Answering Interview Questions

Question Types
In any type of interview it is highly likely you will be asked different types of questions. There are
four basic question types:

Introductory questions are usually to relax you into the interview and allow you to showcase
your achievements, capabilities and experiences.

Motivational questions assess if you have the necessary enthusiasm and interest to stay in
the job and have researched both the company and role.

Hypothetical questions explore your problem-solving ability and creativity.

Behavioural questions look at past behaviour and experiences that indicate you have the
capabilities needed to be successful in your future role.

Introductory Questions:
Example: Tell us about yourself
What recruiters look for: A concise response which outlines your qualification, capabilities,
experience and reveals a facet of your personality. These questions assess how articulate you are
and if you can concisely showcase your capabilities

Sample response:
I’m a final year commerce student at Deakin University majoring in finance and a member of the
Deakin Commerce Society. I studied a trimester in Singapore as an exchange student which
developed my resilience and cultural appreciation. For the last two years I have worked part-time at
Coles as a cashier, which has developed my customer service skills and work ethic. I continue to play
football on the weekends and enjoy keeping fit.

(Could link? include Me in a Minute videos on Deakin website)

I’m a final year communication student at Deakin University majoring in Journalism and a member of
Young Bullets 2025.

Example: What are your strengths?

What recruiters look for: how self-aware you are and if you can align 2-3 key strengths that relate to
the role outlined in the job description and support your answer with specific and relevant
examples.

Sample response:
I’m thorough and organised. At university we often have to work in groups to develop our teamwork
skills. I like to keep track of who is doing what task and the deadlines that we have to meet. I usually
organise regular meetings so we can check our progress or discuss any problems that have arisen. I
found this collaborative approach has produced good grades for the group as we are able to identify
and utilise each others strengths.

I’m creative and people-oriented. I used to work in Young Bullets and SUGAR Vietnam

Motivational Questions
Example: Why do you want this job/role? Or, why do you want to work for this organisation?
What recruiters look for: An indication that you have researched the organisation and thought about
how your skills align with the specific role or organisation as a whole.

Sample response:
Your organisation prides itself on providing an excellent customer experience and building on those
good relationships, so congratulations on the Service Award I read about on your website. I enjoy
providing great customer service by being positive, helpful and friendly and enjoy solving problems
and so I am seeking a work environment that will allow me to use these skills and further enhance
them with professional development.

Hypothetical or Situational Questions

Example: It’s late on a Friday and you are working on a project with a tight deadline but your
Manager tells you to stop and deal with a customer’s complaint. What would you do?

What recruiters look for: Your problem-solving skills and how you think or approach the
situation. So take your time and provide a logical thoughtful response. This question also gives you
the opportunity to show your creativity and innovative approach to a new situation. These questions
might also be phrased, how would you handle…? Imagine if…….? What would your response be to
….? Or seem very arbitrary, such as, how many tennis balls can you fit into a Ferrari? or if you were
an animal which one would you want to be?

Sample situational response:

That is similar to a situation I experienced when I was working as a logistics assistant at (Business).
We were conducting an inventory of stock for the forthcoming stocktake sale and needed to prepare
markdown price labels. The work needed to be completed in the next two days to provide enough
time to prepare the floor display. My Manager asked me to stop and attend to a customer
complaint. As customers are our core business this was a priority but I also needed to ensure that no
delay occurred for the logistics staff. As I had developed a stock plan, I pre-printed price labels and
delegated other staff to attach these whilst I contacted the customer and handled the complaint. My
Manager was pleased with the result as I had complied with his request, responded to the customer
complaint and did not delay the Logistics staff labelling stock.

Behavioural Questions
Behavioural questions look at your past behaviour in a real-world situation and use that as a
predictor of how you will behave in the future if presented with a similar situation. Preparation is
key, so read the job advertisement and position description carefully and understand what skills and
expertise the employer is looking for – these will most likely inform the behavioural questions asked
in the interview. Behavioural questions will often start:

“Tell me about a time when…”

“Describe a situation when...”

“Provide an example of…."

To answer behavioural questions use different experiences such as work placements, internships,
volunteering, part-time work or Study Abroad. Use the S.T.A.R framework to answer behavioural
questions.

