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Recurrent Internship Interview Questions and Answers in 2023

Searching for internship interview questions for 2023?

Congratulations! You’re officially scheduled to interview for the internship you applied for. Your application made a good impression on your hiring manager, and now they want to meet you. We are so proud of you!

Now, it’s time to prepare for the interview. We want you to ace this interview much like you did your application and we are here to give you possible and recurrent internship interview questions to help you out.

Table of contents

What is an Internship?

An internship is an opportunity for students or trainees of a certain profession to work with companies or organisations to earn practical experiences for their career in their chosen professions. These students work with these organisations either for pay or educational credits.

Why are Internships Important?

We all know that gaining as much experiences as possible in fields related to your career is the best way to get the job of your dreams. This is what internship does for you; helps you gain the experiences of what to expect in your field. Also, it boosts your resume, your network and marketability too.

While you imagine gaining all of these experiences, keep in mind that there could be two sides to internships; there are tasks as big projects that might be assigned to you by your employer, and while at it, you are expected to be immersed into your work, productive and be able to work with the other staffs.

It is important to understand that this is your company providing a great learning opportunity for you. This means that you are not expected to be a professional in the field you plan to intern with. You are also not expected to be an expert to ace the interview. Generally, the interviewer only wants to get to know you better; your academic, professional or volunteer experiences and how you have handled and will handle certain work conditions.
Your interviewer also wants to know why you are interested in interning, why you chose your profession and their company and what you hope to gain. They just want to know how passionate you are about the field.

You don’t have to panic. We have made a list of possible internship questions and another of a list of questions you need to ask your employer. But before we go into that, here are five internship interview question tips.

See: UK Sole Representative Visa: eligibility, visa fee & requirements, interview question

5 Best Internship Interview Tips

1. Study!

Begin to study on time. Don’t assume you can achieve so much with a deadline or that you know your resume is up to date. Go back to your resume and keep updating all related skills to your fields. Also, take some time to research on the company or organisation you’re interning for.

Aside from continually going through the company’s website to ensure everything aligns with your goals and plans, this lets your interviewer know how passionate you are.

Be prepared to talk about your education and accomplishments a well as stories to depict your strengths as a potential intern.
You can go through your educational and skill experiences to find these stories.

Ensure these stories and the things they illustrate are tailored to the internship requirements. Do well to highlight them on your resume too as you prepare to talk about them.

Do you have any previous work experiences? Not to worry if you don’t. Your interviewer probably knows you don’t and is more interested in your positive experiences – education and skills related to your field.

2. Rehearse

You can never overdo this. Rehearsing gradually builds up your confidence and makes you own every part of your resume and experiences in words.

You could record yourself rehearsing, sitting before a mirror or have a friend watch and listen to you rehearse to tell you how you did at the end of every one.
A little rehearsal ahead of time can bring do a lot.

3. Creating a first impression!

It is said that a person meeting you for the first time already sums you up in a few seconds before you part your lips to say a word. In this case, it can take your employer less than a minute to decide whether they are hiring you. It is why you must focus on creating the first impression regardless of how rich your resume may be.

You need to be particular about what you’re wearing to your interview. We recommend you wear business-appropriate business cloth and then arrive at your interview venue earlier than stated on your invite.

A professional look, a firm handshake, smile and confidence is the way to go before your interview sets in.

4. Ask questions

Your interviewer is not the only one in the position to ask you questions. You will find that at the end of the interview, you will be asked if you have any questions to ask. That’s the last impression and another opportunity to blow your interviewer off his/her feet.

We have created a list of a few questions you can ask your interviewer at the end.

While you keep that in mind, also ensure you thank your interviewer for their time and the interview opportunity before you leave. We recommend you also send a ‘thank you’ note to them a few days after the interview and if there was a question or information you missed out on passing during your interview, you can also take this time to pass them.

Now, let’s go ahead with the recurrent internship interview questions.

Also, see: UK Sole Representative Visa: eligibility, visa fee & requirements, interview question

Recurrent Internship Interview Questions

While your interviewer only wants to get to know you, you have to be prepared for different types of traditional, behavioural and situational questions. We have made a list of some of the internship interview questions to help you learn how you can answer them.

Let’s begin!

1. Why Are You Interested in This Internship, and What Skills or Experiences Do You Hope to Gain?

This is one of the internship interview questions your interviewers or potential employers use how your expectations align with the internship. They want to know the reason you applied for – the motivation behind it. They want to know if you understand what the position entails and if you will be in for the long journey for the whole period the internship would be.

Also, they want to know if the company can meet up to your expectations.
They also want to know if you’re enthusiastic about your potential job/learning opportunity as well as working with them.

How to answer:

What about the internship opportunity caught your interest? What about the organisation/company?

Internships offer learning opportunities more than anything else. For you to have applied, you must have expectations of what you hope to learn. Now, what are they?

