Are you getting ready for a job interview but uncertain of what to expect?
We developed the top ten interview questions and responses after consulting with numerous hiring managers and recruiters from all sectors of the labor market. Use them to ace your next job interview. I wish you luck!
During an interview, have you ever stuttered over your words? Maybe there was a question that stumped you.
Relax, we’ve all been there.
It can make a difference in whether you receive a job offer or not if you are ready for questions that are frequently asked during a job interview.
While it’s not necessary to recall every question that might be asked and prepare the ideal response for each one, it’s nevertheless crucial to familiarize yourself with the interview process and the typical questions you might be asked.
Your level of anxiety will decrease as you get more prepared, making it easier for you to respond quickly to any questions that may arise.
Top 10 Most Common Interview Questions and Answers
- Tell me about yourself
- What is your greatest strength?
- What is your greatest weakness?
- Why should we hire you?
- What’s something positive your boss would say about you?
- What are your salary expectations?
- Why are you leaving your current role?
- What interests you about this position?
- What are your future goals?
- Describe a difficult work situation on how you overcame it
1. Tell Me About Yourself.
The majority of interview questions are open-ended, and the interviewer is frequently more interested in your response as a whole than in the specifics of your response.
They want to know what you know and what you’ve done, especially in relation to the position you’re interviewing for, in the case of this typical question. They aren’t interested in your entire life history.
How to Answer:
Tell us briefly how you arrived at your current position. Connect those experiences to the position-relevant talents you possess.
If the interviewer asks you to elaborate on anything you discussed, keep it concise but be ready with more information.
Example Answers:
- “I expanded from copywriting while working at Google and developed a stronger affinity for social media.”
- “I gained the majority of my knowledge with paid advertisements and social media copywriting through live training sessions, where I ultimately tested at the top of my class.”
2. What Is Your Greatest Strength?
Although it has become a bit of a cliché, this question might still be asked to you during the interview. Your interviewer is putting your self-assurance to the test and determining how qualified you are for the position.
How to Answer:
It’s crucial to talk about your qualifications for the job and what can make you stand out from other applicants.
Prior to an interview, carefully read the job description and make sure you are able to discuss the “Must Have” or “Required” talents as part of this strength discussion.
Example Answers:
- “In my three years as an HR specialist, I would say that my biggest strength is by far my ability to care for employees. I’ve been able to efficiently manage employee difficulties and comprehend them more deeply because to my interest and dedication to the field.”
- “My ability to pay attention to detail is one of my best qualities. I’ve always been careful to avoid mistakes in my data entry work by double-checking everything to ensure that I don’t submit anything inaccurate.”
3. What Is Your Greatest Weakness?
Your biggest weakness is the usual follow-up question after your greatest strength. The purpose of this question is to gauge your openness to criticism and willingness for improvement.
How to Answer:
Focus on professional traits rather than personal qualities. Consider the abilities you’ve been working to develop or with which you’ve recently seen improvement.
Whatever your area of weakness, let the interviewer know that you’re working to change it into a strength.
Everyone has flaws, so pretending that you don’t will probably get you rejected.
Example Answers:
- “My worst flaw is that I might be too blunt and vocal at work at times. I sometimes speak without thinking things through because I get caught up in the moment. I’ve been trying to change this by listening carefully to a conversation before I speak out.”
- “Keeping everyone informed of project updates while I’m deeply involved in the detailed work of a project has been my biggest shortcoming. I’ve been making it a practice to take some time at the end of the day to go over all of my active projects and send out any pertinent updates in an effort to be more proactive with giving updates to the team.”
4. Why Should We Hire You?
It could be tempting to respond, “Because I really need a job,” but it’s probably best to hold off. What makes you unique from others is what the interviewer is looking for in this situation.
They want you to stand out and promote yourself!
How to Answer:
Make a succinct, thorough sales pitch outlining your qualifications for the position. To increase the interviewer’s trust in their choice to select you, emphasize your distinctive qualities.
Example Answers:
- “My background and your company’s services are similar, so I will already be familiar with the position. Thus, I feel that I would be an excellent fit for this role given my expertise with the field and enthusiasm for this kind of work.”
