There are potentially thousands of different job interview questions, though many questions are merely the same question asked in a different way. Below are 40 interview questions you may be asked, relating to 6 question categories.
Job fit
The following job interview questions relate to job fit - the interviewer trying to assess whether this job is a good fit for you.
- Why are you interested in working in this industry?
- Describe a past experience or story that explains your interest in this work.
- What skills and abilities make you particularly good at this work?
- How do you keep motivated and energized in your job?
- What kind of work inspires you?
- What will keep you interested in this work or industry over the long term?
- Describe what your ideal career looks like.
- What attributes do you think make someone an excellent __________ (insert name of job title)?
- In what type of work environment are you at your best?
Work style
The following interview questions relate to how you get work done.
- What are your biggest strengths?
- Are you concept-oriented or task-oriented?
- How would colleagues describe your attention to detail?
- How do you manage time?
- Do you take initiative without being asked for it?
- Which aspects of this job do you feel most confident about?
- How would you describe your work style?
- Provide examples of projects in which you performed at your best.
Organizational awareness
The following interview questions assess whether you have done your homework and understand what the organization is about.
- To the best of your ability, describe our company and what you think makes it unique.
- Why do you want to work here?
- Where do you think the biggest challenges lie for this organization?
Uniqueness
The following questions relate to assessing how you are distinct from other candidates.
- What skills or ideas do you bring to the job that other candidates won't offer?
- What unique value do you bring to our organization?
- How are you different from the rest of the crowd?
- How will your skill set complement the current abilities of the department?
- What particularly difficult problems have you solved before?
Diligence
The following questions are related to whether you are a hard worker.
- How do you stay on top of new developments in this line of work?
- What factors cause you to be successful in your career?
- Tell me about a time when you tackled a tough assignment.
- How would you (or your last employer) describe your work habits?
- Describe a personal skill or work habit that you have worked hard to improve?
- In the past, when things didn't go as planned, how did you regroup?
- Tell me about a time when an obstacle caused you to deviate from your plan, yet you still reached the desired goal.
Teamwork
The following questions relate to how you work with other people.
- What type of people do you work with most effectively?
- Do you work better on your own or in a group?
- What personal characteristics make you effective?
- How would you describe your leadership style?
- What role do you usually take on a team?
- How would other people describe working with you?
- What makes you an effective team member?
- Are you a team player?
