Internships can help you find your goals and shape your career. Finding and applying for internship opportunities can be easy as many startups are emerging in this digital age.
However, grabbing the same can be challenging for you, especially if you are unaware of what internship questions your prospective employer will ask and how to answer them impactfully.
Here are some common internship interview questions you can prepare for, irrespective of the domain you are applying for.
Top Interview Questions and Their Answers
1. Tell us about yourself.
It is the most commonly asked question in interviews. By asking this question, your interviewer wants to know about your background, education, interests, and experience. Therefore, make sure to frame the answer to this question strategically.
Take your time to think and then answer. Your interviewer wants to check your communication skills, your goals and priorities. Therefore, align your answer according to the goals of the organisation. Talk a little about your background, then what you are interested in with your specialisation, and keep it relevant to the company and internship opportunity. Lastly, show enthusiasm and excitement towards the opportunity.
2. Why are you interested in this internship?
It is another tricky question indeed. By asking this, your interviewer might want to know if you are ready for this internship for the money, your resume, or if it has something to do with your future goals.
Therefore, take your time to answer this, especially if you are unaware of what the company will offer to you as an intern. It is best to think about your goals and values and demonstrate how they align with the company’s goals and values. Explain you are passionate about your future goals and you are willing to develop a few skills during this internship. Emphasis more on what you can learn, and if everything goes well, you can drop a compliment or two.
3. Why did you choose your major, and what do you hope to achieve with this?
By asking this question, your interviewer wants to know if you have any future goals that align with your specialisation or if you are doing it just for the sake of it. You can prepare this question easily because you only need to reflect on how your major will help you achieve your goals.
It can be an excellent opportunity to ask about company goals and career opportunities. So, make the most of this question and emphasise your reason for choosing your major.
4. Why did you choose your college?
Generally, your interviewer asks this question to get insights into the priorities that guide your decisions. Therefore, emphasise objective advantages like the college details or certification program or any specific lecturer who is also an industry expert.
Show your passion for your field of study and your understanding of the industry. Avoid stating things of no use, like easy to commute or my friend or senior went there.
5. What skills do you have that make you a good fit for this internship?
This question is straight where the interviewer wants to know how you can contribute to the company and how well you understand the role.
While answering this question, spotlight on the skill you have and the company has mentioned in their internship ad (or post). Specifically, emphasise your hard skills and mention some of your soft skills that align with the internship role and work culture. It shows your willingness to learn and adaptability to change. These are the top qualities employers look for when hiring interns.
6. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
It is a simple question by which your interviewer wants to know whether or not you are aware of yourself or you can think about your skills. It gives them insight into your personality and willingness to develop skills within the workplace.
Therefore, if you can articulate well, it shows you are willing to learn and are open to constructive feedback. This is another trait every employer wants to have in their interns.
7. What are you most passionate about and why?
Your prospective employer wants to ask this question to comprehend your strengths. When you are passionate about something, you put all your efforts, time, and practice into developing skills and hobbies involving your passion.
Even if you lack the skills to pursue your passion, you can build skills that may complement your passion. Hence, craft your answer in a way that aligns your passion with the company goals, even if it doesn’t in reality. It gives the recruiter the insight that you are thoughtful and well aware-of the goal you want to achieve.
Conclusion: Be Confident During Your Internship Interview
Your internship interview questions and their answers may vary depending on the domain and industry you are applying for. Hence, do exhaustive research before your interview and prepare for it. If you have already decided on the domain for your internship, Remark can help you find exciting opportunities. Download the app or visit us to apply early.