- “I believe that by combining my expertise in art with my sales and customer service skills, I will be able to comprehend what your customers are seeking for.”
5. What’s Something Positive Your Boss Would Say About You?
One of those behavioral interview questions that can be challenging to fully comprehend what the interviewer is looking for is this one.
It is insufficient to merely state that your supervisor appreciates your efforts. The interviewer wants to know what kind of connections you’ve made with the management team and how you might fit in with their group.
How to Answer:
This is an excellent opportunity to extol your virtues in other people’s words. Start your sentence with, “My employer told me that,” to demonstrate that you comprehend the question.
Keep your voice low and avoid seeming haughty.
Example Answers:
- “My attention to detail and thoroughness are unmatched, according to my manager.”
- “She claimed that the previous campaign we ran together, which I was able to run meticulously from beginning to end, achieved great results.”
- “My employer remarked that she’s received many praises from consumers about my customer service.”
6. What Are Your Salary Expectations?
It’s possible that this is the most nerve-wracking job interview question of all. The interviewer wants to know how much you currently make and whether it fits inside their budget.
How to Answer:
Although it seems like a straightforward inquiry, the way you respond might make or break a job offer.
It’s preferable for you if the company starts by outlining a pay range. Unfortunately, things don’t always go that way.
Research salaries in order to be ready for this question. By being aware of your bottom line and the going rates in your area, have a certain number in mind. What salary would you accept before quitting?
Note that it may be against the law for an employer to inquire about your present wage in particular states.
Example Answers:
- “How much are you willing to charge for someone with my background?”
- “Is it correct that the pay range is in the neighborhood of $xxx?”
7. Why Are You Leaving (Or Have Left) Your Job?
One of those cognitive interview questions is this one.
The particular reasons why you left are frequently less significant to the interviewer than how you act when talking about it.
The interviewer frequently checks to see if you criticize your former company or whether you parted ways amicably.
How to Answer:
If someone asks you why you’re moving on, give a rationale that is constructive rather than critical or accusing.
Think about the benefits that the change in employment will bring you. If you are currently employed, you can explain that your professional aspirations don’t align with the company’s direction, and if you were recently let go, you can give them a brief explanation of the reasons why without criticizing your previous employer.
Example Answers:
- “The vision of my present employer has shifted over the past few years and is no longer aligned with mine.”
- “After four years with the company, I’ve decided to search for a job where I can use my skills and align with their beliefs…”
8. Why Do You Want This Job?
Defeat the urge to respond, “I need a job!” The interviewer wants to know if you’ll be a good fit for the business and if you have clear career objectives.
How to Answer:
Explain why you would be a fantastic match for the position in detail.
Mention the features of the business that interest you, together with your immediate and long-term objectives. Prior to concluding the interview, reiterate your commitment to the recruiting manager.
Example Answer:
- “I am aware that the company’s goals and growth-oriented mindset align with my own. Both inspire me to be enthusiastic about my job and the future, thus I would be thrilled to join the team.”
9. What Are Your Future Goals?
The purpose of this interview question, like the one before it, is to determine whether you’ll be a good long-term match for the business.
Interviewers are looking for motivation and dedication.
How to Answer:
Ensure that your career objectives are compatible with the business. Show that you are aware of the company’s goals and how you can contribute to them.
Feel free to specify a clear advancement path if it exists and you’re interested in it.
Example Answers:
- “My long-term goal is to advance into a project management role. Since I already have a good understanding of many components of the work, I’d like to expand my expertise in those areas so I can manage a full project.”
- “I enjoy interacting with people and assisting in conflict resolution, so I can see myself progressing in HR at some point.”
10. Describe A Difficult Work Situation & How You Overcame It.
This is another another standard interview query. The interviewer wants to learn more about your problem-solving and challenge-handling skills.
How to Answer:
Tell about a difficult situation that had a significant impact on you.
Partition the problem and provide a thorough explanation of how it was fixed, emphasizing your contribution to the resolution. Make sure to give the interviewer quantifiable data and results.
Example Answer:
- “Prior to a charity event we planned for our customer, who accounts for around 75% of our yearly revenue, we were down five staff members. Every time we host the event, they demand a faultless evening, therefore losing 5 key staff members who played important roles was crucial. As soon as I heard the news, I immediately began thinking through all of my choices and developing a new strategy. (Explain what you did and how you accomplished it.) The event went off without a hitch, and the customer came back to us the following year.”
