Candidate experience

Employers

Tips and trends for modern recruiting

Find the talent you’re looking for

While entry level candidates today are likely to do their research on employers before the interview stage, interviews might be the first human connection in their job search process. Good interview questions for students and new grads offer an engaging touchpoint and customize the candidate experience, while helping you assess for the most qualified candidates.

Here are 50 sample questions to ask in an interview with college students and recent grads. Consider adding some of these to your rubric and asking the same questions to each candidate for fair scoring.



General background & icebreakers

1. Tell me a little about yourself and what led you to this interview.

2. What are three words your professors or peers would use to describe you?

3. Why did you choose your major, and how has it shaped what you’re looking for in a career?

4. What excites you most about starting your career?

5. What’s a class project or extracurricular accomplishment you’re most proud of?

6. If you had a superpower, what would it be?



Work ethic & motivation

7. What motivates you to do your best work?

8. Can you share an experience where you had to push yourself outside your comfort zone?

9. Tell me about a time you had to meet a tight deadline. How did you handle it?

10. What does success look like to you in your first six months at a new job?

11. How do you stay organized when juggling multiple responsibilities?



Problem-solving & critical thinking

12. Tell me about a time you faced a challenge and how you approached solving it.

13. Describe a time when you encountered a problem on a group project. How did you help solve it?

14. How do you handle constructive criticism? Can you share an example?

15. If you were given an unfamiliar task with no instructions, how would you move forward?



Teamwork & collaboration

16. Describe a group project where you had to work with different personalities. How did you navigate it?

17. Have you ever had a disagreement with a teammate? How did you resolve it?

18. What role do you typically take in a team or group setting?

19. Tell me about a time you helped a teammate succeed.

20. How would you handle collaborating with people who have different work styles?



Communication skills

21. Give an example of a time you had to explain something complex to someone with no prior knowledge of the topic.

22. How do you handle miscommunication in a professional setting?

23. Have you ever had to present in front of a group? How did you prepare?

24. What strategies do you use to ensure your written communication is clear and professional?

25. How would you approach giving feedback to a peer or colleague?



Adaptability & learning mindset

26. How do you handle unexpected changes or challenges?

27. Tell me about a time you had to learn a new skill quickly.

28. What’s a mistake you’ve made, and what did you learn from it?

29. How do you stay up to date with industry trends or new knowledge related to your field?

30. Can you describe a situation where you had to be flexible and adjust your approach?



Internships, work experience & leadership

31. What did you learn from your internships or part-time jobs that will help in this role?

32. Describe a time you took on a leadership role, even if you weren’t the official leader.

33. Have you ever had to work on a project with minimal guidance? How did you handle it?

34. What’s one of the most important lessons you’ve learned from a past job or internship?

35. Tell me about a time you received feedback at work and how you applied it.



Technical & role-specific questions

36. What skills from your coursework or internships do you think will be most valuable in this role?

37. Describe a time you used [industry-specific skill] in a real-world setting.

38. If you were given a project in [specific field], what would your first steps be?

39. What tools, software, or technology have you worked with that are relevant to this role?

40. How do you approach learning a new technical skill or tool?



Company & role interest

41. Why do you want to work for our company?

42. What interests you most about this role?

43. How does our company mission align with your values and goals?

44. What do you know about our industry, and how do you see yourself contributing?

45. If you join our team, what’s one thing you’d be excited to learn or work on?



Future goals & career aspirations

46. Where do you see yourself in three to five years?

47. What’s one skill you hope to develop in your first job?

48. If you could create your ideal career path, what would it look like?

49. What qualities should a work environment have to help you succeed?

50. What does professional growth mean to you, and how do you plan to achieve it?



Meet entry level talent where these job interview questions

Personalizing interview questions for students and new grads helps create a positive candidate experience, while enabling you to assess skills, adaptability, and cultural fit. Gen Z views the recruitment and hiring process as a two-way exchange, so reframing your interview process can make or break your brand with top talent.







50 questions to ask in an interview with entry-level talent

If there’s one word that’s more pertinent than ever for recruiting teams today, it’s this: efficiency. You’re hustling to meet your hiring goals, all while grappling with leaner teams, slimmer budgets, and less resources. 

