Common interview questions

The interviewer asks questions to determine how well your attitude and skills fit with the job, the company image, and the work culture. Clear, open, to-the-point responses will make a strong, positive impression. In general, employers are looking for the answers to three major questions: Can you do the job? Will you do the job? How will you fit our team and organization?

Preparing thoughtful responses to the following question types and examples will help you be interview-ready. 

Traditional interview questions

Traditional interview questions are broad-based. You can find more examples by searching “interview questions” in your favorite search engine. 

• What do you know about our company?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• What motivates you to do a good job?
• Why did you decide to interview for this position?
• Why should I hire you?
• Are you a team player?
• What are your major strengths and challenges in any job?
• What do you know about our organization?
• What do you look for in a job?

Behavioral interview questions

Behavioral questions are more probing and more specific than traditional interview questions. They get at how you have behaved in past situations to better predict how you might behave in the position. 

• Provide an example of a goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it.
• Have you had to convince a team to work on a project that members did not want to? How did you handle it?
• How have you handled a conflict situation with a co-worker?
• What is your management style? Is it different from your leadership style?
• Describe your ideal relationship with your own supervisor or manager?

Hypothetical or situational interview questions

Hypothetical/situational questions present you with a scenario that could happen. Example questions are:

• If you were busy meeting a deadline and a co-worker asked you to help make copies, what would you say?
• If one of your supervisors tells you to enter more sales contacts than you actually made, what would you do?

Smart questions to ask during an interview

Normally, as the interview is drawing to a close, the interviewer will ask you if you have questions. You will typically have time to ask two or three.

Here are some helpful examples:

• After hearing my answers to your questions, do you have any concerns about my ability to do the job?
• If I get this position, what will be the most important part of my job, in terms of ensuring you and the team are successful?
• What would be the most valuable new skills for me to develop to add more value to the department? What opportunities will I have to learn those skills?
• What are the next steps in the selection process? How soon do you plan to fill this position? Is it okay if I follow up with you next week?
• What are the greatest challenges of this position?
• Would you describe a typical day on the job?
• Are there any questions to which I did not adequately respond?
• Where will I fit into the overall organizational structure?
• Who is the supervisor for the position?
• What would you expect me to accomplish in the first six months?
• What training is provided?
• What other positions would I interact with in the job?
• How would you describe the work environment?
• Do your employees work individually or as a team?
• What career opportunities exist in the company?
• What further education or training does the company consider important for my future progress?
• Is this a newly created position or has it existed for some time? What happened to the last person in this position?
• What are the department's goals for the year?

Remember, as you conclude the interview, let the interviewer know that you are enthusiastic and confident about joining their company. Use language similar to this: "This sounds like a great position and a great place to work. I am confident that I will make a significant contribution here."

Guidelines for salary questions

Do not mention money or benefits until the interviewer brings it up, or until an offer has been made.

• If asked for your salary requirements, give the amount as a range, for example “$40,000 to $45,000 depending on the benefits” rather than saying $42,000. A range gives room to negotiate.
• You can find out a realistic salary from researching the occupation. Use the Salary Finder to find local salaries for your area.
• If you are not ready to discuss this question, here is an example of what you could say: “Before I can give an answer to the salary question, I would like to know more about the position.”
• If possible, wait until you find out about the benefits offered before you answer questions about salary.

Here are some ways you can answer the question about minimum salary:

“What is the range for this position?”

“I am comfortable negotiating within the posted salary range should I receive an offer.”