Most Common Interview Questions in 2026 and How to Answer Them | Novoresume

Most Common Interview Questions in 2026 and How to Answer Them | Novoresume

You applied for a job.

After you’ve created a killer resume and cover letter and passed the first screening, it's time to face the final challenge:

Your job interview.

That’s something that scares even the best of us.

Being judged by someone who has your future in their hands is one of the most anxiety-inducing experiences out there.

And, to calm you before an interview, you might have heard the interviewers and hiring managers say that there are no right or wrong answers.

But here’s the thing:

They are almost always looking for the right answers.

This is where this guide comes in.

We’re going to cover some of the most common job interview questions and answers, and turn you into a bona fide interview expert by the time you get to the end.

This guide is going to include:

22 Most Common Job Interview Questions
18 Most Common Situational Interview Questions
10 Most Common Behavioral Interview Questions
50 Sample Answers for Different Professions and Levels of Experience

So, let’s get started!

22 Most Common Job Interview Questions

Job interview questions are designed to let the interviewer learn more about you and how well you would fit in with their company. That being said, there are a few questions out there that you can expect during just about any interview you go to.

Some of these include:

Tell me about yourself.
Describe yourself in three words.
What do you know about this company/organization?
How did you hear about this position?
Why did you decide to apply for this position?
Why do you want to work here?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What is your greatest strength?
What is your greatest weakness?
What is your greatest accomplishment?
What motivates you in your professional life?
What skills are you currently working on improving?
What are you looking for in a new position?
Can you describe your ideal job?
Are you considering other positions at other companies?
What is the professional achievement you’re most proud of?
What kind of working environment do you work best in?
What are your career goals?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Why should we hire you?
What are your salary requirements?
Do you have any questions for us?

18 Situational Job Interview Questions

A subset of job interview questions you can expect are situational interview questions.

Typically, these questions either reference something from your resume, like an employment gap or a career change, or they present you with a hypothetical situation and ask how you would handle it.

Some of the most popular questions in this category include:

Why haven’t you gotten your degree?
Why have you switched jobs so many times?
Why did you change your career path?
Why did you decide to leave your previous job?
Why is there a gap in your work experience?
Why were you fired?
How do you feel about working weekends or late hours?
How would your boss describe you?
What would your first 30, 60, or 90 days look like in this role?
Are you a team player?
Are you a risk-taker?
How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations?
If you had a choice, would you rather innovate a process or follow the established procedures for it?
Do you think there is a difference between hard work and smart work?
How quickly do you adapt to new technology?
What are your interests outside of work?
If you had to choose between a high-paying job you don’t enjoy and a lower-paying job you are passionate about, what would you choose?
What do you think our company/organization could do better?

10 Behavioral Job Interview Questions

How have you handled a challenge in the workplace before?
Can you give me an example of a time when you performed well under pressure?
What was a time when you showed leadership qualities?
Describe a situation where you had to collaborate with a difficult coworker. How did you manage it?
Tell me about a time you had to quickly adjust your priorities to meet changing demands. What did you do?
Have you ever had to deal with a dissatisfied customer? How did you resolve the situation?
Can you talk about a time when you had to go above and beyond your regular duties to get the job done?
Describe a moment when you had to make an unpopular decision. How did you handle the feedback?
Tell me about a time when you used data or analytics to make a decision. What was the outcome?
Describe a time when you had to learn a new skill to complete a task. How did you approach it?

How to Answer 22 of the Most Common Job Interview Questions [+ Sample Answers]

These questions are the ones you’re bound to hear at just about any job interview - whether you’re an intern or a senior professional with a decade of work experience.

All of these questions are used to learn more about you, both as a person and as a professional.

If you understand what the interviewer is looking for with each of these questions, you’ll be able to give the right answer and rock that interview!

Now, we’re going to go through 22 of the most common job interview questions and sample answers for each.

Let’s get started!

#1. Tell me about yourself

This is usually the first question asked in an interview, so it acts as your introduction.

How hard can it be to talk about yourself? We do it on a daily basis, without much thought.

However, hiring managers aren’t looking for your whole life story, your third-grade achievements, or what you had for dinner last night. Instead, they are looking for a pitch.

Make sure your answer is relevant to the position you are applying for. Aim to present yourself as the ideal candidate for the job in a few words.

A good rule of thumb is to structure your talking points as follows:

Briefly introduce yourself: What’s your name? How long have you been working in the field?
What do you love about your job?
What are your top 2-3 skills or achievements that are relevant to the job you’re applying for?

Now, let’s go through some sample answers:

Introduction 1:
“Hey! So, my name is John Doe and I’ve worked as a business analyst for 5+ years in Company X and Company Y.
I have some background in data analysis, having studied Information Systems at ABC University.
Throughout my career, I’ve done some pretty impressive stuff, if I do say so myself, haha.
For example, at Company X, I led a project to migrate all operations data to a new data warehousing system to cut down on costs. The new solution was a much better fit for our business, which eventually led to savings of up to $200,000 annually.”