Situation: What is the context or situation for your example?

Task: What was your role in the situation?

Action: What did you do?

Result: Most importantly, what did your actions lead to?

SITUATION: Describe a specific event or situation you have experienced. Examples can be
sourced from Uni, part-time work, internships, voluntary work or other relevant experiences.

TASK: Talk about the tasks you needed to complete, the objective of the task, and what you
needed to achieve.

ACTION: Describe the action you took. If the example is about a group project, focus on your
role. Speak about what you actually did, not what you would do.

RESULT: What was the end result? Is there something in particular that you are proud of and
wish to highlight? What did you learn from the experience? Can you quantify the result?

Example Responses Using S.T.A.R.

Example: Describe a time when you have used your initiative to improve a process.
Situation- A customer rang up complaining that she had not received her order within the delivery
time stated of 2 days.

Task- I needed to address the customer’s concerns and track the order to
find out what had gone wrong with the delivery.

Action- After apologising to the customer and gathering more information such as invoice number I
informed her that I would reply in the next 24 hours. The problem was a combination of an email
inbox not being checked as often as possible on our behalf and an address spelled incorrectly. I
contacted the customer to confirm delivery details and ensured the goods were delivered the
following day. Also a discount voucher was included in her parcel apologizing
for the error as a gesture of goodwill.

Result- I suggested a change in process to my managers that included a recommendation that the
company’s email inboxes were checked more regularly. The customer was pleased with the
attention given to her request
and follow through of actions.

Example: Tell me about a time when you have used your communication skills to convey
information to an audience.

Situation- As a part of my course in Health Science at Deakin University I was required to identify a
health issue within a community and evaluate strategies to address the issue.

Task- My project was aimed at combating obesity amongst school aged children by educating
parents about healthy eating. An educational program was developed and delivered in partnership
with Easterly Health Services and local schools.

Action- I consulted with stakeholders in order to scope the project. By facilitating small focus groups
with parents I developed a workshop which addressed their major concerns. The educational
workshops were marketed through leaflets I designed and online promotion through school web
sites. I facilitated afternoon and evening workshops with interested parents and adjusted the
presentation in terms of visuals and language depending on the audience. An information pack
about healthy eating alternatives was compiled and distributed to parents attending the workshops
and placed at school reception areas.

Result- In the five educational workshops delivered 80% of parents surveyed found the workshops to
contain practical tips that they would use when preparing meals for their children. Positive feedback
was received from stakeholders about my professional manner in correspondence, personal
meetings and cultural awareness.

DeakinTALENT runs programs and services to prepare Deakin students and graduates for the jobs
and careers of the future. We provide an innovative and personalised service for our students,
graduates and employer partners.

[Link]

Published by Deakin University in March 2018. While the information published in this guide was
accurate at the time of publication, Deakin University reserves the right to alter, amend or delete
details of course offerings and other information published here.

Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

🌿 1. INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS
💬 “Tell us about yourself”

Hi everyone, my name’s Evie Nguyen. I’m an international student from Vietnam, currently
studying a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Journalism.

I’ve only been in Australia for about a year, but it’s been such a transformative year — I
discovered my passion for Advertising after taking several creative units with Ben Crockett,
who really opened my eyes to the creative process behind campaigns.

Earlier this year, I was chosen as Co-Art Director for Young Bullets 2025, Deakin’s
Advertising Graduate Showcase at the National Gallery of Victoria. Our small team spent
four months developing the campaign, coordinating sponsors, managing student photoshoots,
and producing the event collaterals.

It was intense but rewarding — it gave me a real taste of agency life, helped me develop
teamwork and time management skills, and allowed me to build strong industry connections.

That experience made me want to keep collaborating with real clients, which is why I’m so
excited about joining the Freelancing Hub, especially the Casting Dreams project.

💬 “What are your strengths?”

I’d say my biggest strengths are creativity, collaboration, and attention to detail.

I’m creative in the sense that I love turning ideas into visuals — whether it’s campaign design
or storytelling. At the same time, I’m very people-oriented. In projects like Young Bullets or
when working with boutique brands in Vietnam, I learned to really listen, balance ideas, and
bring out the best in the team.

