List of 15 most common interview questions and answers Question 1: Can you tell me something about yourself?

This is typically the first question in the job interview. If you answer it well, you will make a good first impression, feel better and logically have better chances to get a job. You should focus on work related things in your answer. That means, what you do, what you are good at, what you have done before, what are you looking for in your career, etc. You can mention your personal life and hobbies briefly, but it is not what the employer is interested in. Anyway, it is advisable to not spend more than one minute answering this question. It is simply not good to tire the interviewers right in the beginning This is just a starting question. Good example of an answer can be: I like to manage people and work on interesting projects. I have been working for IBM for the past ten years, but am looking for a new challenge right now. I like to do sports, especially football and spend my free time with my wife. Question 2: Why did you apply for this job? Interviewers need to understand your intentions. And it is perfectly all right and good for you. If you prepare a good answer to this interview question, you can convince them right in the beginning that you are the best person for the job. The key thing is to speak about the company, not about you (this will be deeply described later). Anyway, you should definitely spend some time reading company website and the job description, so you know what to answer to this interview question. Here are two good examples: I really like the job description and the working duties for this position. I believe that I am the perfect match for the job and can be an asset for your team. I decided to apply because I really like the vision of your company and the possibilities for me there. It is a role where I can use my full potential and really help your company to grow. Question 3: Why did you leave your last job? / Why are you planning to leave your job? Change is a part of life. However, employers want to understand the reasons why you want to make a change, or why you are forced to make a change. It is important to stay positive on this place and do not mention any negative things about your previous employers. You should simply focus on the future, not on the past. Let me show you few good answers to this interview question. My last job was not challenging enough. I was not motivated to wake up to work anymore and I really needed a change. Based on the job description I really believe that I can find what am I looking for in your company. There was a downsizing in our company and similarly to most people in my department, I was fired. However, it is the past. I am ready to utilize the knowledge and experience and start to build my new career in your corporation. I want to be very honest to you. I have been in this company for seven years, achieved great results and help it to become the leader on the market. However, I did never get a raise and was never promoted, although I asked for it. I believe that the results of my work can be rewarded better somewhere else, maybe in your company. Question 4: Can you tell me something about your education? For some employers and for certain positions, your education is very important. Employers use to inquire about it. Degrees like MBA are prestigious and many employers prefer candidates with these forms of degrees. However, if you do not have it, you can still offer a good answer to this interview question. Try to not focus on the names of the schools, but on the knowledge you gained. Here is an example of a good answer to this interview question. I studied in Cambridge. I acquired knowledge from statistics, project management and process management. I was very active during my studies and took part in several practical projects. Overall my studies were really practical and I believe that I am very well prepared for this job of a project manager. Question 5: Can you tell us something more about your working experience? You should always pick the most related experience. Many job seekers spend twenty minutes answering this interview question. But it is a mistake. Employer hiring for marketing management position is not interested in your experiences from MC Donalds, really. You should pick just one or two from your previous jobs and briefly describe what you did there and what you learned there. You can use the following answer for your inspiration. I had done a lot of things in my life, what helped me to gain a good overall understanding of business. From 2001 to 2004 I worked like a project manager for Siemens, mostly we were working on smaller energetic projects. I believe that I can utilize the knowledge and contacts I gained during this time in your company. I learned how to budget the project and lead it from the scratch to completion. From my other experience I can briefly mention my position in marketing from 1998 to 2001 and my freelancing experience from 2005 to 2009. Question 6: Why should we hire you? This is probably the most difficult interview question. However, if your answer is convincing enough, it really can convince the employer to hire you! You should simply focus on your USP (Unique selling point). It means to show the employer something special other candidates can not offer him. To use general phrases will not help you. You simply need to find this unique selling point by yourself. You can use the following answers for your inspiration. Well, I have a relevant experience for the job and I am strongly motivated to work for your company. I fulfill all the requirements for the job. However, some other applicants do probably also fulfill it. I think that I am a nice guy and help to create a good atmosphere in the workplace. You can contact my previous employers to question about this. I believe that I bring success with me to the companies. All the companies where I worked were prospering. It is good to have such a worker in your team, isnt it? Question 7: What are your strengths? Interview questions about strengths and weaknesses are typical. And it is easy to answer it. All you have to do is to pick one or two strengths that are relevant for the job. I am very responsible person and always accomplish all my duties.

