Sample interview questions and answers

1)            Tell me something about yourself?

I am a person with strong interpersonal skills and have the ability to get along well with people. I enjoy challenges and looking for creative solutions to problems.

OR

Besides the details given in my resume, I believe in character values, vision and action. I am quick in learning from mistakes. I am confident that the various tests that you have conducted will corroborate my competencies aptitude and right attitude for the job.

2)            What do you seek from a job?

I would like a job which gives me a chance to apply all that I have learned in college as well as one which enables me to grow as a professional. I would like a role which enables me to make a difference.

OR

Great learning opportunities, challenging roles, rational career progression, good job satisfaction and opportunities to use my strength organization that gives me the opportunity to serve the organization and the society.

3)            How would you present your strengths ?

Always remember “DO NOT SIMPLY STATE YOUR STRENGTHS. YOU DO HAVE SOME STRENGTHS AND TRY TO CONVERT YOUR STRENGTHS INTO BENEFITS. IN SHORT TRY TO ADVERTIZE YOURSELF BY CONVERTING YOUR FEATURES INTO STRENGTHS.”

You can answer in two ways : -

a)            I am a hard worker and because of this ability I can work for additional hours to accomplish my tasks.

I am commitment oriented and hence I always enjoy the trust and confidence of my team mates which enables me to perform my duties very easily.

I am adaptable, so I can handle any type of people and situations and also bring out the best from them in spite of conflicting situations or opinions.

I am a quick learner, so I can any subject quickly and analyze my job and add value to it as well as I can identify the problem and solve them faster and better.

b)            My strength is that I have very strong values and ethics and a very good eye for detail. I believe in strong relationships and have a very supportive family and very good friends.

4)            Do you have any weakness?

Always remember – “Try to specify your weakness as your strength and also highlight it as a benefit.”

There’s a saying –

Quote:

“However small the thorn maybe it has the ability to pierce.”

So never highlight your weakness unless specifically asked.

Answer: One of my weaknesses as I perceive it would be occasional compromise on time for quality and perfection.

5)            Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

I see myself as a _______ in your esteemed organization where by with all my enhanced learning and skill, I shall be able to make up a valuable and meaningful contribution to your organization.

6)     Tell us an incident where you had a problem with your team-mate. How did you handle it?

Once I had a problem with my team-mate in college who was my partner in my field work assignment. We had a disagreement on how to present our project report.

I explained my point of view to her and asked her for her view point. I’ve found that when conflict occurs, it’s because of a failure to see both sides of the situation. At that point we found a compromise could be reached by incorporating both our ideas.

7)            Is there anything else that we should know about you that would impact our decision?

I am a continuous learner and try to keep myself abreast of all developments in the field of IT. Also since I do not quit in the face of toughest challenges, I am certain that I would be able to achieve the targets that I set for myself and beyond.

8)            How do you deal with criticism?

“You can’t please everyone, so just please yourself. You are your best critic. Some people are just not going to like you. Accept it.”

9)            Did you have any failures in your life?

I failed to score a good percentage in my intermediate. I worked hard for it but scored less than what I expected.

10)          What have you learnt from your failures?

From my failures I have learnt to analyze myself and find out my shortcomings. Those shortcomings are the areas of future improvement for me and I have undertaken seriously to improve myself on those relevant areas. One more thing I learned is never to give up, never to feel rejected.

Quote:

“Accepting a failure is a man’s great trait.”

11)          If after sometime you start disliking the job? What would you do?

Well, if such situation then my first priority would be to look within myself and try to find out any shortcomings or lack of skills and techniques. If such things happen then I would try to improve and rectify myself. Still if I don’t get an answer then I will speak to my seniors and colleagues to learn my mistakes so that I become more user friendly to my organization.

12)          What are your salary expectations?

“Never bargain for your 1st job. It’s a cardinal rule.”

Sir, before answering to your question I would like to ask you with your kind permission what salary you provide to new entrants in your organization at this level.

13)          Can you give three reasons why would you like to join our company?

Three reasons why I would like to join your company are:

a)            Since your company provides a strong core competency, very strong value systems and best practices so I believe I have a strong vision of viewing me as a project leader in your company.

b)            Your company has one of the fastest growth rates and turnover in the industry and that would mean a faster growth rate for me as a professional.

c)            The practices of your company are more employee and customer oriented.

14)          Do you have any questions to ask us?

Never ask Salary, perks, leave, place of posting, etc. regarded questions.

try to ask more about the company to show how early you can make a contribution to your organization like

“Sir, with your kind permission I would like to know more about induction and developmental programs?”

OR

Sir, I would like to have my feedback, so that I can analyze and improve my strengths and rectify my shortcomings.

15)          How do you think our company determines success in an employee?

Well, I think your company measures success in an employee in three parameters –

a)            Competence i.e how well one is able to perform his job with the least possible supervision.

b)            Co-operation or Interpersonal skills i.e how well the employees adapt or adjust themselves with a wide variety of situations.

c)            Integrity of characters – well a man with the above mentioned factors but lacks character is incomplete and unsuccessful.

16)          Why from ECE to IT domain?

Sir, since I am a student of ECE, as u know that ECE/CSE/IT are sister branches and all are interrelated and secondly I think it will be of my best if I utilize my sharp analytical skills in a software industry so I basically do not have any problem to “SWITCH” from ECE to IT. And I believe flexibility must be there within us to progress in life.

17)          If you were an animal/ a can of soup/ some other random object which one would you prefer and why?

I would be a can of soup – one that has a variety of flavors, bubbling with enthusiasm. I would associate my determined attitude with the can’s tough exterior. I would believe that whatever the label on the can, the content are always a surprise.

OR

I would like to be the mind of the CEO – I would then know exactly how complex issues are so thoughtfully analyzed, how prioritizing happens and how accurate decisions which affect numerous stakeholders are made. I would know how almost intuitively, they know what the next big things are and their risk taking abilities.

18)          Suppose I tell you I don’t like your face, then why should I select you?

Even if you do not like my face, you definitely would agree that I have other qualities that appealed you, for which you are now interviewing me. There’s a saying –

Quote:

“A man’s face is not indicative of his abilities.”

“A book is not judged by its cover but it is judged by its contents.”

19)          Suppose you find yourself in a deserted island. What three things you will need to survive?

Food, Water and Hope (that one day I will definitely come out from this island).

20)          How mobile are you?

I am absolutely mobile. Well I can go to any part of the country or even abroad if situation permits.

21)          How do you think you conducted or performed during this interview?

I think I have conducted myself in the best possible manner by satisfying your queries through my specific answers which I feel were logical, systematic and to the point. Through my answer my true worth as a dynamic and competent professional has come out fair and square and I am happy with my performance which would ensure my selection in this esteemed organization.

22)          Can you work under pressure? If yes, how please explain?

Sir, I can handle pressure of work. Let me explain how. Whenever there is pressure of work, we need to tackle it from the mental and physical stand-point. Mental stand-point would mean being in a state of relaxation and composure so that I do not feel stressed out during the course of my work and from physical stand-point; I always prioritize my job in their exact order of merit and importance so that I can dispose them off quickly and effectively.