CAREER

Interview formats include:
• General Behavioral Interviews—This type of interview focuses on the candidate's interests, strengths, and experiences
and the questions are often based on the premise that past experience is the best preparation for future performance. You
need to know your resume thoroughly and be able to provide examples and tell illustrative stories to give the interviewer
a sense of who you are as a person and a potential employee. Examples can be drawn from your coursework, projects,
internships, volunteer work, and student activities. To structure your answers, you may wish to use the SARA (Situation,
Action, Results, Application) model (see pages 52).
• Technical Interviews—Engineering, technology and science-based employers tend to include or focus the entire inter
view solely on technical questions. Technical interview questions test your familiarity with subject-specific information and
ask you to demonstrate that knowledge live (examples may include using a white board to explain a concept and its
applications or writing code in front of the interviewer). The best way to prepare for technical questions is to conduct
research to find out what types of questions you can expect and then review the materials from the classes or projects in
which you learned the skill set. Perhaps ask a friend who has a similar skill set to test you prior to the interview. Company
websites, glassdoor.com, CCE’s Career Resource Center Library, and faculty are just a few resources you can use to learn
about sample technical questions.
• Case Interview—Hypothetical case questions look to identify how you might handle a particular situation or approach
a problem you are likely to face in the role for which you are applying. Read Case in Point by Marc P. Cosentino, Vault Case
Interviews Practice Guides, and WetFeet Ace Your Case Guides. Access guides through the CCE website:
careereducation.columbia.edu/resources/library. Practice with peers in the Columbia Undergraduate Consulting Club and/or
Columbia Graduate Consulting Club.
• Group Interviews—A group interview is designed to see how you interact with others, what your leadership style may be,
how you participate in a discussion around a specific topic area, and/or how you collaborate to accomplish a shared problem
or task.
• Brainteasers—These interviews are designed to assess how quickly you can think on your feet and how you might
approach complex problems. Questions could range from “How many ping pong balls would fit in this room?” to “How
many people are shopping on Amazon in the Midwest on a Friday at 3:00p.m.?” The most important thing to keep in mind
when answering this type of question is that the interviewer is testing how you logically come up with an answer, so you will
want to verbalize your thought process. The process is very important.
• Task/Project Interviews—This type of interview may present you with a specific task or project that mirrors the
activities of the job. The task may include creating your own public relations campaign for a new product, having a mock
conversation with a frustrated client, or synthesizing and evaluating data and making recommendations as to the ways it may
impact organizational procedures. Be aware that these projects can be time-consuming and may be used by the employer.
It is appropriate to ask the employer if and/or how the company will use the product of your work and, if you feel
uncomfortable, speak with a CCE career counselor about how to navigate the situation.
• Academic Interviews—See page 57.
PREPARE
Ask the employer about the interview format ahead of time. Often, when employers do engage in alternative interview practices,
they will be able to point you to resources on their websites and elsewhere to prepare you for the task at hand.
Sample Questions
There are three principal types of questions you may encounter during an interview: 1) behavioral, 2) industry specific, and
3) case-style. You cannot prepare for every possible interview question that you could get. Interviewers are trying to test your ability
to think on your feet, while staying calm and focused.
General or Standard Interview questions:
• Tell me about yourself.
• Why did you decide to go to Columbia?
• Why did you major in ____________?
• Tell me about your job at ____________.
• Why did you leave your job/internship at ____________?
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• What are your long-term and short-term goals?
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