Bonus Interview Questions
Here are a few additional typical queries you can encounter during a job interview.
- How do you react to success and/or failure?
- Be modest, yet don’t keep your emotions hidden. Employers care about how you manage yourself in both good and bad situations.
- Do you have any questions?
- No matter what the question is, make sure to ask it near the end of the interview. It demonstrates your interest in the job.
- Tell me about a time you disagreed with your manager?
- The hiring manager is looking to see if you handled a disagreement professionally and learned something from the experience.
- How well are you interacting with others?
- Give instances of productive partnerships with former coworkers or colleagues.
- What could we do differently here, in your opinion?
- Prior to the interview, be sincere and learn as much as you can about the business. Any recommendations are helpful as they are seeking for someone to mentor them.
- Which animal, if you could be any, would you like to be?
- This response changes based on the position and your working style. Just make sure to state your reasoning for choosing to be that animal.
- How would things be in this place for your first 30, 60, or 90 days?
- This will also vary, but aim to gain a solid understanding of the company by the end of your first 90 days. Then, start to take over your particular area of expertise.
- What about your previous position did you like the most?
- Any suggestions that are connected to the duties you will be carrying out in the new employment are excellent.
- What about your previous position did you dislike the least?
- Maintain a good attitude and focus on what will be unique to this new position. If I previously worked alone but the new role requires teamwork, for instance.
- What inspires and motivates you?
- Talk about your life’s and work’s passions (not just money). Candidates who exhibit passion are highly regarded by employers.
- What do you enjoy doing while you’re not working?
- They are probably determining whether your culture fits with the team’s. Tell them the truth, but it’s always a good idea to do some preliminary research to learn more about the hiring manager and the rest of the team’s interests.
- What is your most notable professional success?
- Mention a former accomplishment that had a significant impact on your career or the company as a whole. Use the STAR approach to provide your response: situation, task, action, result.
- Do you prefer working from home or anywhere else?
- Most likely, they are merely attempting to gauge how you two might collaborate in the future (more and more employers are giving employees this option).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What To Bring To The Interview?
A pen, notepad, many copies of your résumé, references, follow-up inquiries, and a positive outlook are things to pack.
How Long Do Interviews Last?
In general, interviews might range anything from 30 minutes to several hours.
There are other variables at play, including the type of position, the interviewing process used by the organization, and the number of interviews (to name a few).
The duration of phone, in-person, and Skype interviews will also vary.
How Long Should Interview Answers Be?
Less than two minutes should be allotted for an interview answer. This will allow you to fully explain the response without losing the interviewers’ interest.
How To Stand Out In A Face To Face Interview?
There are several techniques to make yourself stand out during a face-to-face interview. Here are some examples that you might want to remember:
- Smile
- Offer a firm handshake
- Ask the appropriate questions
- Demonstrate your worth to the firm by outlining how you will do so
- Try to take notes (bring a notepad)
- Prepare a 30-day, 60-day, or 90-day plan
- Use positive body language
- Send a letter of gratitude
What Are Some Tips For Interviewing Over The Phone?
Today’s workplace has a huge increase in phone interviews, so it’s helpful to have a few insider tips and methods to help you stand out. Here are some pointers to consider for your upcoming phone interview:
- Choose a peaceful spot away from any distractions.
- Before the interview, do some research on the business.
- Before the call, write down some talking points.
- Keep a copy of your résumé nearby.
- Do not rush through the questions.
- Take your time.
- List some questions to ask.
- Check whether they picked up on anything during the chat that you can improve upon (around the job).
- Send an email of gratitude.
What Are Behavioral Interview Questions?
In order to better understand how you could conduct in the future, behavioral interview questions, also known as STAR questions, enquire more about your past “behaviors” in particular employment.
How Do You Prepare For A Video Job Interview?
Your chances of getting the job increase with the amount of time you spend preparing for the interview.
The interviewing process can be challenging, particularly given the status of the employment market today. Video interviews are one hiring trend that has exploded in recent years, and there is no sign of a slowdown.