Most Common Interview Questions

I have some upcoming interviews, and I was wondering what the most common questions you've asked or been asked in interviews?

Thanks.

 

Whatever questions you get here, try to think of specific examples.

If you are asked how good you are on deadline, and you say, "Oh, I'm really good!" That's not very helpful.

If you can say you were a freelancer covering high school football for the Podunk Press for 2 years and covered 7:30 games with a 10:30 deadline, that's better.

So don't think of questions that might come so much as examples that might fit several questions.

For instance, if you did an award-winning in-depth investigative piece for your school paper, you might use that experience to answer questions about whether you can handle more in-depth journalism or how you managed your time to write that story and do your daily work or how you convinced your editor that the story was worth pursuing, etc.

 

if they ask, "what do you think about making $8 an hour in a 37.5 hour work week (where you actually work 50-60 hours)?", run for your life ...

 

Most common question I've had: "Tell me a little bit about yourself."

Make sure you've got a plan for that one. How you interpret it will tell your employer a lot.

Also, remember that the whole point of the interview is to convince them that you can provide what they need. So you before you walk in the door, you should have a really clear idea of what they need. If you don't, call to clarify it before you get there.

 

I can tell you some questions I'd ask prospective employees when I was interviewing mostly entry level reporters:

"What is it about the Podunk Press that appeals to you?"
What I was looking for there was someone who did homework about the position, about the paper, etc. If you have reasons that come from having read the paper, it will show up.

"What would you say is your greatest strength? What you'd need to work on the most?
I'd ask these every time. Think of a strength that doesn't make you look like too much of a braggart, but can tell me something. Think of a weakness that you can spin into a strength.

"Why'd you pick the clips you chose?"
This became one of my most important questions. The first time I asked it, it was pretty much small talk, but it became a key question. The reason is this: I used that question to get into your head to figure out what your thoughts were behind choosing the stories you decided to send me. Are you a hard news junkie? Can you spin a yarn in a page-turning feature? Your answer would give me insight into you and whether or not you'd be a good fit at my shop.

 

"Talk about your career."

 

[David Letterman] Do you have any objections to sleeping with your boss? If no, are handjobs out of the question?

 

What is your religion? [/crossthread]

 

"Could you please put your pants back on?"

Or maybe that's just me.