Not bad, right? But if you don’t have a lot of work experience, you can still make a stellar introduction:

Introduction 2:
“I am Jane Doe, a recent college graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
I have just graduated with honors in Biochemistry. I know my way around a lab and have had multiple opportunities to put my knowledge into practice as a chemistry research assistant.
The lab felt like home, which is why I’d love to work as a lab assistant. I am passionate, hard-working, and extremely responsible. I am also looking forward to putting into practice all the things I learned during my time at university.”

Learn more about how to introduce yourself in an interview in our dedicated article.

#2. Describe yourself in three words.

There are tons of different versions of this question, like “What word would you use to describe yourself?” and “What five words would people use to describe you?” but the same idea applies to all of them.

The interviewer uses this question to test how well you can summarize your key strengths and if you can make a convincing elevator pitch in a few choice words.

So, make sure to choose words that are positive, relevant to the job, and actually reflect your personality or work ethic.

Here are a few examples to inspire you:

Sample Answer 1:
"Innovative, reliable, and adaptable. I tend to bring creative solutions to any challenge I’m up against. I also consistently deliver on my commitments, and I easily adjust to changes, so unfamiliar situations don’t phase me at all."

Sample Answer 2:
"Collaborative, diligent, and enthusiastic. The first is because I thrive in team environments, and I love working with others. Then the next one is because I pay really close attention to the details in my work; it’s almost compulsive for me. And I’m also, well, enthusiastic - I’ve been told I bring positive energy to every project I work on."

Learn more about words to describe yourself in our dedicated article.

#3. What do you know about this company/organization?

A quick search on the company’s about page should be enough information, right?

Well, yes and no.

Think of this as an open-ended question. There’s no real wrong answer here, except maybe:

Incorrect Example:
“I don’t know anything about this organization.”

However, the more you actually know about the company, the better your chances of getting hired.

Imagine two equally competent candidates:

One who doesn’t particularly care much about your company and is only applying because they know you pay a good salary.
One who’s been following your company’s blog for ages, loves your product, and has several friends already working at the company.

Which one would you pick? The second one, obviously.

So, with this job interview question, your goal is to convince the hiring manager that you’re the right candidate for their company.

Now, how do you do that? Well, a rule of thumb here is to do some research on the company before the interview and learn the following:

What does their product or service do?
What impact does the product / service have?
What’s the company's culture like?
What is the latest news about the company? How are they performing?

...and pretty much whatever other type of information you can dig up.

Here are some possible answers to this question:

Sample Answer 1:
“I hadn’t heard about you until recently, actually. I found out about Company X through your job ad on RandomJobBoard.
After doing some brief research on you guys, I ended up falling in love with your software and your mission.
Now, I’ve worked with a ton of different project management software, like Software 1 and Software 2, but none of them were as intuitive as Software 3.”

Sample Answer 2:
“Well, I know that you’re one of the biggest investment banks in Middleton. Company X pops up on the news pretty often, and I’ve read that you’ve invested in some of the hottest tech IPOs and have several up-and-coming biotech companies in your portfolio.
I was particularly interested in your recent investment in Startup X. I found that interesting because I love robotics and it’s cool that you’re expanding in that direction.”

#4. How did you hear about this position?

Although at first glance this might seem like a straightforward question, you should use this opportunity to highlight your interest in the company.

Even if you haven’t been continuously refreshing the company’s website for job listings, you should more or less make it seem like you have.

Start by telling the hiring manager what you like about the company or what excites you about the job opportunity.

Additionally, if someone inside the company told you about the position or recommended that you apply, definitely make sure to mention that.

You’ll have a much better chance of getting hired if someone credible can vouch for your skills.

So, mention their name and their position inside the company and give their reasoning - why do they think you’re a good fit for the position?

Some possible answers to this question might be:

Sample Answer 1:
“I’ve known about XYZ Tech for a long time - I’m a big fan of your products. I even own one of your latest phone models!
I love the company’s passion for creating super intuitive, beautiful hardware, and I would love to be a part of it.
So, when I saw your job ad on JobBoard Website, even though I wasn’t actively looking for a job at the time, I couldn’t help but apply!”

Sample Answer 2:
“I heard from Jim Doe, my old coworker and college friend, that Company X was looking for a new sales director. He encouraged me to apply and said that my experience managing a sales team at Company Y would be helpful here.
I’ve heard a lot about Company X from Jim, and I’m a big fan of the way you do things there. I’ve always wanted to work for a company with a flat organizational structure.”

#5. Why did you decide to apply for this position?

This question is something interviewers ask to see how passionate you are for the role.

And no, the answer isn’t:

Incorrect Answer:
“Well, I’m very passionate about not starving to death.”

Nor is it…

Incorrect Answer:
“Well, I needed the money, and you guys tend to pay a lot.”

What the interviewer is looking for here is to see how passionate you are about the job or the company.

After all, job performance is directly linked to job satisfaction. The happier you are about your position at the company, the more productive you’ll be.

And here’s the kicker - your enthusiasm will be very evident during the interview.

When you’re talking to a person who’s genuinely interested in something, you can pretty much feel them glow as they talk. And if you’re a hiring manager who’s interviewed hundreds of people, this will be a good sign to hire the candidate.

So, use this knowledge to your advantage.

When asked this question, your answer should include two things:

What exactly motivated you to apply for this position?
Why this specific company? Have you heard of them before?

