{"id":3931,"date":"2018-05-17T22:20:56","date_gmt":"2018-05-17T22:20:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comparably.com\/blog\/?p=3931"},"modified":"2018-06-27T13:57:35","modified_gmt":"2018-06-27T13:57:35","slug":"the-25-top-interview-questions-answers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comparably.com\/blog\/the-25-top-interview-questions-answers\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top 25 Interview Questions and How to Answer Them"},"content":{"rendered":"

Preparing for an interview is often a nerve-wracking experience. Aside from the practical things to contend with (i.e. – Is my resume printed? Who am I meeting with? What should I wear?), many people find themselves stressed and anxious about what they\u2019ll be asked during the interview. (Anyone who\u2019s ever interviewed for a job at\u00a0Google<\/a>, where interviewers are\u00a0famous<\/a>\u00a0for asking questions that are particularly surprising and complex, knows the feeling.)<\/p>\n

Luckily, there are plenty of resources to help. Check out our advice for answering the 25 best job interview questions below. And while you\u2019re preparing, be sure to use\u00a0Comparably\u2019s company insights tool<\/a>\u00a0to see how employees feel about the culture and compensation at the companies you\u2019re interviewing with.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. \u201cTell me about yourself.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:\u00a0<\/b>A common opener, this is a way for a hiring manager not only to get a short synopsis of the responsibilities you\u2019ve had, but your general vibe (i.e. – Are you arrogant? Do you make good eye contact or are you staring at your shoes? Do you have a sense of humor?).<\/p>\n

How you should answer:\u00a0<\/b>The key here is not to tell your whole life story, but to pull out the relevant and impressive pieces of your story that make you qualified for this position. Since this question will likely be asked in the beginning of the interview, make sure you show your professionalism and positivity. Use this question to give the interviewer a taste of your personality, and be \u201chuman\u201d in your response: it\u2019s good to have a general idea of what points you want to make, but if you come across like you\u2019re reading a script, you may put an interviewer off.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2. \u201cTell me about the ideal position you\u2019re looking for.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:\u00a0<\/b>The employer wants to see whether your preferred goals and responsibilities match up with the job available.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:\u00a0<\/b>Be honest in your response, but realize that if what you are looking for differs drastically from what your employer is looking for, this isn\u2019t the right fit.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3. \u201cAre you familiar with what we do here?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:\u00a0<\/b>Have you done your homework? Do you care about what the job entails?<\/i><\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0Doing your research is an absolute must. Don\u2019t just read the \u201cAbout Us\u201d section of the website — check out news articles and product releases, talk to current employees, find out everything you can. Doing this makes you stand out; not doing this sends a bad signal to the employer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

4. \u201cWhat is your biggest weakness?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0An old standby for many interviewers, this question seeks to understand not only where you struggle, but how you articulate that struggle and what progress you\u2019ve made toward combating it. That last part is key.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0Many times, job candidates are advised to say something that\u2019s actually a positive (i.e. – \u201cI work too hard\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m too productive sometimes\u201d). We prefer an approach that speaks more to identifying a real problem and explaining how you worked through it. For example, you could say that you used to struggle with public speaking but you\u2019ve been actively working through it with lots of practice or even a public speaking class.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

5. \u201cWhat are you best at?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:\u00a0<\/b>The employer wants to know not only your biggest skill, but how you self-assess your biggest skill. They want to see how easily you can communicate what it is that you do well.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0Be ready to talk about what you\u2019re good at and, more importantly, how your skills can help the company.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

6. \u201cTell me about a time you got [<\/b>X]<\/b>\u00a0result.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:\u00a0<\/b>How involved were you in helping your current or previous employer successfully solve for a critical metric?\u00a0<\/i>The employer wants to hire someone who can replicate that success at their company.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:\u00a0<\/b>Don\u2019t speak in platitudes. Give specific examples of what you did to drive key metrics in your previous roles, and use it as proof that you\u2019ll be successful at this company.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

7. \u201cWhat are your salary expectations?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:\u00a0<\/b>Are we on the same page about compensation?\u00a0<\/i>As an employer, you don\u2019t want to until the third interview before you find out that a job candidate\u2019s expectations are too high. Always ask the question.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:\u00a0<\/b>Be upfront about what you\u2019re looking for in terms of compensation, but make sure you have an idea of your market worth. Use\u00a0Comparably<\/a>\u00a0to see what people with your education, experience, title, and location, are earning across your industry.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

