Internship interviewers know you don't have years of experience. They're looking for potential: curiosity, reliability, a willingness to learn, and the ability to work with others. The good news is that school projects, clubs, part-time jobs and personal projects all count as evidence. Below are 30 common internship interview questions with sample answers you can adapt.
What internship interviewers look for
| They want to see | Evidence you can use |
|---|---|
| Interest in the field | Classes, projects, reading, clubs |
| Reliability | Part-time jobs, deadlines met, attendance |
| Teamwork | Group projects, sports, volunteering |
| Ability to learn | Something you taught yourself |
| Communication | Clear, honest answers |
About you
1. Tell me about yourself
"I'm a third-year economics student. I became interested in data last year when I took a statistics class and ended up helping my professor clean survey data for a research project. I also work part-time at a bookstore, where I handle the weekly stock report. I'm looking for an internship where I can use data to answer real business questions, which is why I applied here." See our guide to tell me about yourself.
2. Why did you choose your major?
A genuine reason and what you enjoy about it.
3. What are your strengths?
One or two, with examples from school or work.
4. What's a weakness you're working on?
A real one, with what you're doing about it.
5. What do you do outside of class?
Activities, jobs, hobbies, and what you've learned from them.
Motivation
6. Why do you want this internship?
"I want to see how marketing decisions are made with real budgets, and your internship includes working on live campaigns. I've run social media for my university's film club, so I'd like to learn how it's done at a much larger scale."
7. Why our company?
Mention something specific about the company's products, values or team.
8. What do you hope to learn?
Name two skills from the job description.
9. Where do you see yourself after graduation?
A broad direction that fits the internship.
10. What do you know about our industry?
One or two current trends and why they interest you.
Projects and experience
11. Tell me about a project you're proud of
"For a class project, my team of four built a budget tracker app. I designed the database and wrote the code that categorized expenses. We had trouble merging our work at the end, so I set up a shared repository and a simple process for reviewing each other's changes. We finished on time and got the top grade in the class."
12. Tell me about a group project that didn't go well
What went wrong, what you did, what you'd do differently.
13. Describe your part-time job. What did you learn?
Responsibility, customers, time management.
14. Have you taught yourself something new?
A course, tool or skill, and how you learned it.
15. Tell me about a time you took initiative
Something you started or improved without being asked.
Teamwork and communication
16. How do you work in a team?
Your typical role, with an example.
17. Tell me about a conflict in a group project
How you handled it calmly and what happened.
18. How do you handle feedback?
"I ask for it. On my last essay I asked my professor what one thing I should improve, and I applied it to the next one."
19. How would you explain a complex idea to someone who's not in your field?
Pick a concept from your studies and explain it simply.
Time management and problem solving
20. How do you manage deadlines with classes and work?
Your planning system, with an example of a busy week.
21. Tell me about a time you were under pressure
A short story with the outcome.
22. What would you do if you didn't know how to complete a task?
"I'd try to figure it out first for a reasonable time, check any documentation, and then ask a colleague or my manager with what I've already tried."
23. Tell me about a mistake you made
Own it, explain the fix and the lesson.
24. How do you prioritize when you have several tasks?
Deadlines and importance, and checking with your manager when unsure.
Technical and role-specific basics
Expect a few questions related to the field:
25. (Engineering) Explain a data structure you've used
26. (Finance) Walk me through the three financial statements
27. (Marketing) How would you promote our product to students?
28. (Data) How would you find the average order value from a table of orders?
29. (Design) Walk me through your portfolio
Review the job post and practice the basics it mentions.
Closing
30. Do you have any questions for us?
Always have some ready:
- What does a typical day look like for an intern?
- What projects have past interns worked on?
- How do interns get feedback?
- What did your most successful interns do well?
More ideas in questions to ask at the end of an interview.
How to prepare
- Research the company, its products and the team you'd join.
- Write a one-minute introduction.
- Prepare four stories: a project, teamwork, a challenge, and something you learned on your own. Our behavioral vs traditional questions guide explains how to structure them.
- Review the technical basics in the job post.
- Prepare three questions to ask.
- If the first round is a phone or video screen, see our phone screen interview questions.
Practice your internship interview
Rehearse common questions out loud with YesToTheOffer, using your resume and the internship description, and review your transcript. 30 free minutes, no subscription.
