How to answer the most common interview questions

“Tell me about yourself.” Prepare a job-focused response showing that your abilities fit the role. Study similar job postings, identify the most common responsibilities, and treat it as a checklist for your condensed career history. This answer will set the tone of the interview.

“What do you know about the company?” This helps the interviewer gauge your interest. Your research will be useful throughout the interview, as you can ask questions and make relevant observations. Admiring the company = admiring the interviewer, which never hurts.

“Talk me through your career moves.” Sum up each job change in two statements. Share relevant learnings that can be applied to this role. Give understandable reasons for leaving by choosing from the LAMPS acronym: Location, Advancement, Money, Prestige, Security.

“Why did you leave X company?” This is a “tick-the-box question”: the interviewer just wants to ask it and move on. Keep it to two sentences. Something like: “I went as far as I could in that role; now it’s time for a new challenge.” Never criticize a former manager.

“What’s your greatest strength?” Focus on an ability that is essential for the job in question (e.g. if it’s a sales role, emphasize your power to persuade ). Mention any transferable skills that allow you to apply this particular strength in credible, relevant ways.

“What’s your greatest weakness?” A weakness that everyone shares is keeping up with technology. By giving examples of how you are trying to keep up with it (e.g. “I’ve just read X” or “I recently did Y”), you’ll frame yourself in a positive light while also appearing relatable.

“If you started today, what would you do first?” Say that you’d settle into the job by understanding the processes, becoming a member of the team, and developing clear priorities. This allows you to pivot to the question: “What do you consider the most pressing challenges?”

“How do you handle problems in your current role?” Don’t criticize the job or your tools. State what problems you’re good at identifying and solving (this is universal in any role), then explain the consequences of not doing that. This shows how well you understand your work.

“Do you have any questions?” This isn’t just a cue that the interview is finishing. Always take the opportunity to show engagement. Ask about next steps. Ask who succeeds/fails in this particular role and why. Ask what would be considered a successful first 90 days/six months.

Bottom line: Summarize your skills by matching them to the role’s requirements. Do the research, show enthusiasm and understanding. Ask appropriate questions, demonstrate your problem-solving ability. Don’t ramble or criticize. Most importantly, focus on why you’re the right fit.