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Sample Questions

Find more sample questions at QuintCareers and the Riley Guide.

 Breaking the ice

  1. Tell me about yourself.
  2. Walk me through your resume.

Your Princeton experience

  1. Why did you choose this graduate program at Princeton?
  2. How did you select your research/thesis topic?
  3. Describe the course that has had the greatest impact on your thinking.
  4. How has this graduate program built on your previous experiences?
  5. How is Princeton different from your undergraduate school?
 

Show and tell

  1. Why are you pursuing this field?
  2. Describe the job or the activity which has had the greatest impact on your career goals.
  3. What specific skills have you acquired or used in previous jobs that related to this position?
  4. Tell me about what you learned from your previous jobs and internships.
  5. What qualifications do you have that make you think that you would be successful? 

What makes you tick?

  1. What kinds of tasks and responsibilities motivate you the most?
  2. In what kind of work environment do you work best?
  3. How do you motivate other people?
  4. Tell me about a time when you have had to work under pressure. How did you handle that situation?
  5. Tell me about your leadership experiences.
  6. What have you accomplished that you are most proud of?
  7. Tell me about an interesting article you recently read in the newspaper.
  8. If you had six months ahead with no obligations and no financial constraints, what would you do?
  9. How would your colleagues describe you?
  10. What do you want me to know about you that isn’t on your resume?

 Have you done your homework?

  1. Why did you apply to our organization?
  2. What interests/impresses you about this organization?
  3. What criteria are you using to evaluate the organization for which you hope to work?
  4. What can you tell us about our company?
  5. What do you think of our organizational structure?
  6. Who else are you interviewing with? What do you think of those organizations?
  7. Are you seeking employment in a company of a certain size? Why?
  8. Why do you think you might like to live in the community in which our company is located?
  9. Do you have a geographic preference?
  10. Why should I hire you and not the next candidate who walks in the door?

If past behavior predicts future behavior, then…

  1. Tell me about a time when you used your quantitative/analytical skills.
  2. Describe an experience in which you showed initiative.
  3. Describe an experience in which you showed creativity.
  4. Tell me about your most recent group or team effort.
  5. Tell me about an important goal you set in the past, and what steps you took to reach that goal.
  6. What would you do if someone asked you to do something unethical?
  7. Tell me about a time when you have managed multiple priorities at once.
  8. Describe a situation in which you had to take a risk.
  9. Tell me about a time when you went the “extra mile” to get a project done.
  10. Describe a situation when you had to persuade or convince someone. How did you do it?
  11. Describe a time when you had a difficult decision to make and how you arrived at your decision.
  12. Tell me about a time when you had to work on a project that didn’t work out the way it should have. What did you do?
  13. Give me an example of when you failed at something and what you learned from that experience.
  14. Describe a group work situation where you and your partner were having trouble getting along with each other. How did you resolve the conflict?
  15. Describe a situation when you had to learn a large amount of material quickly. How did you handle it?
  16. Tell me about a time when you had a personality conflict or disagreement with a supervisor. How did you resolve it?
  17. Give me an example of how you would motivate a co-worker who was performing poorly on a team project?
  18. Tell me about an unpopular decision you made. How did you make the decision? If you could handle that same situation again, would you do anything differently?

Questions to ask the interviewer

  1. What does it take to be highly successful in this organization?
  2. What do you consider the five most important day to day responsibilities of the job?
  3. Tell me about the organization’s culture.
  4. How will the duties change once the training program has been completed?
  5. What are the opportunities for advancement?
  6. What is the next step in the hiring process?