CAREER PLANNING FINDING A JOB INTERVIEW STRATEGIES

Top 20 Common Job Interview

Questions With Answers
By Alison Doyle | Updated on December 11, 2022

Reviewed by Colleen Ramos

In This Article

Take the Time to Prepare for an Interview

20 Most Common Interview Questions and Best Answers

More Interview Questions and Answers

Tips to Answer Common Interview Questions

How to Make the Best Impression

PHOTO: JAMES BASCARA / THE BALANCE

Preparing for a job interview? If so, you should practice answering typical
interview questions.

Watch Now: Watch Now: How to Answer 7 Tough

Interview Questions
 1:45

If you interview frequently, these common job interview questions will

grow quite familiar. During your interview preparation, think about
possible answers that will pertain to the job you’re applying for, while
highlighting your skills and experience. Also brush up on your interview
skills, so you're prepared to make the best impression.

Take the Time to Prepare for an Interview

The goal of anticipating interview questions isn’t to memorize responses,
but rather to get comfortable talking about these topics. This advance
preparation will help you feel more confident and less on the spot during
the interview.

Note
As you develop your answers, select anecdotes and specific examples
from your previous work experiences to share with your interviewers.

20 Most Common Interview Questions and

Best Answers
Start with these questions you'll most likely be asked at a job interview,
plus the best answers. Then review other questions specifically related to
the position, so you're prepared to ace the interview.

1. Tell me about yourself.

What They Want to Know: Asking about you is a way to break the ice at
an interview and make you feel more comfortable. It's also a way for the
interviewer to determine if you're a good fit for the job.
Before you go on an interview, consider what you want to say when you're
describing yourself to potential employers. Creating an elevator speech,
which is a quick synopsis of your background, is a good way to prepare a
response.

Example Answer
I’m an electrician with ten years of experience in residential
construction. After earning my electrician’s certificate at ABC Tech, I
apprenticed with Jones Brothers, and then they hired me as a
journeyman electrician. Four years later I earned my certification as a
master electrician.

More Answers: Interview Question: “Tell Me About Yourself”

2. What were your responsibilities?

What They Want to Know: Know what's on your resume, so you can
discuss what you did at the other jobs you've held. When you're
describing your responsibilities, try to mention those that match the new
job's requirements.

Showing that you have done similar work will be an asset during the
interview. Focus on the responsibilities that most closely align with the job
for which you're interviewing when you respond to the recruiter.

Example Answer
As a special ed teacher, I’ve worked with grades K-6 at a large inner-
city school, partnering with parents and other teachers to design IEPs
and support the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular
classrooms.

More Answers: Job Interview Questions About Your Responsibilities

3. What did you like or dislike about your

previous job?
What They Want to Know: What you liked – and what you didn't like –
about your last job or the company you worked for is an indicator of how
you might feel about this position if you were to be hired.
Be careful what you say when you're interviewing for a similar job. If the
roles are alike, you may want to keep what you didn't like to yourself. It's
important to be positive and enthusiastic about the job for which you're
being considered.

Example Answer
I liked the progressive, staged training program my employer used to
teach new hires the ins and outs of financial services – there was
always something new to learn, and we knew we would be steadily
promoted as we became more experienced. I didn’t like the commute,
though, which is why I’m now applying for jobs closer to home.

More Answers: How to Answer Interview Questions About Your Previous

Job

4. 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 may be able to 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.

Example Answer
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

5. What major challenges and problems did

you face? How did you handle them?
What They Want to Know: With this question, the interviewer is trying
to understand how you handle issues and problems. Can you figure out
solutions and workarounds when there is a problem? How adept are you
at problem-solving? Do you enjoy a challenge, or do you get nervous
when there's a glitch?

Example Answer
When I was first hired as store manager, our turnover rate was 75%
and we were chronically understaffed. I implemented performance
incentive programs that reduced attrition by 63% and significantly
improved our talent pipeline by focusing on internal training and
promotion.

More Answers: Interview Question: How Did You Handle a Challenge?

6. What is your greatest strength?

What They Want to Know: When answering questions about your
strengths, focus on the abilities you have that are key to success in the job
for which you're interviewing. Don't be too humble. It's important to make
the hiring manager aware of your qualifications.

Example Answer
My greatest strength is my ability to learn new processes quickly.
When placed in a new environment, I actively observe how other
people do things so that I can easily pull my weight on the team. I’m
also open to testing new ways of doing things in order to optimize our
efficiency.

