1. Tell us something about yourself.
This is perhaps the most common question asked and almost always the first thing asked in an interview. This is your chance to talk about yourself. When the interviewer asks you to tell about yourself, he/she wants to know details about you that you haven’t mentioned in your resume. Therefore, do not include your name/qualification/extra-curricular activities. You could however speak about your hobbies, interests, etc.
2. Have you taken part in extra-curricular activities?
Do not talk about your hobbies here. There’s a difference between hobbies and extra-curricular activities. While hobbies are activities you do in your spare time, extra-curricular activities are activities you do at school/college-level where you have a certificate to back it up. It could be voluntary work like organizing an event or participating in sports, theatre and other competitions.
3. What newspapers/books/magazines do you read?
Make sure you answer this honestly. There’s a chance the interviewer will ask you the headline on the front page.
4. What’s your greatest achievement?
This need not always be academic achievement. It could be from your social life in the past too. Think and answer it.
5. Are you an introvert or extrovert?
Saying that you’re an introvert or an extrovert can classify you as an extreme, which is bad for you. When at work, your behavior needs to be as per the requirement. You can say that you behave as per the requirement and can be both.
6. Do you have plans for further studies?
This could be a tricky question to answer. If you answer with a yes, the company might feel that your further studies and work life may not complement each other. They might also feel that you would be working with them for a limited time. Be diplomatic here and say that you haven’t thought about it yet and will probably consider it after gaining some work experience in the industry and gaining some insights.
7. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
You can definitely expect this question in every interview, so be prepared for it. Do a SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of yourself at home. Talk to your friends and family members, ask them about your good qualities and bad. Take an honest feedback from them. Everyone has weaknesses, however, you can’t mention a weakness that can be an obstacle for the role you’re applying for. For example, if your job is sales, you can’t say you aren’t fluent in communicating or aren’t persuasive, etc. You could offer a strength of yours as a weakness, or mention weakness that is not related to your work.
8. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
Learn about the industry you’re in and do an analysis. Talk to experienced professionals from the industry and understand it’s future as well as the growth pattern and how much time it’s going to take to get promoted from one position to another and whether you have the skills required. You need to be brutally honest with yourself here. If you don’t already have the skills, are you willing to develop them and how?
9. What is success for you?
Success is a subjective thing and can mean different things to different people. Don’t give them a cliched answer to this question. There’s not definitive answer to what success it, so tell them what it means to you.
Questions about the role
1. Why does this role interest you? why have you applied?
This is asked to assess your interest levels in the role you’ve applied for. The interviewee wants to know if you’re really interested or have applied because you were jobless. Try and relate the job requirements with your candidature and explain to the interviewee why you’re suitable for the post.
2. What skills do you want to develop to success in the role?
Mention and talk about the roles necessary for the role you have applied for. This will show the interviewee that you’re ready to learn and also that you’re aware of your shortcomings. Tell them that, as a fresher, you have the ability to work hard but require a formal training to enhance the skills you have for professional environment.
3. Can you work comfortably in a team?
Almost every organizations have teams and they focus on team works which requires a lot of adjustments. The interviewee here wants to know if you can work in teams comfortably. If you have prior experience of working in teams in your school/college projects, you can mention them here and share the experience with the. Know that in a team, every one’s thought process is different and everyone thinks differently. You need to have the ability to handle this and lead the team. The interviewee wants to know how good you’re at interacting with team and coordinating.
4. Are there any kind of people you cannot work with?
As we mentioned above, it’s important that you adjust when you’re working in teams.
5. Are you willing to relocate in India?
Answer this honestly and tell them if you have any plans to relocate in India and explain why.
6. Do you mind working in shifts?
You don’t have to agree just for the sake of it. Answer honestly and tell them if whether you’re ready to work in shifts or not. Mention if you have any inhibitions about working in shifts.
7. Do you have a valid passport?
A lot of companies send their employees to foreign countries for training. It’s a plus point if you have a passport. If you have a passport, do mention it on your resume. If you don’t, then tell them you will get it done as soon as possible in case it’s required.
8. Would you be open to change your project/profile when required?
The interviewer wants to know if you’re ready to change roles and if you’re versatile enough for that. This is important for the company as they want their employees to be adaptable and willing to change roles as per business requirements. Your answer typically should be yes and that you understand it will be in the best interest of the business and if your manager wants you to develop skills to take up another role, you’d do it.
9. Why do you want to join our organization?
This is asked to check whether you have done your homework on the organization. Make sure you have read thoroughly about the organization through their website and social media and have gathered all their details before the interview. Tell them why you think their organization is great and how it is going to help you grow in your career.
10. How long will you work for us?
Every company knows that every professional working in their company will aspire a change as some point in their career. You could however, be diplomatic and tell them you haven’t thought about it or you could answer honestly too.
11. Are you speaking to other companies too?
Honestly answer this and say yes if you are.
12. Which companies?
Don’t reveal the names of the companies. You can say that you respect the confidentiality of that company and you wouldn’t like to name them and say this politely.
13. Why have you been turning down jobs?
Tell them that you did not find those jobs suitable for your candidature. Also, never bad mouth other organizations. That could give the interviewer a bad impression about you.
14. What can you contribute for the organization?
The organization expects you to be an asset to them. You need to put in your 100% in everything you do for the betterment of the organization. You need to work with loyalty, integrity, have excellent knowledge, ability to work, coordinate with teams, meet deadlines, work hard, be goal oriented and have an encouraging and supportive nature.
15. Why should we hire you?
This is asked almost in every interview. You can talk about your greatest strengths here and link it with your job requirements. The company will hire you if they see that you can add value to the job. Tell them how your skills will help that position and about your ability to grasp things and learn quickly and your flexible attitude. These are some of the qualities interviewers look for in freshers.
16. What salary are you expecting?
Be frank about your expectations in terms of salary, perks, career and future plans. Before the interview find out the average salary paid in that industry by leading organizations depending on post you’ve applied for. If you’re a fresher, tell them the salary is negotiable and put the ball in their court.
17. How soon can you join us?
Think and answer this question and tell them frankly if you need time. Sometimes if you need to relocate for the job you will need some time for your commitments. A lot of freshers commit to an early joining date due to anxiety and face problems later. If you post-pone the joining it will give them a bad impression even before you join the company. Therefore give a practical answer.
18. Do you have any questions for us?
Saying no and not asking any questions could be seen as lack of interest in the job or dullness or even lack of research on your part. Do ask about the growth opportunities you will get while working and about their plans to expand and whether their company encourages learning and the development of their employees. You could also discuss your role in detail.