Your best answer to an interview question!

The following lists summarize “Your best answer to an interview question!”. I recommend to select one or two examples from each category.

The structure of your interview will follow the following model:

Introduction
Self-overview
Questions
Referrals
Closing

You can use the following phrases to show your confidence, some questions are designed to get out of your comfort zone, so be prepared!

1. You don’t know the answer

I don’t have enough information to answer your question
Good question. I will find out.
Based on what we know today, my thoughts are
I don’t have the data at hand, but I will get it to you later today

2. Answer which shows your leadership

That Sounds Important to You, Let Me Write That Down.
Yes, And…
Tell Me About the Last Time That Happened.
…Yet.
Let Me Repeat That Back to You.

3. Tell me about yourself

In [DATE], I was a [POSITION] at a [COMPANY TYPE] company. [DOING THIS] was great, and I was fascinated by [TOPIC] of what we did.
I started spending all my free time hanging out with developers and asking questions about their projects.
My enthusiasm led me to take several [TOPIC] classes.
While I was [ACTION], I came across your company and was immediately impressed by how well-thought-out and appealing your products were. When I saw the [POSITION] position, I knew I had to apply.

4. What’s your greatest strenght?

I’m very proactive.
To give you an example, in my last job as a [POSITION] for [COMPANY], I noticed we didn’t have a [TOPIC] for [DOING THIS] – each employee did their own thing. This was inefficient and ineffective, so I collaborated with our team to build a process. Our [ACTIVITY] doubled in [TIME] months.
Since I don’t want to lose that ability to identify and solve problems, I keep a running list of pain points I see within the organization and I am always trying to come up with new ideas of how to solve them.

4. Why should we hire you?

From my research, I know that [TOPIC] have [DONE THIS] to focusing almost exclusively on [TOPIC].
Your [ACTION] has produced some impressive [RESULT], but I believe that someone with a strong analytical background could help you make an even bigger impact.
If you hire me, I’ll use my quantitative skills to improve [TOPIC], give [ACTION], and secure even more partnerships.

5. If you don’t have the experience

I will be happy if I can learn about it

6. Tell me about the major decisions you have made?

Give an example and the process you have used

7. Why did you leave your previous job?

This is an interesting article about it

8. Why do you want this job?

This is an interesting article about it

More questions?

Personal Assessment
• Tell me about yourself.
• What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
• What have you done that shows initiative?
• How do you react to criticism?
• How would your best friend describe you?
• Describe your ideal job.
• Define success. Define failure.
• What can you offer us?
• Who are your role models? Why?
• What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
• What kind of people do you enjoy working with?
• What types of people are difficult for you to work with?
• What frustrates you?
• Are you a joiner or a loner? A leader or follower? A
committee member or an executive?
• How do you spend your spare time? What are your
hobbies?
• Have you ever spoken in front of a group of people?
• Tell me about a leadership role you have had. What
makes a good leader?
• Where do you want to be in five years? Ten years?

Education and Experience
• Can you summarize your educational background for
me?
• Why did you decide to attend school at MIT?
• What part of your education did you find the most
rewarding?
• Why did you choose the major you did?
• What courses did you like the most? The least?
• Describe for me the most rewarding accomplishment
since you’ve started college.
• Describe your study habits. How do you balance study
with personal life?
• In which campus activities did you participate?
• What job-related skills have you developed?
• How do you spend college vacations?
• What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
What have you gained from those experiences?
• Have you plans for furthering your education?
• If you could start college over, what would you do
differently?
• Did you work while going to school? In what positions?
• Tell me about the most satisfying job you ever held. The
least?
• Have you had any work experience related to this
position?
• What kind of boss do you prefer?
• What kind of work interests you the most?
• Have you had any supervisory experience?
• What frustrates you on the job?
• Have you ever quit a job? Why?
• Have you ever done any volunteer work? What kind?
• How would a former supervisor describe your work?

Career Ambition and Plans
• Why did you choose this career field?
• What type of position are you looking for?
• What are your long-range and short-range goals and
objectives; when and why did you establish these
goals; how are you preparing to achieve them?
• What specific goals, other than those related to your
occupation, have you established for yourself in the
next five years?
• What qualities does a successful manager possess? …
does a successful team player possess?
• What do you know about opportunities in your field?
• What are the most important rewards you expect from
your career?
• What kind of challenge are you looking for?
• What do you think determines a person’s progress in a
good company?
• How do you determine or evaluate success?
• What are your ideas on salary?
• How much money do you hope to earn five years from
now?
• What personal characteristics are necessary for
success in your field?
• Do you prefer to work on your own or under a
supervisor?

Company or Organization
• Why do you want to work for this organization?
• What do you know about our organization?
• What section (service or product) are you most
interested in?
• Do you prefer large or small companies? Why?
• How do you feel about working in a structured
environment? A non-structured environment?
• What do you think it takes to be successful in a
company such as ours?
• In what ways do you think you can make a contribution
to our company?
• How long would you expect to work here?
• Are you willing to work overtime?
• Are you willing to work flextime?
• Are you willing to go where the company sends you?
• What type of work environment are you most
comfortable with?
• Why do you think you might like to live in the community
in which our company is located?
• Why should I hire you?
• What makes you the best person for this job?

The Close
• When could you start work?
• Is there anything else I should know about you?
• Do you have any other questions?

Examples of Behavioral Questions

• Tell me about an accomplishment of which you are
especially proud.
• What kind of work experience has been the most
valuable to you and why?
• Tell me about a time when you had to deal with
someone whose personality was different from yours.
• Give me a time where you had to carry out a directive
you did not agree with.
• Describe a time when it was especially important to
make a good impression on a customer/teacher/etc.
How did you go about doing so?
• Describe a time when you saw a problem and took
action to correct it rather than waiting for someone
else to do so.
• Tell me about your most successful presentation and
what made it so.
• Tell me about a meeting where you provided technical
expertise. How did you ensure that everyone
understood?
• Tell me about a time when there was a conflict in a job/
lab/class project. How did you handle it?
• Describe a time when you took a risk that you later
regretted.
• Describe a time when you took a risk and were glad
you did.
• Who or what has had the greatest influence in the
development of your career interest?
• What were the biggest challenges/problems you
encountered in college? How did you handle them?
• Talk about a time when you had trouble getting along
with a professor/co-worker/supervisor. How did you
handle it?
• What was the toughest academic decision you have
had to make? How did you make that decision?
• How are you conducting your job search and how will
you go about making your decision?

What is the most important lesson you have learned in
or out of school?
• 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 an experience when you were faced with
problems or stresses that tested your coping skills.
• Give me an example of a time in which you had to be
relatively quick in coming to a decision.
• Tell me about a time in which you had to use your
written communication skills in order to get an
important point across.
• Give me an example of an important goal that you had set
in the past and tell me about your success in reaching it.