Interview practice

Interview questions and how to answer

Question 1:  Tell me about yourself… 

This is the most common question to start with in an interview.

The biggest mistake people make in this answer is they summarize their resume or their entire job history. But that’s not what the interviewer wants.

Instead, prepare to say a few things about your accomplishments, strengths, and a quick summary of your career.

Question 2: Reasons you want this job

Example Questions:

• Why are you interested in this position/job?
• Why are you interested in working at this company?

With these questions, highlight what interests you about the job.

Focus on what you will do in the job and what excites you about the position, not the benefits or salary or day-to-day tasks.

Question 3: Your experience

Example Questions

• What experience do you have for this role?
• Why did you leave/want to leave your last job?

With this question, you want to be careful. You don’t want to complain or make negative statements about your previous/current company or supervisor. But you do need to be honest at the same time.

Some common reasons you might have for leaving a job include:

• Looking for a new challenge 
• Looking for an opportunity to grow your career 
• Current company is struggling financially (it is ok to mention this if is true and known publicly)
• Recent or upcoming move to a new location

Question 4: What makes you the best choice for this job?

Example Questions

• Why would you be the right choice for this position?
• What makes you the best candidate for this position/this job?
• Why should we hire you?

With this question, the interviewer wants to know what you will do for the company. How will your skill set or professional experience benefit the company and help reach its goals? 

This is an opportunity to focus on your strengths, a past accomplishment, and/or your skills. Then you want to connect that to how you’ll use that strength or skill in this new position. 

Question 5: What do you know about the company?

Example Questions

• What do you already know about our company?
• What do you know about our clients?

With these questions, the interviewer wants to see what you’re familiar with the company and its product or service.

This shows you took the time to learn about the company and that the job opportunity is important to you.

Question 6: Future goals

Example Questions

• Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
• What are your career goals?

The focus here is how you set goals, how do you achieve goals and how do you solve problems. An interviewer wants someone who is ambitious and will get the job done.

For example, if the question is “What would your first 30 days look like in this job?”

Here’s what you should consider: the first days and months in any new job will require learning, focus, getting to know your colleagues and learning to solve new problems in the company. Highlight how you have done this successfully in the past and how you plan to do this in your next position.

Question 7: Strengths

Example Questions

• If I asked your supervisor to describe you, what would he/she say?
• Describe what a successful day looks like for you.
• What do you think your top strength is?
• What are you good at?

Talking about yourself and your strengths can be uncomfortable. But it’s unavoidable. The best way to handle these questions is to highlight a particular skill or strength with a story. Show how you’ve used that skill in the past.

Question 8: Job-specific details

Example Questions

• What salary range were you looking for?
• Would you be willing to move to a new city?
• Would you be willing/able to travel often?
• What is your availability?
• How would your ideal work day look?

With questions related to the requirements for the position, it’s essential to be honest. Be clear about your availability. Be truthful about what you’re willing to do. 

If you receive a question about salary that can definitely feel uncomfortable. It’s always a challenge to talk about money. In your answer, you don’t want to offer a number that is too low or too high. It is best to research on the common salary for that position and for someone with your qualifications.

Question 9:  Any questions?

Example Questions

• Do you have questions for me?
• Are there any questions you’d like to ask?

Now it is your turn to ask questions. And you definitely should. These questions should relate to the job (not the benefits package, salary offer, holiday time, etc.)