Interview Preparation: 50 Questions You Should Be Ready For

The interview is the final hurdle between you and your dream internship. Preparation is everything. While you can't predict every question, you can prepare for the most common ones. This list covers 50 questions across various categories to ensure you're ready for anything.

Behavioral Questions

These questions assess your past performance to predict your future behavior. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What are your greatest strengths?
3. What are your greatest weaknesses?
4. Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult person.
5. Describe a time you failed. What did you learn?
6. Tell me about a time you demonstrated leadership skills.
7. How do you handle pressure or stressful situations?
8. Describe a time you had to manage conflicting priorities.
9. Tell me about a time you had to learn something quickly.
10. Describe a complex project you worked on. What was your role?

Situational Questions

These are hypothetical questions designed to assess your problem-solving and decision-making skills.

11. What would you do if you were assigned a task you didn't know how to do?
12. What would you do if you made a mistake that no one else noticed?
13. How would you handle a disagreement with your manager?
14. What would you do if you were falling behind on a project deadline?
15. Imagine a team member is not pulling their weight. What do you do?

Questions About Your Experience and Skills

These questions delve into the details of your resume.

16. Walk me through your resume.
17. What is the most interesting project you've worked on?
18. Tell me more about your experience with [specific skill or technology].
19. How do you stay up-to-date with industry trends?
20. What skills do you think are most important for this role?

Questions About the Company and Role

These questions assess your interest in the company and the specific position.

21. Why do you want to work for our company?
22. What do you know about our company?
23. Why are you interested in this specific role?
24. What do you hope to gain from this internship?
25. Who are our main competitors? What do we do better?

Technical Questions (Examples for a Software Role)

These will vary greatly depending on the role. Here are some examples for a software engineering intern.

26. What is the difference between a list and a tuple in Python?
27. Explain the concept of Object-Oriented Programming.
28. What are the different types of joins in SQL?
29. Describe the MVC architecture.
30. How does the internet work? (Explain DNS, HTTP, etc.)

Brain Teasers and Problem-Solving Questions

These are less common now but still pop up. They are designed to test your thought process.

31. How many golf balls can fit in a school bus?
32. Why are manhole covers round?
33. You have a 3-gallon jug and a 5-gallon jug. How do you measure out exactly 4 gallons?

Questions About Your Career Goals

These questions help the interviewer understand your long-term ambitions.

34. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
35. What are your long-term career goals?
36. How does this internship fit into your career plans?

Questions About Teamwork and Culture Fit

These assess how well you would fit into the team and company culture.

37. Do you prefer working alone or in a team?
38. What kind of work environment do you thrive in?
39. What are the three most important values to you in a job?
40. How would your previous teammates describe you?

Wrap-Up Questions

These are typically asked at the end of the interview.

41. What are your salary expectations? (For internships, often the stipend is fixed, but it's good to be prepared).
42. When can you start?
43. Is there anything else we should know about you?

Questions for YOU to Ask the Interviewer

Always have questions prepared. It shows you're engaged and thoughtful.

44. What does a typical day look like for an intern in this role?
45. What are the biggest challenges the team is currently facing?
46. How do you measure success for this position?
47. What are the opportunities for mentorship and learning?
48. What is your favorite part about working at this company?
49. What are the next steps in the interview process?
50. Do you have any questions for me? (This is your chance to ask for feedback).

Conclusion

You won't be asked all of these questions, but preparing for them will give you a repository of stories and answers to draw from. The goal isn't to memorize answers, but to be so familiar with your own experiences that you can confidently and articulately respond to whatever comes your way. Good luck!