What Are Common Interview Questions

Pitch To Me As If I Were Buying Your Product Or Service

This is a slightly different, and more challenging, alternative to our earlier “What do you know about the Company?” question. Not only does it make candidates to reference material from their research, but it forces them to come up with a compelling message on the fly.

Focus less on the delivery here. Sales and marketing candidates have an unfair advantage as they should be accustomed to this kind of task. The key to a good answer is thorough research and clear articulation of your business.

If you are hiring for a customer facing role though this is also a great way to gauge how they’d deal with the curveballs that customer meetings often produce.

What Salary Are You Seeking

When you’re asked, “What salary are you seeking?” it is to your advantage if the employer tells you the range first. Prepare by knowing the going rate in your area, and your bottom line or walk-away point. One possible answer would be: “I am sure when the time comes, we can agree on a reasonable amount. In what range do you typically pay someone with my background?”

Figure Out What Comes Naturally To You

Part of determining what your strengths are as an entrepreneur, is taking an inward look back into the past and figuring out what you’ve always been a natural at.

What have your friends, coaches, teachers, managers, or even your parents always told you you’re a natural at? This can fall into many different categories, so don’t get hung up on thinking of this as a strictly “on the court” or “in the classroom” type of strength. Start by asking yourself these questions:

• Did you always find yourself being the mediator between your group of friends?
• Was is always easier for you to pick up complex physics in class?
• Were you often the one making plans and figuring out the logistics of getting from point A to point B?
• Are you a naturally talented athlete?
• Do you have the ability to make others smile and laugh?

Focus on coming up with at least five things you’re a natural at, and then breaking down which soft skills of yours have helped you be such a natural. These are most likely your strongest soft skills – ones you’ve possessed since very early on in your life.

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Whats Your Current Salary

Its now illegal for some or all employers to ask you about your salary history in several cities and states, including New York City Louisville, North Carolina California and Massachusetts. But no matter where you live, it can be stressful to hear this question. Dont panicthere are several possible strategies you can turn to. For example, you can deflect the question, Muse career coach Emily Liou says, with a response like: Before discussing any salary, Id really like to learn more about what this role entails. Ive done a lot of research on and I am certain if its the right fit, well be able to agree on a number thats fair and competitive to both parties. You can also reframe the question around your salary expectations or requirements or choose to share the number if you think it will work in your favor.

How Would Your Boss Or Peers Describe You

The best way to answer this is to back up your response with examples or real quotes. Think of the question as What have your boss or peers said about you in the past? even if its not phrased that way. For example, reference positive feedback your boss has given you in an annual review or things your coworkers have said that affirmed youre in the right line of work.

Another approach is to list a few examples of situations where youve been able to help others with projects, take work off peoples plates, or solve problems. That showcases your ability to be a team player and gives you a solid case for what you believe theyd say about you.

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Question No : Can You Tell Me Something About Yourself

Hint: This is often the very first question. It helps the HR managers to get a basic idea of your communication skills, motivation, and interests. It is also an ice breaker, and a good answer will help you to feel more relaxed in the room. The interviewers do not ask about your education, experience, personal life, or anything else in particularyou can choose the way to introduce yourself.

However, your choice reflects what matters to you. In a job interview, you should talk about your education, working experience, career goals, skills and abilities. You should talk about things that are relevant for the employer. On the other hand, you can mention one or two hobbies, or tell them something from your personal life. This shows that you have a life outside of work. Check one sample answer below.

I am Mario, 25 years old, and I have just finished my Masters in Economy. I enjoy team work, and I am looking for my first job, ideally in a big company. I want to learn, and meet like-minded people in work. In my free time I like to run, read, and meet with friends. I try to have positive outlook of life, and take everything that comes my way as an opportunity to become a better person.

What Will You Miss The Most About Your Current/former Job

This is a personality question in disguise. Even in a difficult work environment, top employees will develop relationships or techniques to deal with stress. Candidates should be able to provide an answer that will give you some insight into their coping mechanisms.

Red flags: The candidate hated their former job, or they don’t have an answer.

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The Top 10 Most Common Interview Questions

• The most favorite question: Tell me about yourself.

