The Most Common Interview Questions for Entry-Level Positions

Drafted Staff

In addition to technical skills, employers also use interviews to evaluate potential employees. While this may be nerve-wracking for some, interviews are a great opportunity to showcase your skills and interests. As such, interviewers will likely ask you questions that appear random but are designed to reveal more about your personality, abilities, and passions. Depending on the type of entry-level position you’re applying for, you can expect to be asked specific questions. For a receptionist role, interviewers might ask how you plan to deal with difficult customers or what your previous customer service experiences have been like. If the job involves driving as part of the responsibilities, you should expect to be asked about past driving experiences and what kind of car insurance you have (if any). The following list includes some of the most common interview questions for entry-level positions:

What is your biggest weakness?

Interviewers want to see if you are a good fit for the company’s culture, and part of that is seeing how you handle weaknesses. Ideally, you want to discuss something that won’t be an issue in the job. For example, if you’re a messy person, you might want to discuss your organizational skills. This can be a great way to show that you are aware of your weaknesses and have taken steps to improve them. At the same time, however, you don’t want to pick something that is too generic. For example, “I am too hard on myself” is not a weakness, it is a personality trait. “I am too hard on myself” is also not an appropriate response for an interview. If you have trouble coming up with a weakness, try and think about something you struggle with and how you could improve on that.

Why are you interested in working for this company?

The interviewer wants to know why you’re interested in the position. Make sure you’ve researched the company and have a few reasons why you’re interested in working with them — and share those reasons with the interviewer! You never know what may stand out to the interviewer, you may have a mutual interest in something, or the interviewer may have connections to people who can help your career path. You can also take this opportunity to ask questions about the company. This shows your interest in the company, and you can use the answers to learn more about the company.

Can you tell us about yourself?

This interview question is a way for employers to evaluate how well you communicate. The best way to approach this question is by thinking about what you want the interviewer to know about you. Think about your strengths, weaknesses, and why you want to work for the company. And if you don’t know what the company does, it’s okay to ask!

What are your strengths?

Your strengths are what you do well and are a great way for you to showcase your best qualities. If you’re not sure what your strengths are, ask friends and family members what they think your strengths are. You can also use online assessment tools to help you figure out what your strengths are. It’s important to note that you can’t just list skills you’ve learned at work or school. Instead, think about abilities that have helped you grow and develop as a person. These can include skills you’ve acquired outside of work, like learning a new language, or hobbies that you’ve cultivated.

What are your weaknesses?

This is an interview question that can trip people up. Employers typically want to know your weaknesses so they can see how you handle them. You want to frame your weaknesses in a positive way. Instead of saying, “I’m too disorganized,” you could say, “My disorganized side makes it hard for me to meet deadlines.” It’s okay if you don’t have any weaknesses (you’re a rare person if you don’t!). Just be honest and don’t lie if you don’t have any. If you do have weaknesses, talk about how you’re working on them. For example, if you’re disorganized, talk about how you’ve been taking steps to become more organized.

Are you currently employed?

This is an important question to ask yourself before the interview. If you are currently employed, you don’t want to discuss it in the interview. Instead, you should get in touch with your current employer and let them know you are applying for another job. You should also let them know when you’ll be interviewing, so they can work with your schedule.

What was your last job and role?

This can be turned into a more in-depth question by asking follow-up questions. For example, you could ask, “What did the job description entail?” or “How did you help your employees succeed?” You can also ask about the company culture and team members. You can even ask if you can connect with people who worked with you in the past. This is a great opportunity to showcase your communication skills.

What responsibilities did you have in this role?

This interview question is similar to the last one, but it focuses more on the day-to-day responsibilities of your past jobs. You can ask follow-up questions to get more information about your past jobs, like “What were some challenges your team faced?” or “How did you overcome those challenges?”

What is your ultimate career goal and why?

This is one of the most important interview questions you can be asked. Your ultimate career goal is what you want to be doing five years from now and should tie into your passions. For example, if you love working with children, you may want to become a school teacher. Or if your passions are animals and the environment, you may want to become a veterinarian. By providing a concrete goal, you can show the interviewer that you know what you want out of your career and that you are highly motivated to succeed. This can be a great way to end the interview and leave a lasting impression! You’re well prepared for your interview and have researched the company thoroughly. You’ve also prepared your answers to the most common interview questions and feel confident in your abilities. Now, all you have to do is show up and nail the interview! If you prepare adequately, you will find the interview process to be less stressful. Remember to relax and breathe during the interview, prepare your answers ahead of time, and most importantly, stay positive!

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