I am a very organized person, what is strongly reflected in my work. I have good communication skills. I believe that communication skills are crucial in every job, but especially in job like this one. Question 8: What are your weaknesses? It is not so important what weaknesses you list here. More important is to define how exactly you try to get rid of your weakness. This is what the employer wants to hear. Secondly, you should choose the weakness that is not so important for the job you are applying for. This is pretty straight forward and you should manage to do it. Here are some good examples of an answer. I am not very patient, what is obviously not good. But I am working on it every day, doing various exercises. Sometimes I struggle to concentrate. However, I practice every day and my concentration has improved over the years. I trust the people too much. It is nice to live with it, but it brought me into many problematic situations in the past. However, as I am getting older I am starting to distinguish who I can trust and who I can not trust. Question 9: What are your goals in five years horizon? Every responsible person has some goals. Employers know this. When questioning you about your goals, they simply want to hear that you have any goals. However, you can do a mistake here. Some people like to mention that they dream about their own business. This is not a good answer. Companies do not want to hire someone who leaves after two years to start his own business. Recruiting is too lengthy procedure for this. Thats why you should either choose personal goals, or connect your goals with the company where you are applying for a job. Lets have a look at good answers to this interview question. My goal is to become a better manager and help my employer to achieve good results as much as I can. I want to start a family and have a good position. I believe that your company is a right place to realize my goals. I would like to be promoted in five years and have a really good job in a really good company like yours one. Question 10: What are your biggest achievements so far? Achievements are more important for the employers than your experiences. This is a fact. Other fact is that everyone of us has some achievements. We just sometimes do not realize it. You should think about it for a while. Employers can be impressed by both tangible and intangible achievements. If you was a heavy smoker before and was able to quit smoking, it shows that you have a strong determination and will. Think about it Our life is full of achievements. You just need to choose some for your answers to interview questions. Just like our job applicants did in their answers. I was able to run marathon under 3:30. I trained for it very hard and it strengthen me both physically and mentally. When I worked like a sales manager in Cobeco Inc., the sales of the company grew by 20 percent every year. I became a better person over the years. I learned to listen to the others and see the good in people. I consider this as my biggest achievement. Question 11: What characterize a good boss/ colleague from your point of view? In most of the companies, you will not work alone. Interviewers try to understand if you fit into the company and if you may get along with your colleagues. The crucial thing here is to not mention anything too tangible. Concretely, to say that you prefer your boss to be older than you is a huge risk If the boss is younger, you will not be chosen. The best way is to choose a neutral answer and say that you can pretty much get along with everybody. Lets have a look at two good responds. I can get along with everyone. All I want to be sure about when it comes to my boss and colleagues is that they are qualified for the job. And when I see the level of proficiency in this interview, I am sure they are qualified. There is nothing like an ideal boss for me. I simply focus on my job and on my performance and try to avoid any conflicts with other employees. Question 12: What motivates you? / How do you motivate the others? Motivation is crucial in every role. You need to convince the employer that you are motivated and do not need any special incentives to work hard. The best way to do so is to show the enthusiasm in the interview and be filled with energy! If you do so, you will not get this interview question about motivation. However, if it comes here is the answer. I want to feel important in my job, do a good job for my employer. This is very important for me, to see a purpose in my job. It naturally motivates me to work hard and try to become better every day. I just like to work. If I was not strongly motivated to do this job, I would not apply for it. I would never work only for money. Question 13: What are your salary expectations? This is actually a good question. If the employers ask it, it means that they consider to hire you (or least give you a chance). You should not start the discussion about salary by yourself. However, once the employer starts it, you should have your answer ready. The key is to emphasize that the salary is not the deciding factor for you. However, on the other hand, you should never say less than your minimum expectations are. It wont make any senseIf you need to mention the number, it is always better to mention the salary range than the figure. Here are examples of good answers to this interview question. First of all, salary is not a deciding factor for me. I really like the job description and want to get this job. I will accept an average salary for this position what is something between $35,000 and $40,000, according to my knowledge. I really like this job and would like to do it. I have looked at the average salaries and found out that the average is between $35,000 and $40,000 for this position. I am willing to accept the lower figure from this range, as I really like would like to have this job. Question 14: When are you able to start? Companies have their plans and needs. If they need someone from the next month, they need him and thats it. Thats why you should always say that you can start when they need you. But if you really can not short circuit the notice period or something else, you still can save yourself with an exceptional answer! Lets have a look at several of these answers. I am ready to start as soon as possible. There is a two months notice period in my company. However, I have very good relations with my boss so I am sure I can negotiate it and start earlier.

