Interview questions and how to tackle them! Part 1.

1.  Tell me about a time that you planned an event or a project from start to finish.

The key to this question is giving results!  Be prepared with a specific time you organized something – an event, project, marketing plan, etc. How many people were involved?  Did you manage anyone?  How many details were involved and how did you manage the details?  Tell them what you accomplished – what did you learn?  How did the event or the project turn out?

2.  What excites you about this position and what do you see as a challenge?

Honestly ask yourself why you are sitting there?  Can you visualize yourself in this role?  If not – you shouldn’t have applied.  They want to know that you understand this position specifically.  So don’t be afraid to highlight the mission of the department BUT also highlight some of the specific qualifications for this position…not your boss’s.  They want to know that you want this role and that you are going to be a positive addition to the team.  What is going to be a challenge?  This question is asked to see if you can be vulnerable to your limitations.  Are you self aware enough to see that there might be a learning curve.

3.  How would you describe yourself?

This is tough because anyone interviewing for an entry-level position feels awkward boasting about himself or herself, but they want to hear how self-aware you are and how you see yourself.   Think about the time you took StrengthsFinder and what surprised you – what did you learn from those results?  Were they accurate?  What role do you play on a team?  Are you the relationship person on a team – are you the logistics implementer?  Or are you the strategic thinker?  The company also wants to know that you will fit in well with the team and complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

 And that reminds me…you should know your strengths and weaknesses.  They will ask a version of that question, so be prepared.

Interviewing isn’t easy. It takes practice and a lot of research.

Speaking of practice – we are here to help and you can always utilize InterviewStream on the Career Services website for additional assistance.

Let us know if we can help!  Stay tuned…more interview questions to come.