{"id":7427,"date":"2018-12-12T16:53:06","date_gmt":"2018-12-12T21:53:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/atdevserver.com\/Projects\/Internsdc\/?p=7427"},"modified":"2018-12-12T16:53:06","modified_gmt":"2018-12-12T21:53:06","slug":"23-most-common-intern-interview-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atdevserver.com\/Internsdc\/23-most-common-intern-interview-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"23 Most Common Intern Interview Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WISH wants you to succeed in every facet of your college education and experience.  We are featuring an original 2017 article<\/a>, written by Lydia Coffey<\/a>, in its entirety to help hone your communications skills during the interview process. Finding the right DC internship takes research, diligence and<\/g> determination. Share your interview stories with us on Facebook <\/a>and Instagram<\/a>.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interviewing is one of the most stressful experiences in a student’s\ncareer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But with the right tools, anyone can ace an internship interview. Even\nsomeone who has never had a job before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve spent most of my career in human resources, and today am going to give\nyou the inside scoop on how to answer 23 of the most common interview questions\nfor internships. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Interviewing Basics<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might be wondering:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why does it matter how I answer questions? As long as the interviewer has\nmy resume, they\u2019ll know what my skills are. Right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wrong!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A resume is just the tip of the iceberg for hiring managers. From personal\nexperience, I can tell you that most hiring managers spend less than 10 seconds\nlooking at your resume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resumes say next to nothing about your work ethic, personality, personal\nmotivations, etc. If you really want that internship, it\u2019s in the interview\nthat you will need to shine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s take a look at a breakdown of the different types of interview\nquestions the hiring manger will ask you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Answer Interview Questions About Yourself<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Answer Interview Questions About Your Previous Experience<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Answer Interview Questions About the Company<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Answer Interview Questions About Others<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Answer Interview Questions About Your Work Style<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonus Interview Questions<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Answer Interview Questions About Yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are the questions that will give the interviewer a sense of who you\nare as a person. They will ask about the basics of your personality, and expect\nhonesty and openness in your responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most frequently asked \u201cabout you\u201d interview questions are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Tell me about yourself.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An \u201celevator pitch\u201d is a 10- to 30-second summation of your life and\naccomplishments. For this question, that pitch comes in handy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interviewers don\u2019t want to know your entire life story, but they do want to\nknow what makes you who you are. If you\u2019re proud of certain accomplishments,\nnow is the time to highlight them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard the advice to stay work specific, but don\u2019t be\nfooled. Unless the job description says the company is searching for a\nworkaholic, you want to let the interviewer know that you have a life outside\nof work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re a well-rounded individual who can balance work and play. Share your\nhobbies and interests along with relevant personality traits. Openi\u00ad\u00ad\u00adng up in\nthis way allows the interviewer to respond likewise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personal connections created here are key if you want to be memorable and\nland the internship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. What are your strengths?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This sample interview question should be answered as truthfully as\npossible, utilizing a Problem-Action-Result (PAR) story. This technique\nrequires you to speak of a specific incident in which your trait was utilized.\nYour story should be under a minute, and hit all three points succinctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s an example of a PAR story:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Problem: One of my employees seemed visibly upset with me one workday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Action: I initiated a sit-down conversation with the employee and discussed\nany issues she was having.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Result: We now communicate effectively with each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are easy and memorable ways to share important experiences you\u2019ve\nhad, and back up what you\u2019re telling the interviewer about yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try your best to stay away from clich\u00e9 answers that the interviewer has\nlikely heard a million times already. Think outside the box to experiences\nwhere your unique abilities helped a situation in ways another person\u2019s could\nnot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. What are your weaknesses?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Again: stay away from clich\u00e9s. Perfectionism is not a weakness. The\ninterviewer knows you\u2019re human and wants an accurate picture of you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with our question about strengths, PAR stories can be utilized very\neffectively when responding to this question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be honest about your weaknesses, but come to the interview prepared to talk\nabout how you\u2019re improving yourself. Employers want to see that you\u2019re taking\naction on those attributes you need to work on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember: Practice makes perfect! Have a repertoire of PAR stories that\nyou\u2019ve rehearsed and can relate with ease. Whenever you have an important or\nunique experience, take a minute or two to write it down for future sharing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

