Types of Questions

Traditional Questions

Traditional questions allow the interviewer to get a better understanding of your personality, background, and values. This type of question is common in interviews across all industries. Some examples of traditional questions include:  

“Tell me about yourself.”  

This is an opportunity to break the ice, connect on a more personal (but not too personal) level, and tell how your experiences both inside and outside of the classroom have influenced your career goals. 

One strategy for tackling this open-ended question is by using the “present-past-future” formula. Start by talking briefly about what you are doing now, which could include your current academic projects, employment, or even a relevant personal hobby or passion. Then, transition into how you got to where you are now. Use this time to highlight the skills you have developed and how they are applicable to the opportunity at hand. At this point, you can lead into talking about future goals. What aspirations do you have if you were to obtain this position? Being able to articulate how your past and present will benefit the future of this role will help the interviewer(s) see your investment and ability to succeed.  

When formulating your response, avoid simply restating your resume, and don’t share overly personal information. Instead, focus on key points to show how your unique experiences and skills align with the role, giving the interviewer a clear picture of how you’ll bring value to their team. 

For additional tips, view How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” in an Interview 

“What are your strengths/weaknesses?”

When addressing your strengths: 

• Choose a skill that is relevant to the position 
• Be ready with examples of how you used that skill in the past 
• Avoid general phrases/traits like “hard working” or “dedicated” 
• Focus on transferable skills 

For additional tips, view How to Answer “What is Your Greatest Strength?” 

• When addressing your weaknesses: 
• Articulate an honest and genuine weakness 
• Choose a skill or quality that is not necessary for the job, but also not so unrelated that it is superfluous 
• Be sure to describe ways in which you are improving or planning to improve that skill 

For additional tips, view “How to Answer What is Your Greatest Weakness?” 

“Why are you interested in this company/program?”

This question is where your research into the company or program matters most. You’ll want to mention specific aspects that resonate with you, like the organization’s values, recent projects, or growth opportunities. Explain how these align with your skills, interests, and career goals to demonstrate your genuine interest. Personalizing your response with a unique insight or story about what drew you to the company/program can make your answer more memorable and impactful. 

Some other examples of traditional questions include: 

• What accomplishment on your resume are you the proudest of? 
• What are your short- and long-term career goals? 
• What makes you stand out from other applicants? 
• Is there anything else I should know about you? 

Behavioral Questions 

Interviewers use behavioral interview questions to understand how you’ve handled specific situations in the past and to predict how you might respond to similar situations in the future. These questions often start with phrases like “Tell me about a time when…” and focus on skills like problem-solving, teamwork, or communication.  

A helpful strategy for answering behavioral questions is the STARR method, where you describe a Situation, Task, Action, and Result, and Relate what you learned in that scenario to the role for which you are interviewing. 

• (S) Situation 
  • Begin by describing the context or situation where the behavior or experience occurred. Provide enough details to set the stage and convey background information to the interviewer. Be specific and focus on a particular event or situation that is relevant to the question. 

• (T) Task 
  • Explain the specific task or goal you were assigned within that situation. This step highlights your responsibilities and the role you played in addressing the situation. Clearly articulate what was expected of you or what you needed to achieve. 

• (A) Action 
  • Describe the action steps you took to address the situation or accomplish the task. Highlight the skills and strategies you employed to handle the challenge effectively. Emphasize your individual contributions and demonstrate the qualities or competencies the interviewer is seeking. 

• (R) Result 
  • Share the outcome or result of your actions. Explain the impact of your efforts, whether it was a successful accomplishment, a lesson learned, or a positive change. Whenever possible, quantify the results using metrics or data to provide a tangible measure of success. 

• (R) Relate 
  • When you have completed the bulk of your response, relate it back to the opportunity you are interviewing for. Showing the interviewer how the skills you developed will translate over to this new role helps them to envision you in the position. 

Here are some examples of behavioral questions and sample STARR method responses: 

• Tell me about a time you faced a challenge while working in a group. 
  • Sample response: “During my sophomore year, I worked on a group project for my Business Communications class where we struggled with communication, and two team members were often unresponsive. I wanted to ensure everyone contributed so we could meet the deadline and create a cohesive presentation. I set up a shared timeline using Google Sheets, reached out to the unresponsive members to address their challenges, and proposed adjustments to the workload and meeting schedule. I also initiated weekly check-ins to track progress. We finished the project on time, earned an A, and received praise for our organization and teamwork. I learned the value of proactive communication and leadership, which has made me more confident in managing group dynamics.” 