Let’s look at some sample answers to get the point across:

Sample Answer 1:
“I’m very passionate about sustainability and renewable energy. In fact, I minored in Environmental Science at XYZ University.
I’ve always wanted to put my engineering degree towards a good cause - and the position as a Sustainability Coordinator at Company XYZ is just what I’ve been looking for.
I’ve been following your company for the past few years, and I love how you’re changing the renewable energy landscape in the USA.”

Keep in mind, though, that if you don’t know much about the company or the position, that’s okay, too. Just be honest and let your genuine interest in the job shine through.

That being said, we always recommend you do your homework before going to an interview.

Let’s look at an example where the candidate doesn’t know too much about the company:

Sample Answer 2:
“I’ve always wanted to get into marketing. I’ve done promotional jobs here and there, but I’ve never had the opportunity to do something more serious.
I do think I have just the right skills to get started, though: copywriting, basic Photoshop, and, of course, lots of creativity.
So, I thought that an internship at Company X would be an awesome start to my career in marketing.”

#6. Why do you want to work here?

This is another great question that the interviewer can use to see how much you know about the company and whether you’re genuinely interested in the role.

Here, the interviewer wants to see if you've done your research. Do you have any specific reasons for applying?

It's crucial to let your enthusiasm shine through and align your answer with the company's values and goals.

So, avoid generic or self-centered answers like:

Incorrect Answer:
"I just need a job and your company seemed okay. Plus, the salary is good."

Saying something like that will just tell the interviewer you’re not actually interested in the job - you’re just a random applicant.

We recommend focusing on what attracts you to the company and how you can contribute to its success.

Here are a couple of examples of how to answer this question:

Sample Answer 1:
"I'm impressed by your company's commitment to sustainability and innovation in the tech industry. Your recent project on renewable energy actually aligns perfectly with my passion for environmental conservation. I also think my skills in software development could contribute to the upcoming green initiatives I read you’re planning."

Sample Answer 2:
"Well, your company's reputation for fostering employee growth appeals to me a lot. I also read about your collaborative work culture and that sounded like a great fit for my work style. I saw that you recently expanded into some emerging markets, too, so that looks like an exciting opportunity. I actually have some experience with international business, so I think I could help out with that."

Learn more about how to answer “Why do you want to work here?” with our dedicated article.

#7. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, that goes without saying.

But the reason hiring managers use this question is because they want to evaluate your honesty and self-awareness. They want to see if you can give yourself a realistic assessment and if you're actively working on improving yourself.

For strengths, choose a few qualities relevant to the job and be ready to back them up with examples.

For weaknesses, on the other hand, focus on showing how you're addressing them.

Make sure you avoid any cliché answers, such as presenting strengths as weaknesses.

Incorrect Answer:
"My strength is that I'm a perfectionist, and my weakness is that I work too hard."

Something like that is going to come across as insincere and it won’t provide real insight into you as a candidate.

Instead, be genuine. Show the hiring manager that you’re self-aware and give them real strengths and weaknesses with your answer.

Here are a couple of possible answers:

Sample Answer 1:
"One of my key strengths is my ability to lead cross-functional teams. I’m great at bringing diverse groups together to achieve a common goal. As for weaknesses, I sometimes struggle with delegating tasks. I'm addressing this by trying to consciously empower my team members. I’m trying to focus on mentoring them instead of micromanaging."

Sample Answer 2:
"I'd say my strength lies in my analytical skills. I can quickly interpret data and translate it into actionable insights. My biggest weakness is public speaking, though. I've been trying to work on it by taking a Toastmasters course and volunteering to present more often in team meetings."

Learn more about how to answer “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” with our dedicated article.

#8. What is your greatest strength?

Here, you want to strike a balance between what your actual strengths are and what the interviewer wants to hear.

Narrow your answer down to three strengths at most. Pick one or two skills that would help you really excel at the job and one or two personal skills or traits.

Not sure what your strengths are? No worries! Check out the table below to learn what strengths are perfect for your field:

interview questions and best answers guide drafts top strengths for different

When you pick your strengths, back them up with a specific situation or a story that shows how you’ve used them to benefit you on the job.

After all, the interviewer can’t know whether your “leadership skills” are an actual strength or if it just means that you were super active in your high school class.

Here are some possible answers you can check out:

Sample Answer 1:
“My biggest strength is that I’m good at picking up new skills. I’ve worked a variety of different odd jobs - things like working as a waiter, house-keeper, cook, and a bunch more you’ve probably seen on my resume.
For most of those jobs, I ended up picking up all the needed skills within one or two weeks, with basically no previous experience.
So, I’m pretty sure that while I don’t have any experience as a bartender, I have the right attitude, and I’m certain I can get good at it within a week or two.”

Sample Answer 2:
“My biggest strength is that I’m very efficient at working under pressure. No matter the crisis or amount of stress, I can make the right decisions on-the-spot.
As an event manager at Company X, we were organizing an IT conference for a client. There were a ton of last-minute hiccups - some speakers canceled and the catering company said they’d be late for the lunch break. On top of that, we were understaffed because two of our volunteer organizers got sick and couldn’t show up.
At that point, things looked so bleak that we were considering canceling the event or postponing it. Instead, I took the initiative in my hands and sorted through the problems one by one.”

