There are literally thousands of questions that could come up in an interview. The thought of this can be overwhelming. Instead of worrying about this,  think again about the employer's agenda and your agenda. If you've done your homework, you have a pretty good idea what skills and characteristics they are looking for in their ideal candidate. If you've analysed your experience and education in a Personnel specification using the employer's needs as a template, this will help you answer whatever question they throw at you.

Interview questions tend to fall into several categories:

Prepare the answers to likely questions in advance. Also check out the major sections on How can you maximise your employment experience in an interview? * and How can I perform well at interviews?*

Follow the links from Information resources* to useful materials on preparing for interviews. This is the Information resources at the end of I need help with applications and the recruitment process*

* These links take you to a different section of the careers4graduates website.  To return to this page click "Back" at the top left of the screen

About you
Tell me about yourself.
How would your friends describe you?
How would your critics describe you?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Which achievement are you most proud of?
How do you get things done?
How would you describe yourself? 
Do you consider yourself successful?
What was your greatest success? How did you achieve it?
What has been your biggest failure? (Emphasise what you learnt, overcome and improved for the future)
How could you improve yourself?
Describe your ideal work environment.
Do you prefer to work in a small, medium or large company? (Make your answer appropriate to the job applied for)
What are you looking for in a new job?
What would your ideal job be? (Make your answer appropriate to the job applied for)
Can you take us through your CV?

 

Skills
Describe how you typically approach a task / project (Give examples!!!)
Can you give an example of when you had to work under pressure?
How do you go about meeting deadlines?
How good is your time management? Give an example.
What team skills do you have?
Are you more comfortable in a leadership or supporting role when working in a team?
Give an example of how you work well as a team member.
What sort of manager are you? or What makes a good manager?
Do you work well with others? or Are you a loner? (Remember that teamwork is a major skill required by employers)
Do you need other people around to stimulate you or are you self-motivated?
Are you accepted into a team quickly?
Can you act on your own initiative?
How do you run a meeting?
What motivates you?

 

Work experience - these questions will depend on the level of experience gained after graduation
What did you do on a day-to-day basis at XYZ?
How much does your last job resemble the one you are applying for? What are the differences?
Can you give an example of when you had to deal with a difficult situation?
What were your main responsibilities at XYZ?
When you were supervising others, what did you find most difficult?
What did you think of your manager / supervisor?
Did you increase sales or profits in your last job?
Have you reduced costs at your last company?
What do you think of the last company you worked for? (Beware of criticising previous employers)
Why did you join your previous company? Did they live up to your expectations? Why are you leaving now?
Explain the organisation structure in your last company and how you fitted into it?
What problems did you encounter in your last job? What annoyed you about your last job?
What did you earn in your last job?
What level of salary are you looking for now? (Don't feel obliged to name an actual figure)
Did you feel you progressed satisfactorily in your last job?

 

Non-work interests
What do you do in your spare time?
Can you tell me more about your hobby?
What appeals to you most about caving / cooking foreign food / gardening?
What was your major contribution to this team / society / project?

 

The organisation / employer
What do you know about our organisation / company / project? Where do you see it in 5 years' time?
Who do you see as our main competitors?
What are the main threats / opportunities for the organisation / company / project?
Why do you want to join our organisation?

 

About the job
What attracted you most to apply for this position?
Why do you want the job / think you are suitable for the job?
What do you know about the job?
Which parts of the job might you find difficult to handle? (eg being away from home, dealing with difficult customers)
Which parts of the job would you be particularly good at?
Have you applied for any other jobs?
What will be your key target in this job if you are appointed?
How will you approach this job?
Do you feel you are ready to take on greater responsibilities?

 

Your future
What training / mentoring / general support do you think you might need if we offer you this job?
Where do you see yourself in a year's / five years' time?
Do you see this job changing as a result of your input or through outside influences?

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