Even though each job interview is unique, a hiring manager will likely ask certain questions. In order to help you feel prepared and confident for your next interview, we have compiled 19 of those common questions for you in this article.
19 interview questions with example answers
The following are 19 of the most widely recognized inquiries questions you’ll probably be asked in your next interview:
- Tell me about yourself and your qualifications
- What makes you unique?
- Why do you want to work at this company?
- What interests you about this role?
- What motivates you?
- What are your greatest strengths?
- What are your greatest weaknesses?
- What are your goals for the future?
- Where do you think you’ll be in five years?
- Can you tell me about a difficult work situation and how you overcame it?
- How do you respond to stress or change?
- How do you handle conflict at work?
- What is your greatest accomplishment?
- How do you define success?
- How do your skills align with this role?
- Why should we hire you?
- Why are you leaving your current job?
- What is your salary range expectation?
- Do you have any questions?
1. Tell me about yourself and your qualifications
The employer wants to know about your skills and, more generally, why you think you would be a good fit. Your response ought to be clear and concise. Include details about your past, major accomplishments, and the reasons you think the job would be a good fit for you.
“I’ve been a hostess at XYZ Restaurant for just over two years. My duties include greeting and seating customers, determining wait times, fulfilling orders for takeout, and handling phone calls. I love the enthusiastic and occupied climate and I’m ready to perform multiple tasks and seat clients rapidly, even on our bustling end of the week evenings.
I’ve learned a lot and enjoyed my current position, but I’d like to use my expertise in customer service in an elite restaurant setting. Due to its reputation for providing first-rate service to customers in a lively, dynamic setting, I am interested in your restaurant.”
2. What makes you unique?
This is a common question that employers ask to find out why you might be better qualified than other candidates they are interviewing. Focus on why hiring you would benefit the employer in your response. Since you don’t have a clue about different candidates, contemplating your response corresponding to them can challenge. Employers are made aware of the characteristics and skills that make you a strong candidate when you explain why your background makes you a good fit.
Take into consideration the following as you prepare this response:
- Assets the employers finds valuable
- Ways you’ve been successful in previous roles
- Traits or skills you’ve been praised for
Assets the employers finds valuable:
Survey the expected set of responsibilities for job liabilities as well as required and wanted abilities, characteristics, experience and capabilities. If a position emphasizes cross-collaboration, for instance, you could demonstrate your capacity to unite a team around a common objective.
Ways you’ve been successful in previous roles:
Make a list of the qualities that contributed to your past successes. For instance, if you received an award for your marketing abilities, you might include this information alongside the project or experience that won you the award.
Traits or skills you’ve been praised for:
Take into consideration the qualities and strengths that your prior employers or coworkers typically valued in you. Think back to the helpful feedback you’ve received from past projects and performance reviews. For instance, if your employer frequently mentions your capacity to inspire others in performance evaluations, it is likely a quality that they highly value and that other employers would also find admirable.
“What makes me remarkable is my capacity to comply with and surpass time constraints. My manager consistently commended me in my previous position for successfully completing my projects to a high standard. I was able to take on additional responsibilities as a result, which ultimately resulted in a promotion.”
3. Why do you want to work at this company?
This is a common interview question to find out if you did your homework on the company and carefully considered whether you would be a good fit. Doing your homework and learning about the products, services, mission, history, and culture of this workplace are the best ways to prepare for this question.
In your response, notice the parts of the organization that requests to you and lines up with your qualities and profession objectives.
“I agree with the company’s goal of helping college graduates pay off their student loan debt. I’ve been in debt from student loans and would love the chance to work for a company that is changing the world. Throughout my job search, I have prioritized finding a company with a positive work environment and values that align with mine. This company is at the top of the list.”
4. What interests you about this role?
This question is frequently posed by hiring managers to verify your comprehension of the position and provide an opportunity to highlight your relevant skills. Compare your skills and experience to the requirements outlined in the job description.
In your response, pick a couple of liabilities you especially appreciate or succeed at and center around those in your response.
