10 Common Interview Questions & How to Answer Them

So, you’ve been looking for a new job, spoken to a recruiter and found an open position that might be the right fit for you. 

And they have even scheduled to interview you in the next few weeks! 

That’s great to hear, but... 

Now is not the time to do nothing. Now is the time to start preparing yourself for the upcoming interview. 

So how do you prepare? 

Well, we can’t be there with you to help you during the interview. 

But we can help you prepare for 10 common questions that your interviewers might ask you, and how you can answer them! 

Let’s get started with the most common, and probably one of the hardest questions for some people. 

1. Tell me about yourself 

Interviewers ask this to quickly get to know you and see how you can summarise your experience and skills relevant to the job. 

Now that you know this, just give them a quick overview of your professional background. 

You can start by highlighting key achievements and experiences. 

But remember to also keep it brief. 

This is an interview, not a monologue.  

If the interviewers want to know more, they will bring it up later.  

How to Prepare: 

To prepare for this question, just simply look back at your resume and career and find key milestones and achievements you have had before. 

How many will depend on the seniority of the role, but probably 3-5 key points is a good starting point. 

You also want to summarise these points to fit within 1-2 minutes, so your self-introduction is not too long. 

If you feel nervous about the question, practice introducing yourself to a mirror or a friend before going for the interview. 

Here’s a very simple example you can refer to 

"I have over five years of experience in marketing, specializing in digital campaigns. At my last job, I increased our social media engagement by 30% through targeted content strategies." 

As this is usually the first question in an interview, it is also a great way to give off a strong first impression.  

2. Walk me through your resume 

Similar to the previous question, the interviewers want to know more about you. 

This question helps interviewers understand your career progression and how your past experiences have prepared you for the current role. 

So, give the interviewers what they want. 

How to Prepare: 

A reminder that your resume will be what the interviewers refer to during the interview. 

So be familiar with all the details you have included on your resume. 

You will get the interviewers scratching their heads if the experience you mentioned is not found in your resume. 

Summarise your career progression, focusing on your most recent roles and tell the interviewers how they have prepared you for this position. 

Your answer should sound something like this. 

 "I started my career as a marketing assistant, where I learned the basics of campaign management. Over the years, I moved up to a marketing manager role, leading a team and overseeing major projects." 

Properly answering this question will help you remain consistent between what you say and what you’ve presented (your CV) and relieve any potential confusion from the interviewers. 

3. Why do you want to work at this company? 

Although you may have seen many jokes on the internet for this question, “For the money” is not a good answer to give for a corporate job interview. 

Interviewers ask this because they want to see if you've done your research and if you are genuinely interested in the company. 

It’s also a great question to ask yourself. 

Why do I want to work here? Why did I apply? 

So read up on the company and find aspects that are interesting to you. 

Their culture, mission, recent achievements, and career progression are great places to start. 

Remember, one of the worst things you could do to yourself is successfully get hired by a company that you have no interest in. 

How to Prepare: 

As mentioned earlier, research about the company. 

Head to their website and social media to find a convenient place to learn about their 

• Mission 

• Value 

• Culture 

• Recent news that might be interesting 

While researching, see if all of these things align with your own goals and values. 

The interview will be much easier for you if you’re actually interested in some of these things. 

And when asked the question, an example answer could be something like 

"I admire your company's commitment to innovation and sustainability. Your recent project on renewable energy solutions aligns with my values and professional goals." 

Answering this question well will show your interest and commitment to the interviewers. 

4. What would you consider your weakness? 

Choose a genuine weakness when answering this question. 

A genuine weakness is something that has had an actual negative impact on your work. 

Everyone has a weakness. No one is perfect. 

But you should also frame it in a positive way and explain you are working on improving this. 

It might seem counter-intuitive, but it will show that you are someone who self-reflects and are a person who can learn from their mistakes. 

How to Prepare: 

Reflect and choose a real area where you can improve. 

Common areas you can think about are: 

• Communication 

• Organization and Planning 

• Collaboration and Teamwork 

• Emotional Intelligence (EQ) 

• Leadership and Delegation 

Your interviewers will also be interested in knowing how you plan to address this weakness. 

An example of how to answer this question would be: 

"I sometimes struggle with delegation, but I've been taking steps to improve by attending leadership workshops and practicing with my current team." 

Candidates that answer this question well will come off as more genuine and easy to work with. 

5. What makes you unique? 

The opposite of the previous question, but also a good way to show the interviewers how well you know yourself. 

This is a good way to let the interviewers know what you can bring to the company. 

Interviewers would like you to highlight unique skills and experiences that will set you apart from the other candidates. 

How To Prepare 

Think back to your work, career and the big wins that you managed to achieve. 

What was it that you did that helped you bring success in areas that no one else was able to? 

Highlight those skills and experiences that few to no one did while you were in that situation. 

These are the qualities that will help you stand out. 

And a small reminder. 

Please ensure your unique qualities are relevant to the job you're applying for.   

A very simple example could be something like this. 

 "My background in both marketing and data analysis allows me to create campaigns that are not only creative but also data-driven and effective." 