More Answers: Interview Question: What is Your Greatest Strength?

7. What is your greatest weakness?

What They Want to Know: There are different ways to tackle questions
about weaknesses. One is to turn a negative into a positive by sharing an
example of how something you considered to be a weakness actually
helped you on the job. The other is to speak about additional skills you
now have because you worked on those that needed an upgrade.
 Example Answer
I’m an introvert, which I used to regard as being a weakness because I
was always shy about reaching out to people. However, part of being
an introvert is that I’m a great listener, and I find this has really helped
me as a Help Desk Technician. I’m able to focus on our customers’
issues, ask the right questions to elicit information, and resolve their
tech issues.

More Answers: Interview Question: What is Your Greatest Weakness?

8. How do you handle stress and pressure?

What They Want to Know: What you do when work gets stressful? Do
you stay calm under pressure? Or do you have a difficult time in stressful
situations? If you're interviewing for a high-pressure position, the
interviewer will want to know that you can deal with the stress.

Example Answer
I’m pretty good at recognizing when I’m beginning to feel stressed.
When this happens, I take five minutes to focus on my breathing. I
also practice guided meditation in the morning before work for 30
minutes and exercise for an hour in the evening. This keeps me on an
even keel.

More Answers: Interview Question: How Do You Handle Stress?

9. Describe a difficult work situation or

project and how you overcame it.
What They Want to Know: When you're responding to questions about
what you did on the job, be prepared to share an actual example of a
challenging situation at work, what the issue was, and how you helped
resolve it.

Example Answer
Our team, already understaffed, was thrown for a loop when a major
customer demanded that we complete our deliverables two weeks
ahead of schedule. Normally we try to accommodate such requests,
 but this time it wasn’t possible. I explained the situation to the client,
and told them we could either charge them more to support the cost
of hiring a temp or, if they accepted the original deadline, we’d give
them a 20% discount on their next order. They opted for the latter.

More Answers: What Are the Most Difficult Decisions to Make?

10. What was your biggest accomplishment

(or failure) in this position?
What They Want to Know: What are you proudest of? Was there a time
something didn't work out, but you were able to learn from it? Let the
hiring manager know what you achieved, again sharing examples from
your most recent job.

Example Answer
I’m most proud of having convinced our CEO to implement an internal
training and promotion program that allowed our personnel to
steadily advance within our organization.

More Answers: Interview Questions: What Were Your Biggest Successes

and Failures?

11. How do you evaluate success?

What They Want to Know: Your answer to this question will give the
interviewer a sense of your work ethic, your career goals, and your life
goals. Tailor your response to fit what you expect to achieve if you were to
be hired by this employer.

Example Answer
When I wake up each morning enthusiastic about going to work, then
lock the clinic at night knowing that we’ve made a difference in
people’s lives, I figure the day has been a success.

More Answers: Job Interview Question: How Do You Define Success?

12. Why are you leaving or have left your
job?
What They Want to Know: There are many different reasons for leaving
a job. You could be moving on because you want more opportunities for
growth, you may be looking for a salary increase, perhaps you're
relocating, or you have another reason you're leaving your job. Be
consistent in your answer when meeting with representatives of a
prospective employer, because they may compare notes.

Example Answer
Our business was sold and, although I was invited to transition to the
acquiring company, I decided that this was the perfect opportunity for
me to explore new career opportunities.

More Answers: Interview Question: Why Are You Looking For a New Job?

13. Why do you want this job?

What They Want to Know: Why did you apply for this position? What do
you find most interesting about the job and the organization? With this
question, the employer wants to know why you think this job is a match
for your career objectives. Take the time to describe how your
qualifications are a match for the job. The more you can show you're
qualified, the easier it will be to get hired.

Example Answer
From the time my appendix burst as a kid and I spent a week in the
hospital, I’ve wanted to be a nurse – preferably here at James
Memorial. Although I went away for nursing school, I’m eager to
move back home and care for our local community now that I’ve
become a licensed RN.

More Answers: Answer the Interview Question About Your Interest in a

Job

14. Why should we hire you?

What They Want to Know: The best way to answer this question is to
discuss what you can do for the company. What do you bring to the table?
What skills and attributes do you have that will benefit the organization?
What will you achieve if you were to be hired? This is an opportunity
to sell yourself to the hiring manager.