This question is an all-time favorite for recruiters and one of the essential ones too, as this question helps them to understand you as a person and get to know you better.

• Tell me about a challenge or conflict you faced at work and how did you deal with it?

• What are your greatest strengths?

• How did you hear about this position?

• What are your greatest weaknesses?

• Tell me about a time you demonstrated leadership skills.

• Why are you leaving your current position?

• Tell me about a time you made a mistake.

• What type of work environment do you prefer?

• How would your boss and coworkers describe you?

These 10 questions have something in common, which will help us understand the strategy of the interviewers and hence, how they expect the candidates to respond.

What Were Your Starting And Final Levels Of Compensation

What They Want to Know: Hiring managers will want to learn how much you earned to see if you’re a competitive candidate for the company from a salary perspective. Be honest when discussing how much you were paid because employers can ask about salary when checking your background.

However, also be aware that in some locations employers are prohibited from asking about your prior wages. Some employers have also implemented policies that restrict questions about salary from being asked.

When I started my entry-level job as an accountant, my annual salary was approximately $42K I then became a CPA and currently take home around $80K.

More Answers: Interview Questions About Your Salary History

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What Kind Of Work Environment Do You Like Best

Maybe you love working alone, but if the job you’re interviewing for is in a call center, that answer will do you no good.

So take a step back and think about the job you’re applying for and the company’s culture . If a flexible schedule is important to you, but the company doesn’t offer one, focus on something else. If you like constant direction and support and the company expects employees to self-manage, focus on something else.

Find ways to highlight how the company’s environment will work well for you — and if you can’t find ways, don’t take the job, because you’ll be miserable.

How Would You Describe Yourself

The interviewer is looking for ways you stand out and think about yourself. Share two to three unique traits that you think make you a good fit.

Example:I am hardworking and a team player. In the past, I’ve made sure my team was successful in their projects and took measures to ensure everyone was on board with any changes.**

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Top 20 Essential Interview Questions And Answers

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If youre looking for the commonly asked job interview questions, then keep reading.

After working for years as a recruiter, Im going to share the top 20 job interview questions and answer examples, plus dos and donts to get you ready to ace your interview.

For each question, youll get:

• Notes on why hiring managers and recruiters ask this question
• Dos and donts, including the top mistakes to avoid
• Word-for-word example answers that will impress any employer

Lets get started

Is There Anything Else Youd Like Us To Know

Just when you thought you were done, your interviewer asks you this open-ended doozy. Dont panicits not a trick question! You can use this as an opportunity to close out the meeting on a high note in one of two ways, Zhang says. First, if there really is something relevant that you havent had a chance to mention, do it now. Otherwise, you can briefly summarize your qualifications. For example, Zhang says, you could say: I think weve covered most of it, but just to summarize, it sounds like youre looking for someone who can really hit the ground running. And with my previous experience , I think Id be a great fit.

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When Can You Start

Your goal here should be to set realistic expectations that will work for both you and the company. What exactly that sounds like will depend on your specific situation. If youre ready to start immediatelyif youre unemployed, for exampleyou could offer to start within the week. But if you need to give notice to your current employer, dont be afraid to say so people will understand and respect that you plan to wrap things up right. Its also legitimate to want to take a break between jobs, though you might want to say you have previously scheduled commitments to attend to and try to be flexible if they really need someone to start a bit sooner.

Question: What Negative Thing Would Your Last Boss Say About You

Intent: This is another way of asking about your weaknesses.

Context: A good approach is to discuss weaknesses you can develop into strengths. However, do not say you work too hard or are a perfectionist. These answers are tired and transparent. Come up with something visible to a past boss that was, perhaps, mentioned in your performance reviews as a developmental area.

Response:“I don’t think she would have called it negative, but she identified that I needed to work on being more dynamic in my presentation skills. I have sought out practice opportunities and joined Toastmasters. I have seen some real improvement.”

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How Many People Were On Your Team At Your Last Job

This is a good interview question for screening people with management positions on their resumes. The number of people on their team should match what you would expect for the position.

Reg flag: If they were in a management position and didn’t oversee the number of people you’d expect, this could be a red flag and could indicate an inflated title. For example, a Vice President of Sales who didn’t oversee any salespeople could be a bad sign.

