Interviews for jobs or internships are your opportunity to present yourself and your qualifications for the position you desire. However many students are not properly prepared for the questions and left blank when asked simple questions.
Here are ten common interview questions for internship candidates:
- Why do you want to intern here?
- Which classes do you like the most and least?
- What do you expect this position to be like?
- Why should we hire you?
- What‡s your goal with this internship?
- Tell me about some of your school involvements and how they relate to this job.
- What are your salary expectations?
- What are your plans after graduation?
- Why did you pick your school/major/minor?
- What do you know about this specific industry and what are some trends that occurred in the past few years?
How to Ace an Interview: Tips from a Harvard Career Advisor
Know yourself
- Be sure you are easily conversant on all aspects of your education and work experience, especially the
ways in which they are of value to the prospective employer. Be able to “talk” your resume. - Identify your areas of interest, your skills/abilities/strengths, and your values/priorities. Be sure you
know which personal qualities you want to highlight. - Be prepared to cite examples that give evidence of your personal qualities.
Before Going for Interview
The first thing you need to do is to develop a rough idea of your internship goals. Calling this a plan might be too strong a term, but you are going to be more successful at your internship search if you have some idea of where you are headed.
Here are some questions to think before you go for interview.
- What are the primary results a person in this position would be expected to achieve?
- What qualities and background are you looking for in employees?
- I am currently a freshman so I have I some time to plan ahead, what courses would you recommend someone take before being hired as a ________ ?
- Do you have a business card I can have for future reference and contact?
- What entry level positions in (mention your career interest) are available in your company, and what kinds of people do you hire to fill them?
- What duties are required for the position?
- What skills, work experience or educational background do you look for when you recruit for these jobs?
- What challenges and opportunities are associated with the position?
- How does the company measure performance? How often are performance reviews given?
- What is the typical career path in this area of specialization? How long does it usually take to move from one step to the next in this career path?
