1.”What extracurricular activities were you involved in?”
If you don’t have any work experience, then a company wants to know what extra activities you did in school to see if you are active. It is best to list a couple of things describing what the group is and what role you had in the group. If you were not a part of any group, it might be ok to make something up. It is hard to verify this so they will not find out. But it could back fire, if the interviewer happened to be in the same group at the same university.
Short Answers
“I was involved in our school newspaper. I was one of the writers for three years.”
“I was very active in our university politics. In my senior year, I was the vice president of the University.”
“Besides studying, I played baseball for our school. I really like to study and to stay physically active.”
“I was involved with a group that helped awareness of environmental problems such as pollution. I was on a team that educated people about driving alternatives such as buses and carpooling.”
Long Answer
“I was very active in the university magazine committee. I was a member of that group for four years. I helped write articles about events occurring in school. In my senior year, I was the editor and did less writing and more managing in regards to the magazine structure, what contents to add, and distributing work among the junior members of the group. I really enjoyed my experience there and learned about working closely together as a group to deliver a quality magazine.”
If you don’t have work experience, then you will need to say something to show them that you learned some valuable lessons such as team work. I suggest you to reflect on what you did during school and create a list of what you learned.
2.”Why did you choose your major?”
“Why did you choose to major in History?”
If you are a computer science major interviewing for a computer position, then they will not ask you this question. But if you are an English Literature major and interview for a computer position, then they might want to know why you chose to major in English Literature. To create an answer for English Literature, you can say things learning to be a better communicator, having better reading comprehension, and say how skills learned from English Literature can be applied towards many fields. But something like History is different. Unless you are going to be a Historian, it’s hard to justify how your major is going to help you in your job.
Short Answers
“I majored in History because I enjoyed learning about the past. I always try to apply my history knowledge in many things I do. This knowledge allowed me to study many different experiences.”
“I majored in English because it was a major that would make me more skilled in reading, writing, and communicating. I believe English is a tool that is used everywhere, so I thought it was the best major for me.”
“I majored in Psychology because I was interested in seeing how the mind works. I also found it useful because it helped me to work with people better by understanding differences in everyone.”
“I majored in Biology because I initially wanted to go to med school. Although I decided not to go to med school, I still wanted to complete my bachelor’s degree.”
Long Answer
“I majored in History because I always had a strong interest in historical facts. I grew up very close to history and chose this major because I really enjoyed the subject. I planned on becoming a high school history teacher or even a professor, but then I started to get into computers. It’s totally different from history but it really fascinated me. Now, instead of looking in the past, I’m always looking into the future through all the technological changes.”
It doesn’t connect the major to the job but at least it gives an explanation. It’s not bad to say you majored in something because you liked the subject. The only bad answer is to say you didn’t know what else to do and you couldn’t get into a better department.
3.”If you redo college again, what would you major in?”
I already explained this a little in another question about restarting your career. You can use the same answer here if you want, but I will give one more example of not changing your major in the long answer section.
Short Answers
“I didn’t realize I was so interested in computers until I graduated college. So if I could select a different major, I would major in Computer Science.”
“I liked the fact I completed my degree in English. But if I could redo college again, I would like to double major in English and Business.”
“I would liked to have majored in Engineering. I have a strong interest in hardware so I believe Engineering would have helped.”
“I would choose to major in Marketing in the Business School. I really enjoy this type of work and having more background would have helped me to excel more.”
Long Answer
“If I were to redo college again, I don’t think I would change my major. I liked the fact that I majored in Business and I believe it will help me with my career. I’m pretty good with the computer, but I would like to have taken more computer classes. Because technology is growing so quickly, I think I would have benefited from having a deeper understanding in computers.”
This answer demonstrates a good choice in the beginning. I included the portion about computers because they want to see something you would have done differently. And making the comment about computers shows the interviewer your understanding about technology to some degree. But don’t say this answer without first stating that you are pretty good with the computer.
