The 5 lines you always hear in interviews

Sitting an interview for, say, an internship or a student job is always a bit stressful. You want to do well and show motivation without overdoing it. The smart move is to anticipate the questions you’re almost certain to get. Here are five of them, plus simple tips to answer without panicking.

1. “Introduce yourself.”

‍No need to rewind to kindergarten. Recruiters want to know who you are today and why you’re applying. In two or three sentences, talk about your background, what you enjoy in your studies, and what you want to learn during your internship.

2. “Why this internship or this company?”

Do your research beforehand. Look at recent projects, the company’s values and tone of voice. Show you’ve looked them up and that this internship fits your plan. One or two job-relevant keywords, used naturally, can help.

3. “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”

Skip canned answers. Pick honest but manageable weaknesses: “I like to fully understand before I start,” “I question myself a lot,” or “I always push for the best sometimes too much.” The key is showing self-awareness and how you’re improving.

4. “Tell me about a challenge you overcame.”

Go straight to the point: context, problem, solution. What matters is how you think and act. Always end with what you learned from the experience.

5. “Do you have any questions for me?”

‍Never say “no.” Prepare two or three relevant questions, such as:

• “What does a typical day look like?”
• “How do you measure a successful internship here?”
• “What kinds of projects could I work on?”

One last tip: be yourself. Sincerity and curiosity often beat a “perfect” speech. And if you’re after your first internship, check out Meetern your next role might already be there.

Want to go deeper?

What to wear to an interview (no costume required)

Be yourself, aligned with the company culture. Depending on the setting, go from T-shirt/sweater to shirt, or even a suit if it’s very formal. You judge what fits their norm.

How to know what’s expected?

• Read the posting on Meetern: companies often specify the dress code (casual, smart-casual, formal).
• Check their website and Instagram: team photos, events, vibe—spot the codes (sneakers/jeans vs. blazer/shirt). For official prep tips, see Le Forem and Actiris.

Quick benchmarks (adapt as needed):

• Clean casual: plain tee + sweater/cardigan, dark jeans/chinos, clean sneakers.
• Smart casual: shirt/blouse + chinos/midi skirt, light blazer, derbies/clean sneakers.
• Formal: shirt + tailored trousers/skirt, blazer or simple suit, classic shoes.

Video = same logic (framing > outfit): light facing you, camera at eye level, neutral background, earbuds for clear sound. More tips: Remote interview.

Avoid outfits that don’t feel like you, partywear, flip-flops, caps, loud slogans, or going ultra-formal in a clearly casual culture (and vice versa).

Bottom line: come as you are informed. Two clues (Meetern + their visuals) get you 80% there; the rest is confidence and a clean look.

When to talk about pay (and how)

If no one brings it up, the end of the interview is perfect. Try: “What is the internship allowance and the benefits you offer?” For Belgian market practices, see Meetern’s guide: Internship pay in Belgium. For the legal framework, check the student-intern status on the Belgian government site: SPF Emploi.

Clarify the missions before you say “go”

Three simple questions: Objectives for the first 4–8 weeks? Tools & deliverables (e.g., Figma, Adobe suite, Analytics, content calendar)? Mentoring (who supports you, feedback frequency)? To pick a truly useful internship, read: How to choose a useful internship.

Check the company culture (come as you are… informed)

Spend 10 minutes on their site and Instagram: tone of voice, project types, dress codes in photos, content formats. Bring two concrete signals to the interview (“I saw your series on… / your guide on…”). Actiris also recommends using company info in your answers: Prepare my interview.

No experience? Bring simple proof

A mini-project beats a long speech: 4 Insta posts for a student club, a Notion landing page, a quick account audit with 3 recos. Add one number (“+300 followers in 2 months”) and what you’d improve next time.

Blank mind during a question?

Stay calm, rephrase, think out loud for 10–15 seconds, offer one conditional path (“I’d test X; if data shows Y, then I’d do Z”). Then propose a short email follow-up with three bullet points.

After the interview: follow up without spamming

After 48–72 hours: a thank-you + three things you understood about the role + one concrete idea (e.g., content angle, tweak to a recent post). Keep it simple.

Find an internship fast (and apply now)

On Meetern, it works both ways: employers publish clear offers (missions, tools, dress code, vibe, Belgian context) and you create a profile showing who you are (projects, interests), your availability and level. You can apply to offers and get contacted directly when your profile matches their needs. People over paper.

Guide : Find an internship in Belgium
All offers in Belgium (categories page)

Useful external links

• Prepare for your interview — Le Forem: https://www.leforem.be/citoyens/entretien-embauche.html
• Ace your interview — Actiris: https://www.actiris.brussels/fr/citoyens/mes-outils-pour-postuler/mes-entretiens-d-embauche/reussir-mon-entretien/
• Remote interview — Actiris: https://www.actiris.brussels/fr/citoyens/mes-outils-pour-postuler/mes-entretiens-d-embauche/passer-un-entretien-a-distance-ou-a-un-salon-de-l-emploi/
• Legal framework (student-intern status) — SPF Emploi: https://emploi.belgique.be/fr/themes/reglementation-du-travail/jeunes-travailleurs/statut-de-leleve-stagiaire