MBA Style magazine Interview Questions

Tell me a joke.
Why should I hire you?
What are your strongest abilities?
How do your skills relate to our needs?
What are you looking for?
What would you like to know about our firm?
Tell me something about yourself?
What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses?
Where do you want to be in 5 years?
Why do you want to work for us?

Where did you grow up?
What does "success" mean to you?
What does "failure" mean to you?
What are your three major accomplishments?
What if I told you that you'd work very hard, but recognition of your contributions would be nil?
What have you disliked in your past jobs?
What kinds of people do you enjoy working with?
What kinds of people frustrate you?
How long before you can make a contribution?
In the past year, what have you been dissatisfied about in your performance?
How long a commitment do you plan to give me?
What is your ideal job?

What can you tell me about your past bosses?
Which is more important to you: money or the type of job?
What have you learned from your activities?
Were your extracurricular activities worth the time you put into them?
What qualities should a successful manager possess?
What two attributes are most important in your job?
What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it?
What have you done that you consider creative?
Who do you admire? Why?
Why are you interested in our company?
What interests you about our company?
What do you get passionate about?

What courses are you taking?
Why did you choose the school that you are attending?
Have you ever managed a conflict? How?
Describe to me a recent (marketing campaign / finance deal) you like?
What concerns you about our company?
What are the most important attributes of a good manager?
Do you have these attributes (of a good manager) ?
What stocks do you recommend? Why?
Should I buy stock in Netscape?
Where are interest rates going in the next 3 months?
How many new highs did the Dow reach last year?


Questions you should ask the recruiter
What are your company's strengths and how do you capitalize on them?
What are your companies weaknesses and how are you dealing with them?
What changes do you anticipate in the industry?
What risks will your company face due to industry changes?
What are the best opportunities at your firm for new hires?
How have you strategically responded to the competition?
What legislation is pending that will affect your firm?
Where will the major sources of your business be in the next 5 years?
How is worker performance measured and reviewed?
Do you have a mentor program? How about formal training programs?
What is your company's management style?
What challenges are facing this company? Do you think your company is reacting to them?
Why do people leave?
Why have you stayed with the company?
Describe my initial assignments?
If you hire me, what are the three most pressing issues you need resolved?


Some ILLEGAL Questions (in the USA)
What political party are you affiliated with?
Are you a member of the local country club?
Do you go to church regularly?
Are you currently married? Are you divorced? What is your sexual orientation?
What are your outstanding debts?
What charities are you involved with?
Do you drink?
Do you have a boyfriend?
Your last name is _______. What kind of name is that?
Do you have a girlfriend / boyfrend / Are you planning to have children?
Do you have a physical disability?
Do you have any health problems?
Have you ever been convicted of a felony?
How many children do you have?
How old are you?
This is a Christian company. Do you think that you can be happy working here?
What does you father/mother do for a living?
What is your first language?
What is your IQ?
How much do you weigh?
What's your religion?


Interview Questions submitted by our readers
1. It is the 15th Century. How do convince the Pope that the Earth is round? (from Cornell)
2. If I gave you an elephant, where would you hide it? (from Cornell)
3. What do you think of Chiat / Day's concept and application of a virtual office?
4. Why are soda cans tapered on the top and bottom?
5. How much RAM does a PC need to run Windows95?
6. Why are soda cans tapered on the top and bottom
7. You are in a boat on a fresh water lake. In your hand is a rock. You throw the rock into the lake. How is the lake's water level affected?
8. If it rained music, what would grow?
9. Describe your best friend and what he or she does for a living.
10. In what ways are you similar or different from your best friend?
11. Are you a happy person? Should Prozac be added to the water supply?
12. According to JRM, Jr., a fast growing software company asked this question... You have a wealthy aunt who weighs 300 pounds. Tell me how you would redesign her toilet.

Are you missing an Earring?
The 30-Second Details Check Before the Interview

Susan Bixler, author of The Professional Image recommends that job candidates perform a 30-second detail check in front of a mirror prior to any interview. For maximum impact, she writes, the detail check provides the reassurance to concentrate on people and on matters at hand. We don't need to wonder about a broken zipper, lunch remnants on our tie, or a run in our hosiery.

To perform the detail check, start from the top of your body and work down. Check you hair, teeth, makeup, and earrings. If you lost the back to your earring, borrow one or use the back of a pencil eraser. Secure your scarf, straighten your tie; check for dandruff, stains, and open buttons. Then check your belt, zipper, hosiery, and shoes. Are your shoes shined?

Paying Attention

During the interview, remember to be an active listener, pay attention, and ask good questions. You should show respect to the recruiter, answer clearly, and keep your enthusiasm high. Exhibit good posture and maintain eye contact. When shaking the hand of a recruiter, use one firm squeeze and do not break eye contact. Susan Bixler recommends that if the recruiter doesn't extend his or her hand, the candidate should wait one beat, and immediately extend his or her hand. This shows a high level of confidence and business awareness.

