Before you get your first paycheck at any job, you have to land an interview - and rock it. Teaming up with a friend or family member to practice interviewing is always a suggested idea. Another great practice is learning as much as you can about the job and company. Here are a list of common interview questions to better prepare yourself.
- Tell me about yourself.
- How did you hear about this job?
- What do you know about our company?
- What are your strengths?
- What are your weaknesses?
- Why should you get this job?
- Where do you see yourself in x amount of years?
- Why do you want to work for us?
- What can you expect from you in the first month of working for us? The first three months? The first six?
- Why are you leaving your current position?
- Tell me about a time you were faced with a work conflict. How did you handle it?
- Tell me about the most difficult work decision (or non-work decision) you’ve had in the last six months. How did you handle it?
- Have you ever disagreed with a major company decision in a past role? What did you do?
- Do you prefer to work independently or in a team?
- How do you work with others?
- How do you deal with disagreeable co-workers?
- What is your biggest professional achievement?
- What is your personal dream job?
- What is your ideal work environment?
- How would your past co-workers describe you?
- How would your friends or family describe you?
- What do you do for fun outside of work?
- If applicable, why were you fired?
- Tell me about a time you exercised leadership.
- What is your leadership style?
- What is your preferred management style?
- If applicable, why is there a gap in between jobs on your resume?
- If applicable, why are you applying for a job in a different career field?
- How do you deal with stressful situations?
- Based on your research for on our company, what do you think we could be doing better?
- What was your salary at your last job?
- What are your salary requirements for this job?
- What questions do you have for me?*
*Typically, most interviews end with this question. The best approach is to be ready to ask some questions. Here is a short list of common questions to ask your interviewer.
- What is the current company atmosphere like?
- What is a typical day like in this office?
- What would be the first challenges this role would face?
- How long have you worked here?
- What is your favorite part of working here?
- What is the key to success for this role?
- Where do you see this role going?
- Why is this position open or why was it created?
- How do people grow in this company?
- Can you tell me something about the role that wasn’t included in the description?
While you’ll never know exactly what a hiring manager has in store during an interview, getting ahead by learning the most common interview questions may help you land the job you want.
