20 Most Common Job Interview Questions and Answer Samples

Do you have a job interview soon? Are you ready to tackle each interview question and answer them with confidence? 

Unfortunately, no one can read minds. There's no way of telling what the hiring manager will throw at you. Some typical interview questions like "What is your greatest weakness?" or "Tell me about a time where you failed" might stumble someone who is not prepared.

To be ready for the big interview effectively, exploring the possible interview questions and their answers can be a great help. So, we have the next best thing for you, a list of 20 commonly asked interview questions with advice and tips on how to answer them.

In light of preparing for a job interview, it's also important to learn what questions to ask your potential employer during a job interview.

Let's first start with categories of common job interview questions.

Common Interview Questions

We've compiled a list of basic questions for a job interview and divided them into five categories. Most hiring managers would have these general questions for your interview to get to know you better and assess if you are the right fit for their team. To give you ideas on what sorts of job interview questions and answers you need to prepare for, here’s a list for you to get your brain juice going:

Top interview questions about yourself:

  • Tell me about yourself.
  • Why did you decide to apply?
  • How did you hear about this position?
  • What are your strengths?
  • What are your weaknesses?
  • What motivates you?
  • What was the biggest challenge you ever had to overcome?
  • Tell me about a time where you failed.
  • What are you passionate about?
  • What do you like to do outside of work?

Top interview questions about your work history:

  • Why did you leave your last job?
  • What is your greatest work achievement?
  • Why have you changed jobs so frequently?
  • Tell me why you're switching career paths.
  • What did you like most about your previous position?
  • Why is there a gap in your employment history?
  • What was the biggest challenge from your previous job?
  • What did you learn most from your previous work experience?
  • How did you get to where you are now?
  • Why were you laid off or got fired?

Top interview questions about salary:

  • What are your salary expectations?
  • What was your previous salary?
  • What are your benefit expectations?
  • Would you accept a job that pays less than your previous job?
  • Why would you apply for a new job that has a lower salary than your previous one?

Situational common interview questions on management and teamwork:

  • Do you prefer to work independently or with a team?
  • What kind of work environment do you prefer?
  • How would your previous employer/supervisor describe you?
  • How do you handle stress?
  • How do you keep yourself organized while handling multiple projects?
  • What is your leadership style?
  • How do you like to be managed?
  • How do you address a disagreement with your supervisor?

Typical interview questions about the future:

  • Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
  • Are you applying for other jobs?
  • How do you plan on achieving your career goals?
  • If hired, how long do you plan on working with us?
  • Are you planning on getting married or starting a family?

Aside from the above-mentioned commonly asked interview questions, some interviewers might also ask you about some industrial knowledge. Therefore, don't forget to study the technical aspect of the position you're applying to.

You've probably also heard that there are no right or wrong answers. But the purpose of those top interview questions is to see if you understand what is asked of you. In order to better answer those common job interview questions, first, you need to understand why the interviewer asks it in the first place.

To help you nail that interview, here are some samples of interview questions and answers.

“Tell me about yourself.”

Sounds super easy, right? After all, we can’t get enough talking about ourselves. But, do you really think the interviewer wants to hear your whole life story? This very common interview question is only a way to ease into the actual interview. So, keep it structured (using the past-present-future formula), brief, and most importantly, relevant to the position you're applying to.

A good self-introduction example for a job interview should be something like this: 

"First of all, thank you for having me. My name is Jane Doe, I'm 29 years old and for the past 5 years, I've been working as a Clinical Research Associate at MediCo. I have always been interested in plants and their medicinal uses, which motivated me to pursue a degree in Chemistry and specialize in Biochemistry for my Master's degree. In my previous position, I was in charge of site visits, as well as monitoring clinical documents and systems for drug trials. Moving forward, I would like to include my passion for medicinal plants with my expertise as a researcher. Thus, I am interested in your company's Clinical Research Manager position."

“How did you hear about this position?”

Employers want to know if you were actively seeking an opportunity in their companies or just casually browsing and stumbled upon their job posting. This job interview question might have an apparent answer. However, you shouldn't state the obvious. Instead, approach this common job interview question where you can show your passion towards the company and what they do.

Here’s an example of how to answer this common interview question: 

"I've been following your company's LinkedIn profile for a while. Since last year I've wanted to get into medicinal plant drugs and I am really interested and passionate about the projects that your company does, especially the new aloe-based drug your company developed last year."

“Why did you decide to apply?”

Now it's your chance to go deeper with this follow-up on the previous job interview question. Mention how the company's values align with your own and how the position will help you accomplish your career goals.

Here’s an example to answer this question in your interview:

"I firmly believe that a successful company not only develops the most advanced products but also cares about the environment. After reading your CSR report and article on sustainable research practices for the aloe-based drug, I know that this company holds the same value as I do. When I found there's an opening in the R&D team for a Clinical Research Assistant, I knew I had to apply. I would be really excited and happy coming to work every day knowing that I am making a difference not just in the pharmaceutical field, but also to our earth."

