10 Most common interview questions and how to answer them: Regardless of your industry, a job interview follows some particular patterns. You should come prepared with succinct, descriptive answers that don't over-embellish. As you prepare, we want you to shift your perspective: you're going to prepare answers for certain categories rather than to actual questions. Simple openers are the "warm up" questions that get you into interview mode—and you should use them as such (think succinct answers to succinct questions). Because the sequence, wording, and content will vary from interview to interview, you should focus on general topics. Hiring experts claim there are certain standard questions put to candidates during the interview process. All you have to do is prepare for them to (hopefully!) land the job. Job interview questions and answers sample are given below:
See Also: Exclusive Job interview tips
Q1: What are your strengths? (Common Interview Questions and Answers)
With this query, interviewers attempt to assess whether you have the qualities needed for the job. They also want to see how well you understand yourself.
Your strategy: This is your chance to sell yourself. Pick three or four of your strengths that are relevant to the job and illustrate them with examples, if necessary.
Sample answer: If you are interviewing for a marketing job, say something like, "One of my strengths is persuasion. I am a keen observer of people and quick to discern personalities. It helps me understand people and those insights help me convert them to my point of view."
Q2: What are your weaknesses? (Common Interview Questions and Answers)
Interviewers want to assess your character with this question. Also, check whether you have any flaws that will hinder the discharge of your duties in case you are hired. It's also a good way for them to see how you deal with your weaknesses.
Your strategy: Don't pick any weakness that is a fundamental flaw in your personality as an answer. Instead, choose those that are significant but not enough to lead the interviewers to form a negative opinion of you. State your weaknesses and proceed to explain how you've been working to address them. Or you could choose a weakness that is not directly relevant to the job profile you are interviewing for.
Sample answer: If you are interviewing for the post of an accountant, it is okay to say that your language skills are not very good. Though they do not hamper the discharge of your duties in any significant manner, add that you are working to address this weakness because you realize that good language skills are necessary at work.
Q3: Why are you interested in working for [insert company name here]? (Common Interview Questions and Answers)
The objective of this question is to assess how serious the candidate is about seeking employment with the company. The interviewer also wants to know how familiar you are with the company’s mission, culture, and values and whether you believe you will be a good fit in the organization.
Your strategy: What you say will tell the interviewer how the job fits in with your long-term career plans.
Sample answer: You could answer, "I have wanted to work in this organization for a long time now, so when I heard about a vacancy in your company that fit my profile, I immediately applied for it. I admire the way you successfully combine commerce with socially responsible business and would love to be a part of an organization that looks at business in a holistic manner."
Q4: Where do you see yourself in five years? (Common Interview Questions and Answers)
The interviewer wants to know about your career goals and where this position figures in it. Hiring a new employee is costly, so he/she wants to be sure you are coming on board for the long haul. Your answer will also tell the interviewer how realistic you are with regard to career prospects.
Your strategy: It is best to answer this question generically without getting into too much detail. Reiterate what the job will do for your career and why you are interested in working with this organization in particular. And of course, don’t be naive enough to say, "In your position!"
Sample answer: "I see myself having grown both with regard to expertise in my field as well as within the company set-up. I picture myself in a leadership role contributing more to the growth of the organization. At the same time, I also see a tremendous growth in my own skills and capabilities," is a good way to go.
Q5. Why do you want to leave your current company? (Common Interview Questions and Answers)
The interviewer is certain to ask this question, so prepare for it. The answer will tell him several things about your attitude, career goals, professional values and sense of maturity and judgment.
Your strategy: The best way to tackle this question is to say that you are looking for better opportunities. If you've been laid off, tell the truth, and explain how you've been unlucky. It is better, to be honest, and explain your position than being caught lying about your circumstances.
Sample answer: Try, "I have put in a number of years in my current organization, performed well and risen through the ranks, but I would now like something more challenging. I believe this job will provide me with exactly such an opportunity."
Q6: Why was there a gap in your employment between [insert date] and [insert date]? (Common Interview Questions and Answers)
Your strategy: While short gaps in employment may go unnoticed, a gap of two months or more requires an explanation. It's wise to stick with the truth. If you were fired, you ought to have a good explanation that doesn't veer very far from the truth but does not paint you in a bad light either. If you had to leave, you will have to explain why things got so bad that you had to resign without finding another job.
