What Are Job Interview Questions And Answers? Examples of 15 Most Common Interview Questions and Answers With Tips
You can be thinking about what are job interview questions and answers and which most common questions the employer will ask you while you prepare for your interview. While it’s impossible to predict what topics will be discussed, there are a few common interview questions you can expect to be asked.
Continue reading if you’re looking for the most often requested job interview questions and their answers with tips.
After working as a recruiter for 8 years, I’m going to share the top 15 job interview questions and answers, as well as what to do? and what you shouldn’t do?, with good examples to help you ace your interview.
15 Most common job Interview Questions and Answers with Tips and examples:
1. Tell me a little about yourself.
This is one of the most typical interview questions, and because it is so open-ended, it confuses a lot of job hopefuls.
Here are some of the finest answers, as well as how to impress the interviewer when they ask this question:
When asked, “Tell me about yourself,” keep your response work-related.
While they’ve left the option of including personal information open, it’s not what the average interviewer is searching for.
Tell your tale in chronological order to keep your answer clear and easy to grasp.
Take them through your professional history, beginning with how you got started in your current field.
You can talk about your academic work if you’re a recent graduate or entry-level candidate. Why did you decide to study this particular subject? What have you worked on and on what projects have you completed?
If you have prior work experience, tell the interviewer about your main achievements, key career moves you’ve made and why you made them, and then tell them what you want to do next in your career and why you’re looking for a job.
What to do?
- Concentrate solely on your professional experience.
- Make sure your response isn’t longer than 2 minutes.
- Bring them up to speed on your current circumstances by telling them about how you got started in your profession and the significant decisions you’ve made.
What you should not do?
- Share personal information.
- More than 2 minutes of conversation
Example of a good answer:
“After graduating with a business degree in 2013, I began my work in marketing.” I’ve worked for Microsoft my entire career, earning two promotions and three awards for great performance. I’m currently seeking for a smaller company where I can take on additional leadership and project management responsibilities.”
2. What are your impressions about our company?
One of the most typical interview questions to prepare for is this. In an early-stage interview, especially a phone interview, you’re likely to hear it.
The purpose of the sample replies below is to demonstrate that you did your research and didn’t apply to their company without knowing anything about them.
You’ll come out as desperate if you don’t seem to know anything about them. And that will make you unappealing to any potential employers.
When they ask, “What do you know about our firm?” your main goal is to demonstrate that you did your homework or were familiar with their organisation prior to applying. You’ll be alright if you follow this advice.
What to do?
- Before the interview, do some research on the company (on their website, their LinkedIn page, Google News, and more)
- It’s best if you can be as inventive as possible with your study. If you want to give the best answer possible, go beyond a quick review of the company’s website.
- Learn about their business, what they sell, and how they make money.
- Try to get a feel of how big their company is. Is there a total of 100 employees? Do you have more than 10,000 employees? Etc.
- Explain what piqued your interest or piqued your excitement about their corporation in your response, and demonstrate why you’re interested in their company in particular. Even if they don’t ask directly, the interviewer wants to know why you desire this particular position.
What you should not do?
- Pretend you have no idea what you’re talking about.
- Say facts that are wrong or about which you are unsure (it is better to know one or two accurate facts than five facts about which you are unsure).
- Only reference a few basic facts from the company’s website and do the bare minimum of investigation.
Example of a good answer(1):
“Your organisation appears to be a leader in database and website security for large corporations, based on what I’ve read. I was reading over your client list on your website and noticed that several Fortune 500 businesses were included, including Verizon and IBM. In addition, after messaging James from the Marketing team on LinkedIn, I recently had an informational interview with him, and he talked a bit about your business culture, particularly the emphasis on cooperation and open connection between different departments and groups. That seems interesting to me, and it’s something I’m hope to find in my next career. “Could you elaborate on how you’d characterise the company culture here?”
Example of a good answer(2):
“I’m aware that you’re a market leader in pharmaceutical contract manufacturing. I also saw two recent news pieces in which you announced intentions to construct a new facility that will increase your manufacturing capacity. “I was excited to have this interview and learn more about the specific work and challenges you need help with from the person you hire for this role.” “One of my hopes in my current job search is to find a fast-growing organisation that could take full advantage of my past experience in scaling up manufacturing operations, so I was excited to have this interview and learn more about the specific work and challenges you need help with from the person you hire for this role.”
3. How did you find out about the job?
“How did you hear about the position?” they inquire.
It’s usually advisable to give a straightforward, honest response.
The interviewer is just interested in how you learned about them and why you applied in the first place. They’re also curious about how you go about applying for jobs in general.
