100 Common Job Interview Questions
Preparing for a job interview can make the difference between success and failure. The 100 common job interview ques- tions below will help you market yourself more effectively and feel more confident on that important day.
The questions have been organized by topic. Review them carefully and take time to create the best answers for you. You may even wish to write out your answers so you can refer to them in the future. Good luck!
Personal
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What are your strengths?
The word strength refers to what you do well, your positive qualities or effective skills.
3. What are your weaknesses?
The word weakness refers to what you don’t do well, your negative qualities or skills.
4. What do you see as a major success in your life?
Major means important or big.
5. Describe a major disappointment in your life.
A disappointment is something you were looking forward to and didn’t happen.
6. What motivates you?
The word motivate means to give you the reason to do something, to inspire you, to encourage you.
7. What does success mean to you?
8. What are three of your greatest accomplishments?
The word accomplishment means an achievement, something you did well.
9. What are your plans for the future?
10. Have you done any volunteer work?
11. What are your hobbies?
12. What do you like to do in your spare time / free time?
Spare time means when you’re free, when you’re not working.
13. Where do you see yourself five years from now? Ten years from now?
14. Describe a time when you failed.
15. What is your favorite book/ movie?
16. What do you do for fun?
17. What would you do if you won the lottery?
18. Tell me about your educational background.
19. What academic courses did you like the most / the least?
20. Which academic course did you find most difficult?
21. Do you have plans for further education?
22. Why did you choose your major?
Your major is your main area of specialization in university.
Professional
23. Why do you want this job?
24. Why should we hire you?
To hire means to recruit, or give someone a job.
25. Why are you the best person for the job?
26. Explain how you would be an asset to this company.
An asset is something valuable.
27. Why do you think you will be successful in this job?
28. What are your qualifications for this position?
Qualification means the educational and professional background or experience needed in a job.
29. What can you offer our company?
30. What do you know about this industry?
31. What is your personal mission statement?
32. Why do you think you’re suited for this position?
Suited means appropriate, a good match.
33. Describe your work ethic.
Your work ethic is your attitude towards work and behavior at work.
34. Describe your management style.
35. What are your short-term goals?
Short-term means in the near future.
36. What are your long-term goals?
Long-term means in the distant or far future.
37. Why did you choose this field?
Field means an area of work, such as computers, engineering or medicine.
38. Please describe your work experience.
39. Why do you want to work for our company?
40. What do you know about our company?
41. What is most important to you in a job?
42. Describe your previous jobs.
The word previous means what came or happened before.
43. Why did you leave your previous job?
44. What were your responsibilities in your previous position?
The word responsibility refers to what you are supposed to do, what you are in charge of.
45. What did you like the most about your last job?
46. What did you like the least about your last job?
47. What did you learn in your previous job?
48. Do you work well under pressure?
The word pressure means stress.
49. Are you punctual?
To be punctual means that to arrive on time, to not be late.
50. How long do you plan to stay in this job?
51. Can you multi-task?
To multi-task means to do many things at one time.
52. Describe your ideal job.
Ideal basically means perfect here.
53. How would your co-workers describe you?
54. How do you feel about learning new things?
55. Have you ever had trouble with a boss? How did you handle it?
56. What major problems or challenges have you faced?
57. Why did you resign?
58. Why were you fired?
59. Are you a risk-taker?
A risk-taker is someone who is willing to take chances.
60. What have you been doing since your last job?
61. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past year?
62. What’s the most interesting book you’ve read in the past year?
63. How soon can you start work?
64. Do you have any questions?
65. Are you looking for full- or part-time work?
66. Are you looking for a day or night job?
67. Are you seeking a permanent or temporary position?
68. Can you work weekends?
69. Are you willing to work overtime?
Overtime means hours outside of regular work hours.
70. Can you work nights?
71. Are you willing to travel?
72. Are you willing to relocate?
To relocate means to move to another location.
73. Do you have a driver’s licence?
74. Do you like working with the public?
75. Do you like working with numbers?
76. How are your writing skills?
77. How’s your spelling?
78. What computer programs are you familiar with?
79. Do you know any foreign languages?
80. Have you worked in a multicultural environment before?
Multicultural means many cultures.
81. How do you relate to people from diverse cultures?
Diverse means different. Salary
82. What are your salary expectations?
Salary expectation is how much money you think you will get.
83. What salary do you want to earn?
To earn means to make, to receive.
84. What kind of compensation are you looking for?
Compensation refers to salary plus benefits.
Leadership
85. Do you consider yourself a leader?
86. What leadership or managerial positions have you held?
Independence
87. Do you like working alone?
88. How well do you work independently?
89. How do you feel about working by yourself?
Teamwork
90. Are you a team player?
91. Do you work well with others?
92. What strengths would you bring to a team?
93. Do you prefer working on a team or by yourself?
References
94. May we contact your previous employers?
95. Can we contact your references?
References are people who are willing to talk about you, your abilities or your character.
Questions You Can Ask the Interviewer
96. If you were to offer me the job, how soon would you want me to start?
97. When could I expect to hear from you?
98. Are there any further steps in the interview process?
99. What are the major responsibilities of this position?
100. Are there possibilities for advancement?
Advancement means to move up in your job, to be offered a promotion or higher position.