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You found an internship. Now you must prepare for the interview and practice your presentation.
The first step is to write down sample questions and answers. The following samples provide possible questions and helpful answers that can help you through the interview. Once you have your questions and answers organized, you will want to practice your responses. This will allow your answers to be clear and concise without lengthy run on sentences.
1. “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
This is a common question used in internship and job interviews. Of course you know your strengths, but what can you say about your weaknesses? Weaknesses can be in for your favor if applied in the proper fashion. Remember all information must be truthful.
Sample Strengths:
I’m organized and I work well in a group, but I am also comfortable working independently.
I’m dependable, reliable and a hard worker.
I’m a team player. I have a flexible work style and I’m able to adapt to others needs. I have experience in this field and I’m comfortable with its demands.”
Sample Weaknesses
Weaknesses don’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. Find some of the following examples for your review.
As a hard worker if find that I don’t like to leave projects incomplete at the end of the day. I prefer to stay and finish them. It bothers me if something is left unfinished.”
I prefer to know how things work. I would like to fix something myself rather than call for service. I would rather try to figure it out.“
I can be critical of myself. I’m always striving to find a better way to do something. I often critique myself thinking that I could have done this better or more efficiently.”
2. “Tell me a little about yourself”
This should be a brief statement about your current education status. Specify when you graduate and what you intend to do after graduation. You can mention if you volunteer or participate in a sport. The trick is to not lose track of your initial thought. Prepare a brief statement and practice it prior to your interview.
3. “What interested you about this position?”
This is a good question. It provides insight about your interest in the company. Why are you there? Was the company recommended to you from a teacher or career counselor? Remember to be positive and confident with your answer.
4. “Where do you want to be in five years?”
It’s difficult to conceptualize where anyone will be five years from now. However, it’s easy if you prepare one or two points for your answer: Draw on your education, interests and goals.
Samples:
My goal is that this opportunity will allow me to gain knowledge and experience in the field. I would like to apply that toward a career in sports management. I’m a sports fan and would like to one day work in Public Relations for a professional sports team
Even though my background is in computer design, I would one day like to work in computer
animation for the motion picture industry.
5. “What is your greatest accomplishment to date?”
If you are junior or senior in college, this might be an interesting question for you. What is your greatest accomplishment to date? Do you volunteer? Are you a part of a sports team? Did you win any academic awards or scholarships. Did you achieve a high GPA?
The tone of your voice, your communication skills, your posture, your eye contact all play a big role in the overall presentation. The person interviewing you might speak softly or slouch or not appear as you imagined, but remember they are recommending you for an internship or a job. So it’s up to you to present yourself in the most positive light.