Simply tell them the truth whether you found the position through a coworker, online study of employers, a job board or job posting, or any other typical technique.
What to do?
- Make sure you’re being straightforward, direct, and forthright.
- Unless it’s something extremely embarrassing (for example, my mother got me a job to apply for when I was much younger). That didn’t sound fantastic, so I explained that a friend had seen the job advertising and told me about it. When necessary, a white lie is acceptable).
- If possible, explain why you were interested in the job (e.g., “I was excited to apply because “).
What you should not do?
- Say you don’t recall or are unsure.
- You appear to be self-conscious.
Example of a good answer:
“I found the job while seeking for job online.”
“A colleague/friend told me about it.”
“I was recommended to your company by someone I worked with at a previous job who had heard excellent things about it.”
“I spotted the job posting on LinkedIn and thought it sounded interesting, so I inquired more.”
4. What was your motivation for applying for this job?
“Why did you apply for this position?” they might inquire. Choose a topic that piques your curiosity. Tell them why you enjoy their items if you say you do. This is the key to answering this job interview question convincingly.
Avoid sounding needy or as though you’re looking for any job at all. Yes, it’s acceptable to mention that you were laid off, but then refocus the conversation on exactly what you’re searching for in your next job and why you believe their firm has it.
You should sound as if you’re looking for the RIGHT job and are being selective. Employers will not hire you unless you show that you desire to work for them specifically.
As a result, throughout your job search, it’s ideal to appear choosy and selective. That requires knowing exactly what you want from your new job.
Furthermore, the finest responses will avoid negatives and complaints. Don’t criticise your existing employer or boss. Concentrate on the benefits of the job you’re looking for right now.
What to do?
- Make them feel as if you’re genuinely interested in them.
- Demonstrate that you’ve done your homework and know what the job entails.
- Make every statement a positive one. Don’t complain about your current condition; instead, focus on what you intend to achieve by working for them (experiences, challenges, opportunities).
What you should not do?
- Say you’re looking for a job in general.
- Explain that you are currently unemployed and are looking for jobs.
- Say you’re short on cash or have expenses to pay, so you’re looking for job.
- Make a smear campaign against your current boss or firm, or say anything that makes it appear as if you’re leaving on poor terms.
- Sound desperate, or as though you’ll take any job you can get, no matter how bad it turns out to be.
- Any other personal reasons, such as “I need to locate a shorter commute,” should be mentioned.
Example of a good answer(1):
“I’ve wanted to work for a larger organisation in this area since I started my career, and I know you’re one of the leaders in this space.” I’m highly interested in your products/services, particularly the mobile applications you’ve lately developed, so I’d be thrilled to come here and develop my talents with a company like yours.”
Example of a good answer(2):
“I’ve heard nothing but positive things about the working environment here from a few coworkers. And when I discovered this job posting, it looked to be a perfect match for my abilities. For instance, I noticed in the job description that you want a Java programming specialist. This was my concentration in both of my prior jobs, and it was even the focus of my academic work before I graduated from university. I consider myself a Java master, and it’s a talent I hope to continue honing.”
5. Why do you want to leave your current job?
This is one of the most critical interview questions and answers to know if you’re looking for a job while still working.
(And if you’re looking for work while unemployed, be ready to say, “Why did you quit your last job?” instead.)
Otherwise, the most important thing to remember when they ask why you want to quit your current job is to stay positive and never criticise your current boss, coworkers, or boss’s boss.
Rather than whining or complaining about your situation, explain you’re looking for something more constructive. What do you want to gain from a new job?
Is your current boss being a jerk to you? Say you’re seeking for a place where you can learn from more experienced leaders.
What to do?
- Make a positive statement and concentrate on what you hope to gain by taking action.
- Show your appreciation for your current position (e.g., “This job has been excellent, and I’ve learned a lot in the two years I’ve been here,” “But I feel I’m ready for __ now,” etc.).
- You seem ambitious, focused, and eager to take on the next step in your profession.
What you should not do?
- In any manner, disparage your existing employer.
- You sound as if you’re attempting to get out of a difficult circumstance, or as if you’re failing or not fitting in at your current employment.
- Assume you’re having trouble or failing to complete the task.
- Say It’s too difficult or stressful.
- If you’re unsure, say so.
Example of a good answer:
“I’d like to take on additional leadership roles.” I’ve worked at my current company for three years and have thoroughly liked it, but I believe that in order to advance in my career, it would be beneficial for me to join a larger organisation and apply what I’ve learned in the past to lead more projects. That’s why this Project Manager position appealed to me.”
