Whether you are 17 or 67 years old, whether you are an experienced executive looking to rise the ranks into a CEO position or a college student who’s been yearning to get your first internship, interviews are daunting for all of us. That’s why our team of interview prep experts have compiled some of the best methods they’ve come across and developed during their career for answering common interview questions for everyone.
Fortunately, if you are well prepared, you will not be as nervous during the interview as someone who has not done their research whatsoever.
That being said, most people still don’t know anything about answering questions in interviews. So, if you plan to participate in an internship interview, but don’t know what to say or expect, here is a crash course that will teach you how to answer these seven interview questions.
Question 1: Talk about yourself and give a brief introduction
Very simple, but also very complicated, right?
As they said, this question is your time to shine. First, you have to do the following things:
- Talk about your achievements.
- Praise those who have made a positive influence on you.
- Allow yourself to open up to the interviewer.
So how can you sound less like you’re tooting your own horn when talking about the above three topics? It’s pretty straightforward; write yourself a little script to work off of.
Take the time to write down what really defines your accomplishment; try to say something along these lines:
I am an athlete (computer scientist, philosopher, etc.), but I don’t think that only this label defines me. My mother (friends, professors, father, brother, etc.) has always had an important influence on me. I know that the honour I feel I have received is not just academic, and my great achievements in the field (or other competitive fields) I study are not just the business outcomes of my work, but the relationships built and discoveries found with those around me. Together we can put collective effort to strive for new greatness. This is why I am here. I think this internship is my next step.
Question 2: What is your goal for this internship?
The answer is simple; after all, everyone has a goal.
Think about the reason you want an internship. Do you want to improve your language skills? Or do you want to learn more about your future job? Then express the answers to the above questions as your own goals. If you apply for an internship to learn more robotics, then your internship goal will be to increase your knowledge in the field of robotics.
Question 3: What is your greatest strength?
This is your chance to impress the interview team with your skills and knowledge, and it also gives the interviewer a chance to get to know you better. Remember:
Humility is good, but the more important part is to be confident in details.
Everyone can list their own strengths, but few people can give specific examples to illustrate when they use their strengths to help others.
Question 4: What is your biggest weakness?
The easiest way to figure out a weakness is to list your five strengths.
List your strengths from 1 to 5, where 5 is the weakest.
The following is an example:
- Compassionate
- Good communicator
- Excellent analytical skills
- Outgoing
- Patient
By creating a list of your strengths, you can see what your strengths are, and then consider how to improve your weakest link, which is still technically an advantage. Your interviewer does not need to know that you are actually talking about something you are good at.
Question 5: Talk about an experience where you helped your team succeed.
Don’t underestimate the power of teamwork;
Many companies offering internships often look for interns in groups. Despite the countless articles and reports having mentioned how many people have left their jobs to work for themselves, it is important to realize that even in today’s entrepreneurial world, teamwork is still valuable and necessary.
This question is about showing your future boss that you can work well in a team. Don’t limit yourself to the story of school projects, nor the story of teamwork. Know why they will have good results because of you.
Question 6: If you are arranged to work in a different branch, is there a problem?
The company you are looking for is a large enterprise with branches all over the country; then, the other party is likely to consider that you can work in a different place.
The answer should not just be a simple yes or no, but expand upon why and be reasonable.
This may open up a discussion for you to find out it may not be what you expect, and therefore changing your answer in the process.
Question 7: Do you have any hobbies?
Sincerely communicate and resonate with the interviewer.
Even if you’re going for an interview for becoming a data-crunching accounting intern, mentioning your interest in surfing or roller hockey may leave a good impression on the interviewer if they also enjoy the same hobbies or know that the company’s employees have similar interests. So definitely do not hold back on mentioning your hobbies, that can show your characteristics and suggest some positive factors.
