Internship interview questions.
- Thread starter Hacp
- Start date
- Jun 8, 2005
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Obviously. But I want to see how people answered questions. The style is important.
- Jun 8, 2005
- 13,923
- 2
- 81
Confident, no problem. However, if I act like myself, they'll end the interview in the first 5 minutes:hmm:.
What field are you trying to get a job in? I can help if its commerce/business/management related.
Definitely look up their website, get to know their products.
Had several mechanical engineering based internship interviews over the past summer, didn't land them, but the most common questions were:
what classes are you in
what kind of software do you know/use (for example I know Solidworks and ProE)
GPA
thought process on solving a hard problem
hardest/easiest/favorite class
The interviews I have had we pretty basic job interviews, they will ask typical questions like what is your best asset, previous employment, and experience.
Also, have some questions going in. If they do not define the job, ask them.
Had several mechanical engineering based internship interviews over the past summer, didn't land them, but the most common questions were:
what classes are you in
what kind of software do you know/use (for example I know Solidworks and ProE)
GPA
thought process on solving a hard problem
hardest/easiest/favorite class
The interviews I have had we pretty basic job interviews, they will ask typical questions like what is your best asset, previous employment, and experience.
Also, have some questions going in. If they do not define the job, ask them.
UglyCasanova
Lifer
- Mar 25, 2001
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- Jun 8, 2005
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Did they expect you to know about your job responsibilities before the interview? Did any ask you some absurdly broad question like "what ideas do you have to improve the company?".
GodlessAstronomer
Lifer
- Oct 27, 2007
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The most important thing is to know your stuff. If it's a technical position, show them in the interview that you really know the material inside and out. When they ask you to perform a task, go above and beyond. At my last interview (from which I got a job) I was asked to draw an entity relationship diagram for a database. I was given an hour to perform this task.
I did the task to the highest possible quality, but I also drew out a couple of extra diagrams of some parts of the system with alternative designs and a few notes about the merits and drawbacks of each and why I chose my final design.
During face-to-face technical questions, make sure they see that you're genuinely interesting in what you do. If asked about a recent project, give them detail that they didn't ask for - tell them about a tricky technical problem you are particularly proud of having resolved. If you're actually not that interested in what you do, this is virtually impossible to fake. However you seem to be genuinely excited about interviewing so my guess is you are excited about your field.
What kind of position is it, if you don't mind?
I did the task to the highest possible quality, but I also drew out a couple of extra diagrams of some parts of the system with alternative designs and a few notes about the merits and drawbacks of each and why I chose my final design.
During face-to-face technical questions, make sure they see that you're genuinely interesting in what you do. If asked about a recent project, give them detail that they didn't ask for - tell them about a tricky technical problem you are particularly proud of having resolved. If you're actually not that interested in what you do, this is virtually impossible to fake. However you seem to be genuinely excited about interviewing so my guess is you are excited about your field.
What kind of position is it, if you don't mind?
Gibson486
Lifer
- Aug 9, 2000
- 18,378
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The best advice i can give you is to be yourself and honest. If you lie, now you have to invest your energy in covering up your lie while you energy should be used in thinking ahead with your response.
Also, my experience has taught me that the best way to get good at interviews is to just go to them. while you may fail at it, it will give you insight into how you need to improve. This is the one reason why I loved going to a college with an integrated Coop program. By the time i graduated, I must have already interviewed at more than 30 times.
Also, my experience has taught me that the best way to get good at interviews is to just go to them. while you may fail at it, it will give you insight into how you need to improve. This is the one reason why I loved going to a college with an integrated Coop program. By the time i graduated, I must have already interviewed at more than 30 times.
911paramedic
Diamond Member
- Jan 7, 2002
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guyver01
Lifer
- Sep 25, 2000
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GodlessAstronomer
Lifer
- Oct 27, 2007
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My last interview I was asked that and after a bit of a spiel I said, "I definitely don't want to be one of those people who does nothing but draw silly UML diagrams on white boards..." and the interviewer (CTO of the company) interrupted and said, "yeah, that's my job" with a scarily serious look on his face.
Gibson486
Lifer
- Aug 9, 2000
- 18,378
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As a new college grad at the time, i always answered it as...
"I really do not know....actually, I think it's an unfair question...because how would I know".
that answer seemed to work fine.
guyver01
Lifer
- Sep 25, 2000
- 22,135
- 5
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so.. what you're saying is you have not planned any short term and long term goals...
perhaps a better question is... where do you see yourself in 2 weeks? have you planned that far?
GodlessAstronomer
Lifer
- Oct 27, 2007
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Gibson486
Lifer
- Aug 9, 2000
- 18,378
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A college kids long and short term goal is to make money. College kids do not know what they want.
GodlessAstronomer
Lifer
- Oct 27, 2007
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Hmm maybe it's because I'm slightly older than most college-aged kids but this isn't true at all for me (25, about to graduate).
Gibson486
Lifer
- Aug 9, 2000
- 18,378
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because most college kids do not know what it takes. My real goal out of college was to be an ASIC engineer. Ask me the same question now....the last thing I want to do is be an ASIC engineer....
911paramedic
Diamond Member
- Jan 7, 2002
- 9,448
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That's exactly why that question is asked. guyver01 just showed you what the interviewer is looking for.
I was never given a complete description to the job when I applied, all I was given were the company's address, classification requirements, a short bio, and salary. This is through my schools co-op office. In the interview, I have always been asked if I knew the responsibilities, so I guess the answer to your question is no.
I have never been thrown a question like that before, maybe if you are a graduating college senior or grad student, I am a junior. I have gotten the "why do you want to work for us?" question before.
Gibson486
Lifer
- Aug 9, 2000
- 18,378
- 2
- 0
except every job that has asked me that question has offered me a job. It is an unfair question to ask a COLLEGE GRADUATE.
Assuming it's a technical job, it's important that you know your stuff, but don't forget a large part of an interview is behavioral too. You want to strike a balance between likable and professional.
Paratus
Lifer
- Jun 4, 2004
- 17,769
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http://www.hlcomic.com/index.php?date=2005-06-17
The correct answer is, "In an off-world Combine enslavement colony. I also would have accepted: dead"
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