60 Top Questions Asked in Interviews

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOURSELF

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What do you consider to be one of your weaknesses (strengths)?
3. What is unique about you?
4. What qualifications do you have that indicate you will be
successful in your field? How would they relate to our position?
What do you have to offer?
5. What are your own special abilities?
6. What new skills or capabilities have you developed over the past
year?
7. What have you done which shows initiative and willingness to
work?
8. What are your greatest work and non-work accomplishments
during the past two years?
9. Describe three things that are most important to you in a job.
10. What motivates you?
11. What have you been doing since your graduation from college?
Since you left your last job?
12. How would a co-worker, or friend, or boss describe you?
13. What are your interests outside of work, college?
14. What qualities do you admire most in others?
15. How would you describe your own work style?

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR CAREER GOALS

1. Where do you see yourself five/ten years from now?
2. What type of position are you interested in?
3. What are your salary requirements--short term/long term?
4. What is success? What personal characteristics will contribute to
your success?
5. How will employment with us contribute to your career plans?
6. What do you expect from a job?
7. What are your career objectives - short and long term?
8. This job is a total change from previous employment. How does it
fit your career goals?
9. What are your location preferences?
QUESTIONS ABOUT SCHOOL EDUCATION
1. How does your education relate to this position (or how does your
education prepare you for this position)?
2. What activities did you engage in at college?
3. What classes did you like most in college? Least? Why?
4. Why did you decide to go to _______________ college?
5. Why did you choose your particular specialization?
6. Describe your academic strengths and weaknesses?
7. What are your plans for continuing your education?
8. What career related skills do you possess as a result of your
academic preparation?
9. What have you read recently in your field?

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE QUESTIONS

1. What have you learned from your past jobs?
2. How often, and in what way, did you communicate with your
subordinates and superiors?
3. What were the biggest pressures on your last job?
4. What challenges did you face in your last job and how did you
overcome them?
5. What were some of your biggest achievements in your last job?
6. How did your job description for your last job change while you
held it?
7. What specific skills acquired or used in previous jobs relate to this
position?
8. How does your previous experience relate to this position?
9. Why did you leave your last job?
10.

What did you like most/least about your last job?

11.

Whom may we contact for references?

QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE COMPANY/JOB

1. Why should we hire you?
2. Why do you want to work here?
3. What do you know about this organization?
4. What salary do you expect?
5. Why do you think you would like this type of position? Company?
6. What kind of boss do you like to work for?
7. How long do you intend to stay here?
8. What do you think determines a person's progress in an
organization?
9. What interests you about our product or service? How would you
improve it?
10.

What do you think would be your greatest contribution to our

operation?
11.

How do you solve problems?

12.

When can you start to work?

13.

Can you travel overnight?

PROBLEM QUESTIONS
1. "Tell me about yourself."

This question is generally asked for two reasons

-To find out about your general job skills
-To find out about your communication skills.
Answer it by describing your best qualifications for the job. Cite specific
examples wherever you can to support your claims.
2. "What is your major weakness?"
Don't be negative while answering this question. Instead project a
positive aspect as one of your weaknesses.
Examples :
-Sometimes I tend to get over involved in my work.
-Sometimes I get over enthusiastic about my work.
-I ask too many questions to understand my work thoroughly
3. What salary do you expect?
This is a tough question, if you ask for something high you might price
yourself out of the job, if you ask for something low, you might get paid
less than what should be rightfully yours. Never state a flat amount,
always mention a range that would go slightly above what you would
find acceptable.
Another alternative is to state that you would expect what any other
employee in the company with similar education and background is
drawing or to ask the employer what someone with your experience and
background are worth.
4. "Why do you want to work for this company?"
The employer asks this question to find out how much homework you
have done about the company.
You can demonstrate your knowledge about the company by giving

answers that indicate that you have researched the company. Your
answers can include "I've talked to some of your employees and I feel
this company is a good company to work with because". " I've been
reading about the company's future plans and they look promising"
5. "Why did you leave your last job?"
The employer asks this question to find out if you had any problems on
your last job.
- Never say anything negative about yourself or your previous employer.
If you did have problems think of a way to explain without being
negative.
- If you were asked to leave the company do not use the word "fired" or
"sacked". Use words such as "laid off" or "downsized"
- If you were asked to leave and are not on good terms with your
previous employer, maybe you should explain. Try to show that you
learned something from the situation.
- Tell the employer that the former problem (if it is personal) will not
affect your work.
- Common reasons for leaving: general layoff, job was temporary, moved
to a new area, company went out of business, no room for
advancement, wanted a job that would better use your skills.
6. "What are your future plans?"
The interviewer might want to know how ambitious are you, do you plan
ahead or set goals for yourself. He/she might also try to figure out if you
are likely to stay with the company for a significant amount of time or
whether you are just using the job as a stop gap arrangement till you
land a better job.