About you and your motivation
1. Tell me about yourself.
They want a short professional summary linked to the role. Go present, past, future in 60 to 90 seconds. See how to answer tell me about yourself.
2. Why do you want this job?
They are checking you read the job ad. Name two specific responsibilities and what you bring to each.
3. Why do you want to work here?
They are checking you did your research. One concrete fact about the company (a product, a project, a recent change) beats a general compliment.
4. Where do you see yourself in five years?
They are testing whether your plan fits the role. Describe the skills you want to have built, not a job title.
5. Why should we hire you?
Take three must-haves from the job ad and give one piece of proof for each, then close in one sentence. The why should we hire you generator helps you build it.
About your background
6. Why are you leaving your current job?
Stay positive and forward-looking: what you are looking for, not what you are running from. Never criticize your employer.
7. Can you explain this gap in your résumé?
One honest sentence on why, then what you did or learned during that time, then why you are ready now.
8. What achievement are you most proud of?
Pick one linked to the role, with your exact part in it and a measurable result.
9. How would your colleagues describe you?
Name two traits and one situation that shows them; quoting real feedback (a review, a message) is ideal.
Behavioral questions: “tell me about a time when…”
These ask for a true story. The STAR method (situation, task, action, result) keeps it short and makes you end on a result. See behavioral interview questions or build one with the STAR method generator.
10. Tell me about a conflict with a coworker.
They are assessing maturity. Show how you listened, what you proposed, and how the relationship changed.
11. Tell me about a time you failed.
Choose a real failure, own your part, and end with what you do differently now.
12. How do you handle pressure?
One concrete tight deadline, your method (priorities, breaking the work down, telling people early) and the outcome.
13. How do you prioritize your work?
Describe what you actually do in a busy week, with an example.
14. Tell me about a time you worked in a team.
Make your own part clear: say “I” for your actions and “we” for the team’s result.
Strengths, weaknesses and the awkward ones
15. What are your strengths?
One strength the role needs, one proof, one link to the job.
16. What is your greatest weakness?
Name a real weakness, show it briefly, then spend most of the answer on how you work on it. See six example answers.
17. Are you interviewing anywhere else?
Answer honestly without naming companies, and say why this role is the one you want most.
18. What would make you leave this job?
They are looking for early-exit signals. Talk about what keeps you motivated, such as learning or impact.
Pay and the end of the interview
19. What are your salary expectations?
Research the market for the role and location first. Give a realistic range and stay open to the whole package. The salary negotiation script has a ready answer.
20. Do you have any questions for us?
Always say yes, with two or three questions ready. See 67 questions to ask the interviewer.
How to use this list
- Write down four or five true stories you can adapt to several questions.
- Prepare keywords for each answer, not a script to recite.
- Practice out loud with a timer: one to two minutes per answer.
To be asked these at random, out loud, try the interview question generator or the free interview simulator.
Practice it out loud
Reading an answer in your head is not the same as saying it. Say it aloud, record yourself, and listen for filler words and rambling. Readyo is an iPhone app that asks interview questions out loud with an AI interviewer, then scores your answers (relevance, structure, evidence and precision, clarity, composure) and shows a better version built only from what you said. It is practice only; the app is free to download and interviews are paid.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are asked in a job interview?
Often eight to fifteen in a 45-minute to one-hour interview, depending on how much time is left for your own questions. Preparing the twenty on this page covers most of them.
Should I memorize my answers?
No. Remember the structure and two or three keywords per answer, then practice out loud. A recited answer is easy to spot and breaks the conversation.
What is the most common interview question?
“Tell me about yourself” opens most interviews, followed closely by “why do you want this job” and “why should we hire you”.
