After sending out countless cover letters and resumes, you’re starting to line up interviews. If you’re in a full-force job hunt, you may find yourself speaking with multiple companies within a week—all at different stages in the interview process.
No matter how much experience you may have interviewing, each hiring manager deserves to meet with a well-prepared candidate. Here are four common interview questions you should start preparing for now if you want to land your next job.
Common Interview Questions to Prepare for
1. “Tell Me About Yourself.”
Although technically not a question, it's a common opening line. This prompt roughly translates to, “What’s your story?” and your response can set the tone for the entire interview. Here’s how you can make your story a best seller:
Consider Your Audience: Research a company in advance to assess their culture and determine which details are most relevant to share.
Create an Outline: Avoid losing your audience by creating an easy-to-follow storyline. Focus on having a beginning, middle, and end. Consider using the template below to get started:
- Present: Where are you right now?
- “I’m currently a Business Analyst for…”
- “I work on…”
- “I enjoy…”
- Past: What brought you to this point?
- “I previously worked as…”
- “I studied…”
- “I decided to transition because…”
- Future: Where are you trying to go?
- “Now that I have experience in…”
- “After completing my degree…”
- “I'm eager to work on…”
Practice, Practice, Practice: The goal is not to memorize a script, but rather to familiarize yourself with your own highlight reel. Play with the order of the template depending on the biggest selling points of your experience. People typically remember the first and last thing they hear, so prioritize accordingly and keep it concise. A 30- to 60-second response is best.
Why Is This Question Important? It's a great foundation for other common job-seeking scenarios, such as explaining why you're leaving your current role, an elevator pitch at a networking event, or as an outline for a cover letter.
2. "What Is One of Your Strengths?"
As tempting as it may be to list every buzzword possible, interviewers will have heard them all. Leave a lasting impression with an anecdotal response that demonstrates the skills they’re looking for in a candidate. For example: “I have been known to work well under a tight schedule. In my current role…” You can also use situations from different points in your career.
Keep in mind the tips from the prompt above and use the S.T.A.R Method to structure your response:
- Situation: Set the scene
- Task: Explain your end goal
- Action: Outline the steps you took to achieve your task
- Result: Note the result of your action
Why Is This Question Important? Career changers can leverage specific examples to highlight transferable skills. Use the S.T.A.R. Method for any behavioral questions, also known as “Tell Me of a Time” questions. Typical behavioral questions seek examples of leadership, problem-solving, or growth.
Related: How to Properly Follow Up After a Job Interview
3. “What Is One of Your Weaknesses?”
Of course, you don’t want to admit to being anything but the perfect candidate. This is an opportunity to demonstrate how you’ve grown in your career. For instance, you may used to struggle with difficult conversations, but you have since honed your skills through a negotiations course. If you can’t think of a weakness, find someone in your support system whom you trust to be honest with you.
Remember to use a direct example following the S.T.A.R. Method and take control of the narrative with the following tips:
- Keep it work-related
- Talk about it in a positive light; it's not a weakness, but rather an area of growth
- Outline the actions steps taken, or currently being taken, to address it
Why Is This Question Important? The answer to this question can proactively address any missing skills or experience on your resume (for example, taking a course to learn business fundamentals). It will also demonstrate your problem-solving skills and build your confidence.
Related: How to Land Your Dream Job in 9 Steps
4. “Do You Have Any Questions for Us?”
This is your opportunity to show interest and determine if the role or company is a good fit. Always have at least one question prepared. If you can’t think of anything to ask, consider pulling questions from the following categories:
- Relationship-Building:
- Ask the interviewers questions about their roles and experience with the company
- Learn more about how much you would interact with your interviewers on the job
- Actively listen to what interviewers have to say and ask follow-up questions for clarification
- Work Culture:
- Learn more about their approach to work/life balance
- Inquire about professional development opportunities
- Confirm what their performance review process is like
- Consider asking for an office tour
- The Role:
- Understand the history of the role and why it's currently vacant
- Learn who you'll report to and ask about their management styles
- Study the job posting and highlight any areas you want to discuss in more detail
- Consider directly asking about any concerns they may have with your application
- The Process:
- Inquire about the interview process and how many steps will be involved
- Confirm a timeline for their decision and determine if you can follow up in the meantime
Why Is This Question Important? No matter the outcome, the more questions you ask, the more you'll learn about the job market for future reference.
Are you interested in additional career development advice? Explore our other articles, including "6 Virtual Interview Tips to Help You Land Your Next Job" and "How to Properly Follow Up After an Interview."
