Interview Preparation: Commonly Asked Questions and Sample Answers, Schemes and Mind Maps of Biology

Download Interview Preparation: Commonly Asked Questions and Sample Answers and more Schemes and Mind Maps Biology in PDF only on Docsity! Commonly Asked Interview Questions (and Answers) It is virtually impossible to predict exactly what will be asked on an interview but there are a few answers that you can prepare ahead of time. Use this chart to practice your answers to these questions. Be sure to prepare your questions for the interviewer. (listed beneath) QUESTION EXAMPLE YOUR ANSWER “Tell me about yourself.”  1-2 minutes spoken  Your background: academic, work experience, extra curriculars—as they pertain to this job!  Why you are there and what you can bring to the job.  Your personal brand  Practice, practice, practice (interviewing for an entry level position in a non-profit organization) “My name is Jennifer Smith. I graduated from ABC University with a degree in women’s studies. I started at ABC with a major in biology, thinking I was going to pursue a career in environmental protection. But then, two things happened. First, I realized that I was more interested in environmental policy rather than the scientific aspect. Then I took an elective in women’s rights and a light went on for me. I had always supported women’s rights and was amazed that it continues to be an issue in this day and age. Since that time, I have been able to volunteer and work on behalf of women’s rights, both for abused women as well as homeless women. I am here today because I believe my demonstrated passion for women’s rights as well as my experience in non-profit organizations will be beneficial to your organization.” Can you tell me a little about your strengths and weaknesses?  Identify 3 strengths—as they pertain to this job  Identify one weakness and how you “My interpersonal skills probably top the chart of my strengths. I thrive on approaching people I don’t know and quickly establishing rapport. I can think on my feet and I manage stress well. One area that challenges me is manage it that of delegating. It’s hard for me to delegate to other people, whether it be a team project for school or on the baseball field. I know this is a problem so I have trained myself to make a list of those things I have to do myself and those things that can be passed on. It’s still not easy for me but I have found that when I consciously make that determination, I actually get more done and the quality is better.” Can you tell me about your leadership experience?  This can be direct leadership—of a student organization  Can also be indirect leadership— although not specifically designated a leader, maybe you assumed leadership in a certain situation—a class project, working with a group to plan an event; a recognized leader. Be sure to include: 1. Overview of the situation 2. Obstacles or challenges 3. End result SITUATION “I was in charge of the committee that was asked to revise our school’s vision as they were transitioning to a co-ed school. OBSTACLES There were some issues because not all of the faculty agreed with the transition and we had to get their buy-in within a pretty tight time frame. END RESULT I quickly realized that I had to include my advisor on each step we took and each meeting we held to communicate the changes. We were able to come to agreement and meet the deadline. I learned the importance of ongoing communication.” Tell me about a time when you were asked to complete a task but didn’t have the information you needed. What did you do?  They are trying to assess your ability to self manage SITUATION When I started my summer internship at XYZ Online Marketing, I quickly realized that it was a small organization which meant that I was left to my own devices. I had to figure things out on my own.