Most Common Job Interview Questions And How To Answer Them

How To Answer Job Interview Questions
(Last Updated On: September 11, 2023)

Are you preparing for a job interview? How do you prepare? What do you think is the best method to prepare for a job interview? The best way is to find the most common job interview questions and review them. Let’s find a few most common job interview questions and how to answer them.

There is no need to memorise answers because you don’t know what will be the question. But you must have an idea of how to respond to a question. The more you review and learn the answering method, you will feel more confident during a job interview. 

Most Common Job Interview Questions And Answers

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Job interview questions
Most Common Job Interview Questions. Vector graphic showing the interview. Abstract vector created by macrovector – www.freepik.com Edited by the author

Are you a fresher?

Are you a fresher? Are you searching for the most common job interview questions? If yes, you have reached the right place. Let’s have a look at some tips for you.

As you know, today’s job market is tough. Even in campus placement, it is difficult to get a suitable job as per your imagination and skill. Many candidates have to compromise with a job that is not per their degree, skill and expectation.

They cannot sit idle at home after spending lakhs of money and studying for many years to get a degree. They have to repay the education loan taken from the bank, otherwise, the bank will take away all the properties of their parents and throw them on the street.

Tips for freshers preparing for a job interview

  1. Identify your skills and set your goals.
  2. Make a list of a few companies of your choice as per your skill and expectations.
  3. Find details about their products, solutions, reviews and what type of employees they recruit and offer.
  4. Check whether any seniors are working there. If yes, get more details and suggestions from them.
  5. If you fulfil the requirements and you are satisfied with the details about them, request the senior to refer you. Otherwise, try to gain the required skills. 
  6. Check which areas are in demand and gain knowledge/skills to get a job in that area. 
  7. Have a strong mind, and be fearless of failures.
  8. Don’t wait until your result is out. During your last semester, start doing the groundwork. This may help you to land a job soon after you clear your degree.
  9. Your resume is precious and hence don’t throw it around. Never ask irrelevant people to forward your resume in the open.
  10. Don’t expect that an influencer’s post will get you a job.
  11. Don’t argue for more salary with your first employer. You won’t continue in the first job forever. Use the first job opportunity to learn and gain experience.

Related Ultimate Success Advice For Young People

Now, let’s look at some of the most common job interview questions and how to answer them.

35 Most Common Job Interview Questions

  1. How would you describe yourself?
  2. Describe your dream job
  3. What are your strengths?
  4. What are your weaknesses?
  5. Do you consider yourself a successful person?
  6. What is your philosophy towards the work?
  7. Why have you been unemployed for such a long time?
  8. Why did you leave your last job?
  9. Are you a team player?
  10. What position do you prefer on a team working on a project?
  11. Describe your management style
  12. What do your co-workers talk about you?
  13. What irritates you about your co-workers?
  14. What would your previous boss say your strongest point is?
  15. What is your opinion about the last company you worked for?
  16. What do you know about this organisation and the type of work we do?
  17. Do you feel you are well qualified for this job?
  18. Why do you think you would do well in this job?
  19. What motivates you to do the best on the job?
  20. What is more important to you, the money or the work?
  21. Explain your ability to work under pressure
  22. How do you compensate for your lack of experience?
  23. When will you feel successful in this job?
  24. Are you willing to put the interests of the company ahead of your own?
  25. What are the qualities you look for in a boss?
  26. How do you see yourself five years from now?
  27. What have you learned from your previous mistakes?
  28. Why should we hire you?
  29. If hired, how long would you expect to work in this company?
  30. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?
  31. What are your expectations from this job/company?
  32. Why do you think you would do well at this job?
  33. How do you handle criticism?
  34. What are your activities and interests outside of work?
  35. Do you have any questions for me?

How to answer job interview questions?

1. How would you describe yourself?

Confine your answer to a job-related matter. Don’t start explaining your personal details. Unless the panel asks, never go much into your personal details.

2. Describe your dream job

Don’t reply pointing to a specific designation along with the responsibilities you expect. That answer may lead to putting you under the scanner to confirm whether you are suitable for that particular role. What can you reply to? Better to make use of stereotyped phrases like amicable environment, a job-giving satisfaction etc.

3. What are your strengths?

You should be well prepared with apt instances that reflect your all strengths.  You should speak the full list of your strengths. Don’t miss to tell even the smallest strength because the more you tell, the more demand will be.

4. What are your weaknesses?

The answer to this question should be opposite to point no.3 and well-composed. Never start speaking about your all personality disorders straight away. Speak about your silly weaknesses only that are strengths in disguise. For eg. ” I take time in getting ready for the office, so I set my alarm 1 hour in advance.

5. Do you consider yourself a successful person?

You should reply ‘absolutely yes’ with a facial expression of self-confidence and a smile. You can also speak about all your major achievements.

6. What is your philosophy towards the work?

Speak out about the basic values you adopt at the workplace. Also, explain your methods and the energies you can bring to the teams for the success of the project.

7. Why have you been unemployed for such a long time?

Discuss all the productive activities you were doing after your studies. You can tell about any special course attended to improve your knowledge and skills. Also, tell about practising in a firm for no compensation, but just for the experience.

8. Why did you leave your last job?

Sometimes you must have left the job for any problem with the work environment. Never speak bad mouth about your last job/boss/company. Your response should be positive only like, “I am looking for better job opportunities for my future“.

9. Are you a team player?

Reply to this question should be a firm ‘YES’. You should speak about your success in projects as a team player.

10. What position do you prefer on a team working on a project?

Your response should be imperative and create a sense of feeling that you are flexible. You can reply that you don’t mind either following or leading.