In any case, highlight what you've done in the interim like freelancing, consulting or volunteering. This will tell the interviewer that you've been productive during this period and broadened your skill-base.
Sample answer: In case you left because of a conflict with your boss, say differences did not allow you to work well together. Don’t forget to add what you realized in hindsight to show how the incident has helped you grow. Never badmouth your boss; act mature and accept the fact that both of you were responsible for the situation spinning out of control.
Q7: What can you offer us that someone else cannot? (Common Interview Questions and Answers)
This is an extension of the earlier question on your strengths. If the interviewer has already asked you about your strengths, then asking this question means he/she would like an answer that is more specific to your job. A variant of this question could be, "Why should we hire you?" The answer will help the interviewer compare what you bring to the table vis-a-vis the others.
Your strategy: Prepare for this by referring closely to the job description. List out your other strengths and connect them to the requirements mentioned in the job advert.
Sample answer: You could say, "I have already mentioned my strengths, but if you were to ask me about something unique which I bring, I would say it's my attention to detail. Though it can be annoying for others, this trait of mine has saved several situations from turning into disasters in the past."
Q8: What are three things your former manager would like you to improve on? (Common Interview Questions and Answers)
This is a variant of the weakness question. If the interviewer has asked you this question in addition to the one on weakness, it means he/she wants to know what others think of you.
Your strategy: Try and recollect your performance reviews, mention what they said, and talk about the steps you’ve taken to address those weaknesses. Keep it real, but refrain from mentioning any serious flaw that could jeopardize your chances of making it through the interview round.
Sample answer: "Amongst the feedback I received, I was told that I wasn’t assertive enough. Though I was performing well at my job and meeting targets, my boss once told me that I would do even better if I was more assertive at the workplace," is a good way to position a weakness in a constructive manner.
Q9: Tell us about an accomplishment you are most proud of. (Common Interview Questions and Answers)
The answer to this question will tell the interviewer what drives you, your professional values, suitability for the job and how you can make yourself useful to the organization.
Your strategy: It is best to stick to a professional example. Provide numbers where possible -- this is a language that interviewers love and understand.
Sample answer: Go with, "I am extremely proud of the time we worked on a project with X company. The selection was a grueling process, but we managed to land the deal. The company needed services that were of the highest standards and I am proud to say that we surpassed their expectations. In fact, we succeeded in converting them into our regular clients. As project leader, I was extremely proud of this achievement."
Q10: Tell us about a time you made a mistake. (Common Interview Questions and Answers)
This is amongst the toughest questions because you are being asked to cite a specific instance of failure. It is a behavior-based question that will give the interviewer insight into your personality and the kind of mistakes you are prone to making. It will reveal how you handle failure and whether you are capable of learning from it.
Your strategy: Again, be candid but refrain from citing an ugly truth. Be sure to talk about what you learned from the experience.
Sample answer: "While working for one of my previous employers, there was something I required from another department. Instead of speaking to the department head, I told a member of the team who was my friend. I expected him to go and tell his boss about it, but he didn’t. As a result, the goods weren't delivered and we missed our target date. There was a great deal of confusion over the episode but thankfully it was all sorted out. From that day on, in all professional matters, I make it a point to communicate directly with the department head," is a good response.
N.B. It's difficult to determine what questions you'll be asked in an interview. But you can check with others who may have interviewed/already work with the organization to gauge what your interviewer could want to know. Or cross-reference the job ad with your resume and work out a possible list of questions. The one thing you can be certain of is that if you go in prepared, you are sure to impress an interviewer.
See Also: Exclusive Job interview tips
Top 100 interview questions:
Top 100 Most Common Interview Questions to help you succeed in a job interview. Today’s job interviews are especially difficult. Since recruiters want to make certain that they hire the right people, candidates are grilled on various dimensions of their personality as well as professional competence. Based on our market experience, we’ve compiled a list of 100 probable interview questions. Of course, there’s no guarantee you’ll be asked any of them, but most interviewers incorporate at least a handful of these in their interactions. Please note that an interviewer may also ask questions that relate to the specific position that you are applying for.
Basic interview questions:
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What are your strengths?