“Despite the fact that I highly valued my time at my previous employer, there are no longer opportunities for growth that are in line with my career objectives. This position perfectly complements my skill set and career aspirations. Also, I’m looking for a job at a company like yours that helps underserved communities, which is something I enjoy doing personally.”
5. What motivates you?
This is a question that employers ask to find out how self-aware you are and to make sure your motivational sources are compatible with the position and the company. Be as specific as you can, use real-world examples, and connect your response to the job role and/or the company’s mission.
You might want to prepare your response by asking yourself the following questions:
- What did a great day at work look like in your previous role and why?
- What made you choose your profession or field?
- What prompted you to apply for the role when you read the job description?
“Having a genuine effect in the existences of my patients and their families propels me to take a stab at greatness in all that I do. When we achieve a favorable outcome that will forever alter their lives, I am eager to observe my patients’ reactions. I became a nurse because of that, and I want to work in pediatrics.”
6. What are your greatest strengths?
In response to this question, describe your most useful soft and technical skills. Remember that this is your chance to tell interviewers what makes you a great candidate, even if it makes you feel uneasy to praise yourself. Follow the formula below to answer:
- Share one to a few positive qualities and personal attributes
- Back them up with examples
- Relate them back to the role for which you’re interviewing
Share one to a few positive qualities and personal attributes:
“I’ve always been a natural leader…”
Back them up with examples:
“…I have been promoted twice in the past five years and have consistently exceeded my KPIs. When I think back on those accomplishments, I realize that I never would have been able to reach them if I hadn’t assembled and led diverse and highly skilled teams. I’m pleased with my capacity to unite cross-functional teams…”
Relate them back to the role for which you’re interviewing:
“…I know that continuing to build my leadership skills is something I want from my next role.” “…I’ve also regularly honed my management skills through 360 reviews and candid sessions with my team.”
7. What are your greatest weaknesses?
When you’re expected to focus on your accomplishments, it can be awkward to talk about your weaknesses. However, if you answer correctly, sharing your weaknesses demonstrates that you are self-aware and interested in continuing your education—qualities that many employers find extremely appealing. For your response, you might want to use this formula:
- Select an actual weakness (not a strength) that’s honest but professionally relevant
- Add context
- Provide a specific example
- Explain how you overcame or are working to overcome it
Select an actual weakness (not a strength) that’s honest but professionally relevant:
“I’m naturally shy…”
Add context:
“…It sometimes prevented me from speaking up from high school and into my early professional interactions…”
Provide a specific example:
“…I knew I owed it to both my team and myself to confidently share my ideas after being a part of a workgroup that failed to meet our strategic goals for two quarters in a row.”
Explain how you overcame or are working to overcome it:
I signed up for an improve acting class. I’ve been able to overcome my shyness thanks to this enjoyable activity. I gained practical experience in facilitating discussions and exchanging diverse points of view. Now, I always start conversations with the quieter members of a group. I know exactly how they feel, and once people start talking to each other, they can be amazing.
8. What are your goals for the future?
To ascertain whether or not you intend to remain with the company for the foreseeable future, hiring managers frequently inquire about your future objectives. This question is also used to determine your ambition, career goals, and ability to plan ahead. Examining your current career path and how this position assists you in achieving your long-term objectives is the most effective approach to this inquiry.
“Over the next few years, I would like to keep developing my marketing expertise. I’m interested in working for a startup company that is growing quickly because it will allow me to collaborate with many departments and wear many hats. I am confident that this experience will help me achieve my ultimate objective of one day leading a marketing department.”
9. Where do you think you’ll be in five years?
Understanding how you envision your life in the future can assist managers with understanding whether the direction of the job and company finds a place with your self-awareness objectives.
You can respond to this question by stating specific career objectives, including any ideal roles or projects:
“Leading a design team in a formal capacity is one of my future goals for the next few years. I’m likewise amped up for the possibility of working with item and occasion groups on creating smoothed out processes — this is a characteristic fit with my undertaking the executive’s foundation. I also want to improve my user experience skills so that I can help make more designs that are focused on the user.”
10. Can you tell me about a difficult work situation and how you overcame it?
This question is frequently used to evaluate your ability to solve problems and perform under pressure. Keep in mind that stories stick with people longer than facts and figures do, so try to “show” rather than “tell.” Additionally, this is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your humanity and resilience in the face of adversity.
