Ace the Interview

Prepare for common internship interview questions, answer with the STAR method, handle online interviews, and follow up afterwards.

About 25 minutes

Before the interview

Research the organisation: what it does, its products or services, and any recent news. Read its website and LinkedIn page.
Re-read the advert and your application.
Prepare three stories from school, projects, volunteering or work that show your skills.
Plan logistics: the address and travel time, or for online interviews the link, a charged laptop, data and a quiet room.

Common questions

Question	What they want to know
"Tell me about yourself."	A 60-second summary: studies, skills, why this role
"Why do you want this internship?"	You've researched them and have a real reason
"Tell me about a time you worked in a team."	How you collaborate
"What's your biggest weakness?"	Self-awareness, and what you're doing about it
"Do you have any questions for us?"	Interest. Always have two ready

Answer with STAR

For "tell me about a time…" questions, use STAR:

Situation: the background, in one sentence.
Task: what you needed to do.
Action: what you did (say "I", not "we").
Result: what happened, with a number if you can.

Example: "In my second year, our departmental dinner had 40% fewer sign-ups than planned two weeks before the date (S). As publicity lead, I had to fill the tickets (T). I designed Canva posters, set up a Google Form and asked each class rep to share it in their WhatsApp groups (A). We sold out three days before the event (R)."

Online interviews

Test the link, camera and microphone the day before.
Sit facing a window or light, with a plain background.
Look at the camera when you speak, not your own face.
Keep your phone on silent and close other tabs.
Have your CV and notes nearby, but don't read from them.

Good questions to ask them

"What would a typical day look like for an intern?"
"What would success look like at the end of the internship?"
"Who would I be working with most closely?"

After the interview

Send a short thank-you email the same day:

Subject: Thank you – Data Analyst Intern interview

Dear Mr Okafor,

Thank you for speaking with me today about the Data Analyst Intern role.
I enjoyed hearing about how your team uses Power BI for weekly sales
reviews, and I'm even more keen to join.

Kind regards,
Efosa Igbinedion

Try it

Write and practise your 60-second "tell me about yourself" answer out loud.
Write one STAR story about teamwork and one about solving a problem.
Prepare two questions to ask an interviewer.
Do a practice video call with a friend and ask for honest feedback.

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Before the interview

Research the organisation: what it does, its products or services, and any recent news. Read its website and LinkedIn page.

Re-read the advert and your application.

Prepare three stories from school, projects, volunteering or work that show your skills.

Plan logistics: the address and travel time, or for online interviews the link, a charged laptop, data and a quiet room.

Common questions

Question	What they want to know
"Tell me about yourself."	A 60-second summary: studies, skills, why this role
"Why do you want this internship?"	You've researched them and have a real reason
"Tell me about a time you worked in a team."	How you collaborate
"What's your biggest weakness?"	Self-awareness, and what you're doing about it
"Do you have any questions for us?"	Interest. Always have two ready

Answer with STAR

For "tell me about a time…" questions, use STAR:

Situation: the background, in one sentence.

Task: what you needed to do.

Action: what you did (say "I", not "we").

Result: what happened, with a number if you can.

Example: "In my second year, our departmental dinner had 40% fewer sign-ups than planned two weeks before the date (S). As publicity lead, I had to fill the tickets (T). I designed Canva posters, set up a Google Form and asked each class rep to share it in their WhatsApp groups (A). We sold out three days before the event (R)."

After the interview

Send a short thank-you email the same day:

Subject: Thank you – Data Analyst Intern interview

Dear Mr Okafor,

Thank you for speaking with me today about the Data Analyst Intern role.
I enjoyed hearing about how your team uses Power BI for weekly sales
reviews, and I'm even more keen to join.

Kind regards,
Efosa Igbinedion