3. What are your weaknesses?
4. Why do you want this job?
5. Where do you see yourself in five years?
6. Why are you interested in working for [insert company name here]?
7. Why should we hire you?
8. What did you like least about your last job?
9. What can you offer us that someone else cannot?
10. Why do you want to leave your company?
11. What do you know about this industry?
12. What do you know about our company?
13. What motivates you?
14. Are you a team player?
15. Are you willing to relocate?
16. Are you willing to travel?
17. How did you hear about this vacancy?
18. Do you have any questions for me?
Behavioural interview questions:
19. Give me an example of a time that you went above and beyond the call of duty at work.
20. Was your work ever criticized? How did you handle it?
21. Have you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own weight? How did you deal with it?
22. What is your greatest professional failure, and what did you learn from it?
23. How do you handle working with people who annoy you?
24. If your supervisor asked you to do something you disagreed with, what would you do?
25. Give me an example of a time you made a professional error of judgment.
26. Have you ever had to deal with conflict of interest on the job?
27. If you found out your company was doing something against the law, like fraud, what would you do?
28. What’s the most difficult professional decision you’ve made and how did you come to that decision?
29. Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you could finish them.
30. Have you ever missed a deadline?
Leadership interview questions:
31. What is your leadership style?
32. How would you deal with a disobedient employee?
33. Tell us about a time when you had to make a decision without all the relevant facts.
34. You’ve just made an unpopular decision. How would you handle the fallout?
35. Give examples of ideas you’ve had or implemented.
36. How do you measure leadership success?
37. Would you consider yourself a big-picture person or a detail-oriented person?
38. What motivates you as a leader?
39. What are the qualities of a good leader?
40. Should a leader be feared or liked?
41. How do you feel about taking no for an answer?
42. How would you go about praising an employee in public?
43. How do you lead through change?
44. How do you persuade others about your ideas?
45. What’s the most difficult part of being a leader?
46. Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback.
Salary interview questions:
47. What salary are you seeking?
48. What’s your salary history?
49. If I were to give you the salary you requested but let you write your job description for the next year, what would it say?
Career development questions:
50. What are you looking for in terms of career development?
51. How do you want to improve yourself in the next year?
52. What kind of goals would you have in mind if you got this job?
53. If I were to ask your last supervisor to provide you additional training or exposure, what would s/he suggest?
Getting started questions:
54. How would you go about establishing your credibility quickly with the team?
55. How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?
56. What do you see yourself doing within the first 30 days of the job?
57. If selected for this position, can you describe your strategy for the first 90 days?
More interview questions about you:
58. What is your ideal work environment?
59. What do you look for in terms of culture—structured or entrepreneurial?
60. How organized are you?
61. Tell us about an accomplishment you are most proud of.
62. What do you think of your previous boss?
63. Was there a person in your career who really made a difference?
64. What kind of personality do you work best with and why?
65. Tell me about your dream job.
66. What is your ultimate career goal?
67. What is your personal mission statement?
68. What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?
69. What are three things your former manager would like you to improve on?
70. What do co-workers say about you?
71. What are three positive character traits you don’t have?
72. If you were interviewing someone for this position, what traits would you look for?
73. List five words that describe your character.
74. What is your greatest fear?
75. Tell us about a time you made a mistake.
76. Why did you choose your major?
77. What is your greatest achievement outside of work?
78. Do you prefer verbal or written communication?
79. Are you more effective working in a group or alone?
80. Tell me the difference between good and exceptional.
81. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
82. What’s the last book you read?
83. What magazines do you subscribe to?
84. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the last year?
85. What are your hobbies?
86. Why was there a gap in your employment between [insert date] and [insert date]?
87. Are you willing to work overtime—say, nights and weekends?
88. What will you do if you don’t get this job?
89. How do you go about resolving a conflict?
90. How would you encourage the professional development of your employees?
91. Give me an example of how out-of-the-box thinking helped you come up with a solution to a difficult problem.
92. How would you rate me as an interviewer?
Brain teasers:
93. How many times do a clock’s hands overlap in a day?
94. How would you weigh a plane without scales?
95. Tell me 10 ways to use a pencil other than writing.
96. How would you sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo?
97. The Indian team requires 7 runs to win from 3 balls. Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina are playing on 94 each. How can both of them ensure India’s victory while also completing their centuries?
98. How many auto-rickshaws ply in your city?
99. What will the price of this pencil be five years from now?
100. Twenty different socks of two types have been placed in a drawer in a totally dark room. What is the least number of socks you must grab so that you have a matching pair?
See Also: Exclusive Job interview tips
See Also: Exclusive Job interview tips
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