4. How would your boss\/friends\/co-workers describe you?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This can be a difficult question if you haven\u2019t thought about its answer\nahead of time. Ponder on feedback you\u2019ve received recently, both positive and\nnegative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You want to be honest, and now is a time to show more of your personality:\nDo people laugh at your jokes? Do they turn to you for advice? Are you the life\nof the party, or a more laidback observer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because you won\u2019t have your boss\/friends\/co-workers beside you while you\nanswer this question, you do have some leeway, but use caution. If you\u2019re\nhired, your new employer will want to see the sense of humor you talked about\nin your interview. Any lie or exaggeration you tell will always come to light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Where do you see yourself in five years?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If the position you\u2019re interviewing for aligns with your future goals,\nmention it! Your interviewer is most likely looking for someone with potential\nfor long-term employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For any future interns reading this, remember that you broaden your\nhorizons if you leave the company on good terms. Many people return to the\ncompany they interned with for their careers after gaining a bit more\nexperience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember: Be realistic about where you see yourself, but be sure to show\nthat you\u2019re ambitious. Unless you have legitimate plans to become President of\nthe World by 30. Best to keep that one to yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Answer Interview Questions About Your Previous Experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are the questions that bring up past jobs, and can be difficult if\nyou have limited or no work experience. Remember that it\u2019s okay to be new to\nthe workforce, but prepare yourself with an answer to each of these questions\nbefore the interview:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Why are you leaving your current job?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The key to success when answering this question is to stay positive about\nyour previous employers.  The interviewer\nwill understand if you\u2019re an intern or new professional looking to gain\nexperience, but they don\u2019t want to hire someone who will speak ill of them in\nthe future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you did have a negative experience with your last employer, state\nyour answer in a way that makes it clear you\u2019re excited for new opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those who have no previous jobs: Mention that you\u2019re new to the\nprofessional world, but are prepared to take on the challenges you expect to\nface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. What accomplishments are you most proud of?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are a couple of points you\u2019ll want to hit when answering this\nquestion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, set up the situation that you\u2019ll be describing and include the task\ngiven to you (e.g., \u201cIn my last job, I was assigned the task of managing the\nschedule for 20 employees\u201d). After this brief introduction, go into detail\nabout your actions and their results (e.g., \u201cI standardized the process and\nreduced turnover by 20%\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is called the Situation-Task-Action-Result (STAR) method. Along with\nyour PAR stories, be sure to practice a couple of these scenarios before the\ninterview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These methods will also be helpful when answering this next question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Tell me about a difficult experience you\u2019ve had while at work, and how\nyou dealt with it.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you haven\u2019t had any difficult experiences at work, respond as such, but\nbranch out to other areas of your life. For example, if you volunteer and had a\nchallenging experience while doing that, talk about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interviewers want to gauge how you react to difficult circumstances, so\nmake sure you use the STAR method to share an experience of some sort with\nthem. You want to have an answer for almost every question an interviewer\nthrows your way, so think outside the box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Answer Interview Questions About the Company<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point in an interview, you\u2019re being tested on how well you know the\ncompany. Someone more qualified, but who didn\u2019t care enough to do some research\nwill not be hired over someone with less experience who did look into the\ncompany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro tip: This is one part of the interview where inexperienced applicants\ncan stand apart from the crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. What do you know about our company?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This question is one where you don\u2019t want to respond with an answer along\nthe lines of, \u201cUm, I don\u2019t know.\u201d The interviewer wants to see that you care\nabout your potential employer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most companies that are worth working for don\u2019t want to waste their time\nwith people who are uninterested in the work they do. At the very least,\nresearch the company so you understand what you are getting yourself into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adding personal touches when answering this question can go a long way:\nsomething along the lines of, \u201cI appreciate this company\u2019s mission because\u2026\u201d or\n\u201cI believe in these aims because\u2026\u201d will make you more memorable. You obviously\nunderstand what things are important to the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Why did you decide to apply for a position with us?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Never say to the person interviewing you that you\u2019re just looking for\nsomething to pay the bills. As far as they\u2019re concerned, you could pay the\nbills by flipping burgers at any fast food restaurant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if your primary motive for applying for the job was to earn a\npaycheck, focus on other factors that inspired you to choose that job in\nparticular. Include specific attributes of the company you picked up on while\nresearching it, and highlight how you relate to them as a potential employee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interns, almost as a rule, don\u2019t have large amounts of experience in the\nfield they\u2019re trying to break into. If nothing else, say that you applied for\nthe position to gain experience in that specific field of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of how you decide to answer this question, prepare to answer the\nfollow-up question as well:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Why do you consider this to be a good opportunity?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This question can be mutually beneficial if answered appropriately.\nPotential employers want to know what you see in them, and they want to know\nwhat you\u2019re looking for more specifically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answer honestly, and be prepared to smooth out any details you\u2019re unsure\nof. If you\u2019ve heard that the company is great to their interns and teaches them\nwhile they work, mention as much and ask if that information is accurate.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Return to your weaknesses or strengths. Highlight how the company could\nhelp change you and vice versa. One of your strengths may coincide with a new\nproject the company is working on. You won\u2019t know until you talk about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. Why should we consider you?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This question is similar to the classic: \u201cWhat makes you the best\ncandidate?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Draw on your strengths and respond with attributes or experiences that make\nyou unique. You should have studied the company\u2019s profile prior to the\ninterview, so use that knowledge to tailor your answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember: Highlight characteristics you have that would make you a great\nfit for the company culture in the particular position you applied for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Answer Interview Questions About Others<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Questions in this category can be among the most informative for potential\nemployers. In today\u2019s world more than ever, interpersonal skills are becoming\nmore and more important. If you don\u2019t have any experience working with others,\nthese interview questions might be the most difficult for you to respond to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. What kinds of people do you find most difficult to work with?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As with every question in an interview, you need to be honest with your\nanswers. But you should also keep in mind that you don\u2019t want to paint yourself\nin a negative way. There are a few things to remember when answering this type\nof question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t say that you can never get along with a certain type of person. The\ncompany wants to know that you can interact professionally with anyone. Using\nabsolutes like \u201cnever\u201d or \u201calways\u201d implies that you\u2019re not adaptable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Show that you\u2019re a problem solver: Tell of a specific difficult instance\nyou\u2019ve had with another person and what you did to resolve the situation.\nRemember PAR stories and the STAR method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

