20 Most Typical Interview Question & Answers

As you get prepared for your next interview, it is highly recommended that you go over these most common interview questions and answers and learn how you should be answering them. Please read the following questions listed and the relevant strategy suggestions to how you should reply to it.

1. Please share about yourself?
2. What was the reason you’ve left your last job?
3. What is your experience in this field?
4. Do you see yourself as a successful person?
5. What do you think your colleagues think about you?
6. What do you know about our company?
7.  How do you think you would be an asset to this company?
8. Are you a team player?
9. Why do you wish to join us?
10. Do you know anyone who works for our company?
11. What is the salary you need?
12. What other jobs are you applying for?
13. How long would you expect to work for this company?
14. Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about firing someone?
15. What is your personal view or philosophy towards work?
16. Let’s say that you had enough money to retire right now, would you stop working and retire? 
17. Have you ever been asked to leave a position?
18. How did you improve your knowledge in the few years?
19. Why do you think we should hire you?
20. What would you say is your best strength?

1. Please share about yourself?

Probably the most common question asked in interviews asking you to share about yourself. Your goal is to stay short and to the point. When you start blabbing about yourself, you might find yourself providing with none relevant information that could damage your chances on getting the job.

2. What was the reason you’ve left your last job?

Never talk bad about your previous job or place of work as the interviewer will think that you will do the same to him and his company in the future. It is all about being cool and being positive regardless of the circumstances you have left the previous position.

3. What is your experience in this field?

Always make sure to focus on the direct experience you have in the field in direct relevance to the position you are applying for. If don’t have specific experience in the field, try to get as close and relevant as you can.

4. Do you see yourself as a successful person?

You should always answer yes and briefly explain why. A good explanation is that you have set goals, and you have met some and are on track to achieve the others.

5. What do you think your colleagues think about you?

Always be prepared to this type of question with one or two sentences from your colleagues. Do not make these quotes to be too flashy, make it as reliable as possible and truthful as your potential new employer, might ask to speak to these colleagues.

6. What do you know about our company?

Make sure to do some research before going to the interview about the company or organization you’re going, to find what is important to the company. For example, if the company’s website is talking all about the team work, you need to use it and say that you want to come to work at this company because they are all about the team work and the people. The interviewer will value this a lot even if he knows you read it – it shows about your seriousness.

7.  How do you think you would be an asset to this company?

This question is giving you the opportunity to share and highlight your best and better points as they relate to the open position being discussed, giving you an advance thought to this relationship.

8. Are you a team player?

The answer is always ‘Yes, I am a team player’ (they would not have asked you unless it was important for them). Make sure to back your answer with at least one example ready to show how you are a team player. Do not exaggerate nor brag about yourself, not at that point nor at any point of time during the interview.

9. Why do you wish to join us?

Similar to question #6, they want to hear how working at their company can change your life but make sure it is not all about you but how you can contribute to the organization. Balance your answer between the organization and your own long terms career goals.

10. Do you know anyone who works for our company?

Be completely open and honest. If you know anyone within the organization, share and if you don’t say truthfully you don’t. Know that some organizations have different policies that you should be aware as they can affect your answer even though they asked about friends not relatives. Don’t mention friends that your association with them won’t help you.

11. What is the salary you need?

You will be always asked about your salary expectations and what salary you need. It’s a little game that if you say a too high amount you might not be relevant for the company and if you say a too low number, you might have been able to nail a higher salary and settled for a lower one. The best strategy is to give a range of salary that will allow the company to consider you.

12. What other jobs are you applying for?

The best way is to be completely honest. If you are in a massive job hunt, do share with it but mention that you would prefer to work with this specific organization and you’re happy you are there, hoping the search journey will end with this company. Make sure you are focusing on the job you are being interviewed and what you can do for this company.

13. How long would you expect to work for this company?

This is a simple question to answer: do not provide a specific number of years but something like you’re looking for a home where you can be for a long period time and grow together – interviewer love this kind of answer.

14. Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about firing someone?

This question is relevant if you are applying to a job where you’re going to be in-charge of people as you might need to fire some of them. In this case, consider this question with all seriousness as you do not want to sound too cold or someone afraid on firing people.

15. What is your personal view or philosophy towards work?

In the case of this question, they are not looking for a flowery dissertation. Be sincere with your answer about how you feel about the job and about working with at this company.

16. Let’s say that you had enough money to retire right now, would you stop working and retire?  

Never answer yes, the interviewer is looking for people who come to work first not for the money but for self-improvement, changing the world, achieving new goals and not about the money.

17. Have you ever been asked to leave a position?

Basically, they are asking if you have been fired. Always be truthful but its best that your answer will be no. If you were fired before, just be honest, provide a short and brief and avoid saying bad things about the place that fired you or the people there.

18. How did you improve your knowledge in the few years?

Companies love to have people that are investing in themselves and putting the time into improvement activities that relate to the job and these are the ones you need to share when you’ve been asked about it.

19. Why do you think we should hire you?

This is an open question that allows you, yet again, to highlight your positive assets and abilities that the organizationneeds and can benefit from.

20. What would you say is your best strength?

There are many options to answers this question. Always answer with a positive note sharing your best qualities relevant to the position such as your ability to prioritize, your problem-solving skills, your ability to work under pressure, your ability to focus on projects, your professional expertise, your leadership skills, your positive attitude.

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