QUESTIONS AN EMPLOYER MAY ASK YOU

Personal assessment and career direction

• Tell me about yourself.
• What are your long- and short-range goals? How have you prepared to achieve them?
• What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
• How would someone who knows you describe you?
• What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
• Why should I hire you?
• What qualifications do you have that will make you successful in this field / position / organization?
• In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
• Describe how you work under pressure.
• How would you describe your ideal job?
• What two or three things are most important to you in your job?
• What are some examples of your creativity?

Work attitudes

• How do you define success?
• What qualities should a successful manager possess?
• Describe the relationship that ideally exists between a supervisor and supervisee.
• What criteria are you using to evaluate the company for which you hope to work?

Academic assessment

• How has your college experience prepared you for a career?
• Describe your most rewarding college experience.
• What changes would you make in your college or university? Why?
• Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree?

Knowledge of the employer

• What do you know about this organization? Where did you find this information?
• What contributions do you think you could make to this organization?
• If you were hiring a graduate for this position, what qualities would you look for?
• Why did you decide to seek a position with this organization?

Other interests and experiences

• What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?
• What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it?
• What have you learned from your mistakes?

Situational or behavioral questions

• Describe the most difficult interpersonal situation you’ve had with a professor, supervisor, supervisee or colleague. How did you handle it?
• If your supervisor were setting impossible deadlines, what would you do?
• How would you handle a situation where your direct supervisor asked you to do something that was not consistent with your professional judgment?

Sensitive issues

• How did you get along with your last supervisor?
• You seem overqualified for this position. Can you explain why you applied?
• What is the hardest job you have ever performed?
• How much do you think this position pays?
• Tell me your position on drug testing.

QUESTIONS TO ASK THE INTERVIEWER

• What qualifications do you expect the successful candidate to have?
• What are the main issues that need immediate attention?
• What resources are available to solve these issues?
• Do you support professional development? How?
• What are the established guidelines and procedures for making decisions in this position?
• What are the reporting relationships of this position?
• What are the short-term and long-term goals of the department and how are they set?
• How would successful performance be measured in this position?
• How often is performance reviewed in this position?
• What is culture of this organization? 
• Describe the interdepartmental relationships.
• What has the turnover rate of the department been?
• What happens next?