Top 50 Interview Questions

Filing your application is the first stage of job application. This is the part where your resume or curriculum vitae is sent to the company for initial assessment. If deemed as a qualified applicant, your next phase is interview with the hiring manager.

New applicants or first-time jobseekers often ask about the questions asked during interviews. The truth is companies can have different questions and they can change depending on the information presented on your resume, work background, and others. Nevertheless, several questions are commonly asked across companies. Here are the top 50 questions that might come up during your interview and are divided into sets.

Basic Questions

The hiring personnel’s goal in asking this set of questions knows more about you as an applicant. Basic information about you and your perspective about work are often asked in this set. Common questions include the following:

• Tell me more about yourself.
• What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?
• Why have you applied for this particular job?
• Why is it that you left your last job?
• How would you see yourself and your career five years from now?
• Do you know our company? What information do you know?
• What makes you different from the other applicants?
• Can you relocate if the job requires you to do so?
• Do you have questions for me?

Team Dynamics and Behavioral Questions

In this set, the interviewer will gauge your work behavior, professionalism and overall ability to work with a team. The hiring manager wants to know whether you are a team player or not. This set is composed of hypothetical questions or office scenarios like the following:

• Did you have any last project on your previous job? What was the project’s outcome?
• How do you react about criticisms about your work or personality? Can you give an example of the time when your job was criticized?
• Were you asked to criticize or give someone unpleasant feedback? How did you manage?
• Have you worked with someone who did not contribute well to your team? How did you handle it?
• What characteristics of a person irritate you the most? How do you deal with the person and irritation?
• Do you consider something as your biggest failure? Did you learn something from it?
• What would you do if your supervisor ask you to do a task that you disagree with?
• How do your react when you were served a well-done steak even though you want it rare during your business lunch?
• Did you experience a very difficult time in your life? What is it and how did you manage?
• What would you do if you discovered your company is doing illegal procedures or transactions like fraud?
• What types of assignments or projects do you consider difficult and how will you resolve the challenges? Can you cite an example?

Salary and Career Development Questions

Your career goal and expectations from the company, particularly compensation, is explored in this set. Common interview questions are:

• What is your expected salary?
• What is your salary profile or history?
• What would you write if we ask you to list your job description or responsibilities for next year in exchange for your requested salary?
• What do you want when it comes to career development?
• What goals do you have if we give you this job?

More Information about the Applicant

After all the basic questions challenging your work dynamic with other individuals, the interviewer will explore more information about you. This will give them an accurate profile of you as an applicant and as a potential employee.

• How do you manage stress?
• What is your work style? Please describe.
• Any ideas you had in mind in your past job? Were they implemented? Give me some examples.
• What is your ideal work environment?
• What is your proudest achievement?
• Do you have a favorite manager in your previous jobs? Why?
• What do you think of your past job?
• How do you keep your tasks or project organized?
• Do you have an inspirational person who made a difference in your career or job?
• What is your personal credo?
• Do you have a major regret in your life? What was it and why?
• What do you miss about your previous jobs?
• What are your achievements outside work?
• What characteristics make a good leader and a bad leader in your opinion?
• Do you have any hobbies?
• What was the most significant knowledge you gained in school?
• What is your favorite childhood memory?
• What is your idea of fun?
• Do you have a hero in your life?
• If you hit the lottery jackpot, how would you spend the money?
• What types of book do you read? Do you have a favorite author?
• Tell me about yourself that is not on your resume?
• What is a leader for you? Should he be likable or feared?
• What are your biggest dreams?
• How would your friends describe you?

These are just 50 common questions an interviewer may ask. Words used may be different across companies, but they all have the same meaning. These will help you prepare for your interview and leave positive impression that may land you a job.