6. Tell us about a time when you encountered a challenge and how you overcame it.
Focus on a specific work-related problem and discuss how you overcame difficulties, used the experience as a learning opportunity, made use of the resources available to you (including people/colleagues if relevant), and came out on top! That is how you should respond to this interview question. Keep things professional, not personal.
What to do?
- Describe the situation, the task you had to complete, and the strategy you used (and why)
- Inform others about the outcome. What was the outcome?
- Let us know what you took away from the experience. Have you gained any knowledge that has aided you in your professional life?
What you should not do?
- Share any workplace stories of personal conflicts, arguments, or disagreements.
- Discuss a disagreement you had.
- Discuss a problem you couldn’t solve or a hurdle you couldn’t conquer.
Example of a good answer:
“At my last employment, we were up against a tight deadline, and my boss was on vacation for the day. Our client had requested that a project be completed by 5:00 p.m., but we were way behind schedule. I assumed charge of the project and distributed work to the other four team members in a way that I believed would best leverage everyone’s strengths. Then I reorganised my personal tasks so that I could devote my entire day to helping with this endeavour. The project was a success, and the work was completed on schedule. After that, I went on to lead more projects and apply what I’d learned to become a better project manager.”
7. How much money do you hope to make?
This question isn’t on many people’s lists of typical job interview questions, but it’s critical, and the wrong response might cost you thousands of dollars.
The greatest responses to this question follow one rule: don’t state you’re looking for a precise number or even a restricted wage range.
Why? At this point in the job interview and job search process, you have the least amount of leverage conceivable. You haven’t concluded your interview with this company, and they have no idea if you’re a suitable fit for the job.
As a result, you won’t be able to command a big pay right now. There’s little to gain and a lot to lose by answering salary inquiries so early in the process.
If you set your preferred pay range too low, it may limit the offers you receive later, even if they would have otherwise given more. You could also be concerned that you aren’t performing at the level they expected!
Meanwhile, if you give them a number or a range that is too high, you risk scaring them away before they get to know you and see your value! Whereas, after a few interviews with you, they might have been willing to bend their budget in order to hire you! As a recruiter, I’ve seen this happen a lot.
As a result, telling them your wage aim before you know if they’re interested in hiring you is a lose-lose situation. Salary aspirations should not be included in your preparation for a job interview, especially an early-stage interview!
You can, however, provide any basic compensation research you’ve conducted in your city for this type of employment.
What to do?
- Tell them you’re focusing on finding the best-fitting job for you and that you don’t have a wage goal in mind just yet.
- If necessary (if they press you or “push back” after your first response), repeat this process.
- Share any pay research you’ve done for your type of job, but only provide a range.
What you should not do?
- Tell them what pay you’re looking for.
- Tell them you’re aiming for a specific range.
Example of a good answer:
“Right now, I’m concentrating on finding a job that is a good match for my skills. After that, I’m happy to accept whatever reasonable offer you make, but I don’t have a specific figure in mind. My top aim in my job hunt is to find a position that is a good fit for me and allows me to keep learning and growing. That said, I conducted some preliminary research into compensation for this type of function in Seattle and discovered that the average appears to be in the $50K to $75K region, so if your job falls within that range, I think it’s reasonable to continue talking.”
8. Why should we consider hiring you?
Employers will question, “Why should we hire you?” to assess how well you understand the role and how your skills may benefit them.
When you hear questions like this in an interview, think about their role, their requirements, and how you might assist them. What are the advantages of hiring you? What will you make better for them? What will become more simple, efficient, or profitable?
Also, indicate that you’ve done your homework. Make it obvious that you understand the responsibilities of this position and that you’re prepared to do the same activities in your next position.
What to do?
- Be self-assured in your abilities and skills.
- If they hire you, talk about specific things you can assist them do or achieve.
- Prepare for the interview by doing some study and understanding their demands so you can “tailor” your responses and focus on the specific skills they’ll require if you’re hired for this position.
What you should not do?
- Say “I’m not sure,”.
- Say “You should hire anybody you want,”.
- Give a basic response that would work for any company. You must “tailor” this to the precise responsibilities you will be undertaking in THIS specific position. Otherwise, they will be underwhelmed by your response.
Example of a good answer:
“I saw in the job description that you’re searching for someone who has _ experience. I’ve been doing it for three years and can immediately assist you in achieving “.
9. Why are you interested in working here?
“Why do you desire this job?” they could question. Demonstrate that you did a lot of homework to learn about them before coming in for an interview. You want them to believe you picked them for a reason. “Why did you apply for this position?” is a question that is extremely similar to the previous one.
