Your Guide to the Commonest Interview Questions and Answers in 2023

#interviewquestions #interviewtips #interviewskills | Wouldn't it be great to know the hiring manager's(HR) questions before your next job interview?

When you go in for your next job interview, wouldn't it be fantastic if you knew precisely what kinds of questions the hiring manager would be asking you?

We are unable to read minds, which is a shame, but we can provide you with the next best thing: a list of the thirty interview questions that are asked the most often, along with suggestions on how to respond to each one.

In spite of the fact that we do not recommend having a stock answer for each and every interview question (in fact, we beg you not to), we do recommend spending some time getting familiar with what you might be asked, what hiring managers are really looking for in your responses, and what it takes to demonstrate that you are the ideal candidate for the position.

Think of this as your study guide for both the questions and the answers to the interview. (Don't forget to check out our bonus list at the end of the article; it contains links to additional resources on specific types of interview questions, such as those pertaining to emotional intelligence or diversity and inclusion, for example, as well as interview questions organized according to role, such as accountant, project manager, or teacher).

1. Please tell me about your background.

Though this inquiry seems simple, a significant number of individuals fail to adequately prepare for it; yet, it is essential. The situation is as follows: Don't go into too much detail about your previous jobs (or personal life). Instead, you should provide a presentation that is clear, persuasive, and highlights the specific reasons why you are the ideal candidate for the position. First, offer some history on how you arrived to your present job and the experience you have that is relevant. Next, talk a little bit about your current role, including the scope of the role and possibly one major achievement you've had. Lastly, transition into the reasons why you desire this position and why you would be an excellent candidate for it.

A potential response to the question "Tell me about yourself."

"Well, at the moment I'm working as an account executive at..., where I'm responsible for managing our highest-performing customer. Prior to that, I was working at an agency, where I was on three separate significant national wellness brands throughout my time there. And while I really enjoyed the work that I did, I'd love the opportunity to dig in much deeper with one specific healthcare company. That's why I'm so glad to be working with Wellness Forever Center. "And while I really enjoyed the work that I did, I'd love the chance to dig in much deeper for one specific healthcare company.

2. Take me over your c.v. in detail.

This is another frequent way to begin an interview, similar to asking "Tell me about yourself." Your response, however, should not be framed around the traits and talents that make you the greatest candidate for the post; rather, it should organise your credentials by your previous roles and tell the narrative of your professional journey. You could decide to narrate this tale in chronological order, particularly if there's an interesting anecdote about what got you started on this route. In that case, you might start with it. Alternatively, in the same vein as the question "Tell me about yourself," you may start by discussing your current position and then go on to the circumstances that led to your employment there as well as your future plans. In any case, when you talk about your "past" and "present," emphasise the experiences and achievements that are most pertinent to this position, and then wrap up your discussion by discussing the future; in other words, connect your "past" and "present" in such a way as to show why this job should be the next one that you add to your resume.

A potential response to the question "Take me through your resume."

To get to where I am now, as you can see from my resume, I chose a path that was a little bit more unique and creative than the typical one. I attended college for four years and earned degrees in both life science and communications. I quickly discovered that spending all day in a computer lab was not a good fit for me, but I did come to the conclusion that the scientific class in which I was a teacher's assistant was the one that I most looked forward to.

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"Therefore, after I received my degree, I looked for a job in sales for a consumer healthcare products company. There, I was able to draw on my previous experience as a teacher and learned even more about how to personalize your message and explain complicated health concepts to people who did not have a background in science. After that, I was promoted to a position in a large corporation's sales training department, where I was in charge of instructing young college graduates in the fundamentals of the sales profession.   In addition to that, one of the things that gave me a lot of happiness was figuring out the best approach to instruct each new employee and then seeing those employees improve and do well. That brought back memories of when I worked as a Teacher's assistant back in college. That was when I decided to get my teaching credential in life science and began attending lessons at night.

