Questions for interviewing a company: 38 Smart Questions to Ask in a Job Interview
Common Interview Questions | CareerOneStop
Common Interview Questions | CareerOneStop
Skip to content
PrintEmailSave this page
Saved
Babel
Tell us where to send a link to this page.
Email the page
To
Receiver’s email address, use comma to separate addresses
From
Your email address
Common interview questions
Get ready for interviews with common questions, questions to ask the employer, and illegal interview questions.
Common interview questions
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why are you interested in working for this company?
- Tell me about your education.
- Why have you chosen this particular field?
- Describe your best/worst boss.
- In a job, what interests you most/least?
- What is your major weakness?
- Give an example of how you solved a problem in the past.
- What are your strengths?
- How do others describe you?
- What do you consider your best accomplishment in your last job?
- Where do you see yourself in three years?
- Think about something you consider a failure in your life, and tell me why you think it happened.
- How do you think you will fit into this operation?
- If you were hired, what ideas/talents could you contribute to the position or our company?
- Give an example where you showed leadership and initiative.
- Give an example of when you were able to contribute to a team project.
- What have you done to develop or change in the last few years?
- Do you have any questions for me?
Questions to ask the employer
- What are the responsibilities and accountabilities of this position?
- How well is the position defined?
- Can its duties be expanded?
- Please describe an average day on this job.
- What is the history of the position?
- Why is it vacant?
- What aspects of this job would you like to see performed better?
- What are the key challenges or problems of this position?
- Where can I go from here, assuming that I meet/exceed the job responsibilities?
- How would you describe the ideal candidate?
- What are the employer’s short- and long-range objectives?
- What are some outside influences that affect company growth?
- Where does the company excel? What are its limitations?
- When and how will I be evaluated?
- What are the performance standards?
- With whom would I be working?
- Who would be my supervisor?
- Who would I supervise?
- What is the department’s environment like?
- When will you make the hiring decision?
- May I call you for the decision?
- When is a good time?
w3.org/1999/xhtml”>Illegal questions
- What is or was your spouse’s name or line of work?
- Have you ever filed a Workers’ Compensation claim or been injured on the job?
- Do you have any physical conditions that would prevent you from performing the job?
- Have you ever been arrested?
- What is your hair/eye color?
- What is your height/weight?
- Have you ever been hospitalized?
- If so, for what condition?
- Have you ever been treated by a psychiatrist or psychologist?
- If so, for what condition?
- How many days were you absent from work because of illness last year?
- Are you taking any prescribed drugs?
- Have you ever been treated for drug addiction or alcoholism?
Source: Creative Job Search, a publication of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
tn44ade8sFBwpTgfwPfJh+CO3SX+oIpjaLKBhJ4j55M=
34 sample questions to ask during a full-time job interview
We know that a job interview is an opportunity for an employer to learn more about you. But it’s also your opportunity to learn more about the role, team, company culture, and more—so you can make an informed decision about the job.
So, after you’ve brushed up on common interview questions, and practiced your answers, be sure to prepare some thoughtful questions to bring. Your interviewer will ask if you have any questions, and they’ll expect a few from enthusiastic candidates.
Plan to prepare 3-5 questions ahead of time, as some may be answered during your interview. You may also think of new ones during your conversation. Below are some examples to get you started.
Learn more about the role
These questions are good to ask the hiring manager.
- Can you describe a typical day for the person in this role?
- What are some of the first projects the person in this role will work on?
- What skills or qualities do you think are most important to succeed in this role? At this company?
- What do you think are some challenges that the person in this role will face?
Learn about the employer
Familiarize yourself with the employer before your interview by reading their Handshake page, company website, and searching for recent news online.
Avoid asking questions about things that are readily available online, and show the interviewer that you’ve done your homework.
- What are the most important company values?
- What are the biggest goals for the company?
- How does this team/role contribute to the company goals?
- What excites you most about the company’s future?
Learn about the team you would join
- Can you tell me more about the team? My manager?