Demonstrate that you understand what their job entails (at least as much as the job description and company website can tell you) and that you’re eager to be interviewing for this position.
Last but not least The average employer wants to hire someone who wants to work for them specifically, not just someone who wants to perform any job.
What to do?
- Mention concrete, work-related reasons why you’re interested in their career and organisation.
- Discuss your personal professional path and goals, as well as how this job and company meet your long-term goals.
- You seem ecstatic about the prospect of working for them.
- Demonstrate that you’ve done your homework.
What you should not do?
- Say “I have bills to pay and need money,”.
- Say “I only need a job,”.
- Any personal information, such as “I live 5 minutes away, so it would be a very short commute,” should be shared.
Example of a good answer:
“Since receiving my nursing degree, I’ve been actively looking for work. I’m interested in intensive care and emergency medicine, and I’ve heard that your hospital has one of the greatest emergency rooms in the area. I believed the job description matched my background well, and I saw some of my personal characteristics stated, such as multitasking and the ability to flourish in a fast-paced workplace, therefore I’d want to start my career here.”
10. Why did you quit your previous job?
This interview question has a lot of good answers. There isn’t a single “correct” response. Here are some guidelines to follow:
If you opted to leave on your own terms, keep a positive attitude and concentrate on what you hoped to achieve from your decision rather than criticising or dwelling on the drawbacks you intended to avoid.
Also, if you’ve been fired or laid off, be open and honest about it. Employers will not want to hire you if you are ambiguous or try to hide something.
If you were fired, demonstrate what you’ve learned from the experience and what you’ve done to prevent it from happening again. That’s how you turn a negative into a good.
What to do?
- Make sure you’re being clear and direct, and that you’re answering the question directly.
- If you were fired, own up to it and explain what you did to prevent it from happening again.
- If you opted to quit, instead of criticising or discussing the flaws of your previous position, focus on the benefits you planned to acquire by moving on to the next opportunity.
What you should not do?
- Don’t criticise or whine.
- Never claim that you resigned due to a disagreement or squabble with a coworker.
- Make it clear that money isn’t your top priority.
- Avoid hiding information or avoiding the subject; doing so will just lead to further questions and mistrust from the interviewer.
Example of a good answer:
“I was hired for a project management position, but that changed over time, and I no longer had the opportunity to accomplish the work I wanted to do.” I left to seek an opportunity that I believed was more connected with the areas of my career that I’d chosen to focus on.”
11. What is your biggest flaw?
“What is your greatest flaw?” they ask.
” You want to name a genuine flaw.
I propose choosing something that is skill-based rather than personality-based.
You never want to admit that you have trouble collaborating with others, or that you have trouble resolving conflicts, or that you have trouble following a manager’s instructions, etc. You will be rejected in the interview if you do these things.
So choose a specific expertise, but one that won’t have a significant impact on your ability to perform this job.
For example, if your job entails all-day data entry using Excel spreadsheets, you don’t want to admit that Excel is your weakness. Or that you have a hard time paying attention to small details.
Finally, explain what you’re doing to overcome or enhance your shortcoming in your response.
Take a look at the do’s and don’ts, as well as an example of an interview response, to get an idea of what the best responses will sound like.
What to do?
- Give an example of an actual flaw.
- Choose something that is skill-based rather than personality-based. For example, rather than saying, “My weakness is working in a team and following directions,” say, “I’m not very strong in Microsoft Excel…”
- Mention what you’ve done recently to overcome this flaw and improve.
What you should not do?
- Don’t make up a flaw like “I work too hard.”
- With a response like “Kryptonite,” don’t try to be amusing. It’s something hiring managers have heard time and time again.
- Don’t tell them you don’t have any flaws.
- Don’t mention a personality flaw (e.g., “I have problems getting along with coworkers”).
- Don’t mention a flaw that may jeopardise your ability to thrive in their position.
Example of a good answer:
“I don’t have a lot of experience with social media marketing.” I focused solely on email marketing for the first few years of my profession. That’s still my area of expertise, which is why I applied for your position of Email Marketing Manager. However, I’ve discovered that understanding the basics of social media marketing is also beneficial because some of the methods that work there also work in email. So I’ve started devoting a few hours of my own time each week to studying and learning this new field, which has proven to be really beneficial.”
“What areas need improvement?” you can ask as the interviewer. In such situation, you can take the same method as before, and I still advocate highlighting just one vulnerability to keep your response basic and concise.
12. How do you make your decision?
This is yet another typical interview question.
“Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision?” is an example of a behavioural interview question. What did you do about it, and how did you handle it?”
Hiring managers want to know that you’ve made solid decisions in the past and that you’re comfortable making a difficult decision under pressure when they ask you these decision-making job interview questions. Demonstrate this, and they’ll have more faith in your ability to make excellent judgments in your next job… while working for them.
Prepare to describe how you organise and structure your decisions to demonstrate the hiring manager that you’re the correct fit. When making crucial judgments, the best replies will demonstrate that you are calm and follow a logical strategy.
Example of a good answer(1):
“I had a situation just last week that very much summed up my journey. One of our most important clients was experiencing difficulties with our most recent software upgrade, and I had to choose between making a fresh install on their PC and troubleshooting. There would be some downtime after the fresh install, but it was a known variable. Taking troubleshooting measures, on the other hand, may finally address the problem, but the organisation will be dealing with many software problems and issues for an unknown amount of time. Since he had the closest relationship with the firm, I met with our representative from their company, as well as the Account Manager who had originally brought this client on. The corporation made no preference and urged us to do what we thought was best. However, according to the Account Manager I spoke with, this organisation is risk adverse and dislikes ambiguity. When an issue emerges, they want to know how serious the “damage” will be. Based on this information, I determined that the best course of action was to perform a complete reinstall of the software, which would result in 30 minutes of downtime but would address the problem the same day. I also spoke with our billing department to offer a special discount to assist offset the revenue loss caused by our software, which the firm appreciated and thanked me for.”
Example of a good answer(2):
“I usually make a list of all accessible options and then analyse the benefits and drawbacks of each one, as well as the projected outcomes.” If the decision has an influence on other teams or persons, I’ll ask for their input as well. When a peer points out a pro or con that I hadn’t noticed, I find it beneficial to consult with others. After that, I’ll take the course of action that I believe will result in the best result. I also consider the dangers associated with each option. If a decision has a positive prospective consequence but is too risky for the organisation, it may not be the best option. Do you want me to give you an example?“
13. What is your greatest achievement?
Although you should not brag about yourself in every interview question and answer, it is occasionally necessary. This is one of those instances.
Don’t be afraid to speak up and don’t hold back. This is your opportunity to talk about one accomplishment that you’re really proud of and why. I encourage picking a professional accomplishment, but if your biggest success is personal, that’s acceptable, too.
Ideally, tell a tale about how you overcame adversity, underwent a metamorphosis, or overcame uncertainty or fear to achieve something you’re proud of. Most employers will be impressed if you can demonstrate determination and resiliency. However, there are a variety of instances in which your greatest achievement reveals additional characteristics.
14. What are your interests and passions?
Employers like to hire candidates who have hobbies, passions, and other interests. This is also why employers frequently inquire, “What motivates you?” Alternatively, “what motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?”
“What are you enthusiastic about?” is a question that many people ask.
You have a great deal of autonomy. The question is really broad. One single place should be named, in my opinion. This simplifies the process and makes it easier to prepare. That’s why I recommend it for the above-mentioned numerous interview questions and answers.
So pick a topic that piques your interest. It can be mission-driven, such as resolving a crisis or assisting the global community. It could also be that you appreciate difficulties at work, such as learning, improving, problem-solving, and reaching new levels of skill, among other things.
You might also provide a personal story about how you became interested in your line of work or why it is important to you.
Pick one item and tell the truth about it, no matter what it is. Employers can tell whether you’re being genuine/honest, and that’s exactly what they want to see.
15. Do you have any other inquiries for us?
You may be costing yourself job offers if you don’t ask good questions in each interview. Asking questions demonstrates that you’re interested in the work and that you’re looking for the proper fit, not just any job. This will increase their trust and desire for you.
You might inquire about the job, the training, the obstacles you’ll face, and the company’s overall direction.
Do not inquire about pay, perks, time off, or anything else unrelated to the job. Wait for them to bring it up, or until you’re sure they want to hire you.
Example of a good answer:
Yes, I do have a few questions. The first question I had was whether this was a newly created position or whether someone had previously held this post. And, assuming that’s the case, what did that person do after this job?
Conclusion
The greatest method to succeed in an interview is to study and practise, just like you would for a test in school. Perform background study on the organisation and the position, and rehearse your talking points until you are confident in your responses. The more you prepare, the more likely you are to make an impression and exceed your peers.
You’ll need to respond to each question with grace and passion to make a good first impression. However, it is quite beneficial to practise beforehand. When the competition is fierce, meticulous preparation will help you appear confident and in command, positioning you as the best candidate.