The Questions To Ask In Your Internship Interview

By Danielle Wirsansky on April 13, 2016

This article is brought to you by Dream Careers, the largest global internship program for college students offering all-inclusive programs in 11 cities worldwide. To learn more about Dream Careers, please visit us at SummerInternships.com.

Job interviews are nerve wracking to say the least. So much rides on how well you do during it — sometimes your qualifications are not enough just on paper and you need to blow your interviewer away with your knowledge, wit and charm.

A great way to show your competency during interviews is to ask questions. We are always told that you should ask questions but are never told just what to ask. Read on to learn questions and question types to ask during your job or internship interviews!

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More Than A Yes Or No Question

You want to show an interviewer you are engaged and truly interested in the job you are being interviewed for. Ask detailed questions that require the interviewer to engage with you. They are most likely interviewing several candidates for the position so you want to stand out. You want them to remember you.

If you ask a question that requires more than a yes or no answer from your interviewer, they will engage in fuller conversation with you that will make your interview more memorable and show you are interested. That is just the first step: you must be able to interact with the interviewer as well and respond accordingly. But this is an easy way to get your interview started!

Questions About The Organization

Hopefully you did research on the company or organization you are being interviewed for ahead of time (preferably while you are applying but at least since your interview was scheduled). You want to know as much as you can before going in to the interview so that you make a good impression and so that the organization has the opportunity to impress you as well. There is nothing more miserable than working at a company in a job that you do not enjoy and you want to avoid that.

If you have done all this research on the company, bring up your knowledge during the interview. You want to avoid asking questions that you already know the answer to and are things you should probably have known before the interview — that will not impress your interviewer. Ask questions that will help you expound your knowledge not just about the organization but about the job or internship you are specifically applying for. Make sure the job is a right fit for you. And impress your interviewer with your dedication, forethought, and efficiency so you actually get hired.

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Ask Your Interviewer Questions About Their Experience

Another way to make your job or internship interview stand out is to ask your interviewer questions about themselves. Now, I am not suggesting you ask personal questions, but you can ask pertinent questions related to the job. You can ask them how long they have been with the company and in their current role. You can ask them what their favorite part of working for the company is. Asking these questions shows that you are serious about working there.

And more than that, if the questions are answered honestly, they can provide you with a lot of insight about the organization and the position than you would have been able to find online while researching the company. Do not cross boundaries and ask inappropriate questions; you want to stay on topic and stay professional at all times.

Ask Key Questions About Your Specific Role

Sometimes, we overlook what feels like little details in job interviews. We do not ask questions that we probably need to because they slip our mind or the company seems so wonderful that you feel you absolutely must work there. However, everyone has deal breakers in a job and it is best to get information about those things upfront so there are no surprises later on down the line.

Questions like, how many hours a week am I going to be working? What days of the week do you foresee me coming in? If you can only work weeknights and the organization is looking for someone who can work weekends, that is not going to be a good fit. If they only want you to come in on Tuesdays and Thursdays but you have classes or other fixed appointments, that will not work for you either.

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Ask your interviewer these mundane questions because in the end, they are important factors in whether you will accept a position should one be offered to you.

Looking for a top internship in an exciting city? Enroll in Dream Careers and guarantee yourself an internship and a fun summer in your choice of 11 cities globally. To visit our website, please click here.

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