Sample Interview Questions

The following sample job interview questions enable you to assess what motivates the candidate you are interviewing. Feel free to
use these job interview questions in your own candidate interviews.
 Describe the work environment or culture in which you are most productive and happy.
 Imagine you have received a coveted national award five years from now. Why did you receive the award, what is the
award, and what are the circumstances under which you are receiving the award?
 What goals, including career goals, have you set for your life?
 How would you define “success” for your career? At the end of your work life, what must have been present for you to
feel as if you had a successful career?
 Describe a work situation in which you can demonstrate that you motivated another person.
Motivation Job Interview Question Answers
You are attempting to identify what motivates the individual you are interviewing. As an example, you probably don't want to hire a
candidate who most enjoys working alone for your customer service position.
You are also discovering, with these motivation job interview questions, what your candidate believes motivates others. You are
learning what must be present in the work environment for the candidate to experience motivation.

The following sample job interview questions enable you to assess what motivates the candidate you are interviewing. Feel free to
use these job interview questions in your own candidate interviews.
 Describe the work environment or culture in which you are most productive and happy.
 Imagine you have received a coveted national award five years from now. Why did you receive the award, what is the
award, and what are the circumstances under which you are receiving the award?
 What goals, including career goals, have you set for your life?
 How would you define “success” for your career? At the end of your work life, what must have been present for you to
feel as if you had a successful career?
 Describe a work situation in which you can demonstrate that you motivated another person.
Motivation Job Interview Question Answers
You are attempting to identify what motivates the individual you are interviewing. As an example, you probably don't want to hire a
candidate who most enjoys working alone for your customer service position.
You are also discovering, with these motivation job interview questions, what your candidate believes motivates others. You are
learning what must be present in the work environment for the candidate to experience motivation.
The following sample job interview questions about communication enable you to assess your candidate’s skills in communication.
Feel free to use these job interview questions in your own candidate interviews.
 You attend a weekly staff meeting with your supervisor. How have you ensured, in the past, that the information you
have received is communicated to your reporting staff and coworkers?
 Information you believe to be untrue or confidential has reached you via the grapevine. What actions have you taken in
the past to take care of situations such as this when communication is out of control?
 Give me an example, from your past work experiences, about a time when you were part of a project or team and you
never knew what was happening with the other action items or participants. How did you handle this situation?
 Rate your communication skills on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 representing excellent communication skills. Give me three
examples from your past work experiences that demonstrate the selected number is accurate.
 Describe the work environment or culture and its communication style in which you experience the most success.
 Describe five things about the communication within an organization that must be present for you to work most
effectively?
 How often do you believe it is necessary to withhold information from staff members who report to you? Would you say
you do this regularly, not often, or never? Under what circumstances do you limit communication in your experience?
 When you have had a boss, in the past, who fails to adequately communicate with you, how have you handled this?
 When you have entered a new workplace in the past, describe how you have gone about meeting and developing
relationships with your new coworkers, supervisors, and reporting staff.
Communication Job Interview Question Answers
Pay attention to how your candidate interacts with people such as the receptionist. This observation, in addition to your own
observation of the candidate's level of comfort with communication during the interview, is key. You can observe much about the
candidate's communication style during the interview.
How articulate is the candidate? How clearly does the candidate communicate? How easily does the candidate select words to use
to answer questions? Notice the non-verbal communication and the facial expressions as well. Does the candidate radiate sincerity
and energy? Is the candidate genuiely interested in your company and the open job? You can learn much about whether to hire the
candidate from the candidate's non verbal communication.
The following sample job interview questions about interpersonal skills enable you to assess your candidate’s skills in interpersonal
relationships. Feel free to use these job interview questions in your own candidate interviews.
 Tell me about a time when you had to work closely with a coworker whom you disliked or with whom you had trouble
working. What did you do to make the relationship work so you could succeed for your company?
 Tell me about a time when you disagreed with the actions or decisions of your manager or supervisor. How did you
