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To make a good impression at your interview, you should be prepared to answer questions similar to the following:

Traditional Interview Questions

• Tell me about yourself.
• What are your long and short range career goals?
• What are the most important things you are seeking in a career?
• What salary range are you seeking?
• What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
• How would you describe yourself?
• Why should I hire you?
• How could you contribute to our organization?
• Why did you choose the college you attended?
• Are your grades a good indication of your academic achievement?
• What do you know about our organization?
• Why are you interested in working for our organization?
• What work experiences have you had?
• What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
• Are you willing to relocate?
• What type of a work environment are you seeking?
• Tell me about your academic program at college.
• How do you think you can make a contribution to our company?
• What do you know about the position you are applying for?
• What do you know about our industry?

Behavioral interview questions are based on the premise that the most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in a similar situation. Interviewers will ask very pointed questions to determine if the candidate has the skills necessary for the position. Responses should be specific, detailed and describe a situation in the past when you have used the skills in question. The interviewer may probe for more details if the answer is too vague. Some sample behavioral questions include:

• Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion successfully to convince someone to see things your way. How did you do it? How did you approach it?
• Describe a situation in which you were not able to use persuasion to convince someone to see things your way. What happened? How did you compensate? What did you do afterwards?
• Describe a time when you had to think on your feet to resolve a difficult situation.
• Give me a specific example of a time when you conformed to a policy with which you did not agree.
• Describe the most creative presentation you have ever given.
• Describe a time when you were faced with problems that tested your coping skills.

Some companies use case interviews. In a case study, the recruiter will present a hypothetical problem and ask the candidate to talk her way to an answer through an assessment of the issues. Case studies are used to assess the candidates analytic, problem solving and creative skills. Keep in mind that there is no one "correct" way to approach a case. However, it is often helpful to start first from a macro-view to find the major issues. Focus on these issues, and then identify related sub-issues. In some situations, the interviewer may want you to arrive at a numerical answer, but he will also want to see your analysis as you work through the answer. Don't worry if you don't know much about the industry in question. The interviewer may actually prefer that you know nothing, since this ensures your answers will rely on analytics rather than previous knowledge. It is okay to make certain assumptions as you work through the problem. If your assumptions are wrong, the interviewer will tell you. He is most interested in your analytical abilities - how you approach a problem. Some sample case questions similar to those that others have used include the following:

• Your client, a paper pulp manufacturer, is considering building a new paper pulp plant in Oregon or in Louisiana. This manufacturer is headquartered in Portland. Generally, your client sells to paper manufacturers. How do you help your client decide where to build?
• How many pennies would be in Stanford Stadium during a football game?
• Why are manhole covers round?
• How many loaves of bread are sold in Hollister each week?