Question: Tell Me About Your Proudest Achievement

Intent: This question, often worded as “significant accomplishment,” ranks among the most predictable and important things you’ll be asked. Interviewers want to hear how you tackled something big. It is vital you give them an organized, articulate story.

Context: This is a behavioral questionmeaning, you’re being asked to talk about a specific example from your professional history. Pick an example or story about how you handled a major project that is both significant to you and rich in detail.

Response: Set up the story by providing context. Recount the situation and your role in it. Next, discuss what you did, including any analysis or problem solving, any process you set up and obstacles you had to overcome. Finally, reveal the outcome and what made you proud.

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Do You Have Any Questions

This might be one of the most important questions asked during the interview process because it allows you to explore any topics that havent been addressed and shows the interviewer youre serious about the role. Remember that you are interviewing the company too. Take time to ask the interviewer questions about their own experiences with the company, gain tips on how you can succeed if hired and address any lingering questions you have. Some examples include:

• 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?

Read more: Interview Question: Do You Have Any Questions?

How Much Money Are You Looking To Earn

This question is left off of many lists of common job interview questions, yet its extremely important and the wrong answer can cost you thousands of dollars.

The best answers to this question follow one rule: DONT say a specific number or even a narrow salary range that youre targeting.

Why? You have the least amount of leverage possible at this point in the job interview and job search process. You havent finished interviewing with this employer, and they dont even know if youre a good fit for the position.

So you cant command a high salary right now. Theres nothing to gain by answering salary questions so early, and quite a bit to potentially lose.

If you go too low with your desired salary range, it could limit the offer you receive later, even if they would have offered more normally. Or, you could worry them that youre not at the level they were hoping for!

Meanwhile, if you share a number or range thats too high, you could scare them off before they get to know you and see your worth! Whereas, after talking with you in a few interviews, they might have been willing to stretch their budget to hire you! Ive seen this happen frequently as a recruiter.

Therefore, its a lose-lose to tell them your salary target before you know theyre interested in hiring you. When youre preparing what to say in a job interview, especially an early-stage interview, salary goals should not be a part of it!

Dont:

Example answer:

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Question: How Would You Describe Your Work Style

Intent: This is a fairly open-ended question. At a basic level, the interviewer is interested in hearing how you both understand and articulate how you work. However, there may be a requirement for someone highly organized, or the team may have a specific way of working, and the interviewer wants to see if you fit.

Context: You may not have thought about this too carefully before. How do you best operate? What’s the optimum work situation for you? There are two sides to this: How you work, and in what kinds of work environments you work best. Are you highly structured? Do you focus on one thing and get it done, or move multiple projects forward concurrently? On the environment side, do you do best in fairly structured workplaces, or do you thrive in chaos?

Response: Like any other interview answer, being specific and backing up your answer with a brief example works best. You could use the past week as an illustrative example.

What Was Your Salary In Your Last Job

This is a tough one. You want to be open and honest, but frankly, some companies ask the question as the opening move in salary negotiations.

Try an approach recommended by Liz Ryan. When asked, say, “I’m focusing on jobs in the $50K range. Is this position in that range?”

Maybe the interviewer will answer maybe she won’t. If she presses you for an answer, you’ll have to decide whether you want to share or demur. Ultimately your answer won’t matter too much, because you’ll either accept the salary offered or you won’t, depending on what you think is fair.

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What Are Your Strengths/weaknesses

This question is often seen as challenging by many candidates, even those with significant experience. However, if approached correctly it is easily possible to avoid ‘bragging’ when discussing your strengths or seeming excessively negative when talking about your perceived weaknesses.

Strengths – Based on the job description, choose three examples of traits the employer is looking for and give examples of how you have used these strengths in a work situation. Ideally, include a mixture of tangible skills, such as technical or linguistic abilities, and intangible skills, such as management experience.

Weaknesses – The best approach here is to pick a trait that you have already made positive steps to address.

Consider how you have approached your perceived weaknesses in the past and what you have done to address them

If your tech skills are not at the level they could be, state this as a weakness before telling the interviewer about training courses or time spent outside work hours you have used to improve your skills.