Job Interview Question Database: Questions

with Excellent Sample Responses, 1-8

The Job Interview Question & Response Database includes 150 of
the most typical interview questions that you may face in your job
interviews. Questions are in no particular order, so take your time and
go through the entire list!

Displaying Job Interview Questions 1-8

1. How would you describe yourself?
Sample excellent response:
My background to date has been centered around preparing myself to become the very best
financial consultant I can become. Let me tell you specifically how Ive prepared myself. I
am an undergraduate student in finance and accounting at ____________ University. My
past experiences has been in retail and higher education. Both aspects have prepared me
well for this career.
See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.
2. What specific goals, including those related to your occupation, have you established for
your life?
Sample excellent response:
I want to be working for an excellent company like yours in a job in which I am managing
information. I plan to contribute my leadership, interpersonal, and technical skills. My
long-range career goal is to be the best information systems technician I can be for the
company I work for.
See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.

3. How has your college experience prepared you for a business career?
Sample excellent response:
I have prepared myself to transition into the the work force through real-world experience
involving travel abroad, internship, and entrepreneurial opportunities. While interning with
a private organization in Ecuador, I developed a 15-page marketing plan composed in
Spanish that recommended more effective ways the company could promote its services. I
also traveled abroad on two other occasions in which I researched the indigenous culture
of the Mayan Indians in Todos Santos, Guatemala, and participated in a total-languageimmersion program in Costa Rica. As you can see from my academic, extracurricular, and
experiential background, I have unconditionally committed myself to success as a
marketing professional.
See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.
4. Please describe the ideal job for you following graduation.
Sample excellent response (equates ideal job with job hes interviewing for):
My ideal job is one that incorporates both my education and practical work skills to be the
best I can be. Namely combining my education in finance with my working knowledge of
customer-service operations, entrepreneurial abilities, computer skills, and administrative
skills. I want to utilize my analytical expertise to help people meet their financial goals.
This is exactly why I am convinced that I would be a very valuable member of the Merrill
Lynch team.
See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.
5. What influenced you to choose this career?
Sample excellent response:
My past experiences have shown me that I enjoy facing and overcoming the challenge of
making a sale. Without a doubt, once I have practiced my presentation and prepared
myself for objections, I feel very confident approaching people I dont know and
convincing them that they need my product. Lastly, I like sales because my potential for
success is limited only by how much of myself I dedicate toward my goal. If any
profession is founded on self-determinism, it surely must be sales.
See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.
6. At what point did you choose this career?

Sample excellent response:

I knew that I wanted to pursue information-systems technology about my sophomore year
in college. It was then that I realized that my that my hobby (computers) was taking up
most of my time. My favorite courses were IT courses. I also realized that I so enjoyed the
computer-oriented work-study I was doing that I would have done it for free.
See also career choice sample interview questions.
7. What specific goals have you established for your career?
Sample excellent response:
My goals include becoming a Certified Financial Advisor so I can obtain a better working
knowledge of financial research analysis. That background would enable me contribute to
my client base as a better financial consultant since I would have that extra insight into the
companies they seek to invest in. I could then be a portfolio manager or even branch office
manager.
See also this page of our Job Interviewing Tutorial.
8. What will it take to attain your goals, and what steps have you taken toward attaining
them?
Sample excellent response:
Ive already done some research on other workers at Merrill Edge to see how they
achieved similar goals. I know that Merrill Edge encourages the pursuit of a graduate
degree and will reimburse for tuition. I plan to pursue an MBA to give me an even more
extensive knowledge of business and financial analysis.

How do you feel about working nights and weekends?

By frankly speaking I don't like to work in nights and weekends but during work pressure company
needs me I will be ready to work in weekends and night if you give a proper security at night.
For me work is most important, if a company wants to my presence, I will be there night or day, I will
have no problem in working during Weekends. But for daily basis, I can give my best in the day
sifting.
Working on weekends is definitely a yes if work pressure demands but I am not comfortable with night
shifts due to safety measures but yes I can work from home whenever there is a need for it.
Working on weekends is definitely a yes if work pressure demands but I am not comfortable with night
shifts.
Sir, as I am part of the company it is my responsibility to take part in the each and every
aspect of our company. If my requirement is necessary I am ready to work on weekends
and even on night shift because in my view company success is equal to my success.
Being frank I don't want to work at nights and weekends by that time I need to spend my time with
my family and friends. If the company needs my presence in that cases ill never hesitate to work,
because working is only my passion.
Madam frankly speaking, I would prefer to spend time with my family in weekends. I would complete
the work on time so that there would be no need for me to work on weekends or nights. But if the
company needs me I would always be there to serve my company at any time.
Honestly speaking, I would prefer to spend time with my family in weekends. I would complete the
work on time so that there would be no need for me to work on weekends or nights. But if the
company needs me I would always be there to serve my company at any time.
Being a fresher it is always quite helpful to spend some more time in work for learning new things but
I also have to spend my time with my family. But if the situation demands then for myself and also for
the company I will surely work at nights and weekends.
There is not an issue for me working at nights since I am used to staying awake till late night, but I
think working on weekends would be a problem for me as after the tiring weekdays we really need one
or two days to sit back and relax.
So that we could start the next weekday with a smiling face and passion. Still, if company needs me at
weekends too I would hesitate first but will surely dedicate myself to the work assigned!

What is the difference between hard work and smart work?

In my point of view, smart work and hard work aren't like different methods of working, and many
people have such a perception. Smart work is just an intelligent way of working where you finish the
work more efficiently.
Take for example, if you're preparing for IIT or generally any exam, then you definitely need to work
hard, but if you do that with a proper and flexible (in the sense not fixed to a particular plan always)
preparation, that becomes a smart way of working.
So we can put it like this: SMART WORK is nothing but a SMART WAY of WORKING HARD.

Can you work under pressure?

Working under pressure will always improve myself in my personal and professional life. This is the
only time when you came to know how good you are in doing the quality work and manage the things.
This thing always motivated me working under pressure.
I feel pressure can be termed as challenge and if you see it as a challenge you won't feel under
pressure as you are looking this as a opportunity this is the way I feel so I can say I can work under
pressure and I feel it's just a word its all about how we think and react to it.
Yes, pressure is a kind of motivation or a challenge for your mind to work as hard as it can to solve a
problem and solving it as soon as possible to prevent it from adding up. So for me pressure is normal
on work.

Are you willing to relocate or travel?

Yes, it will be a good opportunity for me. It will give me a new environment to work and to interact
with diff kind of person and I think this all will give a boost to my career.
Yes sir, this will be a good opportunity for me. This is as a good challenge, that I accept because
working in new environment and with new people that's really a knowledgeable. So definitely I
relocate or travel.
Yes I'm ready to relocate since I want to utilize each and every opportunity given to me and it will be
good to build my carrier and to interact with new people.
A new challenge with new environment will always encourage me to work. Also besides being
everything like office and new assignment definitely will work more efficiently. I am definitely willing to
relocate myself as well as travelling for mutual growth.