Learn more about how to answer “What is your greatest strength?” with our dedicated article.

#9. What is your greatest weakness?

This is always a tricky one.

After all, you don’t want to highlight your flaws during an interview, so it’s guaranteed to be a tough question.

The trick to answering this is realizing that the interviewers don’t expect you to be perfect. Everyone has flaws, weaknesses, and things they need to improve about themselves.

When asking this question, the interviewer actually wants to learn:

Whether you have the right skills for the job. If you’re applying for a position as a server in a busy restaurant and your biggest weakness is performing under pressure, then you’re definitely not getting a call back.
If you’re self-aware and really know what your downsides are. Someone who can’t admit to a fault is someone who probably won’t take criticism well or own up for mistakes.

And no, fake humble-brag weaknesses don’t count as weaknesses. You can’t just say that your biggest weakness is that you “work too hard” or that you’re “a perfectionist.”

The key here is to mention a weakness that’s real, but not something that would get in the way of you doing your job.

You wouldn’t want to say you’re bad at math if you’re applying for an accountant position, would you?

It’s also good practice to mention how you’re working towards overcoming your weakness and that you realize how it affects you negatively.

If possible, try to balance it with a positive side effect, like two sides of the same coin.

Possible answers here might include:

Sample Answer 1:
“My biggest weakness has always been my communication skills. I’ve always been pretty shy and anxious, even as a kid. Over the years, though, I’ve been really working on the issue.
At this stage, I’m much better than I’ve ever been, but I’m still far from perfect.
This, however, won’t have any impact on my job as a software developer. Despite lacking communication skills, I’m very good at working in a team.”

Sample Answer 2:
“Well, as a recent graduate, I’d say my biggest weakness is the lack of real-life work experience.
While I’ve worked on a dozen software projects at my university, I don’t have the experience of working in a fully agile environment with an experienced team.
But I’m willing to do my best and catch up as fast as I can.”

Learn more about how to answer “What is your greatest weakness?” with our dedicated article.

#10. What is your greatest accomplishment?

This question is a great opportunity to share a significant achievement that reflects your character and values.

Here, the interviewer wants to understand what success looks like to you.

So, choose an accomplishment that shows off your transferable skills or qualities relevant to the job.

Just avoid any answers that are unprofessional, such as:

Incorrect Answer:
"My greatest accomplishment was catching up on One Piece. It took months of watching!"

Personal accomplishments can also show valuable qualities like perseverance, leadership, or personal growth.

That being said, do try to focus on professional accomplishments.

Here are a couple answers you could give:

Sample Answer 1:
"My greatest accomplishment was completing a marathon last year. It required months of disciplined training, pushing through physical and mental barriers. The experience taught me a lot about setting long-term goals, being consistent, and how far perseverance can take you. I apply the same principles in every aspect of my life but that, by far, made me feel the most sense of accomplishment."

Sample Answer 2:
"Well, I am a teacher, but what I’m most proud of is volunteering to teach English to refugees in my community. Over two years, I helped over 50 individuals improve their language skills, which helped their integration and job prospects. This experience really improved my communication skills, cultural awareness, and I learned to adapt my teaching style to meet really diverse needs."

Learn more about how to answer “What is your greatest accomplishment?” with our dedicated article.

#11. What motivates you in your professional life?

This hiring manager wants to understand what drives you and what keeps you engaged at work.

So, be honest. Think about what inspires you and try to connect it to the job or the company's goals.

Just make sure you avoid any statements like:

Incorrect Answer:
"I'm only motivated by money and promotions. I'll do whatever it takes to climb the corporate ladder."

Believe us, the interviewer isn’t going to find it funny.

Besides, while ambition isn't bad, showing a lack of passion for the work itself is.

Focus on intrinsic motivations - what do you enjoy? Why does it make you feel good? And how can that benefit both you and the company over time?

Take a look at a few possible answers:

Sample Answer 1:
"I like solving complex problems. There's a great sense of satisfaction in overcoming challenges and seeing the positive impact of my work. I also find collaborating with talented coworkers incredibly inspiring - it pushes me to continually learn and improve my skills, so every day is a new adventure."

Sample Answer 2:
"What drives me, professionally, is the ability to make a meaningful difference. Whether it's improving a process that benefits my team or contributing to projects that positively impact our clients, knowing that my work actually matters keeps me engaged. I'm also really motivated by continuous learning and career growth opportunities in my field."

#12. What skills are you currently working on improving?

The interviewer wants to see whether you're proactive about your career development and staying up to date on the latest trends in your field.

So, use this question to show your commitment to professional growth. We recommend choosing skills that are relevant to the job but not crucial to the role you're applying for.

These might be good answers:

Sample Answer 1:
"I'm currently working on my data visualization skills. While I'm decent at data analysis, I'm learning to use tools like Tableau to create more impactful presentations of what I find. It could help me communicate really complex information more effectively so I could show it to stakeholders, for example."