During the summer, I worked for a science camp where I instructed a few children the fundamental ideas of life science as well as the best procedures to follow in order to stay safe while performing research. Now that I've finished my student teaching, I'm eager to get a job teaching full time, and your school system is my #1 option. My favourite aspect of the work is being able to spend time with each kid and educate them in the manner that is most effective for them, and the low student-to-teacher ratio will allow me to do just that.

3. How did you first become aware of this employment opportunity?

Another apparently harmless interview question, this one is an ideal chance to distinguish yourself from the other candidates and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the organisation as well as your connection to it. If you learned about the work via a friend or a professional acquaintance, for instance, mention that individual by name and then explain why you were so pleased about the employment. Share how you found out about the firm, whether it was via an event or an article. Provide the exact aspects of the position that piqued your interest in applying for it, even if you saw the post for it on an unrelated job board.

Answer that you may revert to the question "How did you learn about this position?"

"I heard about an opening on the marketing team through a friend of a friend, and since I'm a big fan of this brand and had been following it for a while, I decided it would be a great role for me to apply for" OR "Since I'm a big fan of your work and have been following you for a while, I decided it would be a great role for me to apply for."

4. What makes you interested in working for this particular company?

Watch out for replies that are too general! If what you have to say is applicable to a large number of other firms or if your answer makes you seem like every other applicant, you are passing up a chance to differentiate yourself from the crowd.  You should do your research and point out something that makes the company unique and that really appeals to you. You could also talk about how you've watched the company grow and change since you first heard about it. You could also focus on the organization's prospects for future growth and how you can contribute to it. Lastly, you could share what has gotten you excited from your interactions with employees so far. Be careful to provide detailed explanations regardless of the approach you use. And what if, after going through a significant portion of the recruiting process, you still haven't figured out why you would want to work for the firm with whom you're interviewing? It is possible that this is a warning sign indicating that you are not suited for this role.

One potential response to the question, "Why do you want to work at this company?"

"I saw an article that you were also looking for new roles on the West Side to support your expanded activities there. I was wondering if you could tell me more about this." I did some more research about the new data centre you are constructing there, and it thrills me since I know this means there will be possibilities to teach new coworkers. Also, I did some more reading about the new data centre you are developing there. A recent article that I saw in the Magazine informed me that you are also growing your operations in America. I am fluent in English and would be more than willing to stand up and assist negotiate in any situation where it is required.

5. Please tell me why you desire this position.

Again, businesses want to employ individuals who are enthusiastic about the work they do, so you should be prepared with a compelling response to the question of why you want the position. (And if you don't? You should probably consider applying somewhere else.) First, describe a couple of important aspects of the position that make it a good fit for you (for example, "I love customer service because I love the constant human interaction and the fulfillment that comes from helping someone solve a problem"), and then talk about why you love the company (for example, "I've always been dedicated to learning, and I think you're doing great things, so I want to be a part of it") in your cover letter or interview.

A potential response to the question, "Why do you desire this job?"

"I've always been a supporter of X Company's goods, and I've put in a lot of time learning your marketing srategies. I am well aware that the focus you put on creating one-of-a-kind narratives is what attracted me and other fans of your products in the first place and what keeps us coming back for more. I've been following X Company on social media for some time now, and one of the things that I've always admired about the company is how you have employees from all departments connect with customers. When I came across this job opening for a social media manager with expertise with Twitter, I couldn't contain my excitement. At my most recent position, I was in charge of developing our company's Twitter account and building it up to 20,000 followers in a period of six months. Because of my background, my passion for technology, and my extensive familiarity with your products and fans, I am certain that I will be able to transform this Twitter account into something really remarkable and exciting.

6. Why should we choose to work with you?

If you are asked this question during an interview, you are in luck since it is direct and threatening all at the same time. There is no better setting for you to pitch your abilities and experience to the person in charge of recruiting new employees. It is up to you to come up with a response that demonstrates not only that you are capable of doing the work, but also that you are capable of delivering excellent results; that you will really integrate well with the team and culture; and that you would be a better employee than any of the other candidates.

