Common interview questions

Most interviewers will use some of these Common interview questions.

Make sure that you practice how you will respond to these questions. However, you want to sound natural not too rehearsed. Make sure you have specific examples to back up your answers.

Basic questions:

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why did you decide to study in XX?
3. Why are you no longer employed at XX? Why are you considering leaving company XX?
4. What are your short and long-term goals?
5. Why do you want to work at our company?
6. What is your current salary? What are your salary expectations?
7. Why do you want to work for this company?

Job and Career objectives questions:

1. Where do you see yourself in 2 years? 5 years?
2. What would be your ideal job?
3. What are your career goals?
4. How did you choose this field/ industry?
5. What did you like about you previous (current job)? What did you dislike?
6. What motivates you?
7. Why have you changed jobs so often?
8. Why did you stay with one company so long?
9. How long have you been looking for a job?

Skill and work experience questions:

1. What qualifies you for this job?
2. What skills do you think this job requires?
3. How many hours are you prepared to work?
4. What kind of boss do you prefer to work for?
5. Describe your ideal working situation to me?
6. If I asked you last manager what your significant strengths were, what would he/she answer?
7. If I asked you last manager what your weakness were, what would he/she answer?
8. How did you make a difference in your last company?
9. What is your best work-related success?
10. What has been your biggest failure?
11. How do you handle difficult people?
12. Do you prefer to work in teams or independently?
13. How do you prioritize your day/work?
14. Give me an example of when you took initiative to solve a problem?
15. What is the maximum level of risk you ever assumed?

Common interview questions for Management:

1. Can you describe your management style?
2. How do inspire our motivate people?
3. How do handle employees that are not pulling their weight?
4. How large a budget have you managed?
5. What makes you a good leader?
6. Why do you feel that you have top management potential?
7. How do you see our industry changing in the next 5 years?

Personal questions:

1. Why are you planning to leave XX company/ Why did you leave?
2. What 3 words best describe you?
3. What do you like about what you do? What would you change?
4. What kind of activities do you enjoy after work?
5. Are you competitive?
6. What motivates you? What makes you frustrated or angry?
7. How do you balance your professional and personal life?
8. How successful are you?

Remember that the interviewer will be evaluating your:

Interpersonal skills,
Communication skills,
Working Habits,
Maturity,
Goals and Motivations,
Skills and competencies

Keep this in mind when practicing these Common interview questions and make sure that your responses will demonstrate your abilities.

View Behavioural Interview questions.
View Common Inverview questions.- HR
View Questions to ask the interviewer.
View Interview tips

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