4.”What course did you like the most?”
“What was your favorite subject?”
When you answer this question, use a subject that helped you become a better person or a better worker. Although this question is asking for you opinion and there is no wrong answer, you should take advantage of this question by showing your strengths.
Short Answers
“I really enjoyed an English writing class I took. This class taught me to write more clearly and concisely.”
“My favorite subject was Physics. It really helped my logic abilities and I use this knowledge to solve problems in a variety of ways.”
“There was a speech class I took that I really enjoyed. It helped me to speak in groups better and I learned to speak professionally in front of an audience.”
“My favorite subject was applied science. I really enjoyed learning different ways of applying science into ordinary things.”
Long Answer
“I really enjoyed majoring in electrical engineering and it really helped me to prepare for my career, but the class I enjoyed the most is probably a couple of psychology classes I took. Although it didn’t help me in any technical way, I learned a little bit about human behavior and learned how the brain works. I started to understand the reasons for my strengths and weakness instead of just knowing them. Also, it helped me to understand people who are different than me.”
This is a simple answer but a very good one. An engineer is mostly technical and they might lack skills in human interaction. So an engineer saying their favorite course was psychology demonstrates that this person has both technical skills and the ability to work with others better. It lists several good examples such as understanding both strengths and weakness along with understanding different people.
5.”What course did you like the least?”
“What course did you struggle in the most?”
This is an easier answer because you don’t have to show off your strength here. All you have to do is make sure you don’t pick a subject that relates to your job. It is also safer to pick something that most people do not enjoy. Finally, picking something that you are not good at is acceptable if it is not a skill required on the job. My long example will be about a drama class.
Short Answers
“I didn’t enjoy history that much. It wasn’t that difficult, but it didn’t allow me to think creatively. Most of the classes I took were about memorizing dates and facts. So history is my least favorite subject.”
“I struggled in a music class the most. I really enjoy listening to music so I tried to learn a little about it. But it was a disaster. My tone was off and I couldn’t tell if something was flat or not.”
“My least favorite class was probably poetry. During that course I struggled writing a real poem. I realized I am not a poet.”
“I disliked my geography class. It wasn’t difficult, but I simply didn’t find it very interesting.”
Long Answer
“For me, I had a tough time in my drama class. I didn’t realize that I was a terrible actor. I didn’t think it would be that hard, but week after week, my instructor would point out problem after problem. He gave me a B, but I think it was because of my effort, not because of my abilities. I say this because when I saw myself on video, oh my gosh, it was terrible.”
You are putting yourself down a lot here, but in this example it is actually good. Interviewers are worried that a person who can act well will be able to lie about many things during the interview. A person without acting skills will not be able to hide automatic body gestures that the interviewer is looking at. Also, this answer is good because it shows that this person never gives up and puts in a lot of effort.
6.”How will your performance in your worst class affect your performance on this job?”
This question is another opportunity to show many good traits. You can display traits such as endurance, effort, and willingness to work on things you don’t like. This is very important because during your career, you will have to do many boring things. This long answer will display that you are a person that will do good at any task.
Short Answers
“No matter if I liked the class or not, I always tried my hardest. As a result, the lowest grade I ever received was a B. So I’m confident that I’ll be good at any task.”
“I had one class where I really struggled. I asked more questions and studied more. As a result, I did very well. So even if I’m struggling, I feel I can find ways to do a good job by putting in more effort.”
“My performance in my worst class will positively impact my performance on this job. I struggled with a logic class, but I studied harder, researched more information, and I never gave up.”
Long Answers
“I remember I did terrible in my astrology class. I didn’t have much interest in the subject and I really didn’t know that I would struggle in it. I thought about just doing enough to make it through, but I decided that I was going to put some effort into it. I continually asked questions and studied more for this class than I did in others. I got a B for all my effort, but at least I didn’t give up and I kept pushing forward. So now I know that whether I like a project or not, I’ll do the best I can because it’s my responsibility.”
