Internship mock interview
Answer common internship interview questions out loud, from “Tell me about yourself” to “Why this internship?”, using examples from study, clubs and part-time work, then get feedback on what you said.
- Free, no account
- Answer by voice or by typing
- About 10 minutes
What they assess
What Internship interviews look for
Motivation
Why this internship, this company and this field, and what you hope to learn from it.
Transferable skills
Skills from study, part-time jobs, volunteering and clubs that carry over to work, such as organisation, communication and teamwork.
Willingness to learn
How you take feedback, ask questions and pick up new things. Interviewers know you’re still learning and want to see how you do it.
Reliability
Whether you manage your time, meet deadlines and balance study with your other commitments.
Communication
Whether you can explain what you study and what you’ve done clearly and briefly, and ask good questions.
Questions
8 common Internship interview questions, and how to answer them
- Opening
Tell me about yourself.
What they’re looking for: A short, focused introduction: what you study, what interests you, and why you’re applying for this internship.
How to answer: Start with your course and year. Mention one or two things you’ve done outside class, such as a project, job or club. Finish with what drew you to this internship.
- Motivation
Why do you want this internship?
What they’re looking for: That you know what the internship involves, what you want to learn, and how it fits where you’re heading.
How to answer: Name something specific about the company or the work its interns do. Say what you want to learn and why now. Connect it to your course or a project that got you interested.
- Behavioural
Tell me about a group project you worked on. What was your role?
What they’re looking for: Your own contribution, how you worked with the others, and what the group achieved.
How to answer: Describe the project and the team briefly. Focus on what you did: the tasks you owned, the problems you helped solve, and how you handled any disagreement. End with the result, such as the mark or feedback, and what you learned.
- Behavioural
Tell me about a time you balanced study with other commitments.
What they’re looking for: Time management and reliability: how you plan, what you prioritise, and how you cope when it gets busy.
How to answer: Pick a real example, such as working part-time during exams or running a club event near a deadline. Explain how you planned and what you had to give up. Finish with how it went and what you’d do the same way at work.
- Behavioural
Describe a time you received feedback you didn’t expect. What did you do with it?
What they’re looking for: That you take feedback well and act on it, which matters in an internship where you’ll get a lot of it.
How to answer: Use feedback from a tutor, manager, coach or teammate. Say briefly what it was and how it landed. Spend most of the answer on what you changed and what happened next.
- Role-specific
What do you know about our company?
What they’re looking for: That you’ve done more than skim the homepage: what the company does, who its customers are, and something recent.
How to answer: Sum up what they do in a sentence. Mention something recent, such as a product, project or news story, and why it interests you. Link it back to what you’d like to work on.
- Role-specific
What skills from your course would you bring to this internship?
What they’re looking for: Specific skills linked to the work, with evidence, rather than a list of modules.
How to answer: Choose two skills the internship needs, such as research, data analysis, writing or a particular piece of software. Give a quick example of using each in an assignment or project. Say how you’d use them here.
- Role-specific
If you were given a task and weren’t sure how to do it, what would you do?
What they’re looking for: That you try to work it out first, then ask for help early with a clear question, rather than guessing or waiting.
How to answer: Explain what you’d check first: the brief, notes, examples or tools. Say when you’d ask your manager and what you’d bring to that conversation. Give an example from study or work where you did this.
More Internship interview questions to practise
- Talk me through your resume.Opening
- Why did you choose your course?Motivation
- What do you hope to get out of this internship?Motivation
- Tell me about a time you took the lead on something, at university or outside it.Behavioural
- Tell me about a time you made a mistake. How did you handle it?Behavioural
- Tell me about a time you had to learn something new quickly.Behavioural
- Describe a time you helped a customer, classmate or teammate solve a problem.Behavioural
- Tell me about an achievement you’re proud of, at university or outside it.Behavioural
- What’s one strength you’d bring, and one skill you want to develop during this internship?Role-specific
- How do you organise your week when you have several deadlines?Role-specific
- What would you do if you finished your tasks early and your manager was busy?Role-specific
- How would your classmates or teammates describe you?Role-specific
- Which part of your course have you enjoyed most, and why?Role-specific
- What software or tools are you comfortable using?Role-specific
- What do you think will be the hardest part of this internship?Role-specific
- What questions do you have about the internship?Closing
All 24 questions on this page are in the practice above; each round picks five.
Mistakes to avoid
- Apologising for a lack of experience instead of using examples from study, part-time work, clubs or volunteering.
- Not knowing what the company does, or what its interns actually work on.
- Listing course modules instead of the skills they gave you and how you used them.
- Having no questions at the end, which can come across as a lack of interest.
Questions
About Internship interviews
How the practice works and what happens to your answers: about this mock interview.
What is an internship interview usually like?
Often shorter and less formal than a graduate interview: a phone or video screen, then one interview with the manager or a small panel. Larger employers may add online tests or an assessment centre. Expect questions about your course, your projects and why you want the internship.
What if I’ve never had a job?
That’s common for internship applicants. Use examples from group projects, assignments, clubs, sport, volunteering or anything you’ve organised. Interviewers want to see how you think and work, and those examples can show it.
How long should my answers be?
For most questions, one to two minutes: long enough to give an example and a result, short enough to leave room for follow-up questions. Practising out loud is the easiest way to find the right length.