What Are the Common Questions for an Internship Interview?

The internship is an important part of your career as it may lead you to a permanent full-time position. Before appearing for an internship interview, you need to prepare for a few questions.

If you respond well to the questions that interviewers ask, you will end up making a good impression. Do not feel nervous and appear with full confidence. 

A few fundamental questions are generally the part of every internship interview. It would help if you practised answering these questions. Take your time for the preparation. As you practice more, you will master them, and during the interview, things will be easier for you. 

Following are the commonly asked questions in the internship interviews:

1. Introduce Yourself 

The interviewer wants to know about yourself. In other words, they want you to describe yourself. You will have to answer this question briefly and concisely.

Remember, in a short time, and you need to answer in a manner that the interviewer remembers you. Some students think this question is about where they are from and what are they doing currently.

 To reply to this question, discuss your academic background and professional ambitions. State a couple of past experiences relevant to the internship. Conclude your answer by mentioning the reason as to why you applied for this internship.

Read More: How to Answer Tell Me About Yourself?

2. What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?

The purpose of asking this question is to have an insight into your competencies and the weaknesses. Describe at least three strengths and weaknesses. Several candidates show nervousness about telling their shortcomings.

Not everyone in this world is perfect; every person has some weaknesses. Tell your weaknesses to the interviewers. At the same time, assure them that you are working to overcome your weaknesses. Also, give them an impression that your weakness won’t become a hurdle in your internship.

Read More: How to Answer-What is your Greatest Weakness in an Interview?

For example, you can say that you have faced difficulties in the past while speaking publicly. However, you learned to interact with the smaller teams. Now, you are learning to deliver speeches and messages to a larger group of people. 

Keep in mind that lack of experience in the given field may count as a weakness. Convince the interviewers that you possess adequate skills to carry out the tasks for the internship. Convey that you have management skills and you take your work seriously. 

Read More: Best Ways to Explain Your Weakness in the Interview

3. Provide an Example of the Situation in Which….

The interviewers ask this question because they want to know how you would act in a particular situation. At the professional level, situations demand you to respond quickly. If you do not have any professional experience, you can quote an example from your student life.

Try to prepare three scenarios to answer this question. For instance, the Situation when you faced an issue or difficulty in the school or college. A situation when you faced conflict at the workplace involving your manager or co-worker.

A scenario when you demonstrated a leadership skill while working on a college project in a team. It would help if you conveyed that you have effectively handled these situations and managed to resolve the issue. 

The interviewers want to know about your problem-solving skills. Ideally, you would want to use the STAR technique; describe the Situation and mention the task at hand. Explain the Action you took and Results. This technique will help you to keep your answers relevant and concise. 

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4. Let’s Review Your Resume 

Interviewers ask this question because they want to see how you describe your past educational experiences and qualification. This is the opportunity for you to present yourself confidently. The interviewer may ask you to give more details about the project that you have completed.

If there are any gaps between your class subjects or the jobs, you may have to explain the reason. Therefore, prepare answers by keeping in view your resume. Describe as to why you opted for the subjects that you have studied. Keep a note of the main points of your resume and discuss them with interviewer point by point.

Avoid long description or statements in the CV. Instead of reading lengthy statements, interviewers or the HR officials prefer to read bulleted points. On the other hand, it will be easier for you to elaborate on the important point from it.

Your CV is a reflection of your professionalism. You have to show the relevance of your qualification and professional experience with the internship’s requirements.

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5. What Are Your Future Goals (Where Do You See Yourself in the Next 5 Years)?

The intent behind this question is to determine your seriousness in pursuing a particular profession or academic goal. Furthermore, the interviewers want to know the clarity in your mind.

If you have clarity in your mind, you would know which particular professional field or academic discipline is with your skills and competencies. What are your preferences? Do you plan to join graduate school? Do you want to gain the experience of the professional world for a few years? Would you like to work as a full-time employee or part-time?

While answering these questions, do not overthink else interviewers would be under the impression that you lack clarity. Answer these questions with conviction. There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Nevertheless, your gestures and way of talking would matter. 

The question: where do you see yourself in the next five years means that how do you plan in the long-term. Companies seek true professionals for the positions they offer, and that is why they prefer individuals who possess long-term planning skills.

In reply to this question, you can say that you see yourself at the higher management position in the next five years. To achieve this milestone, you are working hard and researching your field. Express your knowledge concisely about your relevant field and the organization in which you are giving the interview. 

Key Takeaways

Before appearing for the internship interview, make sure you prepare for the questions mentioned above. These questions are almost part of every internship interview. The purpose of asking these questions is to evaluate your planning and management skills. Answer these questions with confidence.