Interview questions

Common interview questions, and how to answer each one

These are the questions that come up again and again, grouped by what they test. Each guide covers what the interviewer is really asking, a structure to follow, an example answer with blanks for your own facts, and the mistakes that sink most answers.

About you

They come early, and they set the tone for the rest of the interview.

“Tell me about yourself”They've already read your resume. What they want to hear is which parts of it you think matter for this job, and how you sound when you explain yourself without a script.“What is your greatest strength?”Do you know what you're good at? Being able to name a strength plainly shows self-awareness, and that matters more than which one you pick.“What is your greatest weakness?”Everyone has weaknesses, and the interviewer knows it. The question tests whether you can see your own and talk about them honestly.“What motivates you?”Will you keep going when the work gets dull? Every job has slow weeks. They want to know what gets you through them.

Why this job

Whether you want this job in particular, and whether you'll stay.

“Why do you want to work here?”Did you do your homework? An answer only this company could get proves you did. One you could give anywhere proves you didn't.“Why should we hire you?”Do you understand the job? Your answer shows whether you know what the role needs or are just listing your strengths.“Where do you see yourself in five years?”Will you stay? Hiring and training someone is expensive. An answer that sounds like this job is a stopover makes them nervous.“Why are you leaving your current job?”Are you running from something? They want to know the reason isn't a problem that will follow you here, like clashing with every manager you've had.“How do you explain a gap in your resume?”Is there something you're hiding? A calm, plain answer settles that in seconds. Dodging or over-explaining is what makes them wonder.

Tell me about a time

Behavioral questions. Answer with one real story in STAR order: the situation, your task, what you did and what happened.

“Tell me about a time you failed”Can you own a mistake? An answer where the failure is really someone else's fault tells them how you'd handle one on their team.“Tell me about a conflict with a coworker”Will you be easy to work with? They're listening for whether you stay calm, listen and look for a fix, or dig in and make it personal.“Tell me about a time you showed leadership”Do you step up without being told? For most roles they care less about managing people than about whether you take ownership when something falls through the cracks.“How do you handle pressure?”Will you keep working when it gets busy? Every job has crunch weeks. They want to know whether you freeze, slow down or get on with it.

Money

One answer can be worth thousands a year, so don't improvise it.

“What are your salary expectations?”Are we in the same range? Mostly they're checking that an offer won't go to someone who expects far more than the budget.

At the end

The last few minutes still count, and they're what the interviewer remembers.

“Do you have any questions for us?”Are you actually interested? People who want a job have questions about it. No questions reads as no interest, or no preparation.

How to prepare for any of them

Write your stories first. Five to eight real ones: a win, a failure, a conflict, a time you led, a time you learned something fast. Most questions can be answered with one of them.
Use a structure. STAR for every “tell me about a time” question. Each guide above has its own structure for the rest.
Keep it short. Most answers work at 45 to 90 seconds out loud. Leave room for the follow-up.
Say it out loud. Reading an answer once doesn't stick. Saying it twice does.

Got a question that isn't here?

The free answer generator writes an answer to any interview question from your role and a few real facts. It works on your phone, and it won't invent your numbers: anything only you know comes back in brackets.

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The question you didn't practice

Practicing the common questions helps. The hard part is the one you didn't see coming, asked live while someone waits for you to think. InterviewWhisperer is a Mac app that hears the interviewer and puts an answer on your screen while you talk, built from your resume and the job description. Your first 30 minutes of live answers are free, no card.

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Questions people ask

What are the most common interview questions? Tell me about yourself, why do you want to work here, why should we hire you, your greatest strength and weakness, where you see yourself in five years, why you're leaving your current job, a time you failed, a conflict with a coworker, and your salary expectations. The wording changes from company to company, but some version of most of them comes up in almost every interview.

How should I prepare for common interview questions? Write down five to eight real stories first: a win, a failure, a conflict, a time you led and a time you learned something fast. Most questions can be answered with one of them. Then pick a structure for each question, fill it with your own facts and say it out loud a few times.

Should I memorize my answers? Memorize the structure and the facts, not the words. A memorized script sounds recited, and it falls apart on the first follow-up question.

How long should an interview answer be? Most answers work at 45 to 90 seconds out loud. Under 30 seconds sounds unprepared, and past two minutes the interviewer has usually stopped listening.

Is the answer generator free? Yes. No account, no card and no email. Type a question, your role and a few real facts, and it writes an answer you can say out loud. Anything only you know comes back in brackets for you to fill in.