🤔 But first, what are interviewers looking for?
🗣️ Sample responses for students
❌ Most common mistakes students make
Interviews boil down to one thing: Are you the right fit? While mentioning personal interests is fine, focus on why you're perfect for the role – both in skills and culture.
A lot of people start telling you their life story. As an employer, that's not what we want to hear. We want to hear how you're going to be a fit for the role. We can talk about things like your three cats later. ... But you should have an outline in your head about why you're a good fit for the position.
You basically know you're going to be asked this question. So it looks bad if you don't seem prepared.
"Tell me about yourself" is one of the most common questions you'll be asked. ... If you have a concise story about yourself, it shows you cared enough to prepare, rehearse, and think through your response.
How you tackle this question shows the interviewer how well you can engage people right off the bat. It's a sneak peek of how you'll represent the company or what kind of first impression you'll leave on future teammates or clients.
Interviewers also ask this question to evaluate ... how new hires might present themselves to customers, clients and colleagues if they get the job.
Anything in particular that you'd like to know?
Sure thing! Would you prefer hearing about me, personally, professionally, or perhaps a mix of both?
Absolutely. Anything you'd like me to focus on specifically?
I'm a junior at Riverbank University majoring in Environmental Science, with a special interest in sustainable development and its applications in different industries, especially construction.
This past year, I had the opportunity to work on a collaborative project with our Engineering department, assessing the environmental impacts of various construction materials. Last summer, I volunteered with the City Parks Department, where I helped in maintaining local green spaces and learned a lot about plant conservation. I've also been part of a team conducting a field study on local water quality, learning a lot about environmental testing and data analysis. These experiences have not only broadened my understanding of environmental challenges in construction but have also enhanced my research and analytical skills.
I'm really interested in this internship because it offers the perfect blend of my interest in environmental science and my curiosity about its practical applications in the construction industry. I admire your commitment to sustainable building practices and I see this internship as a valuable opportunity to apply my academic learning in a real-world setting and to gain hands-on experience in environmental management within the construction sector.
Hi, I'm Jamie, a sophomore at Lakeside University studying Statistics and I'm a big fan of using data to make better decisions.
A story I always like to tell is how during high school, our town had a debate about extending library hours, but no one could agree on it, so I gathered data on library foot traffic, analyzed the data and presented my findings to the town council, clearly showing peak usage times. With this information, they then decided to extend hours on specific days!
In college, I've continued to use data to make a difference through the Data Science Club, where we tackle projects ranging from sports statistics to local economic trends. I love sharpening my analytical skills, identifying patterns, and all – and I'd love to get a taste for how data is used to inform business decisions, which is why I'm applying for this internship!
Currently, I'm a sophomore at XYZ University, majoring in Business with a focus on Marketing.
I've been actively involved in our campus Marketing Club, where I've led several successful social media campaigns that all got hundreds of people to turn out for campus events. This experience has allowed me to apply classroom theories to real-world situations and see the tangible impact of well-executed marketing strategies.
Looking ahead, I feel that an internship with your marketing agency is the perfect next step for me. It offers the opportunity to immerse myself in a more diverse and dynamic marketing environment and I have a lot to learn from your company's innovative approach to digital marketing. (Side note: I also love your company's TikTok channel!)
For example, here's a response where a Computer Science student highlights their soft skills.
I'm currently in my third year at ABC University studying Computer Science. I'm really involved in our Coding Club too, where I get to run workshops and set up coding challenges for other students.
One of my main projects right now is leading the development of a mobile app that lets students rate their professors. This project hasn't just improved my coding skills; it's also teaching me how to present ideas effectively and work with different people – like convincing university administrators to support us, which can be quite a challenge.
I also have a part-time job at the campus IT help desk. This role has been great for improving my ability to solve tech problems quickly and explain complex tech concepts in a way that's easy to understand for everyone.
Why I'm interested in this internship? Well, I'm passionate about using my software development skills to help people and that's what this role is all about!
Depending on the industry and the role, you'll want to show different sides of yourself. For example:
I'm Alex, a third-year law student at City University. I'd say I'm someone who's not just comfortable in high-pressure environments, but also adept at handling confrontational situations and tough conversations.
For example, I've worked part-time at a local law firm as a legal assistant. This position frequently involved making difficult phone calls to clients or delivering news that wasn't always positive. These conversations taught me the importance of clear, compassionate communication, even when the message was tough.
I'm excited to apply these abilities to a law internship, where dealing with complex client interactions and high-pressure scenarios is part of the job.
I'm a sophomore majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Apex University. My passion for engineering stems from a fascination with designing and understanding how things work, from the smallest gadgets to large machinery.
I'm particularly interested in the field of robotics and automation, exploring how mechanical systems can be optimized for efficiency and innovation, which is why I applied for this internship.
When I'm not in the lab or studying, I'm usually out on the soccer field. Playing soccer has always been a big part of my life. For me it's not just the physical game that's enjoyable; I also love being part of a team, strategizing together, and adapting our play to different opponents.
A lot of students either:
In reality, interviewers aren't looking for this level of detail. This question is meant to be a "taster", not the main course of the interview – so keep it short and sweet.
Anything less than 60 seconds may be too short and over two minutes may lose your interviewer’s attention or take time away from other questions.
− Recruiter at Verizon
Remember: interviewers have other questions they need to get to.
For context, a recruiter typically has a finite amount of time (e.g. 30 minutes). If a candidate spends 10 minutes telling me their story and I can't get through all of my questions, they probably said way too many things, I'm probably bored, and I'm not able to do my job.
It's pretty obvious if you're reciting from a script.
Don't memorize an answer, because we can tell if you're reciting it.
If you must memorize your response, at least rehearse it enough to pull it off naturally – like you're telling the story to a friend.
As much as your religious or political beliefs matter to you, it's best not to bring them up during an interview. You want to make sure you're judged only for your skills and what you can do at the job, not for your personal beliefs.
Shopping for opportunities? Remember to check out the thousands of internships on our jobs board!