“Why should we hire you?”

This one is one of the many top interview questions that is favored by hiring managers. This is your sales pitch to them. So, don't just list out your skills and qualifications. Instead, package your answer with an example in a way that captivates the interviewer.

Here’s a sample answer to this top interview question:

"That is a great question. I'm glad you asked. Since I don't know the qualifications of the other candidates, I can only speak for myself. During my tenure at MediCo, although my title was associate, my scope of duties reached beyond that. I was assigned to train and manage 5 new associates when I was in my third year working. Something that's quite rare in the clinical research team. With that, I honed my leadership and management skills on top of my skills as a scientist., which is what a Clinical Research Assistant should possess."

“What are your strengths?”

Be confident yet humble when answering questions about your strengths and weaknesses for an interview. Although your resume or CV should already highlight your strengths, when the hiring manager asks this particular common interview question, you should also provide a concrete experience to better illustrate it. They want to know if you acknowledge your own strengths, if they are realistic, and if they match the job. In this case, implementing the interview STAR technique is highly recommended.

This general interview question can be answered like so: 

"I consider my critical thinking skill and ability to work under pressure as my greatest strengths. As a scientist at MediCo, we had to design, monitor, and collect data on multiple drug trials simultaneously within set timelines. There was one trial that went wrong and I had to come up with a new set of procedures to keep up with the agenda. I managed to identify the issue and deliver the data before the deadline."

“What are your weaknesses?”

Questions about strengths and weaknesses in an interview are undoubtedly tough, especially answering about weaknesses. You don't want to cause yourself to be disqualified if you disclose too many weaknesses, but also don't want to seem arrogant if you say you have none. The key to answering this tricky job interview question is knowing you have weak points but you are also determined to improve.

Here’s how to properly answer this interview question: 

"I have a tendency to be overly critical of myself. When it comes to my work, I would always think that I could do a better job even when my work received positive feedback. This tendency often leads to unnecessary stress and pressure which had caused burnout in the past. Since then I have been practicing meditation, self-reflection. They have helped me to take a step back and be more mindful when it comes to self-criticism."

“What is your greatest work achievement?

Another commonly asked interview question where you can use the interview STAR technique is this through this question. Elaborate your answer using a specific situation. Here, hiring managers would like to learn:

  • What YOU consider as achievement or success is,
  • How down to earth you are, and
  • If you are a success-oriented person.

A tricky interview question like this can be answered like so: 

  • Situation – “The last project I worked on at MediCo had a major setback in funding. We lost one of our partners due to the pandemic.”
  • Task – “We had to come up with new partnership proposals to cover the remaining funding for this trial to move forward.”
  • Action – “Cooperating with the marketing team, I came up with a new deck to pitch to potential partners, focusing on how their business would benefit through this research.”
  • Result – “After collaboratively working with the marketing team, we successfully brought a new partner and exceeded our target by 15%.”

“Tell me about a time you failed.”

Talking about failure is never a fun topic. But we can learn a lot more through failures. Thus, don't be ashamed when answering this particular interview question. Show the interviewer that you learn from your mistakes and continuously strive to improve.

This is also a good opportunity to use the interview STAR technique to answer the question: 

  • Situation – “As a scientist, I consider failure as an opportunity to correct and come up with a better methodology. On one of the projects I worked on, there was a flaw in the documentation system and it tampered with the data collected.” 
  • Task – “With a cool head, we had to re-do the whole trial from the top.” 
  • Action & Result – “We managed to find the problem, within 1 month we completed the new methodology, and proceeded with the project.”

“Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”

No one can predict where you'll end up, neither does the hiring manager. This typical interview question has a sole purpose to see if your career goals and aspirations match with the position. Keep in mind that you're not obligated to reveal all your plans, but being honest might save you in the long run.

When answering this daunting interview question, remember to stay a little bit general. Here’s an example:

"With the projects that your company is working on right now, I strongly believe that plant-based drugs will emerge stronger than ever. I would love to co-head research for cancer drug projects and work with some of the greatest minds in the field."

“How do you handle stress?”

No one can get out of stress regardless of their position and where they work. Thus, it only suits that the hiring manager asks this basic interview question. They want to see if you thrive or fall when the first sign of trouble shows up.

Exude confidence when answering this interview question, like so:

“I have to say that I don't enjoy working in a stressful environment. However, I can manage time and effort quite well if necessary. In my last year of graduate school, I worked on my thesis and simultaneously did an internship. That experience helped me to optimize my agenda planning skills which enabled me to not get overwhelmed easily.”

“What motivates you?”

