Sample questions

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

To help prepare for the interview, review a list of commonly asked interview questions by employers as well as some questions you can ask them.

Questions to prepare for from the interviewer

• Why are you interested in this position or company? • In what ways do you think you can contribute to our organization? • In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable? • How do you prioritize your workload? • How do you handle pressure? • In what previous part-time, co-op, or summer job have you been the most interested? Why? • What qualities or criteria are most important to you in a prospective job? • What is your greatest strength? • What is your greatest weakness and how are you working to improve it? • What is your learning style? • What motivates you? • How do you define success? • What are your short and long-term goals? • Where do you see yourself in five years? • Why do you want to leave your current company? • Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of. • Tell me about a time you made a mistake. • Tell me about a time when you had to deal with adversity.

Questions to prepare for the interviewer

• What are the company’s strengths and weaknesses compared to its competition? • What is the organization’s plan for the next five years, and how does this department fit in? • What is the company’s organization structure and how does the department fit into the organization? • What is the culture of the company and this department specifically? • How does the department communicate? What about the entire organization? • What will the day-to-day responsibilities be for this position? • How does this position help the department achieve its goals? • What are you hoping for your new hire to accomplish in the first three months on the job? • What will the training look like for this position? • How much opportunity is there to see the end results of my efforts? • Who will review my performance and how often? • What opportunities does the company provide for professional development? • What would a successful employee look like in this role? • Who are the customers for this position and how would I support them if I were in this role? • What expectations do you have for your new hire in terms of skills and abilities?

Sources:

(“50 Most Common," 2018) (Ryan, 2017)