Career Services and Job Placement

1. Tell me about yourself?
Talk about your experience, qualifications, and accomplishments - not your childhood, family, or hobbies.

2. Tell me why you are interested in working for this company?
Talk about the interesting details of the job and why they fascinate you.

3. Why do you feel you are qualified for this job?
Name at least three skills, or qualifications, and say a few words about each.

4. What were your responsibilities on your last job?
List your duties and responsibilities. Explain your accomplishments on that job.

5. What do you like most about yourself?
Talk about positive characteristics and abilities.

6. What do you like least about yourself?
Be honest but try to make something positive from your response.

7. What is your greatest weakness?
Focus on work, not character weaknesses. Turn it into a positive, "my last supervisor called me a workaholic, because I stayed late a lot to finish projects. I never like leaving things for the next day."

8. What is your greatest strength?
Focus on a strength which might impress an employer.

9. Do you like working as part of a team or working alone?
Tell the interviewer you like both, that you enjoy working as part of a team, and that you can work independently.

10. Tell me about a major problem you faced and how you solved it?
Talk about something related to work, school or social activity. Briefly, reveal the problem in a short story format, giving small details that define the problem, present options and give a solution. The interviewer wants to know how well you handle problems.

11. Tell me about your education and training?
Explain how your education and training prepared your for the position you are interviewing for.

12. What kind of salary are you expecting?
Avoid salary questions until you are offered the job. You can answer this question by stating "A salary that is equivalent to my education and/or experience." If the interviewer is persistent, then give a salary range.

13. Have you ever been discharged from a job? And why?
Explain that you usually get along well with your co-workers and supervisors, but in this instance you and your manager just couldn't work out the situation.

14. Do you have any questions for me?
Here the interviewer is giving you a chance to ask questions about the job and the company. Take advantage of this opportunity.
This shows how prepared you are, and your level of interest in the position. Here are a few questions you might ask:
How long has this position been open?  Is this a newly created position, or am I replacing someone?
Would you describe a typical workday for someone in this position?  What the responsibilities of the position?
How will I be introduced to the job?  Will I be trained?   Who will train me?
How long should it take me to become familiar with the job and be productive?
Who are the people I will be working with and what do they do?
How will my job performance be evaluated?
Who will be my supervisor?
When and how will I be informed if I am chosen for the position?
What is the next step in the process?