Failing to prepare for an interview is preparing to fail. This is irrespective of your career stage. If you are applying for an internship, then chances are you are walking into your first formal interview. The easiest way to ensure you don’t sabotage your success is to research some common internship interview questions and answers examples. This may save you from losing your tongue just when you badly need to impress the interviewers.
Feeling anxious about the prospect of an internship interview is perfectly normal. Whether you are well prepared or underprepared, the odds are you will experience some level of nervousness. The question and answer examples we share will at the very least make you feel more confident and possibly help you breeze through the meeting.
- Introduction
- 7 Internship Interview Questions and Answers
- Innovative Ways to Handle Unexpected Questions
- Essential Tips to Help You Prepare For Your Internship Interview
- Conclusion
7 Internship Interview Questions and Answers Examples
There are specific questions that interviewers commonly ask. However, each interviewer is different, and there is no way to know which topics will be covered precisely. The best you can do is develop outstanding discussion points that can help you make a great impression.
Tell Us About Yourself
This is a question that nearly 90% of interviewers ask. It helps start the conversation and allows you to tell the executives more about your qualifications and how you found out they were searching for interns with your skills.
How to Answer:
- Describe your educational background in brief
- Mention your industry experience (if any)
- Let the interviewers know how you found out they were hiring
Answer Example:
I’m Sherry Green, and I’m currently pursuing a degree at Top City University. I’m a 4th-year student, and even though I have not formally worked for any company before, I have basic levels of industry experience thanks to 3 service learning projects I have participated in within the last three years on campus. Some of the top disciplines I mastered during service learning are thoughtfulness, time management, proper communication, integrity, etc. I found your advertisement online in my quest to find excellent opportunities where I could continue to grow my engineering expertise.
What Makes You Interested In Working With This Company For This Role?
The interviewers want to know your motivations for pursuing a specific internship position. This will help them understand your goals and whether you are a perfect match for the advertised roles.
How to Answer:
- Let the executives know what makes a specific company a good fit for you
- Mention the skills that make you a good match for the advertised role
- Describe what you hope to learn during the internship
Answer Example:
Your reputation as a company precedes you. From my research, I have gathered that you are innovative, forward-thinking and you value ongoing education. This aligns with my intentions to continuously learn and advance my skills as a prolific IT technician. I have outstanding diagnostic and problem-solving skills and an in-depth understanding of different computer systems and networks. As an industry leader, your company offers me the best opportunity to grow and put my skills to work.
Internship Interview Questions and Answers Examples; If We Offer You This Internship Position, How Do You Intend To Make An Impact?
This is a tricky question aimed at helping the executive understand whether you have proper leadership skills. Even interns are a core part of the company, and the best ones have outstanding leadership skills.
How to Answer:
- Give the executives a rough picture of the impact you can make
- Let them know the tactics you intend to use
- Mention what you hope to achieve
Answer Example:
Marketing technology keeps changing year after year. I plan to implement the latest technologies to identify new opportunities that enhance our operational processes. As a professional in the field, I believe in the impact of achieving the best outcome at the best time. I will therefore create a schedule to ensure well-structured tactics are implemented promptly for maximum impact.
Internship Interview Questions and Answers Examples; Tell Us About Your Expectations For This Internship
Even interviewers understand that you have goals too. It is essential, to be honest about your expectations for a specific position. This will provide insight into the roles you can fulfill and ensure that your internship is mutually beneficial to you and the company.
How to Answer:
- Provide a list of realistic goals you intend to achieve
- Make sure your goals align with the roles the company expects you to take on
Answer Example:
I expect to engage in duties that allow me to learn how to solve problems specific to your line of business. I’m ready to learn the most effective ways to solve your business problems and execute the best strategies to achieve the company goals. I intend to spend my time as an intern gaining valuable real-world experiences and polishing my expertise in the field.
Are There Any Industry Trends You Think Should Be Addressed, And Why?
Interviewers are always looking for candidates with exceptional research skills. As you prepare for your interview, be sure to research industry trends and how we could enhance them to accomplish business goals better.
