As a college student, you typically don’t have “real-world” experience when it comes to interviewing for a full-time position. But when you find a job and/or company you love and have an interview lined up with them, it’s no secret that you’ll want to appear professional, experienced, and totally prepared.
In order to ensure you’re as prepared as possible, we’ve rounded up the most common questions that you’ll be asked on your first job interview. The goal is not to memorize your answers, (as they should be different for each company), but rather to give you a clearer picture of what to expect in the interview and to help you feel more comfortable answering these questions.
Introductory Questions
Introductory questions will give the employer some background detail about your prior experiences and/or college career. These questions are important, because they give you an opportunity to shed some light on your accomplishments, or perhaps your involvement/ interests in subjects or field that don’t really relate to your major. For example, if you are an English major applying to a marketing job, you may want to utilize these introductory questions to explain why you want to work in marketing, your experience in marketing courses and/or clubs while in college, and so on. Usually, these questions will be short and sweet, and then lead into more behavioral questions.
Some common questions include:
- “Tell me a little about yourself.”
- “How did you hear about this opportunity?”
- “How did you get into XX field?”
- “When did you realize you wanted to go into XX field?”
Behavioral Questions
Behavioral interviews are pretty common in all fields. Prospective employers and/or hiring managers ask you behavioral questions to see if there’s evidence of positive past behaviors, traits, or habits that could be of benefit to the company, and to see if you are a right fit. These questions tend to be standard throughout all industries and can cover anything from your values to work ethic. To secure an offer, it’s important to be prepared to answer these kinds of questions when they come up.
Some general behavioral questions include:
- “What’s an accomplishment you’re proud of, and why?”
- “Tell me about a time you failed, and what you would do now to rectify the situation, if you could?”
- “Have you ever had a disagreement with a coworker in the workplace? How did you make it work?”
- “How do you handle confrontation?”
- “Do you work better independently, or collaboratively? Why?”
- “What kind of manager do you work best with?”
- “Describe a situation where you had to go above and beyond to achieve a goal.”
- “What’s an example of a difficult project you were faced with, and how you worked through it?”
- “Describe a time when you took initiative on a project/in an internship or job, and what the results were.”
Questions on Your Values
An employer may ask you these questions to determine if you can thrive in the company culture and office environment. These questions will assess the factors that are important to you, and why.
Some common questions include:
- “If you could describe yourself using five adjectives, what would they be and why?”
- “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
- “What are some of your strengths?”
- “What are your weaknesses?”
- “What are three things you look for in a company and/or role when you’re applying to positions?”
- “Pick three character traits that best describe you, and why.”
- “What three things do you look for in a role / company and why?”
- “When applying for a job, what key factors are important for you as a prospective employee?”
- “What do you like to do outside of work?”
Questions on Your Work Ethic
Employers will ask you these types of questions to see how hard you’re willing to work for the sake of the company (and your team). Your employer is most likely looking for you to show off how much you’re willing to hustle and if you’re able to meet the demands of the company.
Some common questions include:
- “What motivates you to succeed?”
- “If you are faced with many different tasks, how do you decide which ones to attack first?
- “How do you define success?”
- “Are you willing to work overtime / weekends if needed?”
Questions On Why You Want the Job
These questions can help you prove to your potential employer that you’re a good fit for the company and that you could be a good addition to the team. Think: What about you makes you stand out from the competition? Use this to your advantage, and show – don’t tell – your interviewer what bring to the table. Provide details, examples, anecdotes, and personal reasons on why you see yourself at that particular company in that specific role.
Some common questions include:
- “What stands out about XX company and/or XX position?”
- “Why do you want to work here, as opposed to another company?”
- “Why should we hire you?”
- “What could you bring to the table as an employee here?”
- “What do you know about our company, and why does it stand out to you?”
Compensation Questions
Compensation questions can be tricky, especially as a recent grad. Plus, the thought of negotiating your first salary can be daunting. However, these questions are extremely important for both you as the applicant, and the person interviewing you. You want to make sure they are on the same page as you, and vice versa. Use these questions to explain to your employer what your needs are and why, and also prove to him or her that you are worth the investment. You might not get this question in a first-round interview, but it’s good to prepared so you aren’t blindsided if the question comes up.
Some common questions include:
- “What is your desired salary?”
- “Why do you feel you deserve your desired salary?”
- “What are your salary requirements?”
- “Are you open to negotiation?”
Closing Questions
As the interview wraps up, the hiring manager will likely open up the floor to you, so come prepared with questions. Having questions to ask shows that you’re interested in the position and have seriously considered all aspects of the role. Here’s a list of questions you should ask if you’re not sure what counts as a “good” question.
All in all, interviews don’t have to be as daunting as they seem. Before walking into your first one, make sure you’ve prepared and are comfortable speaking candidly, openly, and honestly about your experiences. Good luck!
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