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Tell me about yourself.
A good answer indicates a sense of who you are, where you are in your career right now, and any qualifications that are relevant to the job. Use this as an opportunity to showcase your experience, career progress, major accomplishments, and some of your best traits…things that cast you in a positive light.
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What’s your best trait (or greatest strength)?
A good answer indicates a trait the job requires and one that is highly regarded by the prospective employer’s corporate culture.
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What’s your worst trait (or biggest weakness)?
A good answer indicates a minor weakness that doesn’t interfere with doing the job and is correctable.
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Describe your ideal job.
A good answer indicates a job that bears a striking resemblance to the job you are interviewing for.
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Where do you see yourself in five years?
A good answer indicates that you have thought about your career goals, and that your goals and the company’s goals are not wildly different, but fit together well.
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What are you looking for in a job?
A good answer reflects back what the interviewer has told you about the job, and how you are eager to offer your skills and qualifications to help the company achieve its goals.
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Why should we hire you?
A good answer indicates what special knowledge, extra skills, or personality traits you can bring to the job that give you an edge over other applicants. Use examples of success in your current or past job to as evidence of your worth.
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What can you offer this job?
A good answer indicates what special knowledge, extra skills, or personality traits you can bring to the job that give you an edge over other applicants. Use examples of success in your current or past job to as evidence of your worth.
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What makes you different from other candidates we’re seeing?
A good answer indicates what special knowledge, extra skills, or personality traits you can bring to the job that give you an edge over other applicants. Use examples of success in your current or past job to as evidence of your worth.
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Why are you looking for a job?
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Do you prefer to work alone or with other people?
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Describe a difficult problem you had to deal with recently and how you handled it.
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Describe a major goal you recently set for yourself and your progress in achieving it.
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How long have you been looking for a job?
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What were some major accomplishments in your last job (or career)?
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What was your favorite job…and why?
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Tell me about the best boss you have ever had.
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Tell me about the worst boss you have ever had. Is there anything you could have done to improve the situation with your worst boss?
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What was the biggest failure in your career? How can you make sure a mistake like that doesn’t occur again?
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Have you ever managed people?
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What kinds of people do you have trouble getting along with?
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Who do you see as our major competition?
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How do you make your major decisions?
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How do you work under pressure?
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How do you deal with change?
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How do you manage your time?
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What would you do differently if you could start your career over?
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Why have you changed jobs so often?
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Why have you stayed so long at your current employer in the same position?
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What did you like the least about your current/previous job?
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What did you like the most about your current/previous job?
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Describe a project you were responsible for that was not successful or did not meet expectations. How were you involved, and, looking back, what would you do differently?
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What do you hope to accomplish here that you didn’t accomplish with your current/previous employer?
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What are the three most important factors you evaluate when considering a new position?
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What do your managers tend to criticize most about your work?
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Have you ever fired anyone? If so, why?
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Have you ever hired anyone? If so, why?
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Have you ever worked for a difficult person?
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Sell me this pen (or any other object).
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How did you current/previous job relate to the overall goals of your employer and department?
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Did you work on any major project in your current/previous job? If so, what?
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Have you been responsible for budgeting, approving expenses, and meeting financial goals?
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Why did you choose your college major and minor?
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What extracurricular activities did you take part in during your college career?
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While in college, did you have an internship or a cooperative work-study program? If so, what did you learn?
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Why are you looking for a job in a field other than in your major?
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Name an accomplishment during your college years that you are proud of.
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If you had it to do over, what college courses would you take?
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In which college courses did you get the worst grades?
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Why didn’t you get better grades in college?
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Why did you choose your college?
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How do you keep learning?
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Why didn’t you finish college? (Or: Why didn’t you go to college?)
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Why did you leave college and return later?
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What is your management style? (Or: Describe your leadership style or skills.)
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How do you motivate people you manage?
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Tell me about your track record for promoting your staff.
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Tell me about a time when you worked through a difficult situation with someone you managed who ultimately got promoted.
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Describe a typical day at work.
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What did you do yesterday at work?
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Describe a time when a personal commitment interfered with a business crisis or last-minute meeting.
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How did you get along with your last work team?
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Can you give an example of how you increased sales, saved money, saved time, or improved efficiency at your job?
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What would you describe as a good work environment?
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How do you handle rejection?
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How would your co-workers describe you?
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How would your supervisor describe you?
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How far do you want to rise in our organization?
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I’m not sure you have enough experience (or education, or qualifications) for the job. Do you think you can handle it?
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What makes you think you can do this job?
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What do you know about our organization?
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What do you know about me?
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Do you have any concerns or reservations about working here?
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Have you ever been fired? If so, why?
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Are you willing to take a drug test?
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Are you willing to travel, work weekends, or put in overtime?
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How many hours a week do you take to do your job?
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How long would you stay here?
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Would you be willing to work with a client whose business goes against your ethical or religious beliefs? (Ex: tobacco, liquor, abortion, gun manufacturer, etc.)
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What other job offers have you received?
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Are you willing to relocate?
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If you had to get rid of a state, which would it be?
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How many piano tuners are there in the world?
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You are presented with three doors. One door has a million dollars behind it; the other two have goats behind them. Not knowing which door has the million dollars behind it, you are asked to state which door you would choose. You choose one that has a goat behind it. You are asked if you would like to keep the goat or choose what’s behind another door. Would you give up the goat and take your chances with another door? If so, why?
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What salary are you looking for? (Or: What are your salary requirements?)
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What are you making now? (Or: What was your salary in your last job?)
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What is your salary history?
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I see you’ve been stuck at the same salary in the same job for the past few years. Why?
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Why aren’t you making more money at your age?
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Your salary requirements are too high for us. Can you come down a bit?
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How about a salary of $____________?
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Do you have any questions?
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