A potential response to the question, "Why should we employ you?"

"I know it's been an exciting time for General Tech, what with the company growing so much and acquiring several startups, but I also know from experience that it can be difficult for the sales team to understand how new products fit in with the existing ones. " "I know it's been an exciting time for General Tech, what with the company growing so much and acquiring several startups.

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It is usually simpler to market the goods you are familiar with, which means that the newer items may be shortchanged, which may have implications for the whole organisation. I have worked as a sales trainer for more than a decade, but what's more essential is that the majority of those years were spent collaborating with sales teams who were in the exact same position that Generation Technology's sales team is in right now. Expansion is a fantastic thing for a firm, but only if the rest of the staff can keep up with it. I am certain that I will be able to ensure that your sales force is confident and excited about selling new items by establishing an ongoing sales training curriculum that places an emphasis on where they lie in a product portfolio.

7. What do you think you can contribute to the company?

When interviewers ask you this question, they aren't only interested in learning more about your history. They want to know that you are aware of the issues and difficulties that they are currently dealing with as a firm or department, as well as how you intend to fit yourself into the already existing structure. You should carefully read the job description, do research on the organisation, and ensure that you pay attention during the first interviews so that you can get an understanding of any problems that you will be recruited to fix. Next, the most important thing is to tie your talents and experiences to what the organisation requires, and to offer an example that demonstrates how you've done work in the past that is either comparable or transferrable.

Answer that may be given to the question, "What can you add to the company?"

I would bring my expertise in this area as well as my experience in guiding a sales team that is selling to these customers for the first time. This market has been the primary concentration of the majority of the positions I've had in the past, and in the capacity I have now, I was also an integral part of the process of developing our sales strategy when we first started providing our products and services to these particular clients. Creating the sales script was a collaborative effort between my bosses and Myself.

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I also provided other account executives who were selling to these clients for the first time some recommendations and other comments after listening in on a number of their sales conversations with other account executives who were also selling to these customers for the first time. Over the first three months of the year, our sales team of ten people was successful in closing fifty new bookings in this market area. I was directly responsible for closing ten of those agreements. I was an integral part of the team that led the growth into small companies at my previous firm, and I can't wait to accomplish the same thing at your company. 

8. What do you consider to be some of your best strengths?

Here is a perfect opportunity to speak about anything that sets you apart from others and makes you a good candidate for this post. Think on the quality of your response rather than the number while pondering this issue. To put it another way, you shouldn't just reel off a bunch of adjectives. Instead, focus on a few or a few (depending on the number of questions asked) particular attributes that are important for this job, and use instances to demonstrate how you have shown those abilities. Tales will almost always be easier to recall than broad generalisations. In addition, if there is something that you have been meaning to bring up because you believe it makes you an excellent candidate but haven't had the opportunity to do so, now would be the ideal moment to do so.

An response that may be given to the question "What are your greatest strengths?"

"I'd say that one of my biggest skills is bringing structure to hectic workplaces and developing systems to make everyone's life simpler. This is one of the areas in which I have the most experience. My present position as executive assistant to the CEO requires me to develop new procedures for almost every aspect of the job, including but not limited to the following: scheduling meetings; organising monthly all hands agendas; preparing for event appearances. The company's frameworks helped ease tension and establish expectations on all fronts by ensuring that everyone in the organisation was aware of how things operated and about how long they would take. It would be exciting for me to apply that similar approach to a position as an operations manager at a startup, where everything is fresh and continually developing and might require just the right amount of structure to keep things operating smoothly.

