Sample Internship Interview Questions

If you are looking for an internship, you will likely have to go through an interview process. This is your chance to showcase your skills, achievements, and personality to the potential employer. You want to make a good impression and stand out from the crowd. But how do you prepare for an internship interview? What kind of questions can you expect? And how do you handle tricky or unconventional questions?

In this article, we will provide you with some sample internship interview questions and tips on how to answer them effectively. We will also give you some advice on how to start and end your interview strong, and how to research the company and its culture before the interview. By following these guidelines, you will be able to ace your internship interview and increase your chances of getting hired.

Start and End Strong

The first and last impressions you make in an interview are very important. You want to show that you are confident, enthusiastic, and professional. Here are some tips on how to start and end your interview strong:

Greet the interviewer with a smile, a firm handshake, and eye contact. Introduce yourself and thank them for their time.
Prepare an elevator pitch that summarizes who you are, what you are studying, and why you are interested in the internship. This should be no longer than 30 seconds and should highlight your main strengths and goals.
Ask questions at the end of the interview to show your interest and curiosity. You can ask about the company, the internship, the expectations, the feedback, or the next steps. Avoid asking about salary, benefits, or vacation time unless the interviewer brings it up.
Thank the interviewer again for their time and opportunity. Express your enthusiasm and eagerness to hear from them. Ask for their contact information and follow up with a thank-you email within 24 hours.

General Interview Questions

These are the common interview questions that are used to assess your basic skills, qualifications, and fit for the internship. You should be able to answer them clearly and concisely, using examples and stories to illustrate your points. Here are some of the general interview questions you may encounter:

Tell me a little bit about yourself. This is your chance to give your elevator pitch and highlight your most relevant skills and achievements for the internship. Focus on your education, experience, and interests that relate to the position and the company.
What are your strengths and weaknesses? This question is used to evaluate your self-awareness and honesty. For your strengths, choose three or four skills that are essential for the internship and provide evidence of how you have used them in the past. For your weaknesses, choose one or two areas that you are working on improving and explain how you are doing so.
What accomplishments are you most proud of? This question is used to measure your motivation and performance. Choose one or two accomplishments that demonstrate your skills, abilities, and results. They can be academic, professional, or personal, as long as they are relevant to the internship. Explain what you did, how you did it, and what impact it had.
Do you work better under pressure or with time to plan and organize? This question is used to assess your work style and adaptability. There is no right or wrong answer, but you should be honest and realistic. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of both scenarios and give examples of how you have handled them in the past. Show that you can work well in different situations and cope with stress and challenges.
Why are you interested in this internship? This question is used to gauge your interest and enthusiasm for the position and the company. You should show that you have done your research and that you have specific reasons for applying. Mention what you hope to learn, what skills you want to develop, and what value you can bring to the organization.
Why should we consider you for this internship? This question is used to test your confidence and persuasion skills. You should summarize your main qualifications and achievements that make you a suitable candidate for the internship. Highlight your skills, experience, and personality that match the requirements and expectations of the position and the company. Explain how you can contribute to their goals and mission.
What do you know about this industry/company? This question is used to check your knowledge and preparation for the interview. You should show that you have done your homework and that you are familiar with the industry and the company. Mention some facts, figures, trends, or news that relate to their field and their business. Demonstrate your interest and curiosity by asking relevant questions.
How would your faculty/friends/co-workers describe you? This question is used to evaluate your personality and interpersonal skills. You should choose three or four adjectives that describe your positive traits and back them up with examples. Avoid clichés or generic terms and focus on the qualities that are relevant to the internship and the company culture.
What three words would you choose to best describe yourself? This question is similar to the previous one, but more concise. You should choose three words that capture your essence and differentiate you from other candidates. They can be skills, values, or characteristics that are important for the internship and the company. Explain why you chose them and how they reflect your personality and performance.
Why did you choose your major? This question is used to understand your academic background and interests. You should explain how you decided on your major and what you enjoy about it. You should also relate your major to the internship and the company and show how it has prepared you for the position. Mention some of the courses, projects, or activities that you have done or are doing that are relevant to the field and the business.

Behavioral Interview Questions

These are the interview questions that are used to assess your behavior and actions in specific situations. They are based on the premise that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. You should use the STAR method to answer them effectively. The STAR method stands for:

Situation: Describe the situation or context of the example you are using.
Task: Explain the task or goal you had to accomplish or the problem you had to solve.
Action: Describe the action or steps you took to complete the task or solve the problem.
Result: Explain the result or outcome of your action and what you learned from it.

