Sample Interview Questions for Career Readiness Competencies

Career and Student Employment Services

Tell me about the last time you had to learn a new task. How did you go about learning it? What, if any tools, did you employ?
Tell me about a time you did more than was required in your job.

Do you prefer to communicate via email, phone or in-person? Why?
What team communication tools have you used? What was your experience with them?
If you’re presenting your ideas during a meeting and your audience seems disengaged, what would you do to get their attention?
How would you reply to a negative online review about our University?
Have you ever worked with someone you struggled to communicate with? If so, what was the obstacle and how did you handle it?
Have you ever talked to an angry customer? If so, how did you manage the situation?
Tell me about a time when you had to assert yourself to make a point.
Describe a time when you had to persuade a manager to see your point of view.
Tell me about a time when you had to explain a complex technical idea to someone with little technical background.
Describe a time when you were assigned a project without clear direction. What did you do?

Tell me about a time you had to make a decision with incomplete information. What did you do?
Describe a time when you had to convince your manager to try a different approach to solve a problem.
Describe a time you had to solve a problem without managerial input. How did you do it and what was the result?
Give an example of a time you identified and fixed a problem before it became urgent.
How do you know when to solve a problem on your own or to ask for help?
Are you an innovator? Why?
Describe a situation in which you found a creative way to overcome an obstacle.
Tell me about a time when you came up with a new approach to a problem.
Describe a time when you had to make a decision quickly without all of the information you needed. What was the outcome?

Give a specific example of how you have helped create an environment where differences are valued, encouraged and supported.
Tell us about a time that you successfully adapted to a culturally different environment.
Tell us about a time when you made an intentional effort to get to know someone from another culture.
What have you done to further your knowledge/understanding about diversity? How have you demonstrated your learning?

Give an example of your ability to build motivation in your co-workers, classmates, or on a volunteer committee.
Have you ever had difficulty getting others to accept your ideas? What was your approach? Did it work?
Have you ever been a member of a group where two of the members did not work well together? What did you do to get them to do so?
What is the toughest group that you have had to get cooperation from? Describe how you handled it. What was the outcome?
Have you ever had to introduce a new idea or process at work? What approach did you take to gain cooperation?
Tell me about a time that you led an important meeting.
What qualities make a good leader?
Tell me about a time that you took the lead on a difficult project.
Describe a time when you led by example.
Who have you coached or mentored to achieve success?

Describe a time when you were asked to keep information confidential.
Tell us about a specific time when you had to handle a tough problem which challenged fairness or ethical issues.
Did you ever have to deal with a co-worker who wasn’t pulling his or her weight? What did you do about it?
Describe a situation in which you went above and beyond the call of duty.
Tell me about a time when you had to sacrifice your quality standards to meet a deadline.

Some people work best as part of a group - others prefer the role of individual contributor. How would you describe yourself?
Tell me about a work experience where you had to work closely with others. How did it go? How did you overcome any difficulties?
When working on a team project have you ever had an experience where there was strong disagreement among team members? What did you do?
Tell me about a rewarding team experience.
Describe a project with a challenging team dynamic. How did you handle it?
Give me an example of how you have dealt with a difficult team member.

Give me an example of an assignment, which you have recently worked on, that involved the learning of a new technical skill.
Tell me about the most difficult IT problem you ever faced and how you handled it. Would you handle it the same way now?
Tell us about one of the technical problems you had to solve recently.