approach the situation? Was the situation resolved to your satisfaction or did nothing change?
 Tell me about a time when you worked with a friend or a coworker who became a friend. What did you do to ensure that
the friendship bore positive results for your company?
 Describe a conflict you were involved in at work. How did you resolve the conflict? What happened next with that
coworker or team?
 What are three examples of the kinds of behaviors, actions, or attitudes you are most likely to conflict with at work? Can
you give me an example of a situation you addressed in the past? How was it resolved?
 What are the three most important factors that make you an effective, valued coworker in your current job? What would
your supervisor say are the three most important factors?
 If you have reporting staff, how would these staff members describe your relationship with them?
 During your work experiences while attending college, tell me about a time when you demonstrated that you have the
ability and desire to work effectively with your coworkers.
 When you have entered a new workplace in the past, describe how you have gone about meeting and developing
relationships with your new coworkers, supervisors, and reporting staff.
The following sample job interview questions about teams and team work enable you to assess your candidate’s skill in working with
teams. Feel free to use these job interview questions in your own candidate interviews.
 Give an example of a successful project you were part of. What was your role? Why was the project successful?
 Describe two situations from your past work experience in which you have determined a team was the best potential
solution to a problem, a needed process improvement, or a planned change. How did each work out?
 What actions and support, in your experience, make a team function successfully?
 Give me an example of a time when your work group or department worked especially well with another work group or
department to accomplish a goal.
 Have you been a member of a team that struggled or failed to accomplish its goal? If so, what assessment did you make
of the reasons for the failure?
Teams and Team Work Job Interview Question Answers
Depending on your work culture or environment, working with teams, working on a team, or working in a team atmosphere may be
important. You are attempting to identify how well your candidate works as a member of either a cross-functional or departmental
team. You are listening to hear that the candidate values team work. You are assessing your candidate’s skill in analysis as well.
You are also discovering, with these team work job interview questions, what your candidate believes about why teams fail and why
teams are successful. You are learning what must be present in the work environment for the candidate to experience team work.
More job interview questions...
The following sample job interview questions about leadership enable you to assess your candidate’s skills in leadership. Feel free to
use these job interview questions in your own candidate interviews.
 You decided to reorganize the department or work unit that you lead. Tell me how you proceeded with the
reorganization?
 Have you ever been a member of a successful team? If so, describe the role you played on the team and in its success.
 Give me an example of a time when you played a leadership role in an event, an activity, a department or work unit, or a
project. Describe how you led the efforts. Tell me how people responded to your leadership.
 If I were to ask your reporting staff or your peers to comment about your leadership style, your leadership strengths, and
your leadership weaknesses, how would they respond? What would this discussion tell me about you as a leader?
 Tell me about a time when you created agreement and shared purpose from a situation in which all parties originally
differed in opinion, approach, and objectives.
 As a leader within an organization, you must often build support for goals and projects from people who do not report to
you and over whom you have no authority. Tell me about a situation in which you demonstrated that you can build the needed
support.
 What are the three most important values you demonstrate as a leader? Tell me a story that demonstrates each of these
leadership values in practice within your workplace.
 During your work experiences while attending college, tell me about a time when you demonstrated that you have
leadership ability and skill.
Leadership Job Interview Question Answers
You are questioning to determine whether the candidate has leadership skills or potential. You seek to identify the leadership style
of your candidate, from his or her perspective and from the perspective of his or her direct reporting staff and peers. You are
determining whether the candidate’s style is congruent with the culture of your organization. It is helpful if you have created
beforehand a leadership profile that identifies the skills and traits of successful leaders within your organization.
Leadership style is best demonstrated in stories. Self-examination and commentary is self-serving, at best, in an interview setting.
Ask your candidates for many specific stories and examples.
Interview Tips

Frequently Asked Questions in Interviews

Below are 16 commonly asked questions in interviews. After each question, jot down ideas of answers you could use in an interview
situation. This will help you prepare for such questions so that you’ll be more likely to give effective, persuasive answers, and be
more relaxed and feel more prepared during an actual interview.