This answer shows maturity and the interviewer should like it.
7.”How would your best friend describe you?”
This answer can be short. Use key words that show how you are a good fit for this position. If it if a salesperson, mention things like, an easy person to talk, good personality, and dependable as the traits. But if it is for a manager position, then you can use different words like organized, helpful, considerate, and smart. So it all depends on the position. Most people will be honest and say what the best friend will actually say, but it is more effective to choose the words so it relates to the job. Here are some examples.
“Oh, let’s see… I think my best friend would describe me as honest, detailed, and very organized.”
“I think my best friend would say that I’m very responsible. Whenever our group of friends had to coordinate an activity, they always relied on me.”
“My best friend would probably say that I’m warm, friendly, and understanding.”
It doesn’t have to be long, but don’t blurt out the answer without thinking. Then it makes it appear as you are thinking about it instead of saying an answer you already prepared.
8.”How would your professor describe you?”
Same thing here, but you can’t choose any words. You have to choose one that relates to school work. Select words that are general and that applies to most types of jobs.
“I think my professor would describe me as a great team member and consistent in my school work.”
This is good because school has group projects. It shows team work experience and it also mentions consistency.
“My professor told me one time that I was like a fireball. I always had a good attitude that positively affected other students in group activities.”
“My professor always told me that I was very creative. He liked my papers because it showed that I really thought about the problem and tackled it in a different way.”
9.”How would your mother describe you?”
You can use more personal words here because your mother knows you in a different way.
“I think my mother would say I’m very friendly because I had a lot of friends and that I’m very focused because I always finish what I start.”
This answer is showing two different types of characteristics. One is more personal and one is a good work trait. It also shows reasons by saying because… Overall, these types of questions are not that significant and a short answer that is good should be fine.
“Since I was the oldest out of three, I think my mother would describe me as responsible and someone who is looked to for answers.”
“My mother told me I was always smart. When I was younger, she was surprised to see A’s in my report card. After awhile, she would be surprised when I didn’t receive an A.”
10.”Why are you applying for a job that you didn’t major in?”
“Why didn’t you pursue a career in your major?”
In the United States the statistics for a person changing career paths is very high. It’s something like an average person will change careers five times. Changing jobs is one thing, but completely changing careers is a big move. So this question is not that significant. If everyone worked in the industry as their major, then this question is more important, but because everyone changes jobs frequently, it’s no big deal. You just have to use this opportunity to show them how much you like the current industry you are in.
Short Answers
“I majored in English because I liked to write. Because I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, I majored in something I was very interested in. After working for a year on the marketing team, I realized that this is what I want to be doing.”
“I majored in History, but during my senior year, I had an opportunity to work at an accounting firm. After seeing first hand at the work they were doing, I really wanted to become an accountant.”
“I was planning on going to Dental School so I majored in Biology. After working with computers, I realized how interesting and challenging it was. So I studied computers on the side because I wanted a career working with computers.”
Long Answer
“I enjoyed majoring in psychology, but I didn’t want to become a psychologist. I just found the subject to be very interesting. It also helped me to understand a wide variety of things. For my career, I wanted to be doing something I was good at and what I enjoyed doing. I had an opportunity to work at a smaller logistics company as an administrative assistant. During that time period they were short handed and I actually got to do some planning and organizing for one of the smaller clients. I didn’t lead anything, but I realized how much I enjoyed the work. Ever since then, I’ve been studying up on planning, logistics, and business.”
This example does three things. It explains why this person is not going into a field related to their major, it is explaining why this person is going into logistics, and finally it is showing passion for the industry and a desire to learn. Since you are probably competing against people who majored in logistics, you need to make an impression with your answer. So you should definitely show enthusiasm here.
11.”During college, how did you spend your summer vacations?”
