The 50 Most Common Interview Questions:
1.
What
are your strengths?
2.
What
are your weaknesses?
3.
Why
are you interested in working for [insert company name here]?
4.
Where
do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
5.
Why
do you want to leave your current company?
6.
Why
was there a gap in your employment between [insert date] and [insert
date]?
7.
What
can you offer us that someone else can not?
8.
What
are three things your former manager would like you to improve on?
9.
Are
you willing to relocate?
10.
Are
you willing to travel?
11.
Tell
me about an accomplishment you are most proud of.
12.
Tell
me about a time you made a mistake.
13.
What
is your dream job?
14.
How
did you hear about this position?
15.
What
would you look to accomplish in the first 30 days/60 days/90 days on the job?
16.
Discuss
your resume.
17.
Discuss
your educational background.
18.
Describe
yourself.
19.
Tell
me how you handled a difficult situation.
20.
Why
should we hire you?
21.
Why
are you looking for a new job?
22.
Would
you work holidays/weekends?
23.
How
would you deal with an angry or irate customer?
24.
What
are your salary requirements?
25.
Give
a time when you went above and beyond the requirements for a project.
26.
Who
are our competitors?
27.
What
was your biggest failure?
28.
What
motivates you?
29.
What’s
your availability?
30.
Who’s
your mentor?
31.
Tell
me about a time when you disagreed with your boss.
32.
How
do you handle pressure?
33.
What
is the name of our CEO?
34.
What
are your career goals?
35.
What
gets you up in the morning?
36.
What
would your direct reports say about you?
37.
What
were your bosses’ strengths/weaknesses?
38.
If I
called your boss right now and asked him what is an area that you could improve
on, what would he say?
39.
Are
you a leader or a follower?
40.
What
was the last book you’ve read for fun?
41.
What
are your co-worker pet peeves?
42.
What
are your hobbies?
43.
What
is your favorite website?
44.
What
makes you uncomfortable?
45.
What
are some of your leadership experiences?
46.
How
would you fire someone?
47.
What
do you like the most and least about working in this industry?
48.
Would
you work 40+ hours a week?
49.
What
questions haven’t I asked you?
50.
What
questions do you have for me?
How to answer 7 of the most common interview questions:
"Tell me about yourself."
While this isn't exactly a question, answering
this the wrong way could really hurt your chances of getting a job, Teach says.
"I was once told by an HR executive that this can actually be a trick
question. Hiring managers can't ask you certain questions legally but if you go
off on a tangent when answering, you may tell them some things about you that
are better left unsaid." The worst way to approach this request is to tell
them your life story, which is something they're definitely not interested in.
The best way to approach this is to only discuss what your interests are
relating to the job and why your background makes you a great candidate.
"What are your strengths and
weaknesses?"
It's easy to talk about your strengths; you're
detail oriented, hard working, a team player, etc.--but it's also easy to get
tripped up when discussing your weaknesses, Teach says. Never talk about a real
weakness unless it's something you've defeated. "Many hiring managers are
hip to the overused responses, such as, 'Well, my biggest weakness is that I work
too hard so I need try to take it easy once in a while.' The best answer is to
discuss a weakness that you've turned around, such as, you used to come in late
to work a lot but after your supervisor explained why it was necessary for you
to come in on time, you were never late again."
"Where do you want to be five
years from now?"
“What employers are really asking is, ‘Is this
job even close to your presumed career path? Are you just applying to this job
because you need something? Are your long-term career plans similar to what we
see for this role? How realistic are your expectations for your career? Have
you even thought about your career long-term? Are you going to quit after a
year or two?’” says Sara Sutton Fell, CEO and founder of FlexJobs.
Show them that you’ve done some
self-assessment and career planning. Let them know that you hope to develop
professionally and take on additional responsibilities at that particular
company. “Don’t say something ridiculous like, ‘I don’t know,’ or “I want your
job,” she says.
Teach says no one can possibly know
where they'll be in their career five years from now but hiring managers want
to get a sense of your commitment to the job, the company, and the industry.
“In fact, I would even mention that it's hard for you to know what job title
you may hold five years from now but ideally, you'd like to have moved up the
ladder at this company based on your performance. You're hopeful to be in some
management position and your goal is to help the company any way you can.” If
you give the impression that this job is just a stepping stone for you, it's
unlikely the hiring manager will be interested in you.
"Please give me an example of a
time when you had a problem with a supervisor/co-worker and how you approached
the problem."
"I think that the hardest thing
about work isn't the work, it's the people at work," Teach says. Most
employees have a problem with a supervisor or co-worker at some point in their
career. How they handle that problem says a lot about their people skills. If
you can explain to the interviewer that you were able to overcome a people
problem at work, this will definitely help your chances of getting the job, he
says.
"What are your salary
requirements?"
“What employers are really asking is, ‘Do you
have realistic expectations when it comes to salary? Are we on the same page or
are you going to want way more than we can give? Are you flexible on this point
or is your expectation set in stone?'" Sutton Fell says.
