Tips for Answering the 30 Most Common Job Interview Questions!

Q1. Tell me about yourself.

TIP – Use the format SET when answering this first interview question:

S – Skills and qualities you have that match the role.

E – Experience and/or educational qualifications.

T – The type of person you are.

Q2. Why do you want to work for us?

TIP – Tell them you are seeking long-term employment with a positive, forward-thinking
company and that you want to be part of a team that are all striving to achieve the same
goal.

Q3. How would you deal with conflict with a co-worker?

TIP – Don’t fall into the trap of saying you would leave the conflict for your manager to
resolve. The interviewer wants to hear that you would sort out the problem yourself.

Q4. Why do you want this job?

TIP – They will ask all the other candidates this same question too, so it is imperative
you give the interviewer an answer that makes you stand out. Make sure you talk about
how you want to work for their company because they are a bright, forward-thinking
organization that will support you in your work!

Q5. Tell me about a time when you provided excellent customer service.

TIP – This is a behavioral interview question and my advice is to use the S.T.A.R
technique to structure your response. The S.T.A.R technique stands for:

 SITUATION – Briefly outline the situation you were in.

 TASK – Explain the task that needed to be done.
 ACTION – Give details about the action you took, and the
action others took.
  RESULT – Tell the interviewer the results following your
actions. (Make sure the results are positive!)
Q6. What’s your greatest achievement?

TIP – Where possible, give an answer that explains something you achieved with a
previous employer. Perhaps you helped a previous employer successfully launch a new
product, or even break previous company sales figures for a particular year. If this is
your first job, talk about either your educational qualifications, something you did for
charity, or how you won a team sporting event.

Q7. Tell me about a time when you were under pressure at work. What was the
situation, and how did you get through it?

TIP – The best way to answer this difficult behavioral interview question is to give a
situation you were in when you had to work to a strict timescale. If you add a time
pressure to the answer, it will be appealing to the vast majority of employers and hiring
managers.

Q8. Where do you see yourself in five years?

TIP – When answering this common interview question, put yourself in the shoes of the
employer. What do they want to hear from your answer? They want to hear three things:

1.
1. That you will still be working for them in five years’ time.
2. That you will have developed to become a highly-trusted and
productive member of their team.
3. That you will help other people to get up to speed when they
join the company.
Q9. What did you like and dislike about your previous job?

TIP – Do not say you disliked your boss or your work colleagues! Be respectful, but
don’t be afraid to say you disliked a particular aspect of your work, especially if it
demonstrates you are a driven and enthusiastic person.

Q10. Describe a time when you disagreed with your boss.

TIP – Again, use the S.T.A.R technique to give a great answer here. Do not say… “I
would never disagree with my boss!” This interview question is assessing your ability to
disagree with your manager or supervisor in a constructive and beneficial way.

Q11. What’s your least favorite task?

TIP – Be careful not to say something that is part of the job description. It is important
that you do give something you dislike doing at work, but don’t let it be an issue for you!

Q12. Tell me about a time you took the initiative to solve a difficult problem.

TIP – Taking the initiative is one of the most important qualities needed at work. It
means you are not afraid to take the lead when something needs resolving and you can
come up with solutions to difficult problems.

Q13. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

TIP – Give four or five strengths that are a good match for the job you are applying for
(refer to the job description if there is one), and then give just one weakness that is not
a requirement of the role. It is important to say you are always seeking to improve on
your weakness at the end of your answer.

Q14. Tell me about a time when you did something at work that had a positive
impact on your team or the organization.

TIP – Doing something positive at work could include saving the business money,
providing great customer service that goes above and beyond, increasing sales, making
a suggestion that improves systems or processes, or undertaking a training course that
improves working efficiency.

Q15. Why should we hire you?

TIP – When you answer this common but difficult interview question, it is important to
use the following three phrases:

#1. Add value.

#2. Commercially-aware.

#3. Fast-learner.

Q16. Talk about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose
personality was very different from yours.

TIP – This question is assessing your ability to willingly and cooperatively work with
anyone within a team. It takes all types of personality to make a strong team, so give a
specific example (using the S.T.A.R technique) where you worked with someone who
had a very different personality to yours.

Q17. Describe a time when the team you were a part of was undergoing some
change. How did the change impact you, and how did you adapt?
TIP – Change is a very important part of all successful organizations. For a business or
company to stay at the forefront of its industry, change must be embraced by everyone
within the team. Give a specific answer that demonstrates you always embrace change
positively and you adapt to it quickly.

Q18. What motivates you?

TIP – Give a mixture of personal and professional motivators and do not say you are
motivated by the weekends!

Q19. Tell me about a time when you had to collaborate with a coworker who was
difficult to work with.

TIP – This is a difficult interview question to answer correctly. It is assessing your ability
to put differences aside and focus on the task in hand. It also assesses your ability to
build positive relationships with your co-workers.

Q20. Describe a time when you had to be flexible in a work situation.

TIP – The most effective way to answer this question to gain the highest scores
possible is to give a situation where you volunteered to help your employer when asked
to.

Q21. Describe a time you had to give a person difficult feedback?

TIP – The situation you give to this interview question can either be work-related or from
your personal life. Demonstrate your ability to give feedback using tact and diplomacy.

Q22. Describe yourself in three words.

TIP – When answering this interview question don’t be afraid to sell yourself and
remember to explain why you chose the 3 words. Make sure the words are positive and
something they will remember you by!

Q23. How do you respond to stress and pressure?

TIP – Stress and pressure are part of everyday working life. Show you are not fazed by
stress or pressure and that you cope with it by remaining calm and focused on your job,
and by being organized in your work.

Q24. Describe a time when you got frustrated or angry at work.

TIP – The most effective way to answer this interview question is to talk about how you
got passionate about a situation that impacted the organization you were working for.
Do not say, I never get frustrated or angry, because we all do from time to time!
Q25. How would you deal with a customer complaint?

TIP – There is a very simple process for dealing with customer complaints that only
takes a few seconds to learn. Make sure you learn it before you attend your job
interview. It involves listening to the customer, allowing them to speak, apologizing for
the complaint, coming up with a solution and taking steps to prevent the same complaint
from happening again!

Q26. When have you gone above and beyond for a customer?

TIP – This is your opportunity to show the interviewer what great customer service is!
Again, use the S.T.A.R technique to structure a brilliant answer that shows you have the
knowledge and the experience to do a great job for them! Remember, going above and
beyond means literally going out of your way to do something of significance for the
customer.

Q27. Why are there gaps in your employment?

TIP – Whilst it is important to be honest about any gaps in your employment, I believe
the best way to answer this question is to show you used your time away from work in a
positive way. Perhaps you went traveling to experience different cultures or you took
time off work to raise your family.

Q28. Why did you leave your last job? Why do you want to leave your current
job?

TIP – Do not be negative of your previous employer or your work colleagues. If you
leave your job on good terms, the interviewer will view this positively!

Q29. How did you find out about this job?

TIP – Demonstrate that you have been keeping an eye out for vacancies to come up
with their company. This is much better than applying on the spot because the job looks
appealing.

Q30. What are your salary expectations?

TIP – Before you attend your job interview, look to see what the average salary range is
for the position you are applying for. This can be achieved
on GlassDoor.com or PayScale.com. Then, ask for a salary that is slightly below the top
average range and justify why you are asking for that amount.

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