Get Rid of that Chewed up Pen

Get rid of any chewed up pens and invest in a nice pen for your interviews. Both men and women should bring a nice pen into their interviews for note-taking.

Clean Nails

You don't have to get a manicure, but if you're interviewing between classes, check your nails. You need to maintain a well-groomed appearance during your interviews.

Name Tags on The Right, Not The Left

If you have to wear a name tag, wear it on your right lapel, not your left. Although 95% of America probably would naturally put their name tag on their left, Senator Bob Dole will tell you that it's better on the right. Why? Because if your name is on the left lapel, the person you meet has to shake your right hand and turn their head right to read your name off your left lapel. However, it's a much smoother move for the person you are meeting to shake your right hand and see your name on your right lapel. Try it out, and you'll see what we mean.

Interview Checklist

Before you interviews, make sure that you've done the following
(1) Can you exceed the position's initial requirements
(2) Are you ready to explain your past successes (have them memorized)
(3) Do you know the company's culture. Does your image, traits, personality fit in.
(4) What can you tell the recruiter that would boost his bottom line.
(5) Have you done your homework on the company. It's past sales, top products, industry outlook, strategy, goals.
(6) Remember to be confident and maintain your composure.

Interview Horror Stories

The recruiter asks: What is your greatest weakness? The MBA responds: Kryptonite.
The recuiter from a tobacco company asks: Do you mind if I smoke? The MBA responds: Yes, I mind. I am allergic to cigarette smoke

Notes from recruiters
1. Candidate said he was so well-qualified [that] if he didn't get the job, it would prove that the company's management was incompetent.
2. Stretched out on the floor to fill out the job application.
3. Brought her large dog to the interview.
4. Chewed bubble gum and constantly blew bubbles.
5. Candidate kept giggling through serious interview.
6. She wore a Walkman and said she could listen to me and the music at the same time.
7. Balding candidate abruptly excused himself. Returned to office a few minutes later, wearing a hairpiece.
8. Applicant challenged interviewer to arm wrestle.
9. Asked to see interviewer's resume to see if the personnel executive was qualified to judge the candidate.
10. Announced she hadn't had lunch and proceeded to eat a hamburger and french fries in the interviewer's office.
11. Without saying a word, candidate stood up and walked out during the middle of the interview.
12. Man wore jogging suit to interview for position as financial vice president.
13. Said if he were hired, he would demonstrate his loyalty by having the corporate logo tattooed on his forearm.
14. Interrupted to phone his therapist for advice on answering specific interview questions.
15. Wouldn't get out of the chair until I would hire him. I had to call the police.
16. When I asked him about his hobbies, he stood up and started tap dancing around my office.
17. Had a little pinball game and challenged me to play with him.
18. Bounced up and down on my carpet and told me I must be highly thought of by the company because I was given such a thick carpet.
19. Took a brush out of my purse, brushed his hair and left.
20. Pulled out a Polaroid camera and snapped a flash picture of me. Said he collected photos of everyone who interviewed him.
21. Candidate asked me if I would put on a suit jacket to insure that the offer was formal.
22. Said he wasn't interested because the position paid too much.
23. While I was on a long-distance phone call, the applicant took out a copy of Penthouse, and looked through the photos only, stopping longest at the centerfold.
24. During the interview, an alarm clock went off from the candidate's brief case. He took it out, shut it off, apologized and said he had to leave for another interview.
25. A telephone call came in for the job applicant. It was from his wife. His side of the conversation went like this: "Which company? When do I start? What's the salary?" I said, "I assume you're not interested in conducting the interview any further." He promptly responded, "I am as long as you'll pay me more." I didn't hire him, but later found out there was no other job offer. It was a scam to get a higher offer.
26. An applicant came in wearing only one shoe. She explained that the other shoe was stolen off her foot in the bus.
27. His attache [case] opened when he picked it up and the contents spilled, revealing ladies' undergarments and assorted makeup and perfume.
28. He came to the interview with a moped and left it in the reception area. He didn't want it to get stolen, and stated that he would require indoor parking for the moped.
29. He took off his right shoe and sock, removed a medicated foot powder and dusted it on the foot and in the shoe. While he was putting back the shoe and sock, he mentioned that he had to use the powder four times a day, and this was the time.
30. Candidate said he really didn't want to get a job, but the employment office needed proof that he was looking for one.
31. He whistled when the interviewer was talking.
32. Asked who the lovely babe was, pointing to the picture on my desk. When I said it was my wife, he asked if she was home now and wanted my phone number. I called security.
33. She threw-up on my desk, and immediately started asking questions about the job, like nothing had happened.
34. Pointing to a black case he carried into my office, he said that If he was not hired, the bomb would go off. Disbelieving, I began to state why he would never be hired and that I was going to call the police. He then reached down to the case, flipped a switch and ran. No one was injured, but I did need to get a new desk. (purported to have appeared in The Wall Street Journal 1989)