8. \u201cIf I were to talk to 10 people you\u2019ve previously worked with, what would they say your weaknesses were? What bothered them about you?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:\u00a0<\/b>The employer isn\u2019t looking for perfection; they want to see how self-aware you are about what you need to improve. By phrasing the question this way, they\u2019re making it more accessible than \u201cWhat\u2019s your biggest weakness?\u201d<\/p>\n

How you should answer:\u00a0<\/b>Avoid B.S. answers like \u201cI work too hard\u201d or \u201cI care too much.\u201d Be honest. For example, when I ask this question to job candidates, I often pre-empt it by saying \u201cpeople say I can get really stubborn and micromanage others. Sometimes I find it\u2019s a hard balance to know when to let go and when to get involved.\u201d Your interviewer doesn\u2019t want perfect, they want honest.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

9. \u201cWhat will I only know about you after we\u2019ve worked together for a year?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:\u00a0<\/b>This question, which I picked up years ago from Centrifuse CEO Wendy Lea, is meant to make you think critically and move beyond the pre-polished answers. What you choose to talk about is very telling — often, it\u2019ll give the employer more of a sense of your hobbies, interests, and personality.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:\u00a0<\/b>Questions like these take time to critically process. You may feel vulnerable in those moments, but don\u2019t revert to a canned answer. Your potential employer wants to see how you think in the moment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

10. \u201cTell me about a big mistake you made at work and how you handled it.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:\u00a0<\/b>The employer is looking for a sense of accountability on your part. They want to see that you identified a mistake and took the responsibility of fixing it.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:\u00a0<\/b>Don\u2019t hide it. Explain the situation and provide a thoughtful response about what you did to make the situation better.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

11. \u201cTell me about a time when you either worked under very tight supervision or very loose supervision. How did you deal?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0Is this someone who\u2019s going to have a really strong trigger if they\u2019re micromanaged, or is this someone who needs too much direction?\u00a0<\/i>Neither extreme is preferable.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:\u00a0<\/b>Be careful of showing a strong dislike of one style versus the other.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

12. \u201cWhy was there a gap in your employment?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0Your resume tells the story of your career, and if it doesn\u2019t have a natural arc, people are going to want to understand that as a reflection of who you are.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:\u00a0<\/b>Be honest about your motivations in going from one job to another. Don\u2019t get defensive.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

13. \u201cWhat do you like to do outside of work?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0What is your personality?<\/i>\u00a0People tend to be pretty awkward in interviews, but once they talk about what they do outside of work, they become themselves. As an employer, you get to see their real personality come through.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:\u00a0<\/b>Don\u2019t worry about sounding cool. It doesn\u2019t matter what you do; just be you.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

14.\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cWhat do you think our company could be doing better?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0How much do you know about us? What opportunities are you seeing that maybe we don\u2019t see?<\/i><\/p>\n

How you should answer:\u00a0<\/b>Don\u2019t be afraid to give thoughtful but critical feedback on a company. Any high-performance organization is hiring you because they want to improve, so your advice will be seen as a benefit not a disadvantage.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

15. \u201cDescribe yourself in one word.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0The employer wants to understand how you self-assess.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0Offer an answer that shows you are self-aware about your personality and your career. Use this as an opportunity to show off your fun side — generally, stick to positive words like\u00a0“customer-oriented” or “creative” and steer clear of scary words like “intense.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

16. \u201cWhat personality types do you have the most difficulty dealing with and why?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0They\u2019re trying to see is there anybody on the team that you\u2019d have a really hard time interacting with.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0Be prepared to talk about the types of people you like working with and the types of people you don\u2019t like working with.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

17. \u201cWalk me through a typical day in your current job, and explain what you\u2019d like your typical day to be?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0Do the things you do (or want to do) match up with the things that I need you to do?\u00a0<\/i>Job titles can be deceiving; this dual-part question can help an employer decide whether your experience and interests are right for this role.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0Be thorough. Paint an accurate picture. It doesn\u2019t do you any good to speak in generalities.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

18. \u201cWhere do you want to be five years from today?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:\u00a0<\/b>Do you have a plan for your career, and is this company the right stepping stone to get you there?<\/i><\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0Be able to articulate not just what you want today, but where you want to be in the future. If you don\u2019t know, in most cases it\u2019s ok to say that. There are of course cases where wouldn\u2019t bode well — for instance, if you\u2019re applying for a senior-level management job, it may not leave the company feeling confident to hear you don\u2019t know where you see yourself in five years.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