- How would you describe your management style? (If you’re meeting with the person you’d report to)
- Who will I work closely with?
- Do you plan to hire more people for this team in the near future?
- Which other teams work closely with this one?
Learn about the interviewer’s experience
- How long have you worked here? Have you had any other roles?
- Has your role changed since you’ve been here?
- Why did you come to this company?
- What is your favorite part about your job? This company?
Learn about professional development
These questions can be asked of the recruiter or hiring manager.
- Are there training programs available to employees?
- What professional development opportunities are available to employees?
These questions are good to ask the hiring manager.
- What are the advancement opportunities for this role?
- Have employees previously in this role advanced in the company? What kinds of roles do they have now?
Learn about performance evaluation
These questions are good to ask the hiring manager.
- What do you want the person in this role to accomplish in the first six months? Year?
- How do you measure success in this role?
- What is the performance review process like?
- What metrics or goals are used to evaluate this role?
Learn about company culture
- What is the company and team culture like?
- Are there employee resource groups?
- How would you describe the work environment for the team/company?
- What kind of team/company events do you have?
- What is something unique that you like about the company?
- Has the company changed since you’ve joined? How?
Finally, learn next steps before you leave
- What are the next steps in the interview process?
- Is there anything else I can give you that would be helpful in making a decision?
- Can I answer any final questions for you?
Want to practice your interview skills? Contact your school’s career center and ask if you can schedule a mock interview.
Log into Handshake now to start looking for full time jobs!
Find the right jobs for you. Get hired.
20 questions you might be asked at an interview
Some companies like to ask you what your ideal job is like. In others, why manhole covers are round and not square. Some employers consider standard interview questions useless and improvise, while others carefully consider each next step. We’ve put together 20 questions you’re likely to be asked during an interview.
Different questions serve different purposes. But most often, employers ask quite expected things related to the personality of the candidate, his professional level, career ambitions, understanding of the work mission, position fit.
nine0003
1. “Tell me about yourself.”
You will be asked to do so, so be prepared to share the highlights of your work bio. Use the simple formula “present-past-future”. First, talk about who you are at the moment, what you do, what you can do.
Then talk about what brought you to where you are today: a combination of skills and experience. At the end, talk about your plans and prospects.
2. “Name your strengths.”
nine0008
It is important here not only to list your best qualities, but also to give an example of how they helped you achieve certain goals and success in your work.
3. “Name your weaknesses.”
Position your weaknesses as points of growth: tell us about how you plan to work on the shortcomings that you have already managed to fix.
4. “Why do you want to work with us?”
Here you can demonstrate the degree of preparation for the interview, the level of knowledge about the company, and interest in the job. If you can’t find enough information, feel free to ask your employer questions.
nine0003
5. “Why did you leave your previous job?”
It is not necessary to be frank here. If your relationship with management did not go well or you just got bored, the employer will be wary.
Answer in a positive way
: You would like to see more variety in the work, or the ideal boss, in your opinion, does not bother you after hours.
6. “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”
Do not try
be accurate in forecasts: here the employer is interested in your train of thought and direction of dreams.
nine0003
7. “What are your
salary expectations
? Be prepared for the fact that after that you will be asked about the salary in the last place.
8. “What do you plan to do in the first month/quarter of your job if you get this job?”
It’s not scary that you don’t know the intricacies yet, the main thing is to demonstrate an active attitude, a willingness to join the process.
9. Tell us about your achievements in the previous place
.
nine0003
10. Tell us about your biggest failure.
11. Do you have children?
12.
How long have you been looking for a job? Are there other offers that interest you?
13. What exactly did you do at your previous job?
14. How do you feel about overtime?
15. What is your latest major project?
16. Why should we choose you for this job? How are you different from other candidates?
17. Why did you choose this major/university?
18. How do you spend your free time?
19. Do you have bad habits?
20. What problems do you most often have to solve in your work?
If you already know which company you want to work for, but do not find a suitable vacancy for you, send the message to the employer “I want to work for you!”. It will fall into a special folder, and the employer will know about your candidacy.
nine0003
I want to work for you!
