10 Most Common Interview Questions and Answers
Before you get started with a coach or program like Big Interview, this free resource page is designed to get you up and running with the basics for acing your next interview (in ten easy lessons on the most common interview questions).
1. How to Answer: “Tell Me About Yourself”
Often asked at the very start of an interview, this is your opportunity to deliver an elevator pitch that gives the interviewer a quick idea of who your are. Used wisely, this elevator pitch could make the interviewer very interested in your next answer. Used incorrectly, the interviewer could stop paying attention before you even have a chance to answer a second question.
2. How to Answer:“Describe Your Current (or Most Recent) Position”
One of the easier interview questions to answer – but you’ll still need to use it to highlight your job-relevant greatness. Check out our guide to answering and winning examples in this article.
3. How to Answer: “Why are you looking for a new opportunity now?”
The question that can either put your interviewer at ease or raise serious red flags. This question is a prime example of why it’s important to understand the reason an interviewer asks each question, and why crafting winning answers requires strategic thinking.
4. How to Answer: “What are your strengths?”
Your chance to toot your own horn – but make sure to do it artfully. Being able to do 20 pull-ups does not count as a strength. Make sure your answer is specific, personalized, and truly impressive- this article will walk you through doing just that.
5. How to Answer: “What is your greatest weakness?”
By far one of the most commonly searched-for interview questions, the “weakness” question is difficult to properly tackle. This one could sink you unless you’re careful. Obviously, “I work too hard” is not the answer (although you’ll find plenty of bad advice elsewhere online that would advocate saying that).
6. How to Answer: “Why do you want to work here?”
Repeat after me: Don’t say “for the money” — Don’t say “for the money” — Don’t say “for the money”. Got it? You’re already off to a better start than some candidates.
7. How to Answer: “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
Possibly one of the silliest questions – but it too requires an artful and diplomatic answer. Another common variation of this interview question is “What are your goals?”.
8. How to Answer: “Why should we hire you?”
The money question. “Why” indeed. This is where you need to spend a ton of time thinking about the role, the competencies, and how you’re the perfect fit. Our article on the question will help you craft a concise summary of all your “selling points”.
9. How to Answer:“Do you have any questions for me?”
Your questions here can either leave a strong, lasting impression on the interviewer or make you come across as clueless. Our (very popular) post on questions to ask at the end of the interview will suggest 12 winning questions, and explain how each can help you gather important information about the job.
10: The Guide to Nailing Phone Interviews
Before a face-to-face, you typically have a phone screen you need to get through. This can be a challenging “gate check” to get past, and we often hear from Big Interview users that it was their biggest sticking point before using our full training system. Here are some tips for conquering that phone interview and getting through to the next round.
BONUS: The Ten Commandments of Job Interviews
Follow these commandments and they may lead you to the promised land – or promised cubicle(same thing).
Once you’ve covered all of the common interview questions and crafted great answers, it’s time to practice. That’s why we developed the Big Interview training system, which combines a full lesson curriculum (you’ve seen some of the videos in the above posts!) with an interactive practice tool that covers hundreds of industries at every difficulty level