Consider using the STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result, or learning, for this question.
“It was the first day of my boss’s two-week vacation, and the highest-paying client of our agency threatened to leave because he didn’t feel like he was getting the individualized service that was promised to him. I talked to him on the phone during my lunch hour about his concerns. We even came up with concepts for his subsequent campaign. He was so appreciative of the individual attention that he signed a second contract for six months before my boss even got back from her trip.
11. How do you respond to stress or change?
An indication of your ability to solve problems is how you respond to stressful situations and change. Your response to this question should demonstrate personal development because employers are looking for candidates who can deal with stress in a positive way.
Spend some time thinking about how you handle stressful situations and give an example that shows how you can be persistent, resilient, and manage stress.
“I’m ready to keep even headed by zeroing in on the master plan and separating my activities into more modest assignments. The first thing I always do is ask myself, “What is the ultimate goal I’m trying to achieve?”
Then, I compile a list of short-term and long-term goals with realistic but ambitious deadlines. I always ask myself, “What’s something I can tackle in the next 30 minutes?” even if the major project is due tomorrow. I’ve made significant progress before I know it, and that seemingly impossible project no longer seems so daunting.”
12. How do you handle conflict at work?
Businesses pose this inquiry to measure how you cooperate with different partners or associates of varying feelings. Hiring managers often look for candidates who are able to work well with others and resolve conflicts in a constructive way as well as those who have hard skills.
A good response will talk about a time when you resolved a disagreement with a coworker, client, or manager with patience. It’s critical to share what you learned and how the experience helped you grow professionally and personally. Build your response using the STAR method.
“One technician was consistently late finishing tasks while I was working as a project manager on an IT project. He became defensive when I approached him about it, so I remained composed, acknowledged that the deadlines were challenging, and inquired about how I could assist him in meeting expectations.
When he informed me that he had been assigned to a different project, I met with the other project manager to reach a solution that reduced the technician’s workload. The technician did an excellent job the rest of the project.
I learned that you can better handle conflict and be a more helpful and supportive colleague by remembering that you don’t always know what other people are going through.”
13. What is your greatest accomplishment?
It is easy to become fixated on determining your single most impressive achievement. Instead, consider a few accomplishments that demonstrate your values and work ethic. Choose examples that are also relevant to the position for which you are applying if you can. Using the STAR method, you can be sure to emphasize the most important aspects of your story.
“I was in charge of all of the company’s social media content in my previous position. I asked my boss if we could conduct a low-budget test because I noticed that other brands were experimenting with videos and getting a lot of engagement from their customers.
She agreed, so I made a cheap video in-house that got twice as many people to interact with it on our social media channels as usual. 30 percent of viewers visited our website within a week of watching the video, which also resulted in conversions.”
14. How do you define success?
Employers ask you this to help them understand how your goals and how you measure them are influenced by your definition of success. A good response will demonstrate that you are capable of defining and measuring goals, as well as that you are willing to push yourself and put in a lot of effort to achieve them.
Think about what you’re most proud of, your short- and long-term successes, and how the company you’re interviewing views success. Give specific examples of your past accomplishments.
“Success for me is playing my part in the team and the company,” I strive to carry out my individual responsibilities as efficiently as possible while simultaneously advancing professionally and contributing to the larger objectives of the organization.
In my previous position, success was defined as “meeting quarterly professional development goals, implementing processes that supported the company’s KPIs, and exceeding weekly metrics.”
15. How do your skills align with this role?
In contrast to inquiries like “Why should we hire you?” or “What can you contribute to the business?” It enables you to be more specific about your approach to work, unique skills, and work ethic in relation to the position.
An effective response will use the STAR method to show how your unique skills could benefit the team or organization, as well as discuss your hard and soft skills.
“I’m a good fit for the position of HR assistant because I can make anyone feel at ease in a new setting. In my past position, another worker came to me and let me know that she didn’t think she was ideal for the organization culture.
After a few minutes of conversation, we realized that she was under too much pressure to attend company events. She quickly became more at ease with her team as I began introducing events with fewer competitions and more casual settings.”
