20 Arizona State University Interview Questions and Answers

When it comes to interviews, every company has their own unique process. And while some companies may ask similar questions, others will have their own specific questions that they like to ask.

If you’re interviewing at Arizona State University, you’ll want to be prepared for their specific interview questions. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most common questions that ASU interviewers ask, along with sample answers to help you prepare for your interview.

Arizona State University Interview Process

The interview process at Arizona State University can vary depending on the position you are applying for. However, most positions will require at least one phone screening interview and one in-person interview. For some positions, there may be a panel of interviewers. The length of the hiring process can also vary, but it is typically fairly lengthy, taking several weeks or even months to receive a final decision.

1. What are your future career goals?

This question is an opportunity to show the interviewer that you have a plan for your career and how Arizona State University can help you achieve those goals. When answering this question, it’s important to be honest about what you want in your future career and explain why ASU would be a good fit for achieving those goals.

Example: “My goal after graduation is to work as a high school teacher. I’ve always enjoyed working with students and helping them learn new things. I think my experience at ASU has prepared me well for this career path. My major is education, and I’m currently completing my student teaching requirement. I feel confident that I am ready to enter the workforce and make a positive impact on young people.”

2. Describe the most important project you have worked on in the past year.

This question is a great way to show the interviewer your ability to work independently and prioritize tasks. When answering this question, it can be helpful to describe a project that you completed successfully or one that helped you develop skills in an important area.

Example: “In my current role as a marketing manager for a local business, I am responsible for creating content for social media platforms, writing blog posts and managing our company’s website. Recently, I was tasked with updating our website to include more information about our products and services. I worked closely with my web developer to create new pages on our site and update existing ones.”

3. How do you handle stress and pressure?

Interviewers may ask this question to assess your ability to handle stress and pressure. They want to know that you can perform well under challenging circumstances, so it’s important to highlight how you’ve overcome challenges in the past.

Example: “I think it’s important to remain calm when facing a stressful situation. I try to take deep breaths and remind myself of my capabilities. In my last position as an administrative assistant, I was responsible for organizing a large event. The day before the event, our keynote speaker canceled. I felt overwhelmed by the task at hand, but I took a few minutes to collect my thoughts and then started making phone calls to find a new speaker. After several hours, I found a great replacement who agreed to speak at the event.”

4. Provide an example of a time when you made a mistake, how did you manage it?

This question is a great way to show your problem-solving skills and how you learn from your mistakes. When answering this question, it can be helpful to focus on the steps you took to fix the mistake or what you learned from the experience.

Example: “When I was in high school, I had an internship at a local hospital where I worked as a receptionist. One day, I accidentally sent an email to all of the doctors instead of just my supervisor. It was a long message that detailed some concerns I had about the hospital’s scheduling system. My supervisor called me into her office after receiving the email and asked why I felt the need to send such a lengthy email when she preferred short messages. I explained that I wanted to make sure she understood everything I wrote and apologized for sending the email to everyone.”

5. Why is ASU the right school for you?

This question is a great way for the interviewer to learn more about your interest in their university. It’s also an opportunity for you to show them why you’re the right candidate for this position. When answering, it can be helpful to mention specific programs or opportunities that appeal to you and how they relate to your career goals.

Example: “I chose ASU because of its reputation as one of the best public research universities in the country. I’m excited to study here because of all the unique opportunities available to students. For example, I’ve heard so many amazing things about the honors program and would love to have the chance to participate.”

6. Describe a time when you had to work with someone who was difficult.

This question can help the interviewer determine how you handle conflict and whether you are able to work with others. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention a specific example of when you had to work with someone who was difficult but also highlight your ability to collaborate with others.

Example: “In my last position as an assistant manager at a local restaurant, I worked with a coworker who often disagreed with me about certain tasks that needed to be completed. While this could have been frustrating, I tried to remain calm and focused on completing the task at hand. Eventually, we were able to find a compromise and complete our tasks.”

7. Tell me about a time where you showed initiative at work or in school.

This question is a great way to show your problem-solving skills and ability to take initiative. When answering this question, it can be helpful to think of an example that shows you are willing to go above and beyond for the benefit of others or to solve a problem.

Example: “In my previous position as a customer service representative, I noticed that many customers were calling in with questions about our products. This was causing some delays in their orders being processed. So, I decided to create a FAQ page on our website so customers could find answers to their questions before they called us.”

8. Do you prefer working independently or as part of a team?

This question can help the interviewer determine how you might fit into their department. If your role requires a lot of collaboration, it’s important to show that you’re comfortable working with others and have good communication skills.

Example: “I’ve found that I’m most productive when I work independently on projects. However, I also enjoy collaborating with my peers and learning from them. In my last position, I was tasked with creating an infographic for our marketing campaign. I worked alone on the project, but I asked several coworkers for advice on what they thought would be visually appealing. Their feedback helped me create a more effective piece.”

9. Are you comfortable working with children?

Arizona State University has a strong commitment to education and offers many programs for children. The interviewer wants to know if you have experience working with children, as well as how comfortable you are in that environment. If you do not have any experience working with children, you can talk about your desire to work with them.

Example: “I am very comfortable working with children. I worked at my local library for two years where I volunteered to read stories to the younger children on Friday afternoons. It was a great way to get practice reading out loud and interacting with kids. I also love being around children because they remind me of why I want to be a teacher.”