I could possibly start tomorrow, but I want to finish the project I currently work on. It will be very unprofessional and irresponsible from me to leave now. I will need two or three weeks. I hope you understand this. Question 15: Do you have any questions? In every good job interview, there is a place for the questions of the candidates. It is good to ask one or two questions. You should definitely not ask about something that was already answered in the interview or something from the job description. However, you can use one of the following questions: What are the next steps of the recruiting process? Can you tell me something more about the working environment? What are the goals of your company in long term horizon? 50 Most Asked Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them 1. Tell me about yourself. Keep the answer job or skill related. Tell me about your dream job. Don't mention a specific job. Say something generic like, "I want a job where I love the work and the people I work with." Why did you leave your last job? Never refer to a major problem with management or say undesirable things about your supervisors, co-workers or the organization. Keep smiling and talk about leaving for a positive reason such as an opportunity, or a chance to do something better. What is your weakness? Always try to give a positive answer. For example, "It takes me a long time to get ready in the morning, so I set my alarm two hours ahead of my time in for work." What are your strengths? Sell yourself. Say how you can be a desirable employee for the company. What do you know about the type of work we do? Do a research about the company before going to the job interview. Why should we hire you? This is your chance to show why working for the company is important to you and why you think you will fit in. Don't mention other applicants for comparison. Tell me about a suggestion you have made. This will show that you care about the company's growth. Use an example that was accepted and successful, especially one that is related to the position. Do you consider yourself successful? You should always answer yes. Success doesn't necessarily have to be big ones, just mention how you have achieved goals you have set for yourself.

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10. Why have you been unemployed for such a long time? Mention the activities you have done that would help market yourself like trainings or short courses you attended, or for example say, "I gave birth and had to take care of my baby and this experience taught me so much about patience and time management. 11. What do co-workers say about you? Recall good things that your co-workers have said like, "My manager, Mr. Santos, once told me that I am a very organized person". 12. How long would you expect to work for us if hired? Don't give a specific answer. Say something like, "I plan on staying for long." or "As long as we both feel I'm doing a good job." 13. Do you think you are overqualified for this position? Regardless of your qualifications, state that you are very well qualified for the position. Or you may say something like, "I don't think I am overqualified, but I am fully qualified." 14. Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about that? If you had, always explain yourself in a way that implies you did not want to, but had to. 15. Are you applying for other jobs? Be honest. If you are considered an asset to the company, they just might give you a good salary offer to get you to work with them,