11. Describe your management style

Explain the methods you use to guide, motivate and share with the team to make them feel comfortable with the work they do.

12. What do your co-workers talk about you?

While replying to this question take care that you do not sound too exaggerating. Limit your reply to regular compliments you receive from colleagues. Never speak about any bad comments they made about you.

13. What irritates you about your co-workers?

Reply that you never get irritated. You can get along with any kind of co-workers by dealing with things in a quite softer way and adjusting to them all the time.

14. What would your previous boss say your strongest point is?

Letters of recommendation or praise, if any, can be shown to the interview panel for their reference. You can speak about specific situational things that happened at your previous workplace. Be careful not to blabber out adjectives.

15. What is your opinion about the last company you worked for?

Avoid any sort of negative or baseless comments. Speak positively by saying that it was a great platform for your growth and a reason for your present ‘You’. Never go much into the details of the work or reveal any business secret as it is confidential. Because that will give the impression that you don’t keep business secrets confidential.

16. What do you know about this organisation and the type of work we do?

You must be well prepared to answer this type of question. Today, most companies have websites describing everything about them. You can collect all the required information about the company from their website. The company’s website is the most authentic source of information to answer questions like this. You can collect specific information from people working in the company.

17. Do you think you are well qualified for this job?

Never express any kind of self-doubt about your credentials by speaking any word of a bit uncertain. Try your best to convince yourself that you are apt for the job. Your reply should make them feel that you are the most suitable person for the job.

18. Why do you think you would do well in this job?

Your reply should highlight the skill sets and experience at the previous workplaces. Explain your ability to handle crisis situations to make them feel that you are the right person they are looking for.

19. What motivates you to do the best on the job?

It is true that all are looking for better salaries and benefits. But avoid dumb answers like “the salary” because that will wipe off the chances. You should quote some positive things like a good work environment, discipline, respect, integrity and teamwork.

Related Self-Discipline Benefits | Why Self-Discipline Is So Hard To Master?

20. What is more important to you, the money or the work?

Your answer should not sound too generous or the other way by staying opinionated that one is more important than the other. You can speak clearly that both are equally important to you and job satisfaction too.

Related Why Money Can Not Buy Everything Required In Life?

21. Explain your ability to work under pressure

This is a tricky question and hence you should answer such tricky questions carefully. Explain the situations in which you thrived under pressure. Present your reply as if the pressure within the limits brings the best out of you.

22. How do you compensate for your lack of experience?

Here you have to prove your experiences by highlighting the skill sets and achievements you achieved to create a sense of confidence. You can mention a few similar roles you have taken up during study projects and achieved success.

23. When will you feel successful in this job?

Don’t reply like ‘when I get a better salary and benefits as expected’. You can answer like “when I qualitatively and quantitatively meet the targets set and go beyond that level”.

24. Are you willing to put the interests of the company ahead of your own?

Your reply must be a simple ‘YES’. This question is a test of how far you integrate with the company and how you take things seriously and responsibly to meet the organisational ends.

25. What are the qualities you look for in a boss?

Answer with some good qualities like competent, fair, cooperative and encouraging. Never say specific qualities or go for descriptions to the minute details.

26. How do you see yourself five years from now?

Your reply should give the impression that you are a person with great vision. Tell something relevant to the objective line in your resume.

27. What have you learned from your previous mistakes?

You should reveal some of the considerable mistakes only and speak much about the lessons learnt. Take care not to disclose the blunders at the previous workplaces.

28. Why should we hire you?

This question has to be replied to carefully because your answer should reflect the biparty need. Maintain a balanced tone in your words that gives a clear message about your need for a job as well as the company’s needs.

29. If hired, how long would you expect to work in this company?

Never hint about any plan to jump out after getting some experience or a better opportunity. You can answer like ‘as long as both the parties feel satisfactory’. Don’t give any specific period of time.

30. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?

Be relevant and give out justifiable answers. You can mix out the job description and requirements along with your skill sets. Your answer should reflect that you are the right person for this job.

31. What are your expectations from this job/company?

Start speaking as if you are inducted into the company and working. Speak out openly that you like a bit of freedom to do your work successfully and are not much interested in being restricted to carrying out small things too.

32. Why do you think you would do well at this job?

Your reply should highlight the skill sets and experience at your previous workplaces. You can also explain how you handle crisis situations to make them feel that you are the right person.

33. How do you handle criticism?

Say that you will understand the intentions for the harsh treatment and hence never take criticism personally. Speak out as if the criticism is the best way to improve. Narrate a situation you were subject to criticism and rose to the next best level.

34. What are your activities and interests outside of work?

List out your hobbies and also describe how you enjoy your free time. Try to relate your hobbies to activities that help you gain skills.

35. Do you have any questions for me?

This is a very common question at the final stage of the interview. You should be ready with a list of questions as part of the homework. Be clear in understanding the responses, which establishes that you are very clear in your thoughts and actions.

What is important in facing job interview questions?

Your self-confidence and positive attitude are important factors to give the best impression about you in the mind of the interview panel. Avoid self-doubt about your personality and skills. Never stop believing in yourself even for a second.

Related Powerful tips to boost self-confidence

The number of applicants will be much higher than the vacancies and hence it is not possible for everyone to get the job. Remember, failure is not the end, but a chance to learn from the mistakes.

Never waste opportunities. Don’t ignore or miss opportunities thinking that you won’t get a good result or will wait for another better opportunity.

Final Thoughts

Hope that you have got an idea about what type of questions you can expect in a job interview. The most important thing is your confidence and fearless mind in answering the questions. Speaking with candour will help you to become successful in your career and life.

Recommended for further reading

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