14. Who was the worst coworker\/classmate you have ever worked with?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When answering this question, be cautious:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company you\u2019re interviewing with doesn\u2019t want to hire someone who is\npetty. Make it clear that while you did have problems with the coworker\/classmate,\nyou don\u2019t hold a grudge. Even if there was no clear resolution, show that you\ndid what you could for the situation and have learned from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. What is one of the most difficult conflicts you\u2019ve been able to\nresolve?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A word of caution:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Try to stay clear of personal stories with this question. Giving too manypersonal details will give the interviewer a sense that you can\u2019t separate yourpersonal and professional life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focus on experiences where you showcased leadership skills in professional\nsettings. If you don\u2019t have much work experience, it\u2019s completely acceptable to\nrespond with instances from school or social encounters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16. How well do you work with other people?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you love people, this question will be easy for you. But if you\u2019re introverted\nor shy, an answer to this question may be slightly more difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More likely than not, you\u2019ll be required to work with other people in some\nsort of team setting. Describe past experiences you\u2019ve had while working as\npart of a team and how you handled them. If you\u2019re not a natural leader,\nmention that you enjoy taking on the role of supporter for most situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be sure to make it clear that you\u2019re willing to be either in a given\nsituation, and drive for results regardless of your position in the social\nhierarchy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Answer Interview Questions About Your Work Style<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your answers to questions in this category are important because they\nshould show the interviewer how you actually perform on the job. You\u2019ll\nobviously want to paint yourself in a positive way, but just keep in mind that\nhonesty is always key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you respond to these questions in ways you think the interviewer will\nwant to hear, you\u2019ll be doing both yourself and them a disservice.  Remember that there are no wrong answers to\nthese questions, just responses which adhere more closely to what the\ninterviewer is looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17. Do you work better under pressure or with time to plan and organize?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Again, you should be as honest as possible during this question. Both\nparties should have a realistic view of the other\u2019s expectations. If you hate\nstress, but the job you\u2019re interviewing for is extremely fast-paced, neither\nparty will be happy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18. Describe how you allocate your time and set your priorities in a\ntypical day.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A response about schoolwork is completely relevant in response to thisquestion. It\u2019s safe to say that the person interviewing you has been through some form of higher education, and can understand the stresses of college life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Describe how you use your time and determine which tasks receive priority.Be sure to show that your method is universal and could be applied to a work place setting as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