16. Why should we hire you?
Even though this question may appear to be an attempt to intimidate you, interviewers typically request another chance to explain why you are the best candidate. Your response should talk about the skills and experience you have, why you would be a good fit for the company’s culture, and what you think you would bring to the job.
One thing to recall as you’re examining your readiness for the organization with businesses is that “culture fit” can in some cases be utilized as a method for killing and victimize competitors, but unconsciously, who don’t think, act or seem to be existing workers.
A superior elective idea you should seriously mull over tending to is “culture add,” or your capacity to bring new and added substance thoughts and criticism to the group. By broadening the range of experiences and points of view of the workforce, culture adds to the strength of the business.
“I am uniquely qualified to succeed in this kitchen manager position due to my skills in creating schedules that are efficient and effective as well as my experience accurately managing inventory intake.” I am aware that you require a candidate who is meticulously organized and highly organized.
I was able to successfully manage the schedules of 20 employees at my previous job and cut food waste by 15%. I am certain that I will be able to use my organizational abilities to bring order and efficiency to your restaurant.”
17. Why are you leaving your current job?
There are many valid reasons to quit your job. Prepare a thoughtful response that will demonstrate to the interviewer that you have deliberated this job change. Focus on the future and what you hope to gain in your next position rather than the negative aspects of your current or previous position.
18. What is your salary range expectation?
Questioners pose this inquiry to ensure your assumptions are in accordance with the sum they’ve planned for the job. It gives the impression that you are unsure of your worth if you provide a salary range that is significantly less than or more than the position’s market value. The following are three approaches to this response:
- Provide a range
- Include negotiation options
- Deflect the question
Provide a range
Make the lowest acceptable salary by researching the typical compensation range for the position on Indeed Salaries. You could, for instance, offer the interviewer a range of $50,000 to $60,000 per year if you need at least $50,000 per year. Indicate to the hiring manager that you are adaptable.
“My compensation assumption is among $XX,XXX and $XX,XXX, which is the typical compensation for an up-and-comer with my degree of involvement with this city. However, I am open to discussion and flexible.
Include negotiation options
You might value your salary more than other benefits, perks, or forms of compensation.
“I’m looking for a job that pays between $75,000 and $80,000 per year, but I’m willing to negotiate my salary based on benefits, bonuses, equity, stock options, and other opportunities.”
Deflect the question
You might want to save the question for later in the conversation if you are still learning about the specifics of the job’s responsibilities and expectations early on in the hiring process.
“Before I respond, I would like to ask a few more questions to learn more about the position. I will be able to provide a more precise expectation this way.”
19. Do you have any questions?
Because it allows you to inquire about any unresolved issues and demonstrates to the interviewer that you are serious about the position, this may be one of the most crucial questions asked during the interview process.
Keep in mind that you are also interviewing the business. Take the time to inquire about the interviewer’s personal experiences working for the company, get advice on how to succeed if hired, and address any unanswered questions. Here are some examples:
- What do you love most about working for this company?
- What would success look like in this role?
- What are some of the challenges people typically face in this position?”
- How important is it that you hire someone with XYZ qualities?
- Do you have any hesitations about hiring me?
Additional job interview questions
Use these additional typical questions as practice for your next interview:
Basic interview questions
- Can you explain these gaps in your resume?
- Are you overqualified for this role?
- Why are you changing careers?
- Why is our company interesting to you?
- Why are you the right person for this job?
Behavioral interview questions
- Describe a time you went above and beyond at work.
- Tell me about the last mistake you made.
- Describe a time when you had to give a person difficult feedback.
Questions about you
- What is your ideal working environment?
- How do you keep yourself organized?
- What is your proudest achievement?
- What was your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it?
- What three things are most important to you in your job?
- Describe your work style.
Hey, I am Sachin Ramdurg. I run and manage futuredecider.com website that helps students, graduates, and professionals, to find and decide on their future career with ultimate future career advices and future career guides. I have an overall 12+ years of career guidance experience in multiple domains which has helped multiple students, graduates, and professionals to find the best career path for their future.