• Tell me about yourself?
  • Why do you want this job?
  • What have you done that saved money for your company?
  • Why should any company hire you as opposed to any of the other applicants?
  • How do you handle difficult clients?
  • List 5 major achievements.
  • What would you consider yourself good at?
  • What sort of person are you? Socially?
  • What are your strengths?
  • What are your weaknesses?
  • What do you know about our organization?
  • What do you look for in a manager?
  • How do you manage your day?
  • What interests you most in your work?
  • What do you do in your spare time?
  • What motivates you?
  • If you could change your current job in any way, what would you change?
  • In what way have you changed over the last five years?
  • Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
  • How do you work in a team?
  • What contribution do you make to a team?
  • What would your colleagues say about you?
  • How would your boss describe your work?
  • Describe your ideal work environment?
  • Tell me about a time when you successfully managed a difficult situation at work?
  • Who are you working best with at work and why?
  • Who do you find it difficult to work with? Why?
  • What can you bring to this position? What can you offer this company?
  • How do you see this position developing?
  • Why did you leave (XYZ)?  (A previous position)
  • Why are you considering leaving your present job?
  • Why have you stayed so long / short while?
  • Why were you out of work so long? What have you done during that time?
  • What sort of salary are you expecting? What do you think is your market value?
  • On a scale of 1 to 10 being the highest, how important is your work to you? Why not 10?
  • How did you get your last job?
  • Do you like to work in a team or on your own?
  • What do you like best about your present job?
  • What did you learn in that job?
  • What other job have you applied for recently?
  • How does this job fit in your career plan?
  • How do you respond under stress?
  • This job has a large component of travel/sales/ negotiation/stress.  How will you cope with that?
  • What support/training will you need to do this job?
  • In your view, what are the major problems/opportunities facing this company/ industry/sector?
  • What makes you think you can be successful with us?
  • What are the major influences that encourage you to take this job?

Tough interview Questions

Why haven’t you been able to find a suitable position as yet?
Finding a job is easy but finding the right job is difficult. Stress that you are being selective and are looking for the perfect ‘fit’.

Have you thought of leaving your present position before? If so, what do you think held you there?
Explain that your job is no longer challenging and that you feel your talents are best used elsewhere.

What do you think of your boss?
Be as positive as you can, even if you don’t believe it.

Could you describe a situation in which your work has been criticized?
Be as positive as you can and emphasize what you learned from the situation.

What other types of jobs or companies are you considering?
Keep your answer related to this companies field and don’t give out specific company names.

Tell me about yourself.
Keep your answer to one or two minutes and don’t ramble. Use your resume summary as a good place to start.

What do you know about our company?
Do your homework before the interview.  Spend some time on the internet researching the company.  Find out as much as you can, including products, size, income, reputation, image, management talent, people, skills, history and philosophy. Project an informed interest in the company and allow the interviewer to tell you about their company.

Why do you want to work for us?
Don‘t talk about what you want, instead, talk about they need. You would like to be part of a specific company project, or you would like to solve a company problem. You can make a definite contribution to specific company goals.

What would you do for us and what can you do that someone else can’t?
Relate past experiences that show you’ve had success in solving previous employer problems that may be similar to those of your prospective employer.

What about the job on offer do you find most attractive and least attractive?
Ensure that you List three or more attractive factors and only one unattractive factor.

Why should we hire you?
Due to your knowledge, abilities and skills. It is always good to use examples e.g. Projects you worked on that might have had a big impact on the company.  Highlight your qualifications, Degree, Diploma.   Things you accomplished in the work place.  Your experiences  will  obviously  be different to the other  applicants thus  it is good to  mention as this will  set  you  apart from  the  other  candidates that applied for  the  same  position.

What do you look for in a job?
An opportunity to use your skills, to perform well and to be recognized.

Give me a definition of a… (Position for which you have applied)
Keep it brief and give an action and results orientated definition.

How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm?
Not long at all – you expect only a brief period of adjustment to the learning curve.

How long would you stay with us?
As long as we both feel that I am making a meaningful contribution and am growing within my role and the company.