Can You Answer the 8 Most Common Job Interview Questions?

Congratulations! You have a job interview scheduled for a role you really, really want. That’s so exciting! You might be wondering how to prepare for it so you can make the strongest impression possible. Just like most things in life, the best way to show up as your best self is to practice, practice, practice.

Luckily, the questions being asked during job interviews are generally fairly consistent across all industries (with a few exceptions for the tech sector, for example). Let’s go through the 8 most common questions you are likely to be asked during a job interview, and I’ll share my tips for how to best answer them so you can start preparing your responses!

Tell us a little about yourself.

Now, this first one isn’t even a question, but you get the idea. Truthfully, they know very little about you other than what you put on your resume and cover letter. So, give them a brief overview of your past experiences and share some of your recent big wins. Share some professional goals and traits that make you a strong candidate for the position.

What are your greatest professional strengths?

The time to think about some of your biggest strengths is not on the spot when you’re in the interview room. This needs to be something you think about ahead of time. The last thing you want is to sputter out some answer that doesn’t highlight your assets and talents. So, sit down and really think about it ahead of time!

What do you consider to be your biggest weaknesses?

Ok, we all know this question is coming but it’s still probably the hardest to answer. Do they want us to be honest? Do you say something that’s not really a negative like, “I work too hard” or “I care too much”? I advise clients to answer honestly, but also show how you’re striving to improve. For example, you might say something like, “I don’t have a lot of experience with Excel but I signed up for a four-week online course and I plan to complete it before my start date.” 

What’s your biggest professional accomplishment to date?

This one is pretty straightforward, but the thing to remember is that you want to paint a picture. Don’t just say “I doubled my sales goal in 60 days.” Yes, that is impressive, but are they going to get the full scope of the accomplishment? Instead of just giving the results, tell them what changes you made and what added efforts you applied to the situation to get the results. When they’re able to see the full picture, it’s easier for them to appreciate the accomplishment.

Why are you leaving (or why did you leave) your most recent role?

Unlike the last question, this one is not as straightforward as it seems. Yes, they are curious why you’re changing jobs, but they’re also gathering information about you and how you handle challenges. For example, are you someone who would speak poorly of your previous employer? Your best bet is to be diplomatic and unemotional. Stick to the facts, and tell enough without giving all of the (possibly messy) details.

Why should we hire you?

This is a really broad question, so it’s tough to know how they are expecting you to answer it. Ideally, your answer is going to be a condensed version of your cover letter. Outline why you are interested in the role (be as specific as possible) and share why you feel you have the experience and expertise to excel in the role. Be sure to give a few examples of problems you can solve for them so they understand what an asset you would be to the company.

Tell us about a time you successfully navigated a conflict at work.

This is another non-question that will require some advanced thought. You don’t want to say something like, “my boss and I weren’t communicating well but I worked on it and then it got better.” You have to dig deeper. Use the STAR method to tell your story (S = situation, T - task, A = approach, and R = results). So, describe the issue, outline what you decided to do and why, talk about how you approached it, and then share the positive results!

Can you explain why you decided to change career paths?

This question isn’t going to come up in every interview, but if you’re leaving one industry for a completely different one, or if you’re re-entering the workforce after a long gap in employment, you will probably be asked something similar to this. Remember, they’re taking a gamble on you, and if you don’t have a proven history in this kind of role, they are looking for you to tell them why you’re still a good bet. Ease their mind by showing you’ve given the change a lot of thought and that you’re taking the initiative to make up for any gaps in your experience.

If you’re interested in getting 1:1 help to identify your short and long-term career goals, put together an action plan to nail job interviews, and negotiate a salary offer you truly deserve, my CCA program might be something worth looking into! If you’re not quite ready for coaching, I do have a free Job Interview Checklist PDF that you can access here if you’re interested in getting more tips to prepare for (and follow up after) your upcoming job interviews!

Happy job searching!