Sample Answer 2:
"I've been focusing on improving my project management skills. Although my role is mainly in software development, I've been studying agile methodologies and using project management software in my personal projects, too. I think this can help me collaborate better with our project managers and even potentially let me take on leadership roles in the future."

#13. What are you looking for in a new position?

The easiest way to answer this question would be to just say that you’re looking for whatever the company is offering.

Look at it from the point of view of the potential employer. Would they hire someone if they answered this question with:

Incorrect Answer:
“A good salary. And, uh, well, that’s about it.”

That answer pretty much says that the moment the candidate gets a higher paying offer, they’re going to bail.

So, explain to the interviewer that this job at this company is the perfect fit for you. Mention what your short-term and long-term career goals are and how this position ties into them.

You can answer with something like this:

Sample Answer:
“I'm looking to further apply my machine learning skills that I developed during my 2+ years of work at Startup X. There, I used to do programmatic ad model design.
Now, I’m looking for an opportunity to work on a larger scale project that involves setting up programmatic ads for audiences of more than ten million people.
I’m confident that working on such a large-scale project will also give my career a significant boost.”

#14. Can you describe your ideal job?

The interviewer wants to know how well the position aligns with your personal preferences and expectations.

Of course, they’d be thrilled if your ideal job matches what they can offer, but that doesn’t mean you should just describe the exact job you’re applying for.

Be honest about your preferences while trying to align them with at least some aspects of the job you're interviewing for.

And, obviously, avoid describing a completely different job.

Incorrect Answer:
"My ideal job would be working as a travel blogger, exploring new places, and never being in an office."

That wouldn’t be an ideal answer for an in-house writer working at a marketing agency.

So, try to strike a balance. Talk about things you genuinely value but also highlight the things you like about the job you’re applying for.

Here are a couple of examples:

Sample Answer 1:
"My ideal job would involve solving complex problems in a collaborative environment. I thrive when I’m working with diverse teams, tackling challenges, and driving innovation. I'm also passionate about continuous learning, so opportunities for professional development like the ones your company offers are important to me."

Sample Answer 2:
"Hmm, well, I’d say the ideal job is one that lets me make a meaningful impact while growing professionally. I'm looking for something that offers a balance of independent work and team collaboration, with opportunities to take on increasing responsibilities over time. I'm also drawn to companies that value work-life balance and contribute positively to society, which is why I'm particularly excited about this position."

#15. Are you considering other positions at other companies?

This is another tricky question.

You might be wondering - how much does the interviewer actually need to know here?

On one hand, if you admit to having interviews with other companies, it might look like you’re not 100% dedicated to this one.

But, on the other hand, if you say you are not considering other positions, it might make you seem like you don’t have other options, which could give the company the upper hand in any future salary negotiations.

So, what’s the deal with this question anyway?

Well, the interviewer is probably asking because they want to know whether they have competition in hiring you. They also want to know if you’re serious about the industry and if you’re legitimately looking to be employed in this specific field of work.

If you do have other interviews lined up for other companies, just say that you are keeping your options open but that you prefer this job to the others.

And if you don’t have any other options? Stick to the same approach.

Whatever you do, just don’t make yourself seem desperate for the job.

With that in mind, here are a few possible answers:

Sample Answer 1:
“Well, I’ve had two interviews during the past week with companies in X and Y industries.
But I’m very passionate about this industry and the work you’ve done over the past several years is impressive. So, I’m more inclined toward working for you if everything works out.”

Sample Answer 2:
“Not yet. I wasn’t really actively looking for a job until my friend, John, recommended your company. I’m not looking for just any company - I want an interesting, engaging project, like what you’re working on.”

#16. What is the professional achievement you’re most proud of?

This is another version of “Why should we hire you?” and “What is your greatest accomplishment?”

This one’s pretty straightforward. You’re just supposed to mention your greatest professional achievement and you’re good to go.

However, the achievement has to be related to the job you’re applying for. Let’s say you’re applying for the position of Sales Manager:

Correct Example:
“In my previous sales position, I managed to hit and exceed department KPIs by 50%+ for six months in a row.”
Incorrect Example:
“I’m very good at underwater basket-weaving, and I’ve woven 20+ baskets in the past year.”

See the difference?

So, find a professional achievement that shows off your skills and experience. Just make sure it’s somehow relevant to the company or organization you were part of at the time, whether that’s your previous job, volunteer position, or an extracurricular activity from your time in university.

Here are some possible answers:

Sample Answer 1:
“My biggest achievement is the fact that I went from being an intern to managing company X’s entire marketing over two years.
As an intern, I basically had zero instructions on what to do - it went like, ‘Hey, go learn social media advertising and get it going.’ The founders didn’t exactly expect me to achieve much and didn’t particularly care since they were 100% focused on making the product work.
Instead of just complaining about a lack of direction, I started reading up on digital marketing - pretty much anything I could get my hands on. I learned how to do content marketing for example, from Neil Patel’s blog and started putting everything into practice.
My first success was getting an article to go viral, which generated over $5,000 in revenue in a single day. While that’s not much for a software company, it felt like a lot for an intern.
After that, the founders gave me a lot more trust and they assigned me a small marketing budget of $1,000 per month. I had a lot more confidence in my abilities, so I started experimenting with other strategies.

