When you first dreamed of starting a new career, your biggest concern was how to get professional experience. Now that you're well on entering the corporate world, a new problem is acing online internship interviews.

The good news is that you'll be just fine in most interview settings with the right preparation. But what about challenging interview questions that are tricky to prepare? Some problematic questions may be ones you didn't prepare for, while others will knock you off balance. Not to worry! I have come up with the best strategies for fielding these unpaid or paid online interview questions.

4 mantras for responding to tricky interview questions

There is no one-size-fits-all formula for brilliantly responding to tough interview questions. Different strategies will work best for different situations. Since you will be appearing for the first time, you can employ these strategies to get a work-from-home internship. 

Read through these strategies, and take action on them before you're in the hot seat. Let's dig in :

1. Count on your resume

One of the challenging interview questions isn't a question at all. It's likely the first thing an interviewer says after you sit in their office: "Tell me about yourself."

It's easy to start talking about your family background, but experts state this is a common mistake. Employers seek information about your professional self, like career trajectory and what you are looking to learn from this online internship program. 

Instead of being verbose, use your resume as an outline to keep yourself on topic. Speak about your future plans and how this unpaid or paid internship will impact you. Also, explain your passion for your career field and why you are excited to be interviewing for the position.

2. Explain how an online internship will improve your skills

"What do you consider your biggest weakness?" might be the interview question. Don't be afraid of acknowledging your weaknesses. Everyone has them, and it will look fake if you try to choose a positive "weakness," like public speaking or delegating tasks.

Rather, think carefully about which weakness you'll talk about before entering the online internship interview. Use a concrete example of what you're currently doing to enhance a skill you consider a weakness, like creating a new scheduling system for yourself if you struggle with time management. Experts believe that unpaid or paid internships offer an invaluable experience for students to get a taste of the corporate world.  

3. Do your investigation

This is the primary step before going for an interview. As a fresher, you need to research the company you want to apply for a work-from-home internship with a stipend to get an idea. The best way is to look for reviews from previous interns regarding their experience. In the interview, you may be asked to speak about the vision or mission of the company.

4. Show off your flexibility

Since you are directly coming from college and might not experience flexibility in the corporate world. Not to worry, you can tell your interviewer about the group project during your college days. Employers want to know that their interns can communicate, compromise if needed, and come to a resolution without negatively impacting the successful progress of work. Moreover, employers are looking for new hires who can resolve their conflicts through problem-solving skills and good communication. 

Speaking about flexibility, ULead offers a paid online internship for students to upskill themselves while reinventing learning and transforming lives with us. Embark on a fulfilling journey to experience, create, nurture and carry out multiple aspects of what makes our organization click, right from sales, to marketing in various segments. Leadership is the most sought-after skill by all companies, and Ulead is the place to be if you see yourself as a corporate leader in the future.

Ready to land your dream job online internship?

You've come this far now, don't let challenging interview questions stand in your way. You're not on your own as you prepare for interviews. ULead is here to make you industry ready. Empower students to become industry-ready through courses and internships. We are looking for spirited individuals who want to challenge how the system works. We are on the same page if you believe that exceptional and well-rounded education is the way to change the world.