Candidates will have a great advantage if they can communicate the value when answering this question. 

6. Why are you leaving your current role? 

This is more relevant for you if you have already been working before. 

Many candidates can accidentally mess up on this question because they start going on a rant about their current role. 

Remember, this is an interview. Not a therapy session. 

Be honest, but diplomatic in your response. 

Focus on what you're looking for in a new opportunity rather than criticizing your current job.  

How to Prepare: 

Think about the real reasons you are leaving, and list them down to dive in a little. 

You want to frame your answers in a positive light, focusing on future opportunities. 

For example. 

 "I'm looking for new challenges and opportunities to grow. While I've enjoyed my time at my current company, I feel that this role aligns better with my career aspirations." 

This is also a great question to practice to truly understand what you’re looking for in your career! 

Which is also related to the next question. 

7. What are your career aspirations? 

Also commonly asked as “Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?” 

Interviewers ask this as they are interested in you to share your long-term career goals and how this position will help you achieve that. 

This is a really tough question for candidates who have not done research in their potential career path. 

Definitely a priority question to prepare for.

Your interviewers want you to explain to them about the direction of your career path. 

You will need to have some idea of what you want to be doing in 5-10 years. 

And you will also need to align it with the role you are applying for. 

Don’t apply for something like a Project Manager role and tell the interviewers you want to open up a bakery in the next 5-10 years. 

You want your goals and the role you’re applying for to make sense. 

How to Prepare: 

To prepare for this, you will need to research about your career path. 

Look on LinkedIn or similar places for people who previously had a similar role to you right now. 

See how they progressed, how long it took them, and what are the different options you can progress within your career. 

Based on the research you’ve done, think about where you want to be in 5-10 years. 

Once you have understood your options, align them with the role you are applying for, and prepare to share your long-term career goals with the interviewers. 

A simple example you could use is something like this 

"In the next 5 years, I aim to become a senior marketing strategist, and I believe this role will provide the experience and challenges I need to reach that goal." 

No bakery mentioned, and everything is aligned! 

8. What are you looking for in a new position? 

Similar to a few of the previous questions like “Why do you want to work in this company” and “Why are you leaving your current role?”. 

This question shifts the focus back to why you are applying to the company and specifically for the role. 

If your previous answers are good enough, interviewers may skip this question. 

But if they do ask, then expect to provide a similar but more role focused answer to this question. 

How to Prepare 

Think about the things you value most in a job, like: 

• Growth opportunities 

• Company culture 

• Chance to work on exciting projects 

Look out for these while researching the role for yourself, and ensure the role aligns with your priorities. 

If your values and the role align, your answer could look like this. 

 "I'm looking for a role where I can contribute to innovative projects and be part of a collaborative team that values creativity and growth." 

Similar to the previous questions, reflect on what you want and align it with the role you’re applying for. 

9. Do you have any questions for me/us? 

Here is a question where you can show that you have really done your research of a company. 

This question is used to see if your interest in the company can go one or two levels deeper. 

Prepare thoughtful questions that you cannot find online easily to ask your interviewers. 

That said, if the interview has been going well, you may have already asked those questions on your mind. 

So if that’s the case, just let the interviewers know that you are satisfied with what you’ve already asked before. 

How to Prepare 

While researching the company, think of questions around these areas 

• role 

• team 

• company culture 

• future projects 

And it’s even better if you can show genuine curiosity when asking these questions to learn more about the company. 

A few sample answers would be like... 

"Can you tell me more about the team I'll be working with?"  

"What are the biggest challenges the company is currently facing?" 

Remember, although you are preparing for an interview, you are also interviewing the company to see if they are a good fit for you. 

And this is a great place during an interview to learn more. 

10. What is your goal salary? 

And the last common question is another one that causes some candidates to get flustered.  

Interviewers ask this question because they want to understand if your salary expectations are reasonable based on the role and your past experiences. 

Note: Depending on the company, this question might be brought up before or even after the interview by the recruiter. 

You don’t have to provide an exact number for this, and a salary range is also acceptable. 

With proper preparation, you can skip the awkwardness of this question and negotiate with confidence. 

How to Prepare: 

The easiest way to prepare is to look up the salary ranges on job websites, salary websites and forums for similar jobs in your area. 

Keep in mind that certain factors like location play a significant factor. 

Companies in city centres typically pay more compared to companies in more rural areas. 

Knowing the salary range for the role will be a great benchmark for you. 

But remember to factor in other things like 

• Your experience 

• Your skills 

• The value you can bring 

And remember to check on other compensations provided as well! 

Ready For Your Interview? 

We’ve gone over 10 common interview questions that you can expect to be asked in your next interview. 

Do keep in mind that these are more of the general questions. 

You should expect to be asked technical questions about the role as well. 

For most if not all of these questions, you will need to do proper research and preparation to have the best chance of passing the interview. 

Regardless of the outcome, this can be a great exercise for you to reflect on your goals and values that you are looking for in a company and job. 

After all, you are looking for a company and job that aligns with you and excites you!