9. What do you believe to be some of your areas of weakness?

In addition to looking for big warning signs, the true purpose of this inquiry is to determine whether or not you are self-aware and whether or not you can be trusted to tell the truth. Thus, saying anything along the lines of "I can't fulfil a deadline to save my life" or "Nothing! I'm perfect!" is not an option. Think of something that you struggle with but that you're actively attempting to become better at. This will help you strike a balance. For instance, maybe you've never been great at public speaking, but you've lately volunteered to organise meetings in order to assist you feel more at ease when addressing large groups of people.

A potential response to the question, "Which of your flaws do you regard to be the most significant?"

"It may be tough for me to judge whether the people I'm working with are feeling overwhelmed or unsatisfied with the responsibilities they've been given," the person said. Weekly check-ins are something that my staff and I do in order to make sure that the expectations I have for them are reasonable. I always find it helpful to inquire as to whether or not they believe they are effectively managing their workload, how I can be of greater assistance to them, whether there is anything they would like to add to their responsibilities or eliminate, and whether or not they feel engaged by the work they are performing. Even if the response is "all excellent," these sessions are very important for establishing a solid foundation for a trustworthy and positive connection.

10. What do you consider to be your most significant professional accomplishment?

Don't be hesitant while responding to this interview question; a track record of accomplishing fantastic outcomes in previous employment is one of the best ways to convince someone to hire you in the future. Using the STAR approach, which stands for situation, task, action, and results, is an excellent way to accomplish this goal. In order to provide the interviewer with background context, describe the situation and the task that you were required to complete (for example, "In my previous job as a junior analyst, it was my role to manage the invoicing process"), and thereafter describe what you did (the action) and what you achieved (the result): "In only one month, I was able to simplify the process, which resulted in my team saving five person-hours per month and reducing the number of mistakes on invoices by twenty percent."

11. Please describe a difficult situation or disagreement that arose at your place of employment and the steps you took to resolve it.

At a job interview, the last thing you usually want to do is bring up disagreements that you've had to deal with at previous jobs. But if someone asks you directly, you shouldn't act as if you've never had one before. Be truthful about a challenging experience you've had, but avoid going into the type of detail you may discuss with a close friend when venting your frustrations. "Most people who inquire are merely searching for proof that you're prepared to address these types of difficulties head-on and make an honest effort at reaching to a settlement," the author writes. "The majority of individuals who ask" Maintain composure and a professional demeanour when you tell the tale (and answer any follow-up questions), focus more on the resolution rather than the disagreement, and explain what you would do differently the next time to demonstrate that "you're open to learning from difficult situations."

Answer that may be given to the question "Tell me about a struggle or conflict you've had at work, and how you dealt with it."

"It's funny that you should bring this up since just the previous year I was a member of a group that put together a training on counselling in the workplace, and the amount of resistance we received for mandating attendance really put our training to the test. There was one senior member of staff in particular who seemed to be rather passionate about the matter. It took some attentive listening on my part before I realised that he felt as if it wasn't the most productive use of his time considering the amount of work he was juggling at the moment.

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I made it a point to let him know that I acknowledged his concern. And then I concentrated on his exact issue and described how the training was intended to enhance not just the culture of the firm, but also the efficiency at which we ran — and that the purpose of the training was for it to make everyone's burden seem like it was lighter. In the end, he was able to come, and he was there when I addressed the whole staff to discuss how I plan to manage any issues that may arise in the workplace by "finding the fundamental problem of a dispute and addressing it directly without bringing other concerns into the discussion."

12. Give me an example of a moment when you took the initiative and led others.

It is not necessary to hold a lofty title in order to behave in a dominant manner or exhibit qualities associated with leadership. Look back to a moment when you were in charge of a project, when you showed initiative by suggesting an alternative procedure, or when you had a role in helping to push your team to get something done. The next step is to tell your interviewer a tale using the Lead to larger. Be sure to include enough information to build a picture (but not so much that you start rambling), and be careful to specify the outcome of the situation. In other words, you need to make it very apparent to the interviewer why you're relating this specific anecdote and connect all the dots for them.