I’m also quite detail-focused — I like to make sure everything from layout to communication
feels cohesive and on brand. Those qualities help me adapt quickly and deliver quality work
even under pressure.

✨ 2. MOTIVATIONAL QUESTIONS
💬 “Why do you want this role / Why Freelancing Hub?”
I applied because I want to experience what it’s like to work in a professional, collaborative
environment with real clients. What I love about the Freelancing Hub is that it gives students
the space to grow creatively while contributing to meaningful projects.

The Casting Dreams project especially caught my attention because it’s about empowering
young people through creativity and performance — something I deeply relate to. I believe
that performance arts today have become less accessible, often limited to those with more
privilege. During my time volunteering with SUGAR Vietnam, where we worked with
underprivileged children, I realised that every young person has talent and passion — they
just need encouragement and the right support.

As someone who values storytelling and expression, I see this as the perfect opportunity to
use my creative communication skills to make a genuine difference.

💬 “Why do you think you’re suited for this opportunity?”

I think my mix of creative production and communication experience fits well with this
project. I’ve handled campaign planning, visual design, and client communications through
roles like Co-Art Director for Young Bullets and Marketing Intern at AEIE Studios.

I’m used to balancing creativity with practical goals, and I enjoy taking initiative and
supporting others in a team — which I think will be valuable for the Freelancing Hub
environment.

🧠 3. HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS
💬 “If you had a tight deadline and your client changed the brief at the last
minute, what would you do?”

First, I’d stay calm and clarify the client’s new expectations — sometimes changes come
from miscommunication, so understanding their real priorities helps.

Then I’d assess what can realistically be done within the timeline and communicate that
clearly with both the client and my team. I’ve learned from previous projects that
transparency is key — if we need to adjust the scope, I’d suggest the best alternative that still
meets their goals without sacrificing quality.

💬 “How would you handle a disagreement in your team?”

I’d start by understanding both sides of the disagreement and focusing on the project goal
rather than personal preferences.

For example, when my co-art director and I had different ideas for a campaign’s look and
feel, we each presented our concepts and discussed how they aligned with the creative brief.
We ended up combining both approaches, which actually made the campaign stronger.

So I believe in open communication, testing ideas, and finding common ground that serves
the project best.
🌼 4. BEHAVIOURAL QUESTIONS (S.T.A.R. method)
💬 “Tell me about a time you used your initiative to solve a problem.”

Situation: During Young Bullets, a batch of printed event materials came out with incorrect
dimensions just days before our NGV showcase.
Task: I needed to ensure the designs were corrected and reprinted on time without delaying
other tasks.
Action: I took initiative by contacting the printing sponsor directly, adjusting the layout
overnight, and coordinating a rush reprint the next morning.
Result: We received everything on time, and the event setup looked seamless. The
experience taught me to stay calm, proactive, and solution-oriented under pressure.

💬 “Describe a time when you used your communication skills to convey

information.”

Situation: As Co-Art Director for Young Bullets, I had to coordinate between design
students, event planners, and external sponsors.
Task: My role was to make sure everyone stayed on the same visual direction and
understood timelines.
Action: I created a shared design guide and organised short check-ins to keep the visuals
consistent across all materials.
Result: The final campaign looked unified and professional — from posters to event signage
— and our sponsors complimented the clarity of our communication.

💬 “Tell me about a time you worked effectively in a team.”

Situation: In Young Bullets, our team was made up of five creatives with different strengths
and ideas.
Task: We needed to merge all our ideas into one campaign identity.
Action: I proposed that we hold a mini mood-boarding session to align our visual direction. I
encouraged everyone to share their thoughts and then built a final design that reflected the
whole team’s input.
Result: The campaign turned out cohesive, and our teamwork made the NGV event a
success. It taught me that collaboration is less about whose idea wins, and more about
creating something together.

🪞 5. QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK THEM

At the end, always ask one or two questions to show curiosity and engagement:

 “What kind of support or mentorship do students receive during the project?”

 “How are roles divided within a Freelancing Hub team?”
 “What skills do past participants say they developed the most?”