Sample Answer 2:
“My greatest professional achievement so far is graduating from University X within four years, with a GPA of 3.9. My family wasn’t able to support me financially, so I had to take care of all the bills on my own.
But hard work and dedication paid off. I ended up graduating with almost no student loans. I managed this through a combination of:
Working part-time while studying
Doing seasonal full-time work during the summer
Maintaining a high CGPA and winning two scholarships over four years
It wasn’t easy but it’s definitely something I’m proud of.”

#17. What kind of working environment do you work best in?

The point of this question is to see whether you’ll fit in with the company’s working environment.

For example, some organizations are pretty structured and hierarchical. They require tight organization and have a well-planned day filled with rules and guidelines on how to do things.

If you’re the creative, think-out-of-the-box type who likes to break the rules and innovate, this probably won’t cut it for you.

But other companies are more laid back, with a lot less bureaucracy. The type that says ‘go get us more sales’ and lets you do your own thing.

But if you’re the type who prefers to have strict to-dos and objectives, you probably won’t enjoy that job as much.

So, what’s the takeaway? Different people work best in different environments, and that’s okay.

Before you go into the interview, go through the company’s website and social media pages to get a sense of the general vibe and environment there.

You can also look at employee reviews on GlassDoor, or if you know someone already working there, ask them.

Answer accordingly, depending on what you learn. For example:

Sample Answer 1:
“I work best in smaller companies. I really dislike the corporate world - rules, guidelines, SOPs, and so on. I perform best when I have a certain level of freedom to do things. Want to find innovative solutions to problems you didn’t even know you had? I’m your guy.
Want someone to just blindly follow instructions and do what they’re told? Then we probably wouldn’t be a good fit.”

Sample Answer 2:
“I love working in a youthful, energetic environment. You know, when you’re working on a common goal with a team of people who are as passionate as you are?
I like to think of my work as a second home and my coworkers as family.
The last company I worked at had an environment like that, and I excelled at the job.
I have had that exact feeling about Company X since the moment I walked in here for the interview. So, I’m pretty excited to get to know how you guys work!”

#18. What are your career goals?

This question helps the hiring manager understand what your long-term aspirations are and how the role fits into your career path.

They want to see if your goals align with what the company can offer and if you're likely to stay and grow with them.

So, be honest about your ambitions, but also show how they connect to the position and company you're interviewing for.

Whatever you do, don’t tell them they’re basically a short-term stepping stone for you.

Incorrect Answer:
"My goal is to start my own company within the next two years, so I'm just looking for some experience."

No one could blame an interviewer for not calling you back after an answer like that.

Instead, try giving an answer like:

Sample Answer 1:
"In the short term, I want to become an expert in my role. I’m looking forward to continuously improving my skills and contributing to team projects. Then, in the long-term, I want to move into a leadership position where I can mentor others and drive innovation in the field. I'm excited about the growth opportunities your company offers since they seem to match my goals perfectly."

Sample Answer 2:
"My biggest career goal is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the industry. I want to have all the know-how necessary to contribute to its advancement. I'm passionate about staying at the forefront of emerging technologies in fintech. Eventually, I want to take on a role where I can influence strategy and maybe drive change on a larger scale. Your company is super progressive and forward thinking, so I think that’s a great match for me.”

Learn more about how to answer “What are your career goals?” with our dedicated article.

#19. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Sometimes the honest answer to this is, “Hopefully not doing this.”

Especially with entry-level jobs.

But don’t think the hiring manager doesn’t know that. They just want to hear you say that in a more diplomatic way.

Generally, what the interviewer wants from this question is to learn whether you’re an ambitious person and if your career expectations are realistic or not.

Make sure to avoid any of the cliche answers, like:

Incorrect Answer:
“In five years? I’ll be in your seat, haha.”

As cute as that might be, the interviewer wants a real answer.

So, think realistically about what the next step after this position is and whether it is possible to reach it within the company you are applying for.

Here are some possible answers:

Sample Answer 1:
“Within the next five years, I’d like to reach the position of a Senior Business Consultant. By then, I would like to have accomplished a few things, like:
Helping over 20 organizations improve their businesses.
Create a personal network of highly specialized professionals.
Learn as much as I can about optimizing and improving clients’ businesses, as well as the essentials of operating a company.”

Sample Answer 2:
“As a start, I want to learn if accounting is the right field for me. While I loved what I studied at university, I want to see if actually working in the field feels the same.
If I do end up enjoying it, I’d like to specialize in either internal auditing or forensic accounting, since I really like to discover and solve problems. From what I’ve seen from your job ads, you guys are hiring for both, so I hope it’s going to be possible to move up from the position of an intern within the next few months!”

Learn more about how to answer “Where do you see yourself in five years?” with our dedicated article.

#20. Why should we hire you?

This is the ultimate humble-brag question.

The trick here is to sell yourself without looking arrogant, desperate, or needy.

You want to stay away from the extremes here. For example, if you think you’re a good fit for the job, say that you “have the right experience.”

But whatever you do, don’t oversell yourself. Grandiose statements like “I’m the best salesman you’ve ever met!” don’t do anything to convince the hiring manager.