How to Answer:
- Identify threats or opportunities
- Mention innovative concepts that can make the industry better
- Let the executives know your methods of research
Answer Example:
I have not noticed much of your activities on social media. Currently, businesses in all industries are using social media to engage audiences, address their concerns directly and retain their business by making them feel valued. Content marketing is also vital because it helps businesses to reach a wider audience and generate quality leads. The web offers an innovative opportunity that I believe your business can use to dominate the industry.
What Are Your Plans Once You Complete This Internship?
Companies also appreciate interns who can work with them in the long term. If your performance during the internship period is exceptional, the company may want to have you for keeps. Remember that during your period as an intern, the company will invest resources in you. They can at least hope you will consider a more permanent position if your performance allows it.
How to Answer:
- Paint a realistic picture of your potential to continue working for a company
- Mention how you could apply the skills you learn during the internship
- Avoid giving an affirmative answer
Answer Example:
As aforementioned, I’m a 4th-year student at Top City University. After this internship, I intend to return to campus for my final semester. I will apply the earned project management, leadership, and technical skill in my academic and service-learning work. After graduation, I hope you will consider me for a formal business analyst position in your firm.
Internship Interview Questions and Answers Examples; Tell Us About Your Future Career Goals
Again, all companies cling onto the hope that performing interns will stick around, at least for a while. It is vital to remain focused on the job, its requirements, and the company. Interviewers are often happy to choose candidates whose long-term goals align with the needs of the company.
How to Answer:
- Paint a rough picture of your intended career path
- Mention how to plan to use skills and competencies earned during the internship
- Avoid giving any affirmatives
Answer Example:
I love stability, and this is something I believe your company can offer me. My goal is to become a valuable intern and an indispensable employee of this firm in the future. The roles I take on will allow me to polish my skill set and advance to more significant authority positions. I intend to prove my competencies in the field and eventually earn a spot at the table of your team leaders or branch managers.
Innovative Ways to Handle Unexpected Questions
The above are merely the most common internship interview questions and answers examples. You can never be fully prepared for an interview unless you also equip yourself to answer random questions. Interviewers often have at least two odd questions that may get you completely off guard. Such questions may appear provocative or sound like an ‘in-joke,’ but they are designed to test your wits when forced to think on your feet.
Intelligently answering tricky questions can make the difference between acing it during an interview and letting a good opportunity slip through your fingers.
Unexpected Question Example:
If you were an animal, which animal would you be?
How to Answer:
- Think of the animal that best describes your values, character, and strengths
- Focus on highlighting strengths important to specific roles
- Mention why you admire the animal in question
- Keep your nerve and remain confident
Answer Example:
I would definitely be a lioness. I possess the gift of remaining level-headed even when under pressure. The lioness does this effortlessly and assesses options during a hunt. It remains focused on the main goal —bringing home dinner for its cubs.
Essential Tips to Help You Prepare For Your Internship Interview
Preparing for an internship interview is easier said than done. There is much ground to cover to ensure you impress your interviewers. Begin by comparing the job description with your qualifications. Go through each description and figure out how you can accomplish the proposed role. You may also want to research common internship interview questions and answers examples and practice.
Other important points to research include:
- The history, values, and motto of a company
- The operations of a company and its main clients
- A company’s structure (e.g., B2B or B2C) and its primary source of income
- The names and roles of key players in the company (CEO, Directors, and Managers)
It is also necessary to arrive at the interview prepared with a pen, diary, and an extra copy of your resume. You must also dress in a presentable fashion and maintain high standards of professionalism at all times. Remember that the interview may begin right from the instance you greet the receptionist. Maintain a straight posture, smile, make eye contact and relax.
Go On And Awe Your Interviewers!
Internships are excellent stepping stones, irrespective of your profession. The above internship interview questions and answers examples can help you grab any internship opportunity and amaze the interviewers. Treat the opportunity like a job interview you have always wanted and prepare to ace it. Be sure to highlight your strengths, accomplishments, and the value you can bring to the company’s operations. Also, remain calm, confident, and be yourself.
Good luck!
