The Ultimate Guide to Interview Questions

Do you get anxious thinking about questions that might come up during a job interview?

Do you find yourself constantly second-guessing the answers to some of these common questions?

You’re not alone! Many job seekers and interviewees feel the same way. Trust us, we know the struggle of preparing for such questions.

Luckily, with some practice and preparation, you can easily answer any interview question. Use this ultimate guide to interview questions to help with your career planning!

Why Are Interview Questions Important?

Potential employers already have your resume, so why do they need to interview you?

It’s to let them get to know you even better!

While a resume is a great way to sell yourself and highlight your achievements as an employee, your personality shines through during interviews.

• They Let You Prove You’re a Good Fit: Let’s say you have all the technical skills required for the job; hiring managers still need to see that you fit the job description by asking about your expectations and other experiences. Potential employers also care about how new team members fit into the existing workgroups and company culture.
• They Show Your Preparedness: Interviews require a lot of preparation. They’re a chance to show employers that you’re genuinely interested in the role. You can do this successfully by doing your research about the company.
• They Help Both Parties See If the Job Is Right for You: Believe it or not, interviews can help you too! They give job seekers the opportunity to ask questions about the workplace. While hiring managers assess your capabilities and personality, you can evaluate if their company is a place you see yourself working in.

What Are the Hardest Interview Questions?

Difficult questions can seem scary at first, but getting familiar with the hardest ones prepares you for anything your interviewer might ask.

Below are four of the hardest interview questions:

• What are your greatest weaknesses?
• How do you handle stress?
• Why are you leaving your current position?
• How do you deal with conflict with a co-worker?

What makes these questions hard to answer is there’s so much room for error!

You could end up badmouthing your previous company if you’ve had negative experiences. You could also end up highlighting a weakness instead of your strength!

When hiring managers think of challenging interview questions to ask candidates, they want to learn how potential employees solve problems.

Taking the time to craft smart replies is one of the best ways to answer these difficult questions. Don’t let the emotions get to you.

Remain calm and think about what you would rationally do.

What Are the Top Interview Questions?

Knowing the top interview questions helps you prepare and reduce your anxiety. As a confident candidate, you want to be ready for any of these questions.

Interviewers will typically ask these questions in several types of interviews, whether formal, informal, or even in a phone interview!

1. Why Are You Interested in This Position?

Potential employers ask this common interview question to see if the candidate understands what they’re applying for. It lets them know about their interviewee’s career goals and expectations.

A good way to answer this is to discuss the opportunities that come with the position. That said, research the role and the company prior to your job interview.

2. How Did You Hear About This Company?

Be honest, be enthusiastic, and avoid vague answers. If a colleague referred you, don’t be afraid to mention them.

In case you found out about the company on an online platform, you can say which one. If you don’t remember, it’s okay to be honest about it.

3. Why Should We Hire You?

This is among the most basic interview questions, but it’s still challenging for some. To answer this question, focus on your skills and qualifications.

Highlight your work experience and previous achievements. This is a good time to bring up what you think your greatest strength is.

You can also state your attitude towards work. Mention your determination to achieve career development.

4. Why Are You Leaving Your Job?

Here’s how not to answer this question: badmouth your current employer.

Instead, talk about your career growth in your current job. Remain professional and calm.

It’s possible that you’ve outgrown the position, and you need more chances to challenge yourself at work. Express your hunger for new opportunities in the role you’re applying for.

5. How Would Your Coworkers Describe You?

This type of question expects you to evaluate yourself from another perspective. You can answer with your key characteristics and how they help you accomplish tasks at work.

Remember that soft skills, like your communication skills, are essential in the workplace.

You can reference performance reviews to further solidify your answer.

6. How Would Your Manager Describe You?

This is a great chance to exhibit that you’re a good candidate for the job. According to Indeed, your answer will show your ability to build professional relationships with higher-ups.

Try to mention non-technical abilities, like your organizational skill and work ethic. These answers can illustrate how you are as part of a team!

Similar to the previous question, you can also reference performance reviews to help you answer.

7. Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?

Give your potential employers an insight into your career goal in relation to the position you’re applying for. Focus on your work-related plans and visions.

Don’t be afraid to have ambitions! Employers appreciate a job candidate who knows where they want to go.

This is your chance to show hiring managers that you’re genuinely interested in growing with the company.

8. Who Else Are You Interviewing With?

The Muse states that one of the reasons why employers are asking this question is to gauge a candidate’s earnestness to work in the industry. It also helps them scope out any competition if needed.

To answer this, you can state if you’re interviewing elsewhere and talk about the similarities between the roles. You can also discuss how your skill set fits these positions.

End by mentioning the opportunities that you’re looking forward to in the role you’re currently applying for.