instead of the other companies you are applying to. 16. Describe your management style. Mention how you deal with your subordinates or your projects like, "I provide team members with effective guidance and motivation to complete assignments on time so our projects succeed." Or you can simply say "For me, good communication among members is the best way." 17. Are you a team player? The answer should always be a yes then cite examples. You may mention situations where you were part of a group or organization, and the activities you've had that show you worked well with them. 18. What is your philosophy towards work? Don't give a monologue here. Say something short and positive like, "My philosophy is to do my best at all times." 19. What position do you prefer on a team working on a project? You may say you are comfortable with any position in the team, may it be the leader, or follower. This shows that you can lead a team but at the same time also able to follow directions. This shows you are flexible. 20. Have you ever been asked to leave a position? If you have, be honest and never say anything negative about your former boss or company. Focus on saying positive like how much you have grown from the experience. 21. What irritates you about co-workers? Do not speak badly of your past co-workers, as this reflects a flaw on your attitude, not theirs. Divert the negativity posed by the question. Assure the interviewer you get along well with fellow co-workers. 22. Why do you think you would do well at this job? Mention your skills, experience and interest. 23. What is more important to you: the money or the work? You can say something like, "Both are important because everybody needs money to live but job satisfaction is also important." 24. What has been your biggest professional disappointment? Mention something that was beyond your control but show acceptance and no negative feelings. 25. What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is? There are many good qualities you can mention but be sure to give an example or a situation to back your answer. Or if you have a recommendation letter you may say, "I believe my supervisor would say that my strongest point is that I'm reliable, hard-working, efficient, timely, and responsible. I know this because he has written it in my letter of recommendation. Would you like to see it?" 26. Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisor. Never mention a problem or anything negative about your supervisor. Try to think and then come up with none. 27. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends? This is up to you. Be totally honest. 28. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure. You may say that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give an example that relates to the type of position applied for. 29. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience? You may point out that you are a quick learner and hard worker. Or state experiences that may not be from work but are somewhat related like for a managerial position, you may cite experiences you had as a leader in a school project. 30. Do your skills match this job or another job more closely? Never give the interviewer the impression that you are more interested on other jobs. 31. Tell me about the most fun you have had on the job. Talk about having fun but at the same time accomplishing something like a team building you had where you gained a good relationship with your co-workers. 32. Would you be willing to relocate if required? Be honest. Discuss with your family beforehand, assuming this question should come up.

33. What motivates you to do your best on the job? Some examples are challenge, achievement, recognition, integrity. 34. How would you know you were successful on this job? You can say something like, "When I have achieved all the goals that were set and I have given more than what is expected of me." 35. Are you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead of your own? Just say yes. This is a test of your loyalty. 36. What qualities do you look for in a boss? Be generic and positive. Some examples are fair, competent, good motivator. 37. How do you see yourself five years from now? If you answer that you have not thought about it or you have no plans yet, the interviewer could conclude you have no vision and goals. Say something that is achievable but not too low as this could imply you lack initiative. It should be consistent with the objective on your resume and the skills you mentioned you have. 38. What have you learned from mistakes on the job? Mention mistakes you've had but be sure to focus more on the lessons you have learned from that mistake. 39. Do you have any blind spots? Don't say something specific but just say everyone has them that's why working as a team is very important to point out and cover each other's blind spots. This answer diverts the question to how you are as a team player. 40. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for? Mention qualities that are needed for the position that you have. 41. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between others. Pick a specific incident and what role you played in its resolution. 42. Describe your work ethic. Emphasize benefits to the organization. Things like, determination to get the job done and work hard but enjoy your work are good. 43. What are your expectations from this job/company? You will be able to answer this question well through company research and self-assessment. Think as if you are already part of the company. You may say something like, "I expect challenging tasks." 44. Do you have references? Contact your references ahead of time and have their names and contact details ready 45. Do you have any questions for me? Always prepare questions, but those that are not answered in the company's website or those you have not discussed. Asking questions shows you are interested to know more about the company or the job. 46. Why do you think you will be successful at this job? You can say something like, "Basing on my research of the company and the job description, I can say that I have the skills and experience you are looking for. 47. What do you think of the last company you worked for? As always, never say anything negative about the last company you worked for. You can say you learned a lot from the company and the job, and you consider it an important stepping stone in reaching everything you have achieved. 48. How do you handle criticism? You can say something like, "I see criticism as an opportunity to improve my work." Then give an example where you were criticized and you handled it in a positive way like, "My manager once told me that the reports I gave him were unorganized so I tried to review my past reports and asked if he had any preferences. I followed my manager's suggestions and reconstructed my reports. My manager was happy with all the reports I handed him after that." 49. Do you feel you are ready to take on greater responsibilities? Employers ask this especially if the position you are applying for is higher than your former position. This is for them to gauge if you are up for the challenge of the new position. Give a positive answer and show them you are the job. 50. What are your activities and interests outside of work?

Say something about your interest and how it can help you on the job you are applying for. Like basketball can teach you team work, or baking can teach you accuracy. If you are applying for a job that requires you to be fit, you may mention physical activities that you do like swimming or any other sport.