Instead, make a more general statement and back it up with your experiences and notable achievements.

There are three things you can mention:

That you’re super passionate about working for the company, and why
Which of your skills and experience fit their requirements for the role
How you’re going to help the company solve their existing problems

Some possible answers include:

Sample Answer 1:
“Well, as a start, I have all the skills and work experience required for the job. I’ve worked as a Sales Manager for 5+ years, and over the past two years, I’ve closed several deals totaling six figures.
On top of that, I have experience working with tech companies, so I’ll be able to pick up all the product specifics much faster than someone from a different background.”

Sample Answer 2:
“I have just the right skill-set to excel as an executive assistant. While I haven’t previously worked as a personal assistant, I pretty much fit the bill for the role.
I’m extremely organized, having managed several project teams at my university. I led the organization of a charity event and the graduation ceremony. In total, both involved continuous communication with 12+ companies, over 30 speakers, and 15 sponsors.
I’m very meticulous and organized, and I’m more than capable of helping the CEO get the most out of their free time.”

Learn more about how to answer “Why should we hire you?” in our dedicated article.

#21. What are your salary requirements?

This is always a tricky question.

On one hand, you don’t want to lowball yourself, but at the same time, you don’t want to be told “no” because you gave such an outrageous number.

When negotiating your salary, keep these three things in mind:

What’s the average salary for someone of your skill-level?
How much does the company pay employees of your skill level? Websites like GlassDoor should be super helpful here.
How much are you getting paid at your current company? In most cases, you can probably negotiate a pay bump from what you’re currently getting.

The final number you tell them should incorporate all three of these points.

And, generally speaking, if you know for a fact that the company is doing well and compensating its employees accordingly, you can quote a higher salary.

The same goes if your skill-level is above average for the position - your salary should reflect your expertise.

As a rule of thumb, you can figure out two numbers: what’s your “good” scenario, and what’s the “best” scenario?

Always answer the interviewer with your “best” salary requirement. They’ll probably negotiate it down, and you’ll be left with something closer to the “good” number you thought up.

You could also answer with a salary range instead of a specific number. Though, keep in mind that they’ll probably pick a number somewhere in the middle of that range.

Here are some possible answers to this question:

Sample Answer 1:
“My salary expectation is around $70,000 annually.”

Sample Answer 2:
“My salary requirement is in the $30,000 - $40,000 range, annually.”

#22. Do you have any questions for us?

You’re going to hear this question at the end of every interview you attend.

While there isn’t a right answer, there is definitely a wrong one, and that’s:

Incorrect Example:
“Nope, all good! Thanks, I’ll be on my way.”

This question lets you show your enthusiasm about the company, so don’t waste it.

Besides, imagine that they’ve already hired you and you’re starting tomorrow. What would you want to know about them?

Keep in mind, though, that the questions you ask shouldn’t be too easy or too obvious. Asking, “So, what does your company do?” won’t sit well with the interviewer, especially if it’s at the end of your interview.

Other than showing the hiring manager that you’re really interested in working for them, this is your opportunity to really find out more about the ins and outs of the place.

And the answers you get from the interviewer could also tell you whether you really want to work there or not.

But what kind of questions can you ask? Here’s a list of some of the best ones:

Possible questions to ask at the end of an interview:
What does a regular day at this company look like?
What’s the best thing about working for the company?
What’s the worst thing about working for the company?
What would you say are the biggest challenges a person in this position might face?
What are the most important skills and qualities one must have to succeed in this position?
What do you like best about working for this company?
What are the most pressing issues and projects that need to be addressed?
Do you have training programs available to employees?
What sort of budget is there for my department?
What kind of opportunities do you have for future development?
What are the performance expectations for someone in this position?
Do departments usually collaborate with one another?
Do you celebrate birthdays or retirements in the office?
Do employees usually hang out with each other outside of work?
Is there anything else I can help you with at this stage?
What is the next step in the hiring process?

For a complete list of all the questions you can ask the interviewer, check out our article!

How to Answer 18 of the Most Common Situational Interview Questions [+ Sample Answers]

Congrats!

You’ve made it past the difficult part.

You already know the most common job interview questions, so you can probably handle whatever the interviewer throws at you.

Depending on your specific situation, though, you might also need to learn how to answer a few situational job interview questions.

These questions can also be pretty varied, and sometimes they can be used interchangeably with behavioral interview questions, which we’ll cover further down in this article.

As a rule of thumb, situational interview questions will ask you about a situation.

This might be unique to you, such as something from your resume, or it might bring up a hypothetical situation so the interviewer can learn more about how you think.

The best way to explain this is by breaking down some of the most common situational interview questions.

So, let’s dive in!

#1. Why haven’t you gotten your degree?

As a start, keep in mind that the interviewer isn’t necessarily judging you for your level of education.

If they were looking for someone with a better degree, they wouldn’t have invited you to an interview to begin with. The lack of a degree probably isn’t a dealbreaker here, but your answer to the question could be.

With this question, the interviewer is trying to see your reasoning for pursuing a career instead of getting a degree, whether that’s a BA, MA, Ph.D., or something entirely different.

So, explain why you didn’t think that another degree was the right thing for you at the time.