After you write down your answers, look at the tips that are given for each question. That may help you to prepare more specific
answers.

1. Tell me about yourself.

Tip: Don’t launch into an autobiography. Instead, state the things about yourself that you want the interviewer to know.
Give specifics to prove each of your strengths.

2. What makes you think you’re qualified to work for this company? Or, I’m interviewing 120 people for two jobs. Why
should I hire you?

Tip: This question may feel like an attack. Use it as an opportunity to state your strong points: your qualifications for the
job, the things that separate you from other applicants.

3. What two or three accomplishments have given you the greatest satisfaction?

Tip: Pick accomplishments that you’re proud of, that create the image you want to project, and that enable you to share
one of the things you want the interviewer to know about you. Focus not just on the end result, but on the problem-
solving and thinking skills that made the achievement possible.

4. Why do you want to work for us? What is your ideal job?

Tip: Even if you’re interviewing just for practice, make sure you have a good answer – preferably two or three reasons
you’d like to work for that company. If you don’t seem to be taking the interview seriously, the interviewer won’t take
you seriously, and you won’t even get good practice.

If your ideal job is very different from the ones the company has available, the interviewer may simply say there isn’t a
good match and end the interview. If you’re interested in this company, do some research so that what you ask for is in
the general ballpark (estimate) of the kind of work the company offers.
5. What college subjects did you like best and least? Why?

Tip: This question may be an icebreaker; it may be designed to discover the kind of applicant they’re looking for. If your
favorite class was something outside your major, prepare an answer that shows that you have qualities that can help you
in the job you’re applying for: “My favorite class was a seminar in the American novel. We got a chance to think on our
own, rather than just regurgitate facts; we made presentations to the class every week. I found I really like sharing my
ideas with other people and presenting reasons for my conclusions about something.”

6. What is your class rank? Your grade point? Why are your grades so low?

Tip: If your grades aren’t great, be ready with a nondefensive explanation. If possible, show the cause of low grades now
has been solved or isn’t relevant to the job you’re applying for: “My father almost died last year, and my schoolwork
really suffered.” “When I started, I didn’t have any firm goals. Once I discovered the field that was right for me, my
grades have all been B’s or better.” I’m not good at multiple-choice tests. But you need someone who can work with
people, not someone who can take tests.”

7. What have you read recently? What movies have you seen recently?

Tip: These questions may be icebreakers; they may be designed to probe your intellectual depth. The term you’re
interviewing, read at least one book or magazine (regularly) and see at least one movie you could discuss at an interview.

8. Show me some samples of your writing.

Tip: Many jobs require the ability to write well. Employers no longer take mastery of basic English for granted, even if
the applicant has a degree from a prestigious university.
 The year you’re interviewing, go through your old papers and select the best ones, retyping them if necessary, so that
you’ll have samples if you’re asked for them. If you don’t have samples at the interview, mail them to the interviewer
immediately after the interview.

9. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Tip: Employers ask this question to find out if you are a self-starter or if you passively respond to what happens. You may
want to have several scenarios for five years from now to use in different kinds of interviews. Or you may want to say,
“Well, my goals may change as opportunities arise. But right now, I want to…”

10. What are your interests outside work? What campus or community activities have you been involved in?

Tip: While it’s desirable to be well-rounded, naming 10 interests is a mistake: The interviewer may wonder when you’ll
have time to work.

If you mention your fiancé, spouse, or children in response to this question (“Well, my fiancé and I like to go sailing”), it is
perfectly legal for the interviewer to ask follow-up questions (“What would you do if your spouse got a job offer in
another town?”), even though the same question would be illegal if the interviewer brought up the subject first.