10. What would be your approach to discipline if a child misbehaved?

Discipline is an important part of a teacher’s job, and the interviewer wants to know how you would handle discipline in your classroom. You can answer this question by describing what steps you would take to ensure students behave appropriately.

Example: “I believe that it’s important for teachers to be consistent with their disciplinary actions so children understand what they can expect when they misbehave. I would first ask the child why they behaved inappropriately before deciding on a consequence. For example, if a student was talking out of turn, I would tell them to stop talking and write down five things they should do instead of talking. If they repeat the behavior, I would give them another consequence.”

11. Give us an example of a time where you demonstrated leadership skills.

Arizona State University is a large university with over 70,000 students. The admissions committee wants to know that you have the ability to lead others and manage a team. When answering this question, it can be helpful to highlight your communication skills and how they helped you successfully lead a group of people or projects.

Example: “In my last job as an assistant manager at a local restaurant, I was responsible for managing a team of servers and bartenders. One night, one of our servers called out sick, leaving us short-staffed. I immediately pulled two of our other servers from their tables to cover the missing server’s tables. They were initially upset about having to leave their tables, but I explained the situation and asked them if they would rather work hard now or later in the evening when we are busy. They agreed to help out, and we got through the rush hour without any issues.”

12. What motivates you?

This question can help the interviewer get to know you better and understand what drives your success. Your answer should reflect a passion for learning, teaching or research.

Example: “I am motivated by my desire to make an impact on the world through my work. I want to be able to share my knowledge with others in order to help them achieve their goals. I also find motivation in challenging myself to learn new things every day. This helps me grow as both a professional and a person.”

13. How do you think a co-worker or professor who doesn’t know you would describe you?

This question is a great way to learn more about the person you’re interviewing with and how they view their colleagues. It’s also an opportunity for you to show your ability to be self-aware and honest in your answer.

Example: “I think that my professor would describe me as someone who is always prepared, eager to learn and passionate about what I do. My co-worker would say that I’m friendly, helpful and willing to go above and beyond to help them or others.”

14. Which teaching methods do you use?

Interviewers may ask this question to learn more about your teaching style and how you plan lessons. To answer, think of a time when you used a specific method or strategy in the classroom. Explain why you chose that approach and what results it produced.

Example: “I believe in using many different methods for instruction. For example, I find that students learn best when they can see concepts visually as well as hear them explained verbally. In my last position, I would often use visual aids like PowerPoint presentations and videos to help explain new material. This helped students understand complex topics better and also gave me an opportunity to assess their understanding by asking questions.”

15. Would you be willing to relocate?

If you’re applying for a position at Arizona State University, it’s likely that the university is looking to fill an open position in its Phoenix campus. However, if you are willing to relocate, this can be beneficial as it shows your commitment to the job and willingness to move to another location. If you are not willing to relocate, make sure to explain why so that the interviewer understands your reasoning.

Example: “I am happy to relocate to any state within the United States, however I would prefer to stay in the Southwestern region of the country.”

16. Have you ever been fired from a job? If so, why were you terminated?

This question is a common one in interviews, and it’s important to be honest. If you have been fired from a job, explain why the employer terminated your employment and what you learned from the experience.

Example: “I was working as an assistant manager at a retail store when I got into a disagreement with my boss about how to handle a customer complaint. My boss thought we should give the customer a refund, but I disagreed because I didn’t think that was fair to other customers who had made purchases without any issues. We argued for a while, and eventually my boss fired me.”

17. What is your greatest strength/weakness?

This question is a common one in interviews, and it’s important to be honest. Interviewers want to know that you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses as well as how you plan to improve on them. When answering this question, think about what skills you have developed over time or which ones you feel most confident using.

Example: “My greatest strength is my ability to work independently. I am very self-motivated and rarely need help from others when completing tasks. However, I also understand the importance of teamwork and collaboration. In college, I learned how to balance working alone with working with others. My weakness would be my attention to detail. While I am good at finding errors, I sometimes miss small details. To overcome this, I make sure to proofread everything multiple times.”

18. Why should we hire you?

This question is a great way for the interviewer to assess your confidence and self-awareness. It’s important to be honest in your answer, but also show that you have the skills and experience necessary to succeed in this role.

Example: “I am an excellent communicator with strong interpersonal skills. I’m confident that my communication skills will help me collaborate with faculty and staff members on campus. My interpersonal skills are essential to helping students feel comfortable when they’re struggling or need extra support. I believe these skills make me a valuable asset to Arizona State University.”

19. What attracted you to this position?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your interest in their organization. Before you interview, make sure you thoroughly research the position and company. Review the job description and look at the university’s website to see what they’re looking for in a candidate. In your answer, explain why you are excited about this opportunity and how it fits with your career goals.

Example: “I am very interested in working as an academic advisor because I love helping students reach their educational goals. When I was researching ASU, I saw that the university has many resources available to help students succeed. For example, I read that the Career Development Center offers resume workshops and mock interviews. I think these types of programs can be helpful for students who are nervous about interviewing for internships or jobs after graduation.”

20. Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years?

This question is a common one in interviews, and it’s used to assess your career goals. When answering this question, be honest about what you want for yourself. You can also use the opportunity to show that you have thought about your future.

Example: “I see myself working as an engineer at ASU in five years. I hope to have graduated with my bachelor’s degree by then, and I would like to continue on to get my master’s degree. In ten years, I hope to still be working here as an engineer. I’d love to have earned my Ph.D. by then.”