Here are some of the behavioral interview questions you may encounter:

Give an example of how you’ve dealt with a conflict with another person. This question is used to measure your conflict resolution and communication skills. You should choose an example where you had a disagreement or misunderstanding with someone, such as a faculty, friend, co-worker, or customer. Explain how you approached the situation, what you said and did, and how you resolved the issue. Show that you can handle conflicts constructively and diplomatically.
Tell me a story either personal or professional that paints a picture of you. This question is used to assess your storytelling and self-expression skills. You should choose a story that showcases your personality, values, and achievements. It can be about a challenge you overcame, a success you celebrated, or a lesson you learned. Explain the context, the plot, the characters, and the moral of the story. Show that you can engage and captivate the listener with your story.
Describe a situation where your judgment proved to be an invaluable contribution to a team. This question is used to evaluate your judgment and decision-making skills. You should choose an example where you had to make a difficult or important decision as part of a team, such as a group project, a team assignment, or a team event. Explain the situation, the options, the criteria, and the decision. Show how your judgment helped the team achieve a positive result or avoid a negative consequence.
How do you handle meeting tight deadlines? This question is used to test your time management and organizational skills. You should choose an example where you had to complete a task or a project within a short or limited time frame, such as a homework, a report, or a presentation. Explain how you planned, prioritized, and executed your work. Show how you met the deadline without compromising the quality or accuracy of your work.
Give an example of how you set goals and achieve them. This question is used to measure your goal-setting and achievement skills. You should choose an example where you had a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goal that you pursued and accomplished, such as a grade, a certification, or a recognition. Explain how you defined, planned, and monitored your goal. Show how you achieved your goal and what benefits or rewards it brought you.
What do you do when your schedule is interrupted? Give an example of how you handle this. This question is used to assess your flexibility and adaptability skills. You should choose an example where you had to deal with an unexpected change or interruption in your schedule, such as a cancellation, a delay, or an emergency. Explain how you reacted, adjusted, and coped with the situation. Show that you can handle changes and interruptions calmly and effectively.
Give an example of how you work on a team. This question is used to evaluate your teamwork and collaboration skills. You should choose an example where you worked on a team project or activity, such as a class project, a club event, or a volunteer work. Explain your role, responsibilities, and contributions to the team. Show how you communicated, cooperated, and coordinated with your team members. Highlight any challenges or successes you faced or achieved as a team.
Can you remember a time when you handled a difficult situation with another student or co-worker? What did you do? This question is used to examine your problem-solving and interpersonal skills. You should choose an example where you faced a challenge or a conflict with another person, such as a peer, a partner, or a supervisor. Explain the situation, the issue, and the resolution. Show how you used your logic, creativity, and communication skills to handle the situation effectively and positively.
Share an example of how you’ve been able to motivate team members. This question is used to assess your leadership and motivational skills. You should choose an example where you took the initiative or the responsibility to inspire, encourage, or support your team members, such as a group project, a team assignment, or a team event. Explain your role, your actions, and your impact. Show how you used your vision, passion, and influence to motivate team members and achieve a common goal.
Describe how you would handle a difficult relationship that you felt was holding you back on the job. This question is used to evaluate your emotional intelligence and relationship management skills. You should choose an example where you had to deal with a difficult or toxic relationship with someone at work, such as a boss, a colleague, or a client. Explain the situation, the problem, and the outcome. Show how you used your empathy, assertiveness, and negotiation skills to handle the relationship professionally and constructively.

Tricky or Unconventional Interview Questions

These are the interview questions that are used to challenge your thinking and creativity skills. They are often unexpected, unusual, or irrelevant to the position or the company. They may have no right or wrong answer, or they may have multiple possible answers. You should not panic or get flustered by these questions, but rather use them as an opportunity to showcase your personality, humor, and originality. Here are some tips on how to handle tricky or unconventional interview questions:

Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or more information. Sometimes, the interviewer may intentionally give you a vague or ambiguous question to see how you handle uncertainty or confusion. You can ask them to repeat, rephrase, or elaborate on the question to make sure you understand it correctly and to buy yourself some time to think.
Don’t be afraid to think out loud or ask for feedback. Sometimes, the interviewer may want to see your thought process or your reasoning skills rather than your final answer. You can explain your assumptions, your logic, your calculations, or your criteria as you work on the question. You can also ask the interviewer for feedback, hints, or suggestions to show your interest and engagement.
Don’t be afraid to be creative or humorous. Sometimes, the interviewer may want to see your creativity or your personality rather than your knowledge or your skills. You can use your imagination, your intuition, your experience, or your humor to come up with an original or funny answer. You can also use examples, stories, or analogies to illustrate your point. However, you should also be careful not to be offensive, inappropriate, or disrespectful to the interviewer, the company, or anyone else.

Conclusion

An internship interview is a great opportunity to showcase your skills, achievements, and personality to the potential employer. By preparing well, answering effectively, and handling confidently, you can ace your internship interview and increase your chances of getting hired. Here are some key points to remember:

Start and end your interview strong by greeting, thanking, and following up with the interviewer.
Answer general interview questions clearly and concisely, using examples and stories to illustrate your points.
Answer behavioral interview questions effectively, using the STAR method to describe your situation, task, action, and result.
Handle tricky or unconventional interview questions calmly and creatively, using your logic, imagination, and humor to come up with an answer.
Research the company and its culture before the interview and show your interest and fit for the position and the organization.