19. \u201cWhy should we hire you?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0This is the employer\u2019s way of seeing how well you can articulate your assets. Companies are looking for more than just generalizations (i.e. – I\u2019m really creative). They want to know specifically how your creativity can help them achieve their goals.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0Make sure you have a good handle on the company\u2019s mission and goals. As this is a question that is often asked later in the interview process, use what you\u2019ve gathered throughout the interview to formulate an answer that matches the company\u2019s greatest needs and priorities.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

20. \u201cWhat professional achievement are you most proud of?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0Companies want to know not only what sort of big wins you\u2019ve had, but also what the lasting implications of those successes have been.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0Draw out a specific example. It doesn\u2019t have to be an award you\u2019ve won, though that\u2019s always nice to highlight. You could pick something more personal — for example, how you mentored a colleague and turned his or her performance around. Be honest and be descriptive in describing what earned you the achievement you\u2019re discussing. Highlight the contributions of your team when you can — it will convey that you\u2019re a team player and possess a sense of humbleness and gratitude.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

21. \u201cWhy are you looking to leave your current job?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0Asking this question gives a hiring manager insight into your current state of mind while also giving them insight into the forces that motivate you as an employee.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0Whatever you do, stay positive. This is not the time to badmouth your boss or complain about the horrible work hours you\u2019re putting in everyday. Your best bet is to offer a response that shows you\u2019re excited about the opportunity in front of you. Show that you\u2019ve done your research on the company and the position itself, and connect it with your personal goals. If you\u2019re unemployed while interviewing and you\u2019re asked why you left your previous job, be honest about it. If you were let go, say something like \u201cI was let go, unfortunately.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

22. \u201cYou seem to have made a few career changes. Can you explain?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0Employers want to know that you\u2019re not just going to hop into some new career six months after starting this job.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0Explain what prompted some of these career decisions, but be sure to emphasize how your experiences can translate in the open position. For example, you can emphasize how your previous career in PR has made you a great communicator — an essential skill for your new job in HR.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

23. \u201cYou seem to have made a few career changes. Can you explain?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0Employers want to know that you\u2019re not just going to hop into some new career six months after starting this job.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0Explain what prompted some of these career decisions, but be sure to emphasize how your experiences can translate in the open position. For example, you can emphasize how your previous career in PR has made you a great communicator who can easily break down complicated topics — an essential skill for your new job as an HR rep.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

24. How would you describe your management style?<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0Who is this person as a leader? What skills do they use to motivate and grow their team? Are they a micromanager?<\/i><\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0There\u2019s no one way to answer this question, though it\u2019s probably best for you to avoid describing yourself as a micromanager: 39% of respondents in a\u00a0recent study by Comparably<\/a>\u00a0said being a micromanager was the worst quality in a boss. The key thing to remember here is that whatever you say, you should be able to back up with a specific example. For instance, \u201cI constantly remind my team that I\u2019m there to support them, whether it\u2019s by checking in with them at various points throughout a project and asking how I can help them make their job easier, or by bringing in donuts at the end of a particularly rough week.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

25. \u201cWhat questions do you have for us?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

What the employer is actually asking:<\/b>\u00a0They want to see that you\u2019re curious and passionate about the company. In many cases, the questions a job candidate asks are often more telling than the answers they\u2019ve given during the interview.<\/p>\n

How you should answer:<\/b>\u00a0Come prepared with lots of questions about the company and the individual job, but don\u2019t ask about salary. If you bring it up in the first interview, it can make you seem like compensation is the most important thing to you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Preparing for an interview is often a nerve-wracking experience. Aside from the practical things to contend with (i.e. – Is my resume printed? Who am I meeting with? What should I wear?), many people find themselves stressed and anxious about what they\u2019ll be asked during the interview. (Anyone who\u2019s ever interviewed for a job at\u00a0Google, … Read full-story <\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":3936,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4,65],"tags":[152,153,154,155],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comparably.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3931"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comparably.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comparably.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comparably.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comparably.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3931"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.comparably.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3931\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4317,"href":"https:\/\/www.comparably.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3931\/revisions\/4317"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comparably.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3936"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comparably.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comparably.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3931"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comparably.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}