Questions Most Often Asked by Employers in Job Interviews
From the Endicott Report, Northwestern University, and Recruiting Trends, Michigan State University.
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Ideally, job interview questions are designed to help an employer learn as much as possible about you in a very short time. Most interviews last only 30-60 minutes. Questions can fall into a number of categories--personal goals and accomplishments, self assessment, educational and work experiences, relationships with people, and life/career expectations. As part of your preparation for a job interview, we recommend the following:
(1) Read the questions below, looking for categories.
(2) Check off one or more important questions per category..
(3) Prepare and practice answering these high-priority questions.
The Checklist
- What are your long-range and short-range goals and objectives?
- When and why did you establish these goals and how are you preparing yourself to achieve them?
- What specific goals, other than those related to your occupation, have you established for yourself for the next ten years?
- What do you really want to do in life?
- What do you know about our organization?
- Why did you decide to seek a job with us?
- Tell me about yourself.
- What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?
- What do you expect to be earning in five years?
- Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing?
- What do you consider your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
- How do you think a friend or professor who knows you well would describe you?
- Who or what has had the greatest influence on your life?
- What motivates you to put forth your best effort?
- How has your education prepared you for a career?
- What qualifications do you have that make you think that you will be successful in this career?
- How do you define or evaluate success?
- What do you think it takes to be successful in a company like ours?
- What qualities should a successful manager possess?
- Describe your most rewarding college experience.
- Why should I hire you?
- If you were hiring a graduate for this position, what qualities would you look for?
- What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?
- Why did you select your college or university?
- What led you to choose your field of study?
- What college subjects did you like best? Why?
- What college subjects did you like least? Why?
- If you could do so, how would you plan your academic study differently? Why?
- What changes would you make in your college or university? Why?
- Do you have plans for continued study?
- How well do you work under pressure?
- In what part-time or summer jobs have you been most interested? Why?
- How would you describe the ideal job?
- Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and subordinate?
- What are you long-range career objectives?
- What two or three things are most important to you in a job?
- What criteria are you using to evaluate organizations for which you hope to work?
- Will you travel and/or relocate?
- What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it?
- What have you learned from your mistakes?
- What salary and benefits do you expect?
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