Try to avoid answering this question
in the first interview because you may shortchange yourself by doing so, Teach
says. Tell the hiring manager that if you are seriously being considered, you
could give them a salary range--but if possible, let them make the first offer.
Study websites like Salary.com and Glassdoor.com to get an idea of what the
position should pay. “Don't necessarily accept their first offer,” he adds.
“There may be room to negotiate.”
When it is time to give a number, be
sure to take your experience and education levels into consideration, Sutton
Fell says. “Also, your geographic region, since salary varies by location.”
Speak in ranges when giving figures, and mention that you are flexible in this
area and that you’re open to benefits, as well. “Be brief and to the point, and
be comfortable with the silence that may come after.”
"Why are you leaving your
current job?"
Hiring managers want to know your
motivation for wanting to leave your current job. Are you an opportunist just
looking for more money or are you looking for a job that you hope will turn into
a career? If you're leaving because you don't like your boss, don't talk
negatively about your boss--just say you have different work philosophies,
Teach says. If the work was boring to you, just mention that you're looking for
a more challenging position. "Discuss the positives that came out of your
most recent job and focus on why you think this new position is ideal for you
and why you'll be a great fit for their company."
If you've already left your previous
job (or you were fired), Sutton Fell suggests the following:
If you got fired: Do not trash your
last boss or company. Tell them that you were unfortunately let go, that you
understand their reasoning and you’ve recognized areas that you need to improve
in, and then tell them how you will be a better employee because of it.
If you got laid off: Again, do not
trash your last boss or company. Tell them that you were let go, and that you
understand the circumstances behind their decision; that you are committed to
your future and not dwelling on the past; and that you are ready to apply
everything that you learned in your last role to a new company.
If you quit: Do not go into details
about your unhappiness or dissatisfaction. Instead, tell them that while you
valued the experience and education that you received, you felt that the time
had come to seek out a new opportunity, to expand your skills and knowledge,
and to find a company with which you could grow.
"Why should I hire you?"
A hiring manager may not ask you
this question directly but every question you answer in the interview should
contribute to helping them understand why you're the best person for the job.
"Stay focused on why your background makes you an ideal candidate and tell
them how you are going to contribute to that department and that company,"
Teach says. "Let the interviewer know that one of your goals is to make
their job easier by taking on as much responsibility as possible and that you
will be excited about this job starting on day one."
Salpeter suggests you print and highlight
the job description, looking for the top three or four most important details.
"Do they include terms such as, 'cross-functional team,' 'team work,' and
'team player' several times?" If so, your answer to, "Why should we
hire you?" (asked directly or as an underlying question) should mention
and focus on your abilities as they relate to teams.
How to prepare for common job interview questions:
Do your homework.
“One of the biggest complaints of hiring
managers is that many job interview candidates know very little about the
company they're interviewing for,” says Andy Teach, author of From Graduation
to Corporation: The Practical Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder One Rung
at a Time, and host of the YouTube channel FromGradToCorp. Google the company
you're interviewing with and read some of the articles that pop up; study the
company's website; know the company's mission, its products and services, its
locations, and who their top executives are. Go to the Public Relations tab on
their website and print out some of their latest press releases. "Study
them so that you can talk in the interview about what's going on with the
company now," he says.
Be positive.
When preparing for an interview and
anticipating likely questions, plan to answer all questions positively. “Even
if you were in a bad situation, think about how you can talk about the
situation positively,” Attridge says. You always have a choice. It is much
better to talk about a glass being half full then to talk about it being half
empty. It’s all about your perspective, and in an interview being positive
counts.
Never say anything negative about
your prior employers or bosses, either--no matter how bad the situation may
have been. “A negative answer actually is a reflection about your judgment and
business acumen, and not about the employer or manager.”
Get comfortable.
“Preparation and practice aside, the most
important tip I would like to suggest to job seekers is to feel comfortable
with the interview process,” Khare says. “You can read all the advice in the
world about acing the interview, but none of the tactics will work out of you
are not yourself during the process.”
Feeling comfortable and relaxed
positively influences your confidence. “And interviewers always appreciate a
relaxed and confident candidate, as opposed to a heavy promoter and edgy one,”
she adds. Practice calming your nerves,
and focus on how you can prove you’d be a valuable asset to the company.
Reflect on previous interviews.
Keep a computer or paper record of your
interviews, Teach says. “Keep a record of the time of your interviews, how long
they are, your impressions of the hiring manager, and perhaps most importantly,
what questions were asked of you, what answers you gave, and record any
questions they asked you that you felt could have been answered differently. “
Study these elements and your interview skills will improve, he says.
Figure out how to articulate your
goals.
Most of the commonly asked questions during an
interview either dig into your previous experience or want to explore your
future goals, Khare says. “Prepare and articulate your goals, and remain honest
here. Inconsistent answers won't get you
the respect and credibility that is a must to impress an interviewer.”
