'About You'
Strengths and Skills
Weaknesses and Challenges
Tough Questions
Feeling Confident
Tell me about a time...
10
"Tell me about yourself."
Always have an answer ready for this one!
DOs:
• A short (1-3 sentences, or less than 30 seconds) summary of yourself that highlights one or two of your positive qualities
• 1 thing you are especially passionate or knowledgeable about (keep it short!)
DON'Ts:
• Personal information such as age, family, ethnicity/origin, religious or political affiliations
• Personal stories
10
What is your biggest strength?
#1: Choose a few qualities about yourself that are relevant to the job, and be ready to give examples.
#2: Employers want to see honesty and self-awareness. Be realistic when talking about your strengths and weaknesses.
COMMON MISTAKE: Never say you are "a perfectionist"
10
What is your biggest weakness?
This is a tricky question!
#1: Choose a genuine weakness and explain how you're working to improve on it.
#2: The interviewer wants to know if you have the right skills for the job. It is good to be self-aware and identify a genuine area of improvement. It is not good to identify a weakness that could make you seem like a bad fit for the position.
#3: Never 'humble-brag' with things such as, "perfectionism", "working too hard", or "taking on too many projects".
10
What interests you about this job?
#1: Be sure to know enough about the position to be able to describe at least one major part of the job you are interested in doing/learning.
10
What should you know about a job before the interview?
#1: Always re-read the job description before the interview!
Be sure you understand what the job is. This will help you answer questions more easily, and you can come up with better questions to ask the interviewer at the end.
10
Tell me about a time that you had a workplace conflict.
This question shows the interviewer how you respond to conflict with coworkers and how you work on a team. It also gives you the opportunity to explain how you’ve actually responded to conflict in the past.
STAR Method:
Situation: Describe the conflict or challenge.
Task: Explain your role in the conflict.
Action: Discuss the steps you took to resolve the conflict.
Result: Describe the results of your actions.
20
What motivates you to succeed?
Be honest about your motivations! Some examples of positive answers include:
- "Learning new skills"
- "Being part of a team"
- "Contributing something to a project"
- "Finding creative solutions"
20
Do you consider yourself a team player?
This question is usually asked because the employer is looking for people who like to work as part of a team.
If you are not someone who likes to work in teams, it is okay to say that in a professional way:
EXAMPLE: "I work well in a team to achieve specific goals. I am also very self-motivated and like to work individually."
20
What is one skill you want to improve?
Identify a skill you sincerely do want to improve that is relevant to the position.
20
"Do you have any questions for us?"
#1: Come prepared with questions to ask the interviewer that show you're interested in learning as much as you can about the position and company.
20
What should you do if you feel anxious during an interview?
#1: Remember that you can take a moment to come up with your best answer!
#2: Breathing techniques can help settle anxiety in the moment.
20
Tell me about a time that you failed, and what did you do to correct it?
#1: Keep your answer simple, don't provide too many personal details.
Plan to end on the positive: be sure to conclude with how the situation was resolved and what you learned from it.
30
Describe your work ethic.
Employers know the kind of ethic they're looking for.
Some qualities you might include:
Dedicated, punctual (on-time), goal-oriented, respectful of coworker's time, problem-solver
30
How do you describe success?
This is your personal definition, so there is no "right" answer.
Note: Improving skills, learning from failure, meeting goals, can all be forms of success.
Achievement =/= Success
30
How do you cope with change or unpredictability?
#1: Similar to 'how you stay organized', have a short list of ways you know how to help yourself handle change. Provide examples of how you manage challenging situations effectively.
#2: Calming techniques are invaluable in a stressful workplace situation! You can give the interviewer an example of one that works for you, if you are comfortable doing so.
30
"What pay rate are you expecting?"
#1: The job posting hopefully included information on pay rate. When you read the job description before the interview, see if it is listed.
If it is, you can say something like:
"I am expecting ___ per hour, as listed in the job description."
If it does not list the pay rate, you can say, "I’m flexible depending on the full responsibilities. Could you share the pay range for this role?"
30
If you don't understand a question an interviewer asks, what should you do?
#1: A good way to ask for clarification is to ask the interviewer, "Could you rephrase the question for me? I want to make sure I understand."
30
Tell me about a time that you showed initiative.
Think about a time at a past workplace when you started a new project, suggested a better way to do something, or solved a problem.
40
What would a former supervisor/coworker say about you?
The interviewer is trying to gain a sense of your personality, work style, and how well you work with others.
#1: Repeat something positive that someone you've worked with has said about you.
#2: Another way you could answer the question is by saying, "They would probably tell you about (the time that)..."
40
What helps you stay organized?
EXAMPLES:
- Calendars (paper or digital)
- Setting alarms/reminders
- Planners
- To-do lists
- Post-it notes
40
How do you handle conflict at work?
#1: Employers ask this question to gauge your communication skills, problem-solving skills and how well you deal with stress.
A good answer will explain a time when you confronted an obstacle, remained calm, and worked toward a productive solution.
40
What did you like the most about your last job?
#1: Answer this passionately! Pick something you truly enjoyed about the job itself. Specific job tasks, 'coworkers', 'the clients/customers' are simple examples.
#2: Avoid saying general things like "the schedule" or "the pay".
40
How should you follow up after a job interview?
#1: After an interview, an easy follow-up is to send an email to person who interviewed you. A phone call is another good way to follow up if you don't have their email.
Be sure to thank them for meeting with you. You can also say that you hope to hear from them again.
40
Tell me about a time that you showed leadership.
Think of a time you were in charge of a project or activity, a time you motivated your team, or a time you taught a new coworker how to do something you were already good at.
STAR Method:
Situation: Describe the conflict or challenge.
Task: Explain your role in the conflict.
Action: Discuss the steps you took to resolve the conflict.
Result: Describe the results of your actions.
50
How do you respond to feedback?
#1: Most employers are looking to hear something like:
EXAMPLE: "I welcome feedback, both positive and constructive, to improve."
EXAMPLE: "Positive feedback helps me know what to keep doing well, and constructive feedback helps me learn."
50
What is your greatest accomplishment?
Think of an achievement to showcase your work ethic and values.
If you can, choose examples that relate to the job you're interviewing for.
50
"Do you have a disability?" [Trick Question!]
In California:
If you are interviewing for a job, a potential employer cannot ask you about any disabilities that you may have. It is illegal for a potential employer to ask, “do you have a disability?”
However, employers do have the right to make sure that potential employees can perform the necessary duties for a job, and are allowed to ask you specifically about this. You can answer without telling them details of any disability.
50
What did you like the least about your last job?
COMMON MISTAKE: Never speak negatively about a past employer in an interview. It is okay to give an example of something that was difficult or frustrating about your last job. However, never speak poorly about a past job, company, or supervisor in an interview.
#1: An example that also ends in a positive: "The tight budget for new supplies meant the team frequently had to find creative solutions in a pinch"
50
What should you ask the interviewer if they ask you if you have any questions about the job?
#1: After re-reading the job description, prepare thoughtful questions that demonstrate your interest in the company and the position.
#2: Keep questions specific to things such as job duties. This is generally not a good place to ask about pay rate, for example.
50
Tell me about a time you faced a major challenge at work and how you overcame it.
#1: Give a unique, personal example from a job or work experience.
Focus on how you resolved the issue and what you learned from the experience.