Typical Interview Questions

1. Describe the perfect job for you.
2. Why are you interested in working for us?
3. What is it about this job that made you apply?
4. You have held a variety of jobs, which one was most suitable for you?
5. Tell me about yourself.
6. What are your ambitions for the future? What are you doing to achieve those goals?
7. What assignments, projects, or accomplishments have given you the greatest sense of achievement?
8. What do you excel at?
9. What would make you better at this position than anyone else I might hire?
10. What would your colleagues at (company name) say was your best contribution there? What would your boss say?
11. On your last performance evaluation, what did it say under the ‘areas for improvement’ section?
12. Why are you leaving or did you leave your present position?
13. What conditions or situations with your present employer have been most frustrating to you?
14. What kind of situations did you find least rewarding in your last position?
15. In the past three years, what part of your professional skill set have you improved the most?
16. What were your typical work hours at XYZ company? At ABC company?
17. How long do you think it would take you to learn what we do here?
18. What kinds of goals do you set for yourself in your present position? Do you achieve them?
19. How do you use your free time while at work?
20. What kinds of opportunities have you created for yourself in your current position?
21. For a new graduate: How did you choose your major in college? What was your GPA?
22. Are you planning on returning to school?
23. What are your best skills?
24. Tell me about a situation where you had to do some creative problem solving?
25. What do you think the hardest part of the job will be for you?
26. If you were a new employee, what would you do to gain respect from peers?
27. Tell me about a time when you really failed.
28. How do you feel about the progress in your career to date?
29. Walk me through an important decision you have made in the recent past. Describe how you thought it through.
30. Briefly, tell me why you made each change in employment that you did.
31. Take me through a time when you took a project or product from start to finish.
32. Describe the way that you work under pressure.
33. Describe how you have, or would, work with a demanding manager.
34. Out of the several bosses you have had, which one were you most comfortable reporting to and why?
35. What kind of supervisor brings out the best in you?
36. What important trends do you see coming in our industry?
37. Where there times at (company name) where you felt like there was not enough time to complete your responsibilities? How did you handle that?
38. What is your management style?
39. What makes you a good supervisor?
40. What would your subordinates say about you? / How would the people that report to you describe you?
41. For managers: What would you do about an under-performing employee?
42. Would you prefer to do a job yourself or supervise someone doing a job? Why?
43. Since you have been out of school, are there other jobs you have held that are not on this resume?
44. What are your salary expectations?
45. Will you be able to provide references from prior employers?
46. Do you have any questions for me?

If you have difficulty formulating great responses to any of the above questions, I recommend interview practice sessions.