Example Answer
I am a superb consultative salesperson, never failing to surpass my
quotas and break prior personal sales records because I truly enjoy
working with customers to match them with the brands I know they’ll
love as much as I do.

More Answers: Interview Question: Why Should We Hire You?

15. What are your goals for the future?

What They Want to Know: When you respond to questions about your
future goals, it's a good idea to mesh your objectives with what the
company might offer as a career path. At the least, make sure your goals
involve staying with this company for more than a short-term basis.

Example Answer
My goal is to sign on with a national retail organization where I can
eventually advance to a role as a regional sales manager.

More Answers: Interview Questions About Your Goals for the Future

16. What are your salary requirements?

What They Want to Know: Questions about salary can be tricky,
especially if you don't know what the job pays. One approach to
answering this question is to say you're flexible, based upon the entire
compensation package including benefits.

Example Answer
I average around $39K annually, and I know from online salary
calculators that the approximate salary here for professionals with
my experience ranges from $38K to $40K. But I’m open to
negotiation, depending upon your benefits package.
More Answers: Salary Negotiation Tips (How to Get a Better Offer)

17. Who was your best boss and who was the
worst?
What They Want to Know: This question is designed to discover what
type of leadership and management style works best for you. Be careful
answering, and don't be too negative. Even if you had a terrible boss, how
you speak about them can leave the interviewer wondering how you will
speak about other supervisors if you didn't get along with them.

Example Answer
My best manager had an open-door policy where we were always
welcome to speak to her privately about issues. I’ve never had a bad
manager. I’m not as comfortable with those who prefer to
micromanage my work, but when this happens I try to gain their trust
so that they’ll feel more confident about giving me some autonomy.

More Answers: Job Interview Questions About Your Best and Worst
Bosses

18. What are you passionate about?

What They Want to Know: What's most important to you? What do you
love doing? The answers to this question don't have to be all about work.
The company is looking to determine if you're a well-rounded person, and
what you enjoy doing outside of work can give them insight into the type
of employee you'd be if you were hired.

Example Answer
I am passionate about folk music, and love to attend festivals during
the summer. I also play fiddle with a local band on the weekends.

More Answers: Interview Question: “What Are You Passionate About?”

19. Questions about your supervisors and

co-workers.
What They Want to Know: Did you get along with your manager? Have
you worked with difficult colleagues? How you interact with supervisors
and co-workers will provide the interviewer with insight into
your interpersonal and communication skills.

Example Answer
I think I get along well with both my manager and my colleagues,
because I approach everyone with respect. When issues arise, I try to
ask for clarification and find points of agreement we can use to
resolve differences of opinion.

More Answers: Interview Questions About Co-Workers and Supervisors

20. Do you have any questions for me?

What They Want to Know: The last question at a job interview is usually
one about what you want to know about the job and the company. Be
ready with a list of questions to ask. You may seem disinterested if there
isn't anything you want to learn more about.

Example Answer
Do you have a formal schedule and mechanism for performance
reviews? How soon after hiring would I receive my first review?

More Answers: Best Questions to Ask in a Job Interview

More Interview Questions and Answers

Review the most frequently asked interview questions, tips for
responding, and examples of the best answers.

Tips to Answer Common Interview

Questions
Here are a few more tips to help you build your confidence before your
interview.

Practice Answering Interview Questions Aloud

Ask a friend to role-play the part of your interviewer so that you can
practice maintaining eye contact as you “think aloud.”

Prepare for a Few Curveball Questions

Some interviewers like to ask their prospective hires challenging questions
—or even questions where there are no “right” or “wrong” answers, in
order to see if they can keep their cool under pressure. Review
these curveball questions so you won’t be taken by surprise.

Know What Employers Shouldn’t Ask

Not all potential interview questions are fair game for hiring managers.
Before your next job interview, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself
with illegal job interview questions, such as, “How old are you?” or “Is
English your first language?” Should you encounter one of these, you can
later decide if you’d prefer not to work for an organization that asks these
questions, or whether you’ll chalk their misstep up to carelessness.

How to Make the Best Impression

Remember that, in your job interview, you will be evaluated not only upon
your response to questions, but also upon how well you listen to your
interviewers. Pay careful attention to them as they speak, without
interrupting, especially when they describe the culture of their
organization and their expectations for whomever they hire.

It’s also a good idea to take brief notes during your meeting. Use these
immediately afterwards to craft a thank you note for the interview to
express your gratitude, reaffirm your interest in the position, and touch
upon any points you forgot to make during the interview.

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