Top Interview Questions To Prepare For

Top Interview Questions To Prepare For

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1. Tell me about yourself

At the beginning of the conversation, your interviewer will likely start out by asking you about yourself. They are seeking to understand your qualifications, what led you to the job and generally why you think you'd be a good fit.  The key here is making your answer concise and direct, including only professional information relevant to the job.

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2. How would you describe yourself?

With this question, your interviewer wants to learn how your qualities and characteristics align with the skills they believe are required to succeed in the role.  To answer this question, pick one to a few personal characteristics and elaborate on them with examples.

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3. What makes you unique?

Employers often ask this question to identify why you might be more qualified than other candidates they’re interviewing.  To answer, focus on why hiring you would benefit the employer. Since you don’t know the other applicants, it can be challenging to think about your answer in relation to them. Addressing why your 

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3. What makes you unique?

background makes you a good fit lets employers know why your traits and qualifications make you a strong candidate.

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4. Why do you want to work here?

Interviewers often ask this question to determine whether or not you took the time to research the company and think critically about whether you’re a good fit.  The best way to prepare for this question is to do your homework and learn about the products, services, mission, history and culture of this workplace. In your answer, 

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4. Why do you want to work here?

mention the aspects of the company that appeals to you and aligns with your values and career goals.

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5. What interests you about this role?

Hiring managers often ask this question to ensure you understand the role and give you an opportunity to highlight your relevant skills.  Study the job description carefully and compare its requirements to your skills and experience. Choose a few responsibilities you particularly enjoy or excel at and focus on those in your answer.

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6. What motivates you?

Employers ask this question to gauge your level of self-awareness and ensure your sources of motivation align with the role and company.  To answer, be as specific as possible, provide real-life examples and tie your answer back to the job role and/or the company’s mission

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7. What are you passionate about?

Much like the previous question about motivation, employers might ask what you are passionate about to better understand what drives you and what you care most deeply about.  This can both help them understand whether you are a good fit for the role and if it fits into your larger goals.

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8. Why are you leaving your current job?

There are many acceptable reasons for leaving a job.  Prepare a thoughtful answer that will give your interviewer confidence that you’re being deliberate about this job change. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of your current or previous role, focus on the future and what you hope to gain in your next position.

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9. What are your greatest strengths?

In your answer to this question, share your most relevant technical and soft skills.  While it may feel uncomfortable to speak highly of yourself, remember that this is your opportunity to tell your interviewers what makes you a great candidate.

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10. What are your greatest weaknesses?

It can feel awkward to discuss your weaknesses in an environment where you’re expected to focus on your accomplishments.  However, when answered correctly, sharing your weaknesses shows that you are self-aware with an interest in continued growth and learning—traits that are extremely attractive to many employers.

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11. What are your goals for the future?

Hiring managers often ask about your future goals to determine whether or not you’re looking to stay with the company long-term.  Additionally, this question is used to gauge your ambition, expectations for your career and ability to plan ahead. The best way to handle this question is to examine your current career trajectory and 

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11. What are your goals for the future?

how this role helps you reach your long-term goals.

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12. Where do you think you'll be in five years?

Understanding how you imagine your life in the future can help employers understand whether the trajectory of the role and company fits in with your personal development goals.

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13. Can you tell me about a difficult work situation and how you overcame it?

This question is often used to assess how well you perform under pressure as well as your problem-solving abilities.  Keep in mind stories are more memorable than facts and figures, so strive to “show” instead of “tell.” This is also an excellent opportunity to show your human side and how when faced with adversity you are able to persevere.

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14. What is your salary range expectation?

Interviewers ask this question to make sure your expectations are in line with the amount they’ve budgeted for the role.  If you give a salary range exceedingly lower or higher than the market value of the position, it gives the impression that you don’t know your worth.

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15. Why should we hire you?

While this question may seem like an intimidation tactic, interviewers generally ask to offer another opportunity to explain why you’re the best candidate.  Your answer should address the skills and experience you offer, why you’re a good culture fit and what you believe you’d bring to the role.

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16. Do you have any questions?

This might be one of the most important questions asked during the interview process because it allows you to explore any topics that haven’t been addressed and shows the interviewer you’re serious about the role. Remember that you are interviewing the company too. Take time to ask the interviewer questions about their own

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16. Do you have any questions?

experiences with the company, gain tips on how you can succeed if hired and address any lingering questions you have.

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17. What did you like most about your last position?