Answer that might be given to the question "Tell me about a moment when you displayed leadership qualities."

I believe that someone who can make judgements while also listening to others and being ready to confess when they are wrong and course correct is someone who may be considered a good leader. While I was in my previous position, it was my team's and my responsibility to provide a comprehensive presentation to a potential customer. While I moved fast to delegate various responsibilities to the members of my team, the project never really got off the ground. I made sure that everyone had the chance to voice their opinions and concerns, and it came out that the responsibilities that I had assigned them were difficult for them to fulfil. At the end, I rearranged a handful of the people's roles.

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In the meanwhile, the employee who was going to make the presentation that I had assigned to be anxious about doing it, but still wanted to attempt it. I collaborated with them to ensure that they were prepared, and I even organised a practise session for them so that they could rehearse in an atmosphere that was less stressful for them. When it came time to do the actual thing, they were able to do it perfectly. We were successful in securing the account for the firm, and it is still being used to this day. And that worker eventually became the employee of choice for making crucial client presentations. I'm incredibly happy that I took the time to listen to everyone's concerns so that I could reevaluate my strategy and assist my team in being the best it possibly could be.

13. Can you think of a moment when you strongly disagreed with a decision that was made at your place of employment?

The perfect tale to share with us is one in which you handled a conflict in a mature manner and gained some insight as a result of the experience. Zhang suggests paying very close attention to the manner in which you initiate and conclude your answer. To begin, you should offer a brief statement that will serve as the framework for the remainder of your response. This statement should allude to the most important lesson or the purpose for presenting this tale. For instance: "I learnt early on in my professional career that it's acceptable to disagree if you can back up your hunches with statistics." This is something that I learned early on in my professional career. And to finish on a high note, you should either provide a one-sentence summary of your response ("In short...") or explain quickly about how the skills or knowledge you obtained from this experience might aid you in the career for which you are interviewing.

14. Please tell me about a moment when you were careless or foolish.

When you are attempting to make a good impression on a potential employer and acquire a job, you generally do not want to go into detail about mistakes you have made in the past. Moy maintains that admitting a mistake and gaining someone's trust are not incompatible goals; rather, they may be accomplished simultaneously. In point of fact, if you do it correctly, it may be beneficial to you. The most important thing is to be forthright without pointing fingers at anybody else, then to describe what you took away from the experience and the steps you took to make sure it wouldn't happen again. At the end of the day, companies want to hire people who are self-aware, have the ability to absorb criticism, and have a genuine interest in improving their performance.

A potential response to the question "Tell me about a time you got something wrong."

"Early on in my career, I was careless with a deadline, and it lost us a pretty important client as a result. While there were many things that led up to this, ultimately it was my fault since I was the one who didn't pay enough attention. After having that experience, I reflected on it and gave a lot of consideration to the things that I could have controlled and the things that I would have done differently. It became clear that I was not quite as well-organized as I had believed I was before. After sitting down with my supervisor and asking for advice on how to enhance my organising abilities, a few months later I was able to get an even larger account for the division.

15. Tell me about your decision to leave your present work.

This is a challenging question, but it is one that you can be sure will be asked of you. Have a good attitude at all times; there is nothing to be gained by criticising the company for which you now work. Instead, phrase things in a manner that demonstrates that you are ready to take on new challenges and that the career you are applying for is a better match for you. This will make you more attractive to the hiring manager. For instance, one can say, "I know that I would have the chance to be a part of the product development process all the way from the beginning to the conclusion if I worked here." What would you do if you were fired from your most recent position? Keep it simple: "Unfortunately, I was terminated" is a response that is quite appropriate in this situation.

Answer that might be given to the question "Why are you quitting your present job?"

"I'm prepared to take on the next challenge in my professional life. Even though I like my coworkers and the projects we were working on, I eventually came to the conclusion that I wasn't being pushed to the same extent as I had been in the past. Instead of allowing myself to get too comfortable, I've made the decision to look for a job where I can continue to develop my skills.

