Note: We came across this article prior to 2005 and have lost track of the source. It remains a good resource.
In what type of position are you most interested?- Why do you think you might like to work for our company?
- What jobs have you held? How were they obtained and why did you leave?
- Why did you choose your particular field of work?
- What do you know about our company?
- What qualifications do you have that make you feel that you will be successful in our position?
- What are your ideas on salary?
- Why did you decide to go to this particular school? How did you rank in your class? If you were starting college all over again, what courses would you take? Do you feel you have done the best scholastic work of which you are capable? Did you ever change your field of interest while in college? If so, why?
- What were your extracurricular activities in college? Now?
- What do you think determines a person’s progress in a company?
- What personal characteristics are necessary for success in your chosen field?
- Do you prefer working with others or by yourself?
- What kind of boss do you prefer?
- Can you take instructions without feeling upset?
- How did previous employers treat you?
- What have you learned from some of the jobs you have held?
- Can you get recommendations from previous employers?
- What interests you about our products or services?
- Have you ever had any difficulty getting along with peers, bosses, subordinates, customers, etc.?
- Do you like routine work?
- Do you like regular hours?
- What is your major weakness?
- Define cooperation?
- Do you have an analytical mind?
- Are you eager to please?
- Will you fight to get ahead?
- Are you willing to go where the company sends you?
- If you were entirely free to do so, what job in our company would you choose?
- Is it any effort for you to be tolerant of persons with backgrounds and interests different from your own?
- What types of people seem to rub you the wrong way?
- What jobs have you enjoyed the most? The least? Why?
- What are your own special abilities?
- What job in our company do you want to work towards?
- What is your idea of how business operates today?
- Do you like to travel?
- How about overtime?
- What kind of work interests you?
- What are the disadvantages of your chosen field?
- What have you done which shows initiative and willingness to work?
- What are your short-range objectives? Long range?
- What do you look for in a job?
- Why are you leaving your present job?
- What can you do for us that someone else cannot do?
- Why should we hire you?
- Can you work under pressure?
- What is your philosophy of management?
- What were your five biggest accomplishments in your present (or last job)?
- What are the five biggest accomplishments in your career?
- Why didn’t you do better in college?
- What are your biggest strengths?
- How long would it take you to make a contribution to our company?
- How long would you stay with us?
- If you could start again, what would you do differently?
- What new goals and objectives have you established recently? Why?
- How have you changed the nature of your job?
- What do you think of your boss?
- What do your subordinates think of you? Peers? Boss? Customers?
- What features of your previous jobs have you liked? Disliked?
- Describe a few situations in which your work was criticized?
- How would you evaluate your present employer?
- Do you generally speak to people before they speak to you?
- How would you describe the essence of success?
- What interests you the most about the position we have?
- Will you be out to take your boss’s job?
- Are you a leader?
- How would you describe your personality? Would others say anything different?
- Have you helped increase profits? How? Reduced costs? How?
- And of course any questions involving technical areas of the jobs you have had.