11. What have you done to learn about this company?

Tip: An employer may ask this to see what you already know about the company (if you’ve read the recruiting literature,
the interviewer doesn’t need to repeat it). This question may also be used to see how active a role you’re taking in the
job search process and how interested you are in this job.

12. What adjectives would you use to describe yourself?

Tip: Use only positive ones. Be ready to illustrate each with a specific example of something you’ve done.

13. What is your greatest strength?

Tip: Employers ask this question to give you a chance to sell yourself and to learn something about your values. Pick a
strength related to work, school, or activities: “I’m good at solving problems.” “I learn quickly.” “I’m reliable. When I say
I’ll do something I’ll do it.” Be ready to illustrate each with a specific example of something you’ve done.

14. What is your greatest weakness?

Tip: Use a work-related negative, even if something in your personal life really is your greatest weakness. Interviewers
won’t let you get away with a “weakness” like being a workaholic or just not having any experience yet. Instead, use one
of the following three strategies:
a) Discuss a weakness that is not related to the job you’re being considered for and will not be needed even
when you’re promoted. End your answer with a positive that is related to the job.
b) Discuss a weakness that you are working to improve.
c) Discuss a work-related weakness.

15. Why are you looking for another job?

Tip: Stress what you’re looking for in a new job, not why you want to get away from your old one.

If you were fired, say so. There are three acceptable ways to explain why you were fired:
a) It wasn’t a good match. Add what you now know you need in a job, and ask what the employer can offer in
this area.
b) You and your supervisor had a personality conflict. Make sure you show that this was an isolated incident, and
that you normally get along well with people.
c) You made mistakes, but you’ve learned from them and are now ready to work well. Be ready to offer a
specific anecdote proving that you have indeed changed.

16. What questions do you have?

Tip: This question gives you a chance to cover things the interviewer hasn’t brought up; it also gives the interviewer a
sense of your priorities and values. Don’t focus on salary or fringe benefits. Better questions are:
 What would I be doing on a day-to-day basis?
 What kind of training program do you have? If, as I’m rotating among departments, I find that I prefer one area, can
I specialize in it when the training program is over?
 How do you evaluate employees? How often do you review them? Where would you expect a new trainee (banker,
staff accountant) to be three years from now?
 What happened to the last person who had this job?
 How are interest rates (a new product from competitors, imports, demographic trends, government regulations,
etc) affecting your company?
 How would you describe the company’s culture?
 This sounds like a great job. What are the drawbacks?
 Illegal Interview Questions

Subject Illegal Questions What they Can Ask

Nationality/Citizenship Are you a U.S. citizen? Are you authorized to work in the U.S?
Where were your parents born? Are you fluent in any languages? (only if
What is your native language? this question relates to the job)
Age How old are you? Are you over the age of 18?
When did you graduate from college? "If hired, can you furnish proof of age?"
What's your birth date? Can you, if hired, submit a work permit if
Can you produce proof of age? you are under eighteen?
Family Status What's your marital status? Would you be willing to relocate?
Who do you live with? Are you willing to travel or work
Do you plan to have a family? overtime?
How many children do you have?
Activities What clubs or social organizations do you List any professional or trade groups or
belong to? other organizations that you belong to
that are relevant to your ability to
perform this job.
Physical How tall are you? Are you able to lift a 50 lb. weight and
How much do you weigh? carry it 100 yards, as that is part of the
job requirements?
Disabilities Do you have any disabilities? Are you able to perform all of the duties
Any question on general medical outlined in the job description?
condition is illegal. All jobs depend on passing a physical
Have you or are you receiving Worker's examination.
Compensation?
Record Have you ever been arrested? Have you ever been convicted of a crime?
If so, when, where and disposition of
case?
Military Service Were you honorably discharged from the In what branch of the Armed Forces did
military? you serve?
What type of education did you receive in
the military?
Race/color Complexion, color of skin, or other N/A
questions directly or indirectly indicating
race or color.