Top 20 Job Interview Questions and Responses

Spend time preparing for an interview.

The goal of anticipating interview questions is not to memorize answers, but rather to become comfortable discussing these topics. This forethought will make you feel more confident and less on-the-spot during the interview. These are the most frequently asked questions by interviewers, either for remote jobs or conventional jobs, regardless of skill level.

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself.

What They're Interested In: In an interview, asking about yourself is a good way to break the ice and make you feel more at ease. It also allows the interviewer to determine whether you are a good fit for the job.

Consider what you want to say about yourself to potential employers before going on an interview. A good way to prepare a response is to write an elevator speech, which is a brief summary of your background.

Example:

I've become obsessed with geocaching in recent years. I enjoy the adventure of finding caches and spending time outside with friends. I enjoy using my problem-solving abilities to locate the ones that are extremely well-hidden. Learning how people hide things and where people are likely to look has greatly aided my design work. It's all about learning to see things through the eyes of others.

2. What were your job duties?

What They're Interested In: Know what's on your resume so you can discuss what you did at previous jobs. When describing your responsibilities, try to include those that correspond to the requirements of the new job.

Having examples of similar work will help you stand out during the interview. When responding to the recruiter, focus on the responsibilities that are most closely related to the job for which you are interviewing.

Answer Example:

As a special education teacher, I worked with students in grades K–6 at a large inner-city school, collaborating with parents and other teachers to create IEPs and advocate for students with disabilities to be included in regular classrooms.

3. What aspects of your previous job did you enjoy or dislike?

What They Want to Know: What you liked-and didn't like-about your previous job or the company you worked for is an indicator of how you might feel about this position if hired.

When interviewing for a similar job, be careful what you say. If the roles are similar, keep what you didn't like to yourself. It's critical to be upbeat and enthusiastic about the job for which you're applying.

Answer Example:

My employer's progressive, staged training program for teaching new hires the ins and outs of financial services was appealing to me; there was always something new to learn.We knew we'd be promoted steadily as we gained experience. I didn't enjoy the commute, which is why I'm now looking for jobs closer to home.

4. What were your starting and ending pay levels?

What They're Interested In: Hiring managers will want to know how much you earned to determine whether you're a competitive candidate for the company. When discussing how much you were paid, be truthful because employers may inquire about your salary when reviewing your background.

However, keep in mind that in some areas, employers are not permitted to inquire about your previous earnings. Some employers have also implemented policies that prohibit salary questions from being asked.

Answer Example:

My annual salary as an entry-level accountant was around $42K when I started; I later became a CPA and now make around $80K.

5. What were your major challenges and problems? How did you deal with them?

What They're Interested In: The interviewer is trying to figure out how you deal with issues and problems by asking this question. When there is a problem, can you come up with solutions and workarounds? How good at problem-solving are you? Do you enjoy a good challenge, or do you get nervous when something goes wrong?

Answer Example:

When I first started as store manager, we had a 75% turnover rate and were chronically understaffed. I put in place performance incentive programs that cut attrition by 63%and significantly increased our talent pipeline by emphasizing internal training and promotion

6. What is your strongest suit?

What They're Interested In: When answering questions about your strengths, concentrate on the skills that will help you succeed in the job for which you're interviewing. Don't be too modest. It is critical to inform the hiring manager of your qualifications.

Answer Example

My greatest strength is my ability to quickly learn new processes. When I'm in a new situation, I actively observe how others do things so that I can easily pull my weight on the team. I'm also willing to try new things in order to improve our efficiency.

7. What is your greatest flaw?

What They Want to Know: There are several approaches to dealing with questions about weaknesses. One strategy is to turn a negative into a positive by sharing an example of how something you thought was a weakness actually helped you on the job. The other is to talk about new skills you've acquired as a result of working on those that needed to be improved.

Answer Example

I'm an introvert, which I used to think was a flaw because I was always too shy to approach people.However, being an introvert means I'm a great listener, which has come in handy as a Help Desk Technician. I'm able to concentrate on our customers' problems, ask the appropriate questions to elicit information, and resolve their technical issues.

8. How do you cope with stress and pressure?

What They Want to Know: What do you do when things get stressful at work? Do you keep your cool under duress? Or do you struggle in high-stress situations? If you're interviewing for a high-pressure job, the interviewer will want to know that you can handle the pressure.

Answer Example

I'm pretty good at detecting when I'm getting stressed.I set aside five minutes to concentrate on my breathing. I also do 30 minutes of guided meditation before work and an hour of exercise in the evening. This helps to keep me calm.

9. Describe how you overcame a difficult work situation or project.

What They Want to Know: When answering questions about your work, be prepared to share an actual example of a difficult situation at work, what the issue was, and how you helped resolve it.

Answer Example

Our team, which was already understaffed, was caught off guard when a major customer demanded that we complete our deliverables two weeks ahead of schedule.Normally, we try to accommodate such requests, but it was not possible this time. I explained the situation to the client and told them we could either charge them more to cover the cost of hiring a temp or give them a 20% discount on their next order if they accepted the original deadline. They chose the latter.

10. What was your greatest success (or failure) in this position?

What They Want to Know: Of what are you most proud? Was there ever a time when something didn't work out but you learned from it? Tell the hiring manager what you accomplished, using 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.

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.

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 answers 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.

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.

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.

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.

16. What are your salary expectations?

What They're Interested In: Salary questions can be tricky, especially if you don't know what the job pays. One way to respond to this question is to say you're adaptable based on the total compensation package, including benefits.

Answer Example

I make around $39K per year on average, and I know from online salary calculators that the average salary here for professionals with my experience is between $38K and $40K. However, depending on your benefits package, I am willing to negotiate.

17. Who was your favorite and least favorite boss?

What They're Interested In: This question is intended to determine what type of leadership and management style works best for you. Answer carefully and don't be too negative. Even if you had a bad boss, how you talk about them can make the interviewer wonder how you'll talk about other bosses if you didn't get along with them.

Answer Example

My best manager had an open-door policy, so we could always talk to her privately about problems. I've never had a bad boss. I'm not as comfortable with those who prefer to micromanage my work, but when this happens, I try to earn their trust so that they'll feel more confident in delegating some authority to me.

18. What are your interests?

What They Want to Know: What matters most to you? What do you enjoy doing? This question does not have to be all about work. The company wants to know if you're a well-rounded individual, and what you enjoy doing outside of work can give them insight into the type of employee you'd be if hired.

Answer Example

I am a big fan of folk music and enjoy going to festivals in the summer. On weekends, I also play fiddle with a local band.

19. Inquiries about your bosses and coworkers'

What They're Interested In: How did you get along with your boss? Have you ever worked with a difficult coworker? The interviewer will gain insight into your interpersonal and communication skills based on how you interact with supervisors and coworkers.

Answer Example

I believe I get along well with both my manager and my coworkers because I treat everyone with dignity. When problems arise, I try to get clarification and find points of agreement that we can use to resolve disagreements.

20. Do you have any questions for me?

What They Want to Know: Typically, the final question at a job interview is one about what you want to know about the job and the company. Prepare 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?