What Are Powerful Interview Questions?

Powerful questions allow hiring managers to get job seekers to reveal who they are outside of their resumes. These let them see how quick you are on your feet with situational interview questions.

1. What Would You Do Every Day If You Didn’t Need to Earn Money?

This is a type of question that puts you in a specific situation. In this case, one where you don’t need to earn money.

This is a chance to talk about what you’re passionate about. You can be honest, as long as you show that money isn’t your only motivator to accomplish tasks and work towards goals.

Believe it or not, the answer doesn’t have to be work-related! Show that you remain driven and enthusiastic about other opportunities.

2. What Are You Most Proud of in Your Life? In Your Career?

Employers ask this question to evaluate what types of achievements are the most fulfilling to job candidates. When your interviewer asks about achievements in your career, consider those that are relevant to your industry.

Unless the hiring manager specifically asks for it, opt for a professional achievement rather than a personal one. This exhibits your dedication and interest in accomplishments related to your career.

3. Who Are You Outside of Work and How Do You Spend Your Free Time?

This specific question aims to get to know you outside of the workplace. Remember, this still plays a role in who you are at work!

A good answer is to connect your interests and hobbies to your skills. For example, if you love basketball, mention how this teaches you the value of teamwork.

Another great example is if you have creative hobbies. You can talk about how these help you stay innovative and imaginative.

4. When Have You Overcome a Challenge in Life and How Did You Do It?

This is another case that falls under behavioral interview questions. These types of questions test how you face a difficult situation and how you conduct yourself while doing so.

Recall a specific challenge you’ve overcome in the past. Bring up what was at stake and what made the situation a challenge.

Highlight which strengths allowed you to overcome this problem.

For example, you can share how you stayed calm during a stressful situation. Talk about how this helped you develop coping skills that can overcome many challenges.

5. What Have You Learned From Past Failures?

Employers value accountability. Don’t be afraid to bring up past failures because, let’s face it, everybody makes mistakes.

Ensure that you highlight your key takeaways from these. No one wants employees who consciously make the same errors.

For example, did the experience teach you the importance of soft skills in the workplace? Did it teach you that communication skills are invaluable, even when it doesn’t seem so important in your industry?

What Are Some Unique Interview Questions?

Since every company has different visions and principles, the hiring process tends to differ from one company to another. Interviewers are free to stray away from common interview questions and ask unique ones instead.

Below are examples of unique interview questions:

• If given the chance and money weren’t an issue, what invention would you create in our industry?
• What’s your biggest pet peeve?
• What inspires you to work in this industry?

These questions typically test a candidate’s creativity! When answering, try to think outside of the box. Offer unique and innovative answers and ideas.

Interview Questions to Ask Your Interviewer

Job interviews are a transactional process. Employers get to see if you’re the right fit for the company, and potential employees also gain insight into the position and the employer.

Below are four thought-provoking questions you can ask your interviewer. These will show your genuine interest in the role and, at the same time, give you an idea about the company’s work environment.

1. How Long Have You Been With This Company?

Asking this question is a great way to get a feel for how much current employees like the company. This can give you an insider look at company culture.

When your interviewer has been with the company for a while, you’ll know that their employers gave them enough reason to stay!

You want to choose an employer that exhibits excellent employee retention and loyalty. It’s a good measure of how well they treat the members of their workforce.

2. What Does a Typical Daily Routine Look Like in This Role?

Asking about what the daily routine looks like in this role will give you an idea about the weight of the workload every day. You can use this to gauge if the workload matches your expectations.

This also helps you assess if the company values finding the perfect work-life balance for its employees. You want to stay away from jobs that are only 8 hours on paper but extend way beyond that in reality.

3. What Would Success Look Like to You in This Role?

This can give you an insight into how the company motivates and incentivizes its employees. It also lets you know if higher-ups recognize the achievements and accomplishments of their workforce.

Similar to how your hiring manager wants to know about your expectations, you should also try to find out what they expect out of you.

Does success in the role look like immediate promotions? Or is progress, no matter how slow, still valued?

4. What Direction Do You See This Company Heading in the Next Five Years?

As a job seeker, you want to work for a company that has the same vision as you do. Working for a business that has a bright future ahead of it will also help your career grow toward the same successful future.

For other thoughtful questions to ask your interviewer, check out this video from Harvard Business Review. They list over 30 insightful questions that you can use to get to know your potential employer.

Wrapping Up

There are a million interview questions that hiring managers can ask during job interviews. It’s impossible to know them all!

However, preparing for the most common ones can go a long way. It lets you anticipate what other questions a potential employer can ask.

The right interview preparation lets companies see your enthusiasm and professionalism in the workplace before you even get to work!

For other questions we might not have answered, don’t hesitate to leave a comment. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.