Common Interview Questions-Entry Level

By TED DAYWALT

The following is a list of common interview questions to use with candidates for entry level positions or candidates who are recent college graduates. These questions are compiled from a number of sources.

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What are your three main priorities in life?
3. Why did you choose this college and how did you arrive at the decision?
4. What factors did you consider in choosing your major?
5. Of the courses you have had at college, which courses did you enjoy the most? Why?
6. Describe how your favorite course has contributed to your career interests.
7. What is your GPA? How do you feel about it?
8. Does your GPA reflect your true abilities?
9. What could you have done to have a better GPA?
10. How have you changed personally since starting college?
11. Since you have been at college, what accomplishment are you most proudest?
12. What has been your greatest challenge?
13. What has been your greatest failure?
14. If you could change a decision you made while at college, what would you change and why?
15. In what campus organizations and extra-circular activities do you participate? What did you learn or gain from this involvement? What did you contribute?
16. Name four traits that you think would be important for an effective leader. Why did you chose these?
17. Describe a leadership role of yours and tell why you committed your time to it?
18. In a particular leadership role you held, what was your greatest challenge?
19. In a particular leadership role you held, what was your greatest defeat?
20. How would others describe you as a leader?
21. Give me an example of an idea that has come to you and what you did with it?
22. Give me an example of a problem you solved and the process you used?
23. Give me an example of the most creative project that you have worked on.
24. What work experiences have been most valuable to you and why?
25. Tell me about a project you initiated.
26. Describe a project or situation that best demonstrates your analytical abilities.
27. Since attending college, what is the toughest decision that you have had to make?
28. What have the experiences on your resume taught you about managing and working with people?
29. What is the most difficult decision you have had to make? How has your education and work experience prepared you for this position?
30. What type of situations put you under pressure?
31. How do you cope with pressure?
32. Why are you interested in our company?
33. What would be the ideal job for you?
34. What type of position are you seeking?
35. Where do you think your interest in this career comes from?
36. Where do you see yourself in three years?
37. What other types of jobs are you considering?
38. Why have you chosen this particular profession?
39. What do you know about our company?
40. What interests you about this job?
41. What challenges are you looking for in a position?
42. What can you contribute to this company?
43. Why should we be interested in you?
44. What goals have you set for yourself? How do you plan to achieve them?
45. What is your most significant accomplishment to date?
46. To what do you owe your success?
47. What motivates you?
48. What turns you off?
49. If I asked people who know you to describe you, what would they say?
50. What would be the main reason why I should not hire you?
51. What do you like to do in your spare time?
52. When tackling a project, do you like to work in a group or individually?
53. Describe the ideal manager.
54. Describe the type of manager for whom you would like to work.
55. Give me examples of your team player qualities.
56. How do you handle difficult people?
57. Describe a situation where you had to work with someone who was difficult and how you handled the situation.
58. What type of work environment most appeals to you?
59. What other companies are you interviewing with? Why did you chose them?
60. We are looking at a number of very talented candidates. Why should we hire you over them?
61. What will you do if you are not the person chosen for this position?
62. If we had to chose between you and others, what is it about you that says we should chose you for the position?