An interview is an opportunity for a candidate and employer to learn more about one another and assess a potential fit. Being well-prepared throughout the interview process will help you to successfully share your qualifications with an employer and improve your chances of receiving a job or internship offer.
The following list of Sample Interview Questions, which can be accessed via Google Drive using your U-M credentials, may be useful as you prepare for your interview. Additional interview preparation resources include:
- Big Interview – accessed via the University Career Center website with U-M credentials.
- LinkedIn – interview preparation with video recording option, accessed via Jobs > Interview Prep.
Students can learn more about interviewing by attending the workshop series events. If you have questions about interviewing, please schedule an appointment with the Career & Professional Development team.
Research
As you conduct your search for professional opportunities, you will learn more about potential employers while reviewing job and internship descriptions. When you are offered an interview, you should conduct additional research to learn more about your potential employer. Potential sources of information include:
- Firm/Organization Website
- Firm/Organization LinkedIn Page
- Informational Interview with current (or former) employee of the firm/organization
Interview Questions
As you search for professional opportunities and prepare for interviews, you may consider how you would respond to the following common interview questions:
- Tell me about yourself and why you are interested in this position.
- What are your strengths?
- What are your weaknesses?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Preparing to respond to behavioral interview questions is also recommended. These questions seek to identify patterns of past behavior, and may begin with “tell me about a time when”. Some examples of behavioral questions are listed below:
- Tell me about a time you managed multiple projects at once. How did you handle shifting timelines and priorities?
- Tell me about a time when you had a difficult conversation with a colleague or client. How did you handle it?
The University Career Center outlines behavioral interviews and list additional sample questions on their website, which you can access here.
Using AI for Interview Preparation
AI can be used to assist with interview preparation. One way is to pose queries using the description of the job or internship you have applied for. Some example queries are listed below:
- What are the top 10 most likely interview questions based on this job description?
- Generate a STAR response to this interview question based on my resume.
- How can I respond to this interview question if I have no experience in this area?
Learn more about applications of AI tools and ethical best practices for using AI in the career process here.