CMU Career Guide Central Michigan University Career Guide | Page 32

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS SAMPLE GENERAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS SAMPLE BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS • Tell me about yourself. • How have you demonstrated initiative? • What do you consider to be your greatest • Tell me about a time when you successfully strengths and weaknesses? interacted with a difficult person. • Why did you choose Central Michigan • How have you motivated yourself to complete University and your area of study? an assignment or task that you did not want to • Which classes have you enjoyed most? do? Least? Why? • Think about a complex project or assignment • What extra-curricular activities have you you have been given. What approach did you participated in and enjoyed the most? Why? take to complete it? • What are your short‐term and long‐term • Tell me about the riskiest decision you have career goals, and how do you plan to made. achieve them? • Tell me about a challenge of which you • What leadership positions have you held? successfully exceeded expectations. Describe your leadership style. • Give an example of when your persistence had • What motivates you to put forth your the biggest payoff. greatest effort? • Describe a situation where class assignments • Why are you interested in our organization and work or personal activities conflicted. and this position? How did you prioritize and manage your time? • What do you think it takes to be successful • How have you most constructively dealt with in an organization like ours? disappointment and turned it into a learning • What qualities do you think a successful experience? manager would possess? • Describe a situation in which you effectively • What three accomplishments have given developed a solution to a problem by you the greatest satisfaction? combining different perspectives or • How would your previous supervisor and approaches. co-workers describe you? • Give me an example of a time when you • What criteria are you using to evaluate the needed to learn something new in a short company for which you hope to work? amount of time. • Why are you the best candidate for this • Describe a time when you disagreed with a position? supervisor. POSSIBLE QUESTIONS TO ASK THE INTERVIEWER • • • • 32 What would be the first project or initiative for the successful candidate? What is your favorite thing about your job? What do you anticipate to be the greatest challenges of this position? What professional development opportunities would be available to the successful candidate? • • What is the timeline of the hiring process? How would you describe your management style? TIP: Use what you’ve learned from the interview to ask specific questions: “You mentioned that ... I was curious to know more about ... ”