Though this might sound like a rather existential or philosophical question, this question is actually pretty general in a job interview. By throwing you this general interview question, the hiring manager wants to know what makes you excited about this job at their company. Simple as that!

An answer like this would be sufficient to answer this common interview question: 

"Knowing that when I go to work I will be working on something that might help the community and improve health excites me. I'd like to contribute my knowledge and expertise to society by facilitating the development of pharmaceuticals."

“What do you know about us?”

Now it's the time to impress the interviewer with your knowledge of the company. To answer this basic interview question, do your due diligence and research thoroughly. Nevertheless, don't go too overboard with the details, because they might be incorrect and you can always ask the interviewer this at the end of your interview. Or if you're recommended by a friend who works at the company, don't spill any tea about office rumors (because it won't look good on you).

Here’s an example answer for this interview question: 

"As I have been following your company's progress for a while, I know that your most popular products are all-natural and plant-derived. I've also read the press releases that you've been developing a new approach combining AI and your traditional pharmaceutical practices, which led to the first clinical trial on the aloe-based drug."

“What do you look for in this position?”

This top interview question is an extension of the one asking why you want to apply for this job. The difference is, when the interviewer asks this common interview question, they want to know if what they have in mind and what you perceive this role to be are aligned.

A sample response to this interview question should look like this: 

"On top of putting my scientific knowledge and passion into practice, I'm excited to work along with one of the pioneers in the pharmaceutical industry."

“What kind of work environment do you prefer?”

Employers want to look for people with ambition and who can get along with other employees. Hence, it's important to search for what they value most to get the business going. By hearing your response to this typical interview question, hiring managers would know if you can adapt to their company culture.

You can do research about the organization prior to the interview, but if not, stay true to yourself when giving an answer to this interview question: 

"Personally, I prefer a fast-paced work environment. It allows me to be quick on my feet and keep growing. But, I also enjoy cooperating with my team members and cross-department."

“Do you prefer to work independently or with a team?”

A majority number of jobs require you to work collaboratively with other departments. The objective of this interview question is obvious, to know whether you can work with their existing employees or not.

You can answer this interview question like so: 

"I enjoy brainstorming and having discussions with the team. Moreover, I'm also comfortable completing assignments on my own."

“Are you applying for other jobs?”

Although hiring managers know that candidates mostly apply to other jobs, they want to know how serious you are about your application. Thus this is also one of the most commonly asked interview questions out there. Telling them where exactly you apply for is unnecessary, but addressing your response well is crucial.

This is how you wrap this interview question's answer nicely: 

"I have applied to other places, however, to be completely honest with you this role is the one I'm the most excited about. In addition, your company's value is the most suited to and aligns with my passion."

“Why did you leave your last job?”

This is a typical interview question where a potential employer can assess your performance in your previous role. The answer to this common interview question could indicate if you will perform well in the next role. You want to avoid painting a negative impression on yourself, but you must remain truthful. You can focus your answer on your objective and hopes from joining the new company.

The answer to a common interview question like this one should be somewhat like this:

"I've always wanted to work on plant-based drugs. In the last 1.5 years of working at MediCo, they shifted focus towards a different direction, which I couldn't disclose. Therefore, I decided to leave my role and pursue something that aligns with what I want to do."

“Why have you changed jobs so frequently?”

If the interviewer asks you this question, most likely you have a lot of experiences of short durations listed on your resume. When someone jumps from one company to another too quickly, there ought to be some questions for the future employer. They might wonder if you'll stick with them for a long time or not.

Here’s a sample answer to this job interview question: 

"The company that I interned for during my last year of studying couldn't afford to hire more people as they are still a start-up company. Then the first full-time position that I got turned out differently than what I was initially told. Although the industry is relevant, the role that I was doing for the first 3 months was mostly procurement instead of being in the research."

“What are your salary expectations?”

You should already know how much the salary range is for the position before you go into the interview. This basic question for a job interview is to see if your expected salary is within their budget. If there are 2 candidates with equal qualifications and the hiring manager likes both, the position might go to someone who has a lower expected salary.

There's only a straightforward answer for this interview question: 

"Based on my experience, skillset, and industry rate, I'm looking at a salary around $80,000 - $95,000 per year."

“Do you have any questions for us?”

After the hiring manager has the information they need to make an informed decision, it's time for you to ask some interview questions and get answers from the company side. They want to know if you are actually interested in working in the company. There's no limitation on how many questions you should have for the interviewer, as long as you have all your doubts answered. But, remember to be attentive, the answer might already exist before you ask the question.

For example, the last part of a job interview questions can be answered like so: 

"Yes, I do. I was wondering what type of performance review process the company does on the employees?"

📚 You can also read more about 50+ Good Questions to Ask in a Job Interview (Interview Hack)

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--- Originally written by Teresa Edria ---

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