16. Tell me about your decision to leave your present work.

This is a challenging question, but it is one that you can be sure will be asked of you. Have a good attitude at all times; there is nothing to be gained by criticising the company for which you now work. Instead, phrase things in a manner that demonstrates that you are ready to take on new challenges and that the career you are applying for is a better match for you. This will make you more attractive to the hiring manager. For instance, one can say, "I know that I would have the chance to be a part of the product development process all the way from the beginning to the conclusion if I worked here." What would you do if you were fired from your most recent position? Keep it simple: "Unfortunately, I was terminated" is a response that is quite appropriate in this situation.

Answer that might be given to the question "Why are you quitting your present job?"

"I'm prepared to take on the next challenge in my professional life. Even though I like my coworkers and the projects we were working on, I eventually came to the conclusion that I wasn't being pushed to the same extent as I had been in the past. Instead of allowing myself to get too comfortable, I've made the decision to look for a job where I can continue to develop my skills.

18. Could you explain the break in employment that you had?

Maybe you were taking care of young children or elderly parents, coping with health problems, experiencing new cultures, or working for a degree while travelling the globe. It's possible that it merely took you a while to find the ideal work for you. No of the cause, you should be ready to explain the gap (or holes) in your CV at some point. In all seriousness, you should practise speaking your response aloud. The most important thing is to be truthful, but it does not imply that you have to provide more information than you feel is appropriate. You can also talk about how the skills and qualities you honed or gained in your time away from the workforce — whether it was through volunteer work, running a home, or reacting to a personal crisis — would help you excel in this role if you discuss how those skills and qualities would help you succeed.

Answer that may be given to the question "Why was there a hiatus in your employment?"

"I worked at a corporation for a number of years in a very difficult role, in which — as you'll see from my references — I was quite successful. In this job, I was responsible for..." Yet at this point in my professional life, I felt it was more important for me to concentrate on my own personal development. My experiences abroad gave me a wealth of knowledge on how to communicate effectively with individuals of many ages and backgrounds. Now that I have more experience under my belt, I am eager to go back into the workforce with renewed vigour and concentration, and I believe that taking on this job is the best way for me to achieve so.

19. Are you able to discuss the reasons behind your decision to switch careers?

Take a moment to collect yourself, take a big breath, and then explain to the person in charge of the recruiting process why you have chosen the path that you have in your professional life. Provide a few specific instances of how the skills you've gained in the past may be applied to the current position. This is far more significant. It is not necessary for there to be a direct relationship between the two; in fact, it is frequently more striking when a candidate is able to explain how apparently unrelated experience may be quite important to the task.

Possible response to the question "Can you explain why you decided to change careers?" 

Keep it simple: "I have seen great people working on a great position and a fantastic designation changed their career paths because one who does not explore does not end up getting into a field where he or she was likely to be meant working for." I have seen this happen. "I have seen great people working on a great position and a fantastic designation changed their career paths." Also, at this point in my life, I feel that there is a constant need to change my field. This is because I have always been interested in learning about this field throughout my entire life, and now that I have reached a point in my life where I can see myself completely fitting in here, I feel that there is an incessant need to change my field.

20. How do you cope with circumstances that are high pressure or stressful?

In an attempt to demonstrate that you are the ideal candidate who is capable of dealing with any situation, you could be tempted to avoid answering this question altogether. But, it is essential that you do not disregard this one (for example, you should avoid saying things like "I simply put my head down and push through it" or "I don't get stressed out"). Instead, you should talk about your go-to strategies for dealing with stress (whether it's meditating for ten minutes every day, making sure you go for a run every day, or keeping a to-do list that's extremely detailed), as well as how you communicate and otherwise proactively try to mitigate pressure. It would be really helpful if you could provide a concrete example of a difficult scenario that you successfully negotiated.