Tell us about a time you took on a leadership role
You might be thinking “Hey, if I’m interviewing for an internship why would they care if I’ve been in a leadership role before? Aren’t interns the low man on the totem pole?”, and you’d be right. But your interviewer still wants to know what kinds of leadership experience and capabilities you have, especially if your internship has the opportunity to become a full-time position. Companies want employees who can take the lead and seize the moment, but who also know how to work well with others.
Describe a time when you faced a challenge, and how you overcame it
This question is crucial to making a good impression with your interviewer, and it gives you the chance to stand out from the pack. By describing a time when you overcame a challenge, you are giving the recruiter an insight into how you approach obstacles and your problem solving process. It also helps them understand how well you can work while under pressure, and how you adapt to stressful situations; all of which is crucial as a new member of a team.
Tell us about an achievement you’re proud of
This is your time to shine! You honestly can’t go wrong answering this question. Just keep in mind, its better to mention an accomplishment you achieved in the work place. Maybe your team won an award, or you were employee of the month, or you finished a big project. Tell your recruiter all about it, and how you made it happen!
Tell us about a time you tried to learn a new skill
While interviewing, you may come across this question as a way for the recruiter to gauge how quickly you pick up new skills and how effectively you can use that new skill in a professional environment. Every business has different ways they conduct business, and you may be walking into a workplace that has different operations than any other you’ve worked in before. You want to try to provide an example that expresses your ability to adapt to new situations and the ways in which you have successfully used the skills you learned.
Describe a time when you failed at something
We know that you’d rather talk about literally ANYTHING else with an interviewer, but describing a time when you failed is not the horribly embarrassing experience you think it will be. In fact, its the perfect opportunity to showcase your problem solving abilities. When you describe a time when you failed, focus on how you learned from the experience and how it helped you in projects or tasks that followed. Your recruiter wants to know how well you can handle failure and how you learn from times things didn’t go your way.
BONUS: Do you have any questions for us?
We’ve discussed this several times in previous blog posts, and I’m sure you’re getting sick of hearing it. But the truth is, asking questions is the best way to show your interviewer that you’re not only interested in the position, but that you were paying attention as well. If you ask valid and well thought out questions, it displays your ability to not only take in information but to analyze it and problem solve. Good communication is key to any team, and you cannot be afraid to ask questions if you need to in any working environment.
–Tyler Geeve, Staff Source Marketing/Recruiting Assistant