Here, you can share your experiences and passions as long as they related to the field you are going to intern in.
Here’s an example of how to answer this question – let’s assume you are being interviewed for a marketing internship:

“I have always had an interest in mission and purpose-driven companies. Your dedication to community engagement relates to the qualities that interest me in companies.

I am excited about this opportunity because I believe it will offer me a better direction to reaching numerous audiences and through varied channels. I must say, how you craft posts for your numerous initiatives on social media really intrigues me.

The trick is the show enthusiasm and confidence while you answer.

Not forgetting, you must know this question is a 2-in-one question. While some interviewer asks them differently:

  • Why are you applying for this internship?
  • What do you hope to gain from this internship?

Some other interviewers put them together.

2. How Do You Plan To Make An Impact During Your Internship?

This is another one of the top internship interview questions your interviewer asks to assess your leadership skills – if you have any. They want to know some of the impacts you can make in their company, how you can introduce the technique to create impact.

The way candidates answer this question reveals whether they possess leadership skills. Understanding if your interns have leadership skills is crucial because they are a core part of the business. What to look for in an answer:

How to answer:

“I would plan to recognize the fundamental area opportunities that can improve and strengthen the functional process. I will outline the essential resources to achieve operational expectations.

Also, I plan to set up a team, assign tasks, procure resources, recognise major performance pointers and develop a schedule to ensure that each strategy is accomplished at their designated times.

Also, see: 19 New Zealand jobs for American Citizens in 2023

3. Why Should We Consider You For This Internship?

This is a tricky question; while you are here, try not to sound humble. This is the question where humility does nothing but instantly makes you lose the internship opportunity even before your interview is over.

Here, highlight your experiences, your strengths and passions, and how they relate to the internship you’re applying for. You should highlight all the reasons why you should be considered for the internship position.

How to answer:

An employer will never offer you an opportunity just because you need it or just because you applied. They won’t give you because you are humble!

4. What Plans Do You Have After Completing This Internship And Graduating From School?

Here, your interviewer wants to know your longterm goals. What this question does is to this question does is to demonstrate your potential to work for your new company long-term. Also, it is to know your plan for the future – relating to the internship and this doesn’t necessarily mean working with them.

They want to know because they will be investing their resources in you and they would like to know if they would rather hire an already trained person for the position or allow you to train – help yourself and as much you help them. Or even less.

How to answer:

“After completing my internship, I plan to go back to college to complete my final semester. Then, I will go ahead to apply all the skills I would have gained; leadership, project management, technical and communication skills, in my academic as well as my volunteer and extracurricular activities.

After graduation, my plans include pursuing a career as a business analyst for your company/organisation.”

5. Do You Have Skills That Will Help You Excel At This Position And How Do You Plan To Implement Them?

Here, your interviewer wants to know if you possess the right skills for the internship position. The skills here include technical, communication and leadership skills

Also, this question is used to measure the amount of training you would require to be fit for the position and his you answer determines if the organisation will take it upon to incest their resources on you to train your or not.

How to answer:

“Yes, I have a variety of skills that can help me in this internship position. The skills I have include, writing, public speaking, leadership, planning and data analysis skills.

I plant to implement them by applying my communication and technical skills to lead team projects, research and solve business problems. Also, I can implement them by identifying trends and present findings.

6. Can You Tell Us About a Situation Where You Took Initiative or Took on a Leadership Role?

Here, your interviewer wants to know if you possess collaborative and problem-solving skills.

Your interviewer wants to know about your experiences with working in a team environment. They want to understand your thought process. They can measure your drive from your answers here.

When answering this, highlight stories from your past when you had a leadership role and when you had to solve a problem or work in a team.
This question also deals with any time you have ever taken an initiative to solve a problem – whether having a leadership role or not.

How to answer:

” I volunteered at a pet shelter which had a need to reach new audiences to boost their awareness of adoption opportunities. However, there were limited funds and there was no hope in sight. I took some time to recognize the root f the problem and find a solution; I found that the shelter had no social media presence. There were no regular blog contents and I drew a content and social media marketing plan.

This plan was to be implemented based on the budget using free marketing tools and platforms. I mobilised volunteers to help and as a result, awareness and adoptions boosted by over 10 per cent within a period of three months.”

7. Tell Us One Challenge You’ve Faced, and How Did You Overcome It?

Here, your interviewer wants to know if you are flexible and creative you are. Also, this question is a way to measure your self-awareness level and how you deal with challenges, handle mistakes as well as failures.

Your interviewer can tell a lot about how can you can work under pressure and challenges from your answer.

Here, find a specific example where this happens and describe in not so many details. However, we recommend you keep it high-level. You do not have to sound humble here too.

8. Tell Us About a Time You Had to Learn Something Completely New.

Here, your interviewer and employer want to know if you’re open, teachable and willing to develop new skills and take up new assignments for the company or organisation.

