Springbok Interview Prep

Sample Interview Questions

When it comes to interviewing, preparation is key. Of course you won’t be asked all of these questions in an interview, but it is worth your time to prepare answers for all of them. Write down 2 or 3 bullet points for each question and also practice articulating your answer. This preparation will result in you being confident and more relaxed during the real interview.

Tell me about yourself.
Why did you decide on a degree in _____________?
What did you like most/least about your last job?
What have been your proudest accomplishments?
Why do you want to work in ________ field?
Why do you want to work at this firm/company/organization/agency?
What kinds of job opportunities are you pursuing now and why?
What kind of supervisor do you like to work for?
What do you expect from a supervisor?
What are your strengths? What is your greatest strength?
What are your weaknesses?
What 3 words would your past coworkers use to describe you?
What 3 words would your past supervisor use to describe you?
What 3 words would peers in classes at school use to describe you?
Tell me about a time when you worked on a team that didn’t work well together.
Tell me how you chose your summer job last summer.
Tell me about a time when you were in a leadership role.
Why should we hire you?
Have you faced an ethical dilemma in a job or at school?
How do you define success?
What would you like to learn in this next job?
What would you do if a team member were not pulling his/her weight?
What extra-curricular activities are you involved in?
What were your responsibilities at your last job?
How would you describe your last supervisor?
How would you describe the pace at which you work?
How do you handle stress and pressure?
What are you passionate about?
How did you choose your major in college?
Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?
Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it.
What can you contribute to this firm/company/organization?
Do you think you have received a good education? In what ways?
Why did you choose XYZ University?
What have you done that you are especially proud of?
Who are your role models and why?
What motivates you?
What would you like to be doing in 5 years?

Sample Behavior Based Interview Statements

Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way.
Describe an instance when you had to think on your feet to extricate yourself from a difficult situation.
Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
By providing examples, convince me that you can adapt to a wide variety of people, situations, and environments.
Describe a time on any job that you held in which you were faced with problems or stresses that tested your coping skills.
Give an example of a time in which you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision.
Give me a specific occasion in which you conformed to a policy with which you did not agree.
Give me an example of an important goal that you had set in the past and tell me about your success in reaching it.
Describe the most significant or creative presentation that you have had to complete.
Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully communicate with another person when the individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa)

Interview Questions to Ask the Employer

Always have questions prepared.
Show you have done your homework by referencing what you have read about the organization already. “I read on the company website XYZ. I was wondering ABC…”
Don’t ask about salary and benefits until the employer brings these topics up.
You will be judged on the questions you ask. It’s better to ask open-ended questions rather than ones that only require a yes/no response.
Don’t ask questions that could be perceived as antagonistic. Find a way to rephrase.

How would you describe the responsibilities of the position?
How would you describe a typical week/day in this position?
Is this a new position? If not, what did the previous employee go on to do?
Who does this position report to? If I am offered the position, can I meet him/her?
How many people work in this office/department?
How much travel is expected?
What are the prospects for growth and advancement?
How does one advance in the company?
What do you like about working here?
What don’t you like about working here and what would you change?
What are the organization’s strengths compared to its competition?
Do you have a specific program or track for entry-level employees?
How does upper management view this role/this department?
Could you explain your organizational structure?
Does this office interact regularly with other offices in different cities/states? How are meetings with these other locations done?
Could you describe your company’s management style and the type of employee who fits well with it?
What are some of the skills and abilities necessary for someone to succeed in this job?
What is the company’s policy on providing seminars, workshops, and training so employees can keep up their skills or acquire new ones?
What kind of work can I expect to be doing the first year?
How and by whom will my performance be reviewed? Are there specific criteria upon which I would be evaluated? And how frequently is formal and informal review given to new employees?
How much guidance or assistance is made available to individuals in developing career goals?
I read on the company / organization / agency website that employees have recently done presentations at XX conference. Is that a typical opportunity in the job for which I am interviewing?
Would you like a list of references?
If I were extended a job offer, how soon would you like me to start?
What can I tell you about my qualifications?
When can I expect to hear from you?
Are there any other questions I can answer for you?