When your recruiting team is so focused on doing more with less, having a candidate renege an offer feels like a setback.

That’s why it’s so crucial to understand exactly what students are looking for, and shape your own processes and materials around those values.

Try these strategies to reduce reneging and ensure the time, money, and effort you invest into candidates pay off.

5 strategies to reduce reneging

1. Benchmark your salary, benefits, and overall offer

You can demonstrate how your offer package is competitive throughout the recruitment and hiring process by doing things like:

Conducting market research to confirm your salaries and benefits are competitive.

Implementing salary transparency in your job descriptions so applicants readily understand if the range matches their expectations.

Keeping up with benefits that the newest generation to enter the workforce are looking for from employers—like early career development, student loan relief, and mental health support.

Incorporating information about your perks and benefits into your job descriptions and other employer branding materials.

Being open to first time job seekers negotiating their offers.

Other offers or opportunities are far less tempting if early talent is aware that they’ll get what they want (or at least most of it) from your offer.

2. Build a solid employer brand

According to data from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), more than 40% of students say they’re more likely to decline or renege on an offer if they don’t feel a genuine connection to the employer. Build brand affinity across your recruitment marketing channels to engage candidates. For example:

Build out your Company Profile on Handshake to create a more engaging brand experience.

Highlight positive reviews and testimonials from current employees, interns, and recent hires in your materials.

Offer interview tips, resume advice, and information in your events, in your messages, and throughout your relationship building.

Help candidates get to know you well before their first day—that knowledge and connection excites them to land their first job with your company.

3. Prioritize the candidate experience

A Handshake survey found the number one factor that early talent uses to evaluate a company for potential employment is how they’re treated during the interview process.* Adjust timelines and expectations with meaningful improvements like:

Writing transparent and inclusive job descriptions so candidates don’t feel misled.

Streamlining the application process, such as removing the cover letter requirement or preventing candidates from doing redundant work (such as re-entering all of the information that’s already on their resume).

Shortening the interview process so talent doesn’t have to endure months of pressure and uncertainty.

Communicating honestly and frequently throughout the process—meeting your own deadlines, following up, and being responsive.

Giving a reasonable amount of time for the student to make a decision.

Ultimately, the best way to demonstrate that you value your employees is to value your candidates—and doing so means talent is less likely to renege on your offer.



4. Keep talent engaged between offer and start date

Many students accept an offer but still need to finish school. According to a Handshake survey, 86% of students say they’d like to remain in contact with an employer if they have a few months before they start the role.* To nurture candidates who’ve accepted offers, consider:

Sending intentional, proactive messages to express your enthusiasm and cultivate theirs; ask if they have any questions.

Inviting them to informational sessions, panels, and other company, new hire, or events.

Giving them a point of contact outside of the recruiting team—like their direct manager or a team member—that they can reach out to and strike up a conversation with.

The more informed and assured a candidate feels when they sign their offer letter, the less likely they are to regret their decision and renege later.

5. Solicit feedback

Constructive criticism is never easy to hear, but soliciting feedback from candidates—including those who reneged their offer—is a surefire way to discover aspects of your experience and processes that have room for improvement.

Ask candidates you were excited about why they reneged or rejected a job offer.

Survey students after events and other touch points to identify where you might be falling short.

Check out how competitors in your industry are positioning their brands to early talent—take note of the student reviews!

The more you know about what candidates truly want, the more you’re able to build an irresistible experience—and, more importantly, an irresistible job offer.

Reduce reneging, boost efficiency

While it’s easy to blame the candidate—especially ones with little to no experience going through a hiring process—it’s a lot harder to ask what your organization could’ve done differently to prevent that renege in the first place. 

Committing to a first job is a big decision and early career professionals need time to weigh their options, talk to people they trust, and make a choice they feel confident in. 

If you’re willing to test what works better for students and recent grads, a renege ultimately lead to a better process for the candidate—and better results for you.

Learn more about the Class of 2024 and their thoughts on salary negotiation, financial stability, and benefits in the latest Handshake Network Trends report.

*Handshake internal study, December 2022; n=1,692




Candidate experience

50 questions to ask in an interview with entry-level talent

Reduce reneging and keep candidates engaged: 5 strategies to try