Basically, this question is used to measure your eagerness to learning.

How to answer:

If you have ever had to learn something completely different from your field; but useful, this is where to bring it on. While you answer, focus on why you had to learn the new thing and how you did.

9. What Projects or Accomplishments are you Proud of, and Why?

Here, your interviewer leaves you the floor to brag and would never hold you for it. Have you been setting big goals and accomplishing them? As you know, these things put smiles and happiness in our hearts and that’s what your interviewer wants to know.

The company wouldn’t want someone showing up at work every day with a face frowned from anger over projects and goals you couldn’t accomplish.

How to answer:

Search your mind for something you are genuinely proud of. It doesn’t even have to relate to your field. And, you also don’t have to choose a story you think your interviewer wants to hear.

Instead, choose something you are very proud of and can talk about with so much passion. Most times, it’s not just about what you say but also how you say it.

Focus on why you went for those projects or dreams and why you are proud of it.

10. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?

This is usually about the last question your interviewer asks. One of the most important internship interview questions. And while here, your interviewer expects you to have questions to ask either about the company, your internship, the team you’d be working with.

Here, your interviewer wants to be sure you are eager to intern with them and also, that you have been engaged in the interview process. How you decide to assert this question can determine if you are getting the internship or not.

How to answer:

Here, your interviewer wants to watch you demonstrate your interest in the company and your assigned role.

There are lots of questions you can ask but we always recommend you ask the very important ones and ask only about two or three of them.

Well, we always have you at heart and for this reason, we have made you a list of questions to ask your interviewer as the end of your interviewer. Find them below.

See Also: 11 Summer Jobs Abroad in 2023

Questions To Ask The Interviewer

An interview is a question and answers session between a potential employee and their employer. And here, questions are always required to come from both ends and this is where some job and internship applicants get it all wrong.

At the end of every interview, your interviewer expects you to ask some meaningful questions. It shows that you care about the position, which can get you hired before the interview ends. Now you know!

And you don’t have to sweat over it. We have created some questions to help you out.

1. What Would My Duties And Responsibilities Be If Hired For This Internship?

You want to know what job is required of your position and this helps your interviewer understand that you are interested in their company or organisation.

You also want to know if the position is the right fit for you especially when you know what you want – all of the experiences and training you would want to gain by the end of your internship.

2. How will my performance here be evaluated?

Just like the first question, this one also helps your interviewer understand that you are genuinely interested in the internship as well as the educational aspect of it.

You also want to know what skills and tasks your performances will be evaluated on and who does these evaluations.

If hired for this internship, who will be working with?

You want to know who you will be working it. This is as simple as it reads.

3. How do you conduct training for interns? 

You want to know how much training before you can begin on the main responsibilities of your internship. It’s that simple.

Are there opportunities for full-time employment or other advancements after the internship?

If you have long-term plans to work for the company, your interviewer’s response might be a factor in choosing an internship placement.

What this question does is to help your interviewer understand that you have a long-term mindset and are willing to commit more to the company or organisation beyond what interning with them requires.

4. Could you please describe the company’s culture?

You want to be sure of the company’s ethics, values, goals, and the working environment. You want to be sure the company’s culture fits your personality and can allow you a better internship experience.

Are you concerned about me, my resume, or my experience?

This is a very confident question. It is usually the last you can ask. And this one question helps your interviewer understand that you appreciate honest feedback.

However, this can be a great opportunity to address whatever concerns and doubts from your interviewer while still appearing confident.

FAQs – Internship Interview Questions

Are internship interviews easy?

Yes, as compared to the recruiting process as a whole, the interview procedure for internships is more simpler. Getting an internship only requires a respectable CV and one or two phone calls. That’s partly because a promising college student has a different obligation.

Do interns get rejected?

Rejection for an internship is essentially unavoidable. Most individuals will go through it at least once if they put themselves out there. People don’t talk as much about rejections as they do about successes. Similar to dating, you win some and learn some from it.

How long is an internship interview?

30 to 45 min

This 30- to 45-minute interview can be conducted over the phone or in person. It is used to decide if the business will extend an invitation to you to move forward in the hiring process.

Is intern stressful?

Internships may be demanding. especially if it’s your first time doing an internship and being in a workplace. Heck, if you allow it, the uncertainty of what to anticipate on Day One will be enough to make you extremely anxious for a week.

Conclusion

No matter how you feel about this interview, you have to remember that your interviewer only wants to get to know you and ensure that there would be mutual benefits if you are hired for the internship.

Also, remember to shine during your interview session by highlighting your experiences, strengths and skills. Leave negativity by the door and focus on the abilities, values and skills you can bring to the internship if hired.

Above all, be confident and answer every question with passion. We hope our list of internship interview questions helps.

We wish you the best!

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