It is nearly impossible to be fully prepared for the entire list of interview questions and answers that you’re about to face. Interview questions vary according to the types of industries, companies and even job positions available in Malaysia.
However, there are standard/common interview questions and answers for fresh graduates that you can expect to encounter during job interviews. These interview questions are universal in the sense that they’re bound to appear in most if not all interviews.
Are you ready for your upcoming job interviews? Let’s dive deeper into the popular interview questions and answers for fresh graduates.
How have you demonstrated leadership qualities at university?
This is known as a behavioural interview question (and comes in all shapes and sizes). The interviewer is encouraging you to use real-life examples of your own experience to see how you react and deal with different situations, in this case, taking the lead.
Consider group projects you’ve taken charge of while at university, as these are perfect examples of how you had to take the reins, make tough decisions and influence others in order to achieve success. For example:
“I was team leader for a four-week project at university. The role involved assessing my team’s skills and attributes and coming up with a plan that meant everyone involved had to do a task they were good at but also enjoyed. There were a few glitches along the way, but I’m glad it wasn’t all smooth sailing, otherwise I wouldn’t have learnt how to deal with issues such as team conflict, tight deadlines and being put on the spot when a decision had to be made.”
Are you a team player?
Of course, the answer is yes. But you need to explain how and why. For example:
“I like having the flexibility to handle projects alone as well as being part of a small or large team. I think the best part of teamwork is the inspiration element – there is always someone who has a great idea that you hadn’t thought of if you always worked solo.”
4. Describe a time where you disagreed with a coworker or teammate on a project. Disagreement is natural. The employer isn’t trying to assess your ability to debate, or even to know whether you’re right or wrong. What they want to know is at the end of the day, can you reach a consensus and move forward. Disagreement is good as long as it doesn’t prevent good work and progress from being made. Being able to resolve differences and move forward is a critical skill that all employers are looking for.
We’ve compiled a list of the top 20 entry-level interview questions and answers to help you prepare to land your first job after. They fall into the following categories:
4. How would your past professors or managers describe you? It’s best to start answering this question with a clarification that you can’t known for certain how they would describe you. Start broad and cover as a whole how you think your previous supervisors or professors have viewed you. This is similar to the strengths and weaknesses question. Then, once you’ve stated broadly how you think you’re viewed, give a few specific examples. It’s best if you can demonstrate through examples (e.g. projects) why a professor or previous manager would say these things.
3. Describe a situation where you taught a concept to a co-worker or classmate. You’ve just spent a lot of time learning from professors and in groups, so you might not think of yourself as a teacher. However, the more knowledge you accumulate, the more likely it is that you’ll be teaching things in the future. It’s best to be specific if you can, and focus on an example from a group project at school or in a previous job. Focus primarily on how you communicated with the person and ensured that they were learning. Don’t focus so much on what you taught them, but rather on how you taught them.
5. Describe a situation in which someone critiqued your work. How did you respond? You’re (hopefully) going to get lots of feedback in any new job. How you take that feedback and what you do with it will often determine whether or not you keep the job. If you’re not willing to listen to feedback (even if you think it’s wrong) and attempt to address concerns, you likely won’t do well in many professional environments. To answer this question, try and find a situation where someone not only critiqued you, but a situation where you disagreed with that critique. Attempt to demonstrate how you still listened to the critique, voiced your own opinion, and did your best to understand where the critiquer was coming from. Show that you have the capacity to listen and change your behavior.