• Give me a specific example of a time when you demonstrated your leadership abilities. 
  • Sample response: “As the president of my campus volunteering club, I was tasked with organizing a fundraising event for a local food bank, but a key vendor canceled last-minute. I needed to quickly find a replacement vendor and ensure the event could still run smoothly. I delegated smaller tasks to my team, like updating marketing materials, while I contacted alternative vendors. I negotiated with a local bakery to step in and secured their participation within a day. The event went as planned, raising $1,500—50% more than our goal—and we received positive feedback from attendees and the food bank. This experience taught me how to stay calm under pressure and leverage teamwork to solve problems quickly, skills I continue to use in leadership roles.” 

• Describe a time when you leveraged your written communication skills to get a point across. 
  • Sample response: “In my internship with the university’s student affairs office, I noticed that many students were unclear about how to register for an upcoming workshop. I was responsible for creating a message to clarify the process and encourage participation. I wrote a concise email with a step-by-step registration guide, included a QR code for easy access, and revised it based on feedback from my supervisor to ensure clarity and professionalism. The email resulted in a 40% increase in workshop registrations compared to previous events, and several students mentioned the email was especially helpful. This taught me the importance of tailoring written communication to the audience and using clear, actionable language.” 

• Provide an example of a time when you demonstrated your ability to work under pressure. 
  • Sample response: “During finals week last semester, I was juggling three major deadlines: a group project, a research paper, and a part-time job. I needed to prioritize my time effectively to meet all deadlines without compromising the quality of my work. I created a detailed to-do list, breaking down tasks into smaller steps and focusing on the most urgent ones first. I also communicated with my group to delegate responsibilities and adjusted my work shift to give myself more time to focus. I submitted all assignments on time, maintained high quality, and received positive feedback from my professor and teammates. This experience reinforced the value of staying organized, managing stress, and communicating effectively during high-pressure situations.” 

Case Questions 

Case questions are used to assess a candidate’s problem-solving abilities, analytical skills, and how they approach complex, real-world challenges. These types of questions were originally most common in consulting, finance, management, and strategic roles, where companies look for candidates who can think on their feet and propose viable solutions to industry-specific problems. Nowadays, case questions are making an appearance in nearly all fields, as skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving are becoming more and more desired. 

When responding to case questions, it is important to clearly articulate your thought process as you respond, since the interviewer will be assessing your critical thinking skills in real time as opposed to you explaining how you have used these skills in past scenarios. The interviewer will likely expect you to present a final answer to the question; however, the accuracy of your final answer is not necessarily as important as your reasoning and justification. 

Case questions can vary in terms of exactly what they ask you to do. Some may involve a scenario, whereas others may just involve a logic problem or brainteaser. Some common types of case interview questions are explained below.  

Hypothetical Scenarios 

These questions propose a hypothetical scenario that you may find yourself in, should you be offered the opportunity, and ask you how you would navigate that scenario.  

Examples: “You and your co-worker have competing ideas about how to design our startup’s new logo. How do you move forward?” or “A mid-sized coffee chain is experiencing a decline in profits. Walk me through how you would identify the cause and suggest potential solutions to improve their profitability.”  

Actual Scenarios 

In addition to proposing hypothetical scenarios, an interviewer could place you in an actual scenario as an interviewee. This could involve role play, data analysis, presentation development, or any other task that is relevant to your industry or the position/program you are interviewing for.  

Examples: “Pretend you have been hired as a 4^th grade teacher at our school. I am going to play the role of one of your students coming to you with a concern after getting into an argument with one of my classmates.” or “Here is a spreadsheet containing a subset of data from the clinical trial we are currently working on. Take 10 minutes to look at the data, then share three notable observations you made.” 

Logic Problem/Brainteaser 

These questions require you to think critically and suggest a possible answer to a difficult or abstract question. They may require you to provide theoretical estimates or explanations. 

Examples: “How many traffic lights are in New York City?” or “The city subway system has two escalators going up to the street but only one going down to the subway. Why?” 

When approaching a case question, you may ask the interviewer follow-up questions to gather additional background information and clarify your objective. Remember, the interviewer rarely has a specific answer in mind that they want you to express. Instead, they use this type of question to assess your analytical and creative thinking skills. 

Read more about case questions in Vault’s Guide to Case Interviews. 

Preparing for a variety of interview question types, including traditional, behavioral, and case questions, gives you the flexibility to effectively showcase your skills across different interview formats. With practice and a clear strategy, you’ll be able to navigate interview questions confidently and demonstrate your value as a candidate.