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Questions you may expect in your first interview

By Patricia Blystone
Published: 3 March, 2008

Interview preparation is critically important in the employment process, in this article we will discuss some of the questions you may expect in various interviews. Usually there are two types of interviews (there are more, but we’ll focus on these two)

Structured the aim of structured interviews is to ensure that all interview candidates are presented with the exact set of questions in the same order. Often the answers to questions will be fixed or close-ended. Structured interviews make it easier for interviewers to aggregate responses and make comparisons between candidates.
Unstructured in unstructured interviews questions are adapted for different candidates, based on their thoughts, beliefs and responses. They allow interviewers to find out information which may not have been relevant prior to the interview and go further into new topic.

These interviews are on two ends of the spectrum and you will often find that there will be a blend of the two in most interviews. It is most likely that you will experience more structured interviews for larger graduate programs in early stage interviews as they are used to filter candidate numbers. At the same time you are more likely to experience unstructured interviews during the final stages of the employment process. This is the perfect opportunity for you to make a lasting impression; they’ve seen your great CV, academic results, community involvement and leadership potential. It’s now time to show some personality that will ultimately lead to a job offer. Ok so we know the structure of interviews now, but what about some of the questions that you might expect?

What is the project you are most proud of? and why?
What is one of the most challenging projects you have been involved with? and why?
Describe a situation where you worked in a team? What role did you take on? What went well and what didn’t?
Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult person (e.g. another student)? What did you do to resolve the situation? Would you do anything differently next time?
Why are you applying for this position?
Where do you see yourself in five years time?

Make sure you have a good idea of how you would respond to the questions above, with great preparation and a willingness to make yourself memorable you are going to be very close to securing that job! Do you have any questions or comments on your own experience? Please let us know.

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