Northwestern University
University Career Services
Common Interview Questions/Questions for Employers Personal
Tell me about yourself. What goals have you set for yourself? How are you planning to achieve them? Who or what has had the greatest influence on the development of your career interests? What two or three things are most important to you in a position? What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What has been your greatest challenge? Are you willing to relocate or travel as part of your job? Do you feel your GPA reflects your academic ability?
Education
How has your major helped you prepare for this position? What is the most important lesson you have learned in or out of school? How do you think you have changed personally since you started college? Knowing what you know now about your college experience, would you make the same decisions?
Experience
What are your team-player qualities? Give examples. Describe your leadership style. What is your approach to handling conflict? Solving problems? How do you motivate others? Describe a leadership role of yours and tell why you’ve committed time to it. What work experience has been the most valuable to you? What was the most useful criticism you’ve received?
University Career Services Main Location: 620 Lincoln Street Career Lab: Main Library, Core Reserves, 2nd Flr Phone: 847-491-3700 www.northwestern.edu/careers
Behavioral
Take me through a project where you demonstrated_________________ skills. Describe a situation when you demonstrated your critical thinking skills. Describe the project or situation that best demonstrates your analytical skills. Describe a situation where you had a conflict with another individual and how you handled it. Give an example of a problem you solved and the process you used to arrive at the solution. Describe an idea that you developed and implemented that you felt was particularly creative or innovative. Tell me about a difficult decision you have made. Give an example of a situation in which you failed and how you handled it. Tell me about a time when you had to persuade another person to your point of view. Tell me about a project you initiated. Tell me about a team project that you are particularly proud of and what your contribution was to the project.
Company
What expectations do you have for your future employer? What are your interests in this position or the company? Why are you the best person for this position? What can you contribute to this company? What challenges are you looking for in a position? How have your educational and work experiences prepared you for this position? What were your major contributions? What types of situations put you under pressure? How do you deal with the pressure? What have you found most frustrating in your work?
Facebook: facebook.com/northwesternUCS Twitter: twitter.com/northwesternUCS LinkedIn: linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1926036 Blog: northwesternuniversitycareerservices.wordpress.com
Questions to Ask Potential Employers
1. According to the job description for XYZ position you are looking for candidates with strong analytical abilities, can you tell me more about how your employees are able to employ these skills in specific projects or everyday work? 2. From researching your company web site I was able to surmise that you are looking for candidates who are looking to make long-term contributions, could you give me an idea of some short and long term growth opportunities at your company? 3. What is the work environment like at XYZ? 4. What are particular needs of your company at this point and time? 5. What are typical assignments of your new employees? 6. What are the company's plans for future growth? 7. How has {mention a business trend or current event} affected your work? 8. Can you explain a typical career path in your organization? 9. What kind of training can I expect? 10. What personal qualities do you consider critical to being successful in this job? 11. I understand the core values of your company to be‌..how do you assess a candidate’s fit with these core values? 12. What is the short & long-term strategic direction of the organization? 13. What do you like the most about working at XYZ? 14. What are three things you find hardest about your job (if the person you are speaking with works in the role you are inquiring about)? 15. Inquire about the hiring process.