Interview Questions You Should Know (And How To Answer Them)

Interviews can be stressful, especially if you don’t know the types of questions that may be thrown your way. With so many different types of interviews, it’s hard to know what to expect from each one and how to handle the tough questions you may encounter. Here are common interview questions you should be prepared to answer, along with tips on how to approach them successfully.

1. Why should we hire you?

Keep it short and sweet. Any answer longer than 30 seconds is too long. Just talk about your qualifications and why you’d be a good fit for the position.

2. What’s your greatest strength?

Your answer should focus on a character trait that can contribute most to the company’s success, such as loyalty or leadership ability, so tie it into the job description. If you can, provide an example of how you demonstrated this quality at work or through some other activity.

3. What’s your greatest weakness?

Don’t fall into the trap of talking about a natural weakness, as even the most honest answer can come across as unfavorable. Instead, give an example of something you had trouble doing at work, but overcame by developing a new skill or learning outside help to get through it. In other words, show how you made yourself more muscular.

3. Why did you leave your last job?

Don’t make it sound like it was a big deal. Just explain the reasons behind your decision, such as the type of work environment or boss you disliked. You don’t necessarily have to give a reason for every move, but choose two key examples that show why you left and how you dealt with the transition.

4. What do you know about our company?

Be prepared with answers to this question, as well as any others that may arise during the interview process. It’s OK to give general answers to questions that are in the job description and focus on more specific things like company culture or how a recent promotion helped you learn more about the company. Be honest, open, and concise.

5. Why should we hire you over other candidates?

Don’t use flowery language or make it sound like you’re doing them a favor or anything like that. They want to know why they should hire you, not why they have to hire you. Just stay focused and explain why you’re the best person for the job.

6. What is your greatest accomplishment?

While this question may seem like it calls for a tiny resume, that’s not necessarily going to be the case. Try to think of a short and concise answer that reiterates your strongest qualities as an employee or student, such as leadership skills or the ability to manage multiple projects at once.

7. What do you know about our industry?

The interviewer is looking for someone with a feel for the industry and how it compares to the other companies they’ve interviewed and could potentially work for. Therefore, you should be prepared with topics such as best practices, trends, and what you know about the company’s current projects. If it relates to your previous experience, use that as an opportunity to talk about how that experience can benefit the company, too.

There are some questions that you should expect to see in every interview. You don’t want to get caught off guard, so be prepared to answer them when they come your way.