19. What are you looking for in your ideal position?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hint: Tailor your answer here to the job or internship you\u2019re interviewing for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responding with something that follows the lines of the job description isa good idea. But remember: Interviewers are intelligent people. If they realize you\u2019re directly quoting the job description, then it might lower their opinionof your answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

20. What is more important\u2014completing a job on time, or doing it right?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This question can vary based on the industry you\u2019re interviewing in. Focus\non the priorities within the job. Those that are time sensitive will expect you\nto complete the job on time over all else, while others understand sacrificing\npunctuality for quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be sure to mention that you do your best to ensure all your tasks are\ncompleted promptly and correctly. This lets the interviewer know that you\nrarely have to choose between completing a job on time or doing it right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

21. What kinds of decisions are most difficult for you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a multitude of responses to this question, including: decisions\ninvolving others, decisions with a large impact, or decisions which involve\nlarge sums of money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s acceptable to say that you\u2019re more cautious with any difficult\ndecision, but you want to show the interviewer you\u2019re willing to make difficult\ndecisions (and do so logically). Nobody likes to hold another person\u2019s hand in\nthe workplace, so the person they will hire is someone who they can trust in\ntough situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonus Interview Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

22. How many jelly beans can fit in an 8-inch x 10-inch x 12-inch\ncontainer?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Questions like this are given to candidates as intentional curve balls.\nThey are the most asked interview questions for STEM related positions. Most of\nthe time, you won\u2019t be expected to give an accurate answer. The interviewer\nmainly wants to see how you problem solve and think through unique situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are common among jobs that require creative thinking, so be prepared\nto show your brain power. If you\u2019re blindsided by one of these questions, do\nyour best to stay calm and formulate a best-guess answer instead of just\nsaying, \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

23. Do you have any children at home?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Any question that relates to your family, race, religion, gender, or age\nare illegal. The interviewer should know not to ask these questions, but if you\nget them, you should know how to respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re not required to answer, and can steer the conversation in a\ndifferent direction: \u201cI\u2019m not comfortable discussing that topic, but I do have\na question about your management structure. Can we discuss that further?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they pressure you for an answer, then that company is not somewhere you\nwant to work. If they can\u2019t be honest in the interview process, there are\nprobably more things they handle illegally as well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interviews are important. The above questions are the most popular\ninterview questions for 2017 that will be asked by hiring managers. If you want\nto truly stand out from the crowd and get that job or internship, remember to follow\nthis basic advice: Be honest and think through your answers before you get to\nthe interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be confident and remember: You\u2019ve got this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WISH is always looking for helpful information to pass on to our past,\ncurrent and future interns.  If you have\nany articles or information that helped you, then pass it on to us with your\nexplanation of how it helped you.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WISH wants you to succeed in every facet of your college education and experience.  We are featuring an original 2017 article, written by Lydia Coffey, in its entirety to help hone your communications skills during the interview process. Finding the right DC internship takes research, diligence and determination. Share your interview stories with us on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[45,29,25],"class_list":["post-7427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-internship-opportunities","tag-intern-life-tips","tag-internship-opportunities-dc","tag-student-success"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/atdevserver.com\/Internsdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/atdevserver.com\/Internsdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/atdevserver.com\/Internsdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atdevserver.com\/Internsdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atdevserver.com\/Internsdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7427"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/atdevserver.com\/Internsdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7427\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atdevserver.com\/Internsdc\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/atdevserver.com\/Internsdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atdevserver.com\/Internsdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atdevserver.com\/Internsdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}