most important.”

28. What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is? “I am very loyal to my employer” “I have a lot of energy and I use it in a positive way” “I have a positive attitude” “I have great leadership skills” “I’m a team player” “I am have initiative” “I work very hard”

29. Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisor Be careful – this is the biggest trap of all! This is a test to see if you will speak ill of your boss an will label you as a troublemaker! “I don’t recall any problems with a supervisor”

30. What has disappointed you about a job? Don’t be negative with this question! “There was not enough of a challenge for me” “I was laid off due to a slow-down” “The Company lost a big contract, so I was not able to advance in the company and get more responsibilities”

31. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure. “I thrive under deadlines” “I work best when I know I have a short time to get the job done” “I like to be challenged” Give an example that relates to the type of position applied for

32. Do your skills match this jon or another job more closely? “My skills match this job more closely” Give examples if you can Do not give them reason to suspect that you may want another job more than this one.

33. What motivates you to do your best on the job? This is a personal trait that only you can say, but here are some examples: “Challenges motivate me” “I am motivated when I can achieve something” “Recognition motivates me”

34. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends? This is up to you. If it’s not a problem, a simple “Yes, that would not be a issue” will suffice. Be totally honest, but know that if you say no, you may not be hired if this is a requirement of the job. If you wouldn’t want to do it on a regular basis but would help out in a pinch, you could say something like this: “I could be available for overtime or be flexible with my schedule on occasion or in case of an emergency, but not on a regular basis.”

35. How would you know you were successful on this job? “I set high standards for myself, and I met them” “My outcomes on the job were my success” (Give an example if possible) “My boss told me I was successful”

36. Would you be willing to relocate if required? You should discuss this with your family prior to the interview if you think it will come up. Do not say “yes” just to get the job is the real answer is no. Be honest!

37. Are you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead of your own? This is a straight loyal and dedication question Do not worry about what’s right or what your values are. Just say “yes”

38. Describe your management style This is about how you manage other people. The best answer is probably situational; “I manage according to the situation”

39. What have you learned from mistakes on the job? You need to come up with something or they will think you’re not honest. Think of a small mistake you made with good intentions. Tell them something positive that you learned. “I worked too far ahead of my co-workers on a project and threw off the coordination.”

40. Do you have any blind spots? This is a trick question! If you know you have blind spots, then they are not really blond spots! Do not reveal any personal areas of concern. Let them do their own discovery of your bad points – do not hand it to them. “I don’t have any blind spots that I am aware of”

41. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for? Mention traits that are NEEDED AND that YOU have!

42. Do you think you are overqualified for this position? Regardless of your qualifications, say “I am very well qualified for this position.”

43. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience? If you have experience that the interviewer does not have, then bring that up: “I do have experience in …” Point out (if true) that you are a hard working, quick learner: “I am a hard worker and can learn the skills quickly”

44. What qualities do you look for in a boss? Be positive and generic “I prefer a boss who is knowledgeable and has a sense of humor” “I like my boss to be fair, loyal to subordinates and have high standards”

45. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between others. Pick a specific incident Concentrate on your problem solving technique and not the dispute settled.