The best answer is to have spent your summer productively such as working as an intern. Even if you did only one intern, the interviewer will like that. The worst answer is to say you didn’t do anything. Or say you worked in the supermarket to get some money so you can party at night. So think of something productive, and if you don’t have an intern experience, you can say that you spent your summer learning something new.
“My last two summers of college, I did an intern for a consulting firm. I gained experience working on office solutions for large companies.”
“I have a strong interest in traveling, so I used my summer to travel. I went to Europe, Australia, Brazil, and China.”
“Every summer, I took extra English classes. I also took some drawing classes because it’s one of my hobbies. So I spent my summers learning more things.”
“My first two summers, I had to work to save money for tuition. But after saving enough money, I had a free summer. I actually ended up taking some computer classes to prepare myself for the business world. These days it’s a requirement to know computers, so I prepared for that.”
Although I said don’t mention useless work, it is ok if it is for tuition. It shows financial responsibility. Finally, taking some computer classes for the summer is a great way to prepare for work life and it was a summer well spent. Make sure you have an answer that shows productivity.
12.”What did you learn from your internship?”
If you worked as an intern, your resume will say it. Your resume should also include a list of what you learned during your internship. You can answer this question repeating what was on the resume, but using full sentence and with more enthusiasm.
“In my final summer vacation, I had the opportunity to work as an intern for a public accounting firm. It was only for 3 months, but I learned a lot about performing quarterly tax services for small and medium size companies. I also learned to deal with time pressure and learned how to prioritize work to be more efficient. It was a great experience that I know will help me when I start my career.”
13.”Did you do any internships?”
You should be asked this question if your resume doesn’t have any internship experience, or if they didn’t look at your resume. If you do have internship experience, then you can answer, that you do and say the same answer as the one provided with the question, what did you learn from your internship. But if you don’t, you can simply answer that you didn’t do any internship but give a good excuse.
“Yes. I did two internships. The first internship was for Johnson and Johnson. I worked in the distribution team, and my second internship was for Starbucks. At Starbucks, I had the opportunity to work on overseas venture.”
“I did one internship for IBM. I was on the development team creating applications for business solutions.”
“I love to travel and I realized that when I start my career, I won’t be able to travel for long durations. So I used my summers to travel a lot. I spent one summer in Europe for 2 months. I spent another summer traveling between China and some South East Asian countries, and finally, I took a road trip through the United States.”
Traveling is not a bad answer. It is not as good as doing an internship, but definitely better than nothing. It is definitely not a wasted summer. Also, if the internship was useless and generic, then the interviewer will not remember this answer as a good answer. So it didn’t do any good. In this case, traveling could be better because the example I gave is significant and interesting. Something different always stands out more.
14.”If you could learn something such as a new skill, what would it be?”
“What’s the next thing you want to learn?”
This is another type of question that has no wrong or right answer. That means you need to make your answer a little more creative so it stands out.
Short Answers
“I would love to learn more about auditing. As a tax accountant, I primarily work on tax. But I like all aspects of accounting and I think auditing would be very interesting.”
“The next thing I want to learn is how to make web pages. I think this skill can be used anywhere. If I want a personal web site, I would make it myself. And if my group at work needed an internal web site to organize activities, I would be able to make one.”
“I want to learn the different ways to market globally. In my marketing team, I learned everything about marketing on a local level, but I would really love to learn about marketing to different countries.”
Long Answer
“I use the computer on a daily basis and know how to use everything I need to be good at my job. But sometimes something goes wrong with the computer for no reason at all. Because I’m not a computer engineer, I have no idea what’s going on. Basically, I have to wait for a technician to fix it. During these times, I want to kick the computer out of frustration. Mostly, it ends up being a problem I could have fixed if I new the details of how a computer works. So even though it’s not in my job description, I want to know how to fix computers at a basic level.”
I heard from many people who don’t know computers that well that they get frustrated with them. So wanting to kick the computer is understandable and it is a little humorous. Wanting to learn a little more about the computer is always good and it would definitely help out with future work by not having to wait for a technician.
