Job Interview Questions and Answers: List Job interview questions and  job interview questions guide. Help with job interviews. 

There are only so many questions for interviewers to ask!

There are only so many questions an interviewer can ask.  Interviewers often ask similar questions but in different ways.  Part of thorough interview preparation must include identifying possible questions to be asked.  Identifying possible questions makes it easier to prepare effective answers. 

Winning CV identifies the main questions to be asked at interview as well as giving possible answers and approaches for each question.  There are four elements to giving effective answers to interview questions.   These steps help to structure any interview answer.

STEP 1:  State the example.

State what has happened.

STEP 2:  State why it is important / relevant.

Demonstrate why is this example relevant to the job role.

STEP 3:  How the problem was solved (overcoming difficulties). 

Demonstrating problem-solving capabilities.

STEP 4:  Outcome. 

State what you learnt or achieved from resolving this problem.

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Tell me about yourself.

Short introduction about yourself to get started - career motivations & achievements.
Try to say something unique about yourself (i.e. special interests).

What do you like doing in your spare time?

Show how your activities & interests make good use of your valuable personal time.
Mention something unique (not too strange) to give something to talk about.
Some interests can have relevance to the job role.
Avoid socialising & watching TV, etc.

Why are you interested in this job?

Mention appealling aspects of the role like responsibilities & career path.
Suggest you are impressed by the company (i.e. is a top employer?), etc.
Avoid mentioning salary at all costs! (very narrowed-minded).

What do you hope to get out of this role?

Highlight personal ambition & desire for a long-term career with the company.
Looking for a new challenge as well as for personal & career development
Mention building on experience, promotion, self-improvement, etc.

Why do you think you are suitable for this job?

Matching experience, skills & qualities to the job role (showing understanding & suitability).
Show ambition to grow & develop in the role. Opportunity to meet a new challenge.

Tell me about when you faced a difficult situation & how you dealt with it.

Think about this carefully - it is a common question so it is important to use credible examples.
Looking at how you assess situations, plan to overcome them & how you would use your initiative.

Can involve your day-to-day role, a customer or even something outside of your employment.
Can include dealing with an important decision, project or deadline.
Assessing problem-solving abilities & how you react to pressure.

What did you achieve in your last role?

Demonstrating a wider impact on the business (i.e. turnover, improved customer satisfaction).
Mention career progression, training, development, projects, managerial experience, targets, etc.
Be positive - sell experience, skills & personal qualities using good examples.

Why are you leaving your current job?

Mention career progression, personal development & additional responsibility, etc.
Relocation for personal reasons, redundancy or end of temporary contract.
Show that you are ambitious & looking for a new challenge.

What do you think about your last employer?

Suggest gaining important experience, whilst developing relevant skills & qualities.
Criticising a previous employer can be unprofessional & leave a bad impression.

Impress me.  Tell me what you know about this company.

Impress interviewers with research - shows professionalism, motivation & understanding.
Show tangible evidence of research.  Take in a company brochure or annual report.
Structure answers to show an understanding of the company.  Not just facts & figures.

Other company information

Include company history (origins, key events, etc.); company objectives; mission, etc.
Also, products & services; performance, competition or anything of interest.
An important opportunity to shine & stand out from the rest!

Why have you chosen this company?

Flatter them!   Acknowledge that they are a good company with excellent benefits (if appropriate).
Show your research:   Suggest an interest in its business activities, products & services.

What do you consider as your main weaknesses?   What have you done least well at?

Acknowledge less important weaknesses (no one is perfect) & turn them into positives.

EXAMPLE:  Poor mathematical ability.

Suggest that you have focused on this as a weakness by taking extra time to learn this skill.
Having overcome this weakness, you are now confidently dealing with figures
& are now producing & analysing month-end sales figures.

What motivates you?

Suggest self-motivation & aiming to do the best you can in any given role.
Suggest achieving as part of a team motivates you (enjoy sharing success with others).
Think of something other than career progression & a new challenge.

What are your salary expectations for this role?

Never give salary expectations away.  This can affect any bargaining power if ever offered the job.
Do homework:  Be careful not to undersell yourself & ultimately be paid much less.
Avoid committing yourself:  Ask them how much they are hoping to pay.
See Salary Negotiation section for further advice.

Why are you looking to change your career?

Need to emphasise transferable skills & qualities to make up for any lack of experience.
There must a genuine motivation to change & accept a new challenge.

Why have you changed your job so frequently?

Say you were searching for your preferred career path & highlight what you have done to get there.
Have strong motivations for applying for the job & why you have chosen this particular career path.
Changing jobs frequently can cause concern as it could indicate an 'employability' issue.

Have you applied for any other jobs? & Why?

Shows that you are in demand & are a credible candidate with other employers too.
Be vague & hint that you have had interest from other employers.

STEP 1:  State the example.

State what has happened.

STEP 2:  State why it is important / relevant.

Demonstrate why is this example relevant to the job role.

STEP 3:  How the problem was solved (overcoming difficulties). 

Demonstrating problem-solving capabilities.

STEP 4:  Outcome. 

State what you learnt or achieved from resolving this problem.

Job Interview Resources

Job Interview Preparation Preparing for job interviews is strongly advised. There are several important things a candidate can do prior to the interview to help prepare.	Job Interview Questions There are only so many questions interviewers are likely to ask. Profiling a list of job interview questions and answers interviewers tend to ask.
Other Job Interview Questions A detailed list of other interview questions that have been asked before. Remember, having some really good examples to hand really helps!	Day Of The Job Interview Making the most of job interview opportunities is crucial. Working so hard to secure a job interview is wasted if not properly prepared for the big day.
Questions To Ask At Interview Asking good questions at interview shows preparation, professionalism and research. It allows candidates to find out more about the role.	Common Job Interview Mistakes Feedback from recruiters shows many typical interview mistakes made by candidates. Eliminate such mistakes with sound advice.
Telephone Interviews Telephone interviews are widely used as a pre-interview selection method. They are used to screen candidates quickly and effectively.	Behavioural Job Interviews Competency based interviews are becoming more popular. Using scenario-based questions to probe and gain evidence of past performance.
Interviews - Candidate Suitability Profiling candidate selection criteria used by recruiters to find the best people. Understand what recruiters are looking for and why.	Interview Tests and Assessments. Objectively measuring capabilities and skills of candidates within the context of carefully chosen tests, tasks and various interview assessments.
Job Aptitude Tests Job aptitude tests use statistically proven norms to assess candidates. Employers use tests to evaluate aspects and compare this to the 'norm'.	Presentation Skills Ten steps to improving interview presentations. Building confidence. planning and practice are all critical elements for successful presentations.
Negotiating An Offer Of Employment Well done! You have been successful at job interview. The process does not stop their as it is important to evaluate the finer detail of the offer.	Interview Salary Negotiation Successful salary negotiation at job interview requires effective research and planning. We profile useful steps for devising a strategy.

FREE CV, Job Interview and Career Resources

CV Writing Help FREE guide to CV writing. Resume advice and getting the basics right. How to write a CV and other useful resume resources.	Job Interview Guide Guide to job interviews. From job interview preparation to performing at job interview. Common interview questions and more...
One Stop Career Resource FREE Career Resources all in one place. Advice on salary negotiation, redundancy, job applications, job hunting, stress, etc.	Winning CV Jobs Board Search UK jobs - Find international jobs in 60 countries - Jobs by sector - Regional Jobs - Register CV for FREE email alerts.

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