What are the most common interview questions?
- #JOB AND CAREER
- #Interview
One of the most important stages of preparing for an interview is the ability to correctly answer the questions that employers ask.
Check out frequently asked interview questions and prepare your answers based on your own experience, skills and interests. Remember, it’s not so much about “correct” answers, but about your ability to prove that you’re the best candidate for the position.
nine0003
1. Tell us about yourself
This is one of the first questions you are likely to be asked. Be prepared to talk about yourself and why you are the ideal candidate for this position. The interviewer wants to know why you are the best fit for the job.
You can start by talking about your personal interests and events that are not directly related to work: for example, your favorite hobby or a brief information about where you grew up, what kind of education you have, what inspires and motivates you.
nine0003
2. Why are you a good fit for this job?
Are you the best candidate for this job? The hiring manager will want to know if you have all the necessary experience and skills. Be prepared to prove why you should be hired for this job.
Your answer should be confident, short, and sales-focused: be clear about what you have to offer and why you should get the job. Be sure to study the requirements and required skills listed in the job posting and craft a response that meets the interviewer’s expectations.
nine0003
3. Why do you want this job?
Why are you suitable for this position? What success have you achieved, what changes would you bring if you were hired? This interview question gives you the opportunity to show the interviewer that you have detailed information about the job and the company. Therefore, carefully study in advance what the company does, its products, services, mission and corporate culture.
Be specific about what makes you the right fit for the role, and mention the key factors in the company and position that appeal to you the most.
nine0003
4. How will your experience help the company?
Hiring managers use this question to find out how your previous work experience and education matches the job.
To prepare your answer, make a list of your most relevant skills and match them against the requirements listed in the job description.
It is important to explain how your experience will help the employer to solve his problems. You don’t need to memorize your answers, but be prepared to share your achievements in previous jobs.
nine0003
5. Why did you decide to change jobs?
Prepare to answer this question in advance. You will need to give an honest answer that reflects the real circumstances while remaining positive.
6. What are your strengths?
When asked about your strengths, it is important to focus on the qualities that will be useful in this position.
When answering this question, try to give specific examples. Instead of claiming that you are an excellent problem solver, tell a story from your professional experience that demonstrates this, ideally if it is presented with humor.
nine0003
7.
What are your weaknesses?
Another common question interviewers ask is about your weaknesses. Try to base your answers on the positive aspects of your skills and abilities, turning “weaknesses” into strengths. For example, if you have trouble with time management during busy periods, tell them how you are working to improve the situation and what progress has already been made.
The interviewer not only wants to know if you have the right skills, but also to see if you can handle challenges and learn new things.
nine0003
8. How do you deal with stress and pressure?
What do you do when things don’t go smoothly at work? How do you deal with difficult situations? The employer wants to understand how you deal with stress in the workplace.
Do you work well in stressful situations? Do you thrive under pressure, or do you prefer a more relaxed and controlled rhythm? What do you do when something goes wrong?
Avoid saying that you never or rarely experience stress.
Better frame your answer by acknowledging workplace stress and explaining how you deal with it or even use it to your advantage.
nine0003
9. What are your salary expectations?
When it comes to money, there is often a catch. It is quite normal that you do not want to underestimate your work or, conversely, to name an amount that greatly exceeds the offer. Employers may not directly ask you about wages at your previous job, but they may ask you how much you expect to earn at your new job.
Do your research ahead of time so you’ll be ready to give a salary or salary range if asked. There are free services, the so-called online salary calculators, that will help you understand if you are “in the market”.
nine0003
10. What are your goals?
Do you often change jobs because you are attracted to project employment? Or do you plan to develop in the company for a long time? How do you envision your career? Are your plans for the future aligned with the career path of the person who is usually hired for a similar position?
This question is asked to find out if you are going to stay with the company, or move on as soon as a better opportunity arises.