Sample Interview Questions

Although there is no way to predict the exact questions you may be asked in an interview, you can certainly do yourself a favour and prepare for the different types of questions you might get asked. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will be answering them. Rarely is it enough to simply think through the answers but rather talk them through out loud. If a friend, family member or neighbour isn’t able to quiz you, find yourself a quiet spot or lock yourself in the bathroom (!!) and practice those questions out loud!!

Below are the main types of questions you can expect and a few sample questions to prepare with.

GENERAL

Tell me about yourself.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Which difficulties / challenges do you have the most trouble managing?
How do you feel about teamwork / working alone?
What style of management do you prefer?
What salary are you looking for?

FACTUAL

Have you previously done this type of work? Where? When? What?
What training / education have you had?
Describe your past jobs… Which job did you prefer and why?

TECHNICAL

How do you measure / repair / maintain / do xyz?
Demonstrate or explain how you use X piece of equipment?
Practical tests (eg: Typing test for words-per-minute))

PROBLEM SOLVING / SITUATIONAL

Can you provide an example of a problem you encountered in a previous job and how you went about solving it?
What have you learned from your mistakes?
Situational questions: If XYZ happens, what would you do?

PROBING

Why did you leave your last job?
Why didn’t you didn’t complete high school / your college degree?
What is your family situation?

ROLE PLAYING / PERSONALITY / PSYCHOLOGICAL

If you were to describe yourself in five words, what would they be?
You are doing your grocery shopping and you saw a customer shoplifting, what would you do?
You notice a co-worker smoking up on his break, what would you do?
Why should we hire you over somebody else?

STRESS

Rapid responses / challenges / comments about your answers.
If you were a car / kitchen appliance / animal, which would it be and why?

** Always remember to try and think of what the employer is interested in or looking for, and answer the question accordingly.