Knowing what you enjoyed about your last position can offer employers insight into your motivations, personality and whether you will enjoy the position available. To answer this question, focus on the positives and the work rather than the people, explain how it prepared you for this new position and the reasons why moving to this role is the right choice.

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18. What did you like least about your last position?

This question can tell employers about types of work you enjoy, your experience level with certain workplace scenarios and whether or not you would be a good culture add. Avoid saying anything negative about your former employer, managers or colleagues. Don’t mention any aspects of your last role that you’re aware

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18. What did you like least about your last position?

would be part of this role. Make your answer about your career growth and enthusiasm for joining their organization.

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19. How do you handle stress?

How you handle stressful situations is an indicator of your ability to solve problems. Employers want to hire candidates who react to stress constructively, so it’s important that your answer to this question demonstrates personal growth. Spend some time thinking about your response to stressful situations and 

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19. How do you handle stress?

provide an example that communicates your abilities around perseverance, resilience and stress management.

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20. What is your greatest accomplishment?

It’s easy to get hung up on figuring out your single most impressive accomplishment. Instead, think of a few achievements that showcase your work ethic and values.  If you can, pick examples that also tie back to the job you’re applying for. The STAR method is a great tool to ensure you highlight the most relevant parts of your story.

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21. What is your teaching philosophy?

This isn’t a question solely for those applying to teaching positions. Employers may ask this of anyone who might be leading or teaching others. Your response will allow employers to gauge your personal skills and if you would be a good culture add. A good answer will concisely identify what you think teaching should achieve and include concrete examples to illustrate your ideas.

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22. What does customer service mean to you?

If you’re applying for a public-facing role, an employer may ask this question to determine what aspects of customer service are most important to you.  A good answer will align with the company’s values, which you can glean through researching their customer service policy, understanding their products and clientele

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22. What does customer service mean to you?

and reflecting on your own experiences as a customer. Your answer can either come from the perspective of a customer or a customer service provider.

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23. Tell me about your work experience

An interviewer may or may not already be familiar with your background. Regardless, this question gives you the chance to detail your experiences that are most valuable to the prospective role.  Employers want to know that you’ve reflected on their expectations for a qualified candidate and that you have directly relevant or transferable skills.

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24. How do you define success?

Employers ask this to help them understand how your definition of success influences your goals and how you measure them. A good answer will show that you know how to define and measure goals and you’re willing to challenge yourself and work hard to meet them. Consider your proudest achievements, your long- and

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24. How do you define success?

short-term successes and how the company you’re interviewing with views success. Give specific examples of how you’ve succeeded in the past.

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25. How do you work under pressure?

Many jobs involve moments when, for varied reasons, there are unexpected situations that require swift action. The ability to stay calm, think logically and act correctly in such a scenario is a major asset. This is another good instance of when to use the STAR method to address a specific time when you were faced with a challenge and managed to calmly find a solution.

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26. What is your dream job?

Employers typically ask this question because they want to ensure that your interests and passion align with their job.  A good answer will describe a role that matches the one you’re interviewing for.

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27. What can you bring to the company?

This question is similar to “Why should we hire you?” A strong answer will demonstrate the skills you have to be successful in this role as well as your potential to bring a new perspective to the business. Research the company in-depth to understand its culture and business needs. Explain why your skills, experience and characteristics uniquely 

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27. What can you bring to the company?

position you to advance organizational objectives. Use an example from your work experience that speaks to your skill set.

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28. How do you handle conflict at work?

Employers ask this question to gauge how you interact with various stakeholders or colleagues of differing opinions.  Often, being the right person for the job involves more than just hard skills, hiring managers also value candidates who can collaborate with others and approach conflict in a productive way.

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28. How do you handle conflict at work?

A good answer will discuss a time you encountered a conflict with a colleague, client or manager and maintained the patience to resolve it. It’s important to relay what you learned—how you grew personally and professionally—as a result of the experience. Use the STAR method to construct your response.

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29. Why are you interested in this position?

Interviewers typically want to be sure that you applied for this job because you’re genuinely interested in it. Avoid voicing concerns about your current position or company—negative comments about your employer are often interpreted as unprofessional. A good answer will positively frame your transition and communicate your desire to grow in the role you’re interviewing for.

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30. What skills would you bring to the job?

While this is similar to questions like “Why should we hire you?” or “What can you bring to the company?” it allows you to be more specific about your work ethic, style and unique abilities as it relates to the role. An impactful answer will discuss your hard and soft skills and use the STAR method to illustrate how your unique

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30. What skills would you bring to the job?

skills might benefit the team or organization.

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