Most often, job interview questions aren’t meant to trick you. They’re simply a way for interviewers to find out a bit more about who you are as a candidate and how you might fit into their position for hire and the organization as a whole. But of course, there are some questions that can feel like a trap, like “What is your biggest weakness?” Should you be candid? Should you skirt around the topic? Should you pretend that perfectionism is a real and genuine weakness you have? The reality is, there is an art to answering these common job interview questions.
But fear not; we’re here to help you navigate these questions so you can nail your next interview and land your next big gig.
Top 7 Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them
1. “Tell me about yourself”
This question is probably the most difficult of all of the questions because of its open-ended nature.
But like a resume or cover letter, this answer requires a response that pays close attention to the job posting and the organization’s values.
If, for example, you’re interviewing for a data analysis role, you might start with your training and the credentials that you have and that they asked for in the job posting. You might then move onto extra training or interests in the field to show you’re in this field and position in particular for the long-haul.
To finish off this question, offer something a bit different about you that shows you’re well-rounded and that you’re not just a one-dimensional worker.
For example, you might say, “In my free time I like to go to escape rooms or play the guitar” to show you have interests outside of the field, too, but ones that will only enhance your work, not take away from it.
That is, an interest in music often showcases a worker’s creative side. Similarly, escape rooms and other puzzle-based activities show a worker’s ability to think laterally. And this is also beneficial for various fields of work.
It also shows the employer a bit about who you are as an individual, and might make you a more memorable candidate. So take a risk here and offer a bit of who you are.
2. “Why are you interested in this role?”
As obvious as it might sound, use the job posting as your guideline. Jot down some notes from the posting and integrate that into your question so you hit some key phrases that they might be looking for, just as you would in a cover letter or tailored resume.
Points you should hit might include the position’s opportunities for growth, its fast-paced environment, and the company’s position within the industry.
As well, mention something that you genuinely admire about the organization. This shows you’ve done your research and have dug into what this company in particular is looking for.
3. “What is your biggest weakness?”
Raise your hand if you’ve ever responded to this question with an obviously bad response to make your weaknesses sound like strengths.
Most of the time (if not all of the time), this isn’t going to trick the interviewer into thinking you don’t have weaknesses. In fact, it might just show that you’re not okay with being vulnerable and genuine.
Instead, offer something you’ve struggled with in the past—yes, a real weakness—and how you’re actively working to overcome it.
For example, “In the past, I’ve found writing long-form content challenging, but I’ve been taking courses online with Coursera and have found my writing has vastly improved. I’m going to continue working on this, however, to make sure I get the most out of my writing.”
This shows you’re being real about your struggles but you’re also actively approaching them head-on to resolve them.
4. “Describe a challenging situation you faced at work and how you handled it”
In previously job interviews, you might’ve thought of a situation, offered how it was a challenge, and then offered how you handled it. There can’t be more to this, can there?
According to Vicky Oliver, however, there are more specific ways to approach this question.
In the article “10 Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them” from the Harvard Business Review (HBR), Oliver suggests using the STAR method.
That is, you should focus on the situation (S) and the task (T) that was specifically challenging, and then addressing your actions (A) and results (R).
This way, you can more tangibly explain what the outcomes of your approach were and how this practically worked. This is both more specific and more indicative of your thinking processes when problem-solving. And this shows that it wasn’t just luck that got you out of a sticky situation.
Instead, the STAR method shows that you’ve problem-solved effectively before, and you’ll be able to do it again.
5. “Tell me about a time you worked collaboratively with a team”
Here, the interview is most likely looking for how you share tasks and effectively support team members when working on a task collaboratively.
That is, don’t brag about how you took on all the responsibilities or how you did the most work out of anyone.
Instead, offer tangible examples of how you and the team delegated tasks, maintained effective communication, and even if you worked remote/asynchronously as a team and still managed to pull off a project all together.
What tools did you use? How did you manage your communication? How did you manage time together? What were challenges and how did you overcome them as a team while remaining professional and respectful? Again, here, use the STAR method to describe specifics.
6. “Why did you leave your previous job?”
Certainly, if you’ve left a company, there’s probably a good reason why. But as tempting as it is, avoid placing blame on your last employer.
A lot of the time, complaining about management or an organization’s processes can look like you’re a bad sport or can suggest that you might also leave this organization if they don’t meet your standards. (Of course, that may be completely valid, but this might be a big red flag to the interviewer and they may not hire you for this reason.)
Instead, suggest reasons that were exclusive to that specific position and that don’t apply to this position. This might include opportunities for growth, a faster-paced environment, opportunities to work from home, and more responsibility that will make you more engaged with your work.
Offering these points will instead make your potential new employer feel good about themself and show your eagerness to work for them.
7. “Do you have any questions for us?”
I don’t know about you, but after a long interview, I’m emotionally and mentally exhausted, a bit sweaty, and just anxious to get out of the room. But as tempting as it may be to answer in the negative and get out of there as soon as you can, use this question to turn the tables on the company.
Here, although your questions are just as important as your previous responses, now is the time to ask the interviewer questions to see how they fit in with your expectations.
Ask them about all the things you value in an employer, like what your hours might look like, what vacation days you get each year you work there, and what their work culture looks like.
As well, ask them about specifics related to the field, like what conferences or other industry-wide events they attend. This will further show your dedication to this position and the field as a whole.
At the same time, it will let you know what you can look forward to if you do choose to work for this employer and what this might offer you in your career.
Conclusion:
Answering interview questions is truly an art. There is no right or wrong, but there certainly are better or worse ways of responding. And when the competition is fierce, you’ll want to make a great impression to make sure you’re a memorable and impressive candidate. Remember to always turn questions into opportunities for showing your own growth and the ways in which you’ve prepared for this interview, like by talking about what you know about the organization and the field of work in general. The more specifics you offer, namely through the STAR method, the better your outcomes will be with your responses.
Don’t forget to offer a bit of yourself in your responses and show them what makes you unique as a candidate. Good luck!
