The most common job interview questions are: tell me about yourself, why do you want this job, why should we hire you, what are your strengths and weaknesses, tell me about a conflict or mistake, why are you leaving your job, where do you see yourself in five years, how do you handle pressure, what are your salary expectations, and do you have any questions for us. For each one, keep your answer specific, short and tied to the job.
In This Article
Most interviews repeat the same handful of questions, so preparing a short, honest answer to each one makes you calmer and clearer on the day. Below you'll find each common question, what the interviewer is really trying to learn, and how to answer it. Tap any underlined term for a quick definition or tip.
All 12 questions, one at a time. Say your answer out loud, then flip the card.
For questions about past experience, use the : say what the situation was, what you needed to do, what action you took and what the result was. Keep most of the answer on the action and the result, and aim for about one to two minutes. A works the same way, just speak to everyone in the room.
Opening questions
These come first in almost every interview. They set the tone, so keep them short and specific.
Tell me about yourself.
A quick, . They are not asking for your life story. Think of it as your .
- Say what you do now.
- Share one or two things you are proud of.
- Finish with why this role is your next step.
Sample answerI have spent five years in customer service, most recently leading a team of six. I'm proud of cutting our complaint rate by a third. I'm looking for a role where I can keep solving customer problems and take on more responsibility.
Avoid: Reading your résumé back or starting with where you grew up.
Why do you want this job?
Whether you understand the role and chose it on purpose.
- Name one or two specific things about the job or company that appeal to you.
- Connect them to something you do well.
Sample answerI like that this role works directly with customers every day. That's where I do my best work, and your team's focus on follow-through matches how I like to work.
Avoid: Answers that are only about pay, location or convenience.
Why should we hire you?
What you bring that another good candidate might not.
- Match your strongest skills to the main needs in the .
- Pick two or three, with a quick example of each.
- End with what you would help them achieve.
Sample answerYou need someone who can handle a busy front desk and keep records accurate. I've done both for four years, and I trained two new hires on our scheduling system.
Avoid: Saying you are "hard-working" without proof.
Strengths and weaknesses
Interviewers use these to see how well you know yourself.
What are your greatest strengths?
Strengths that fit this job, backed by proof.
- Choose strengths the job actually needs.
- Support each with a short example.
Sample answerI'm dependable. I haven't missed a shift in two years, and I'm the person my team asks to cover when someone is out.
Avoid: A long list of adjectives with nothing behind them.
What is your biggest weakness?
, and whether you work on improving.
- Pick a real, manageable weakness that is not central to the job.
- Explain what you are doing about it.
Sample answerI used to take on too much myself. I now keep a weekly task list and ask for help earlier, which has helped me finish projects on time.
Avoid: A fake weakness like "I work too hard," or a weakness that would stop you doing the job.
Questions about past experience
These are s. Use the for each one.
Tell me about a time you handled a difficult situation or conflict at work.
How you behave under pressure and with other people.
- Set the scene in one or two sentences.
- Spend most of the answer on what you did.
- Close with the result and what you learned.
Sample answerTwo coworkers disagreed about a schedule change and it was affecting the team. I met with each of them separately, found what they both needed, and proposed a rotation. The conflict ended and we've used it since.
Avoid: Blaming or criticizing the other person.
How do you handle pressure or tight deadlines?
Whether you stay organized and communicate when things get busy.
- Describe your method, such as prioritizing and breaking work into steps.
- Mention that you flag problems early.
- Give one real example with the result.
Sample answerWhen three deadlines landed in one week, I ranked them by impact, told my manager which one might slip, and finished the other two a day early.
Avoid: Saying you "thrive under pressure" with no example.
Tell me about a time you made a mistake.
Honesty, ownership and what you learned.
- Pick a real mistake with limited impact.
- Say what you did to fix it.
- Explain so it wouldn't happen again.
Sample answerI once sent a client the wrong price sheet. I called them within the hour, sent the correct one, and added a second check to my process. It hasn't happened since.
Avoid: Blaming others or claiming you've never made one.
Your career path
Employers want to understand where you've been and where you're headed.
Why did you leave your last job, or why are you leaving?
A clear, professional reason, and how you talk about past employers.
- Keep it short, truthful and forward-looking.
- Focus on what you want next, such as growth, a better fit or a different schedule.
- Move quickly to why this role appeals to you.
Sample answerI learned a lot there, but there isn't room to grow into a lead role. I'm looking for a team where I can take on more responsibility.
Avoid: Criticizing a former employer or going into detail about a conflict.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Whether this role matches your goals and whether you plan to grow with the team. It is also a quick check of .
- Describe the direction you want to grow in, not a specific title.
- Tie it to the skills this job would build.
Sample answerI'd like to build deeper skills in this field and take on more responsibility, ideally in a role like this one where I can keep learning.
Avoid: Saying you want the interviewer's job, or that you have no plans.
Pay and wrapping up
Two questions that close most interviews. Prepare for both.
What are your salary expectations?
Whether your expectations fit their budget. They may be thinking of the , not just base pay.
- Research the first.
- Give a range based on that research, not a single number.
- Say you're open to discussing the full package.
Sample answerBased on my research for this role in this area, I'm looking at a range of $X to $Y, and I'm open to discussing the full package.
Avoid: Naming a number before you know the role, if you can avoid it.
Do you have any questions for us?
Your interest, and how seriously you've thought about the role.
- Always have two or three ready.
- Ask about success in the role, the team and the .
Sample answerWhat does success look like in the first 90 days? What is the team like? What are the next steps in the process?
Avoid: Saying "no," or asking only about pay and time off.
Adjusting your answers for your job
The questions stay the same. What changes is the proof you use:
- Retail and customer service: examples of calm, friendly problem-solving with a customer.
- Warehouse and driving: dependability, safety habits, accuracy and meeting targets.
- Office and administrative: organization, accuracy, software skills and handling competing deadlines.
- Healthcare and caregiving: patience, teamwork and following procedures under pressure.
- Restaurant and hospitality: teamwork in a rush, handling guests and reliability with your schedule.
This article is general career information and is not legal advice for your specific situation. Following these tips does not guarantee that you will be hired, receive an offer or obtain employment. Every employer and every interview is different. Reading this article does not create an attorney-client relationship with the Law Offices of Corey A. Pingle.