Just don’t say you were lazy, that you didn’t feel like it, or that it’s a waste of money, even if that might be the case.

Instead, try giving compelling arguments, such as:

You wanted to see whether it was the right field for you.
You didn’t have the financial resources at the time.
You wanted to get some practical work experience before committing to a degree.

Here are some possible answers:

Sample Answer 1:
“At this stage of my life, I decided to pursue a career instead of furthering my education. On the one hand, I want to make sure that Marketing is what I want to do with my life.
On the other hand, I also think that in my field, practical work experience is a lot more valuable than any academic theory I could learn.
So far, my decision has paid off pretty well - I’ve already gotten a lot of experience doing online marketing for 3+ companies and delivering great results.
I might eventually decide to pursue a Master’s degree to get some specialized knowledge, but at this point, I really don’t see the point in that.”

Sample Answer 2:
“Because it’s not in sync with my future career path. I think that for software engineering, practical experience matters a lot more than having a degree.
I’ve already done an internship as a Junior Javascript Back-end Developer, and I believe that it gave me a lot more knowledge than my B.A. in Computer Science, so I dropped out after two semesters.
While I am eventually planning on finishing my Bachelor’s, it’s going to be in a more theoretical field, like Artificial Intelligence or Robotics.”

#2. Why have you switched jobs so many times?

If you’ve switched jobs in a very short period of time, like two or more full-time positions in the span of one year, the interviewer is likely to ask about it.

After all, job-hopping is one of the biggest red flags for HR managers.

You might have had a good reason for it, though. For example, maybe the second company you got hired in just wasn’t a good culture fit for you.

But you’ll have to communicate that.

Employers tend to be skeptical for some of the following reasons:

You might be a job hopper. Some people tend to switch jobs the moment they get a better salary offer, which puts a strain on companies looking for serious employees.
You might be unqualified for the job and have left your previous jobs because you couldn’t deliver.
You might get bored easily at work and your solution to that is to quit.

So, your job here is to convince the interviewer that you don’t belong to any of those categories.

You need to make them believe that you won’t just jump ship a couple of months after getting hired because a recruiter PM’d you on LinkedIn with a better offer.

The best way to answer this question is to explain the exact reason you switched jobs. It could be one of the following:

The company's culture wasn’t a good fit. This happens to the best of us - sometimes, the company just isn’t the right one.
The job description was misleading and you ended up doing something you either didn’t enjoy or were not qualified for.
You learned that you simply didn’t enjoy the job, whether because of the work environment, internal processes, or something related to your tasks. While this isn’t the best answer, it’s honest, and chances are, the hiring manager will understand.

Here are some possible answers:

Sample Answer 1:
“The last company I got hired at just wasn’t what I expected. The hiring manager didn’t communicate the role well enough.
As you already know, I’m a copywriter - I write sales copy. I work with landing pages, email marketing, and sales pages.
But around a week after I started work at the company, I realized that they were actually looking for something completely different. They asked me to write generic blog and social media posts, which is pretty far off from what I do.
This really wasn’t what I expected, and it’s not something I find interesting.”

Sample Answer 2:
“Well, as a start, my first job was in a big corporation straight out of university. While I did learn a lot there about Software Engineering practices, I also learned that a huge company with lots of regulations, rules, and the like just isn’t for me.
So, at the end of my internship there, I decided to try working at a startup. I enjoyed that job a lot more, as it gave me a lot of freedom when it came to problem-solving. I wasn't told how to do everything, rather, I was given the option of coming up with my own solutions.
Unfortunately, the company went up after failing to raise money, which put me back on the job market.
And here I am. XYZ Company is pretty much the place I’ve always wanted to work, from what I’ve heard about your company culture, and I thought I’d really fit in here.”

#3. Why did you change your career path?

If you recently made a career change, the interviewer is sure to ask about it.

But don’t worry - there’s nothing wrong with taking a different career path.

Lots of people go through a career change. Some even do it several times in their lifetime!

As long as you’re good at what you do, no one cares if you were a pediatrician in one year and a professional chef the next.

When you get this question, all you have to do is answer honestly. Explain how your old job just wasn’t for you at this stage in your life and how the job you’re applying for is so much more interesting and aligned with your new career path.

Here are some possible answers to this question:

Sample Answer 1:
“I just realized that being a doctor isn’t for me. While I did enjoy my time in medical school, the commitment was too much. I couldn’t spend so many years studying while my family was supporting me.
I wanted to start making money and help them out way before that, so I dropped out of university and started taking online courses in accounting.
At this point, I’m pretty good at it, having done two internships so far in Company X and Company Y.”

Sample Answer 2:
“Simply because I enjoy sales much more than accounting. After five years of working as an accountant for Company X, I decided I wanted to try something new.
I asked my boss at the time to let me switch to the sales team, and I ended up liking it and being pretty good at it. I learned a lot, and I’m ready to take the next step in my career.”

#4. Why did you decide to leave your previous job?

There are a few things the interviewer wants to learn from this question.

First, did you have a good reason for leaving your last job? The hiring manager doesn’t want someone who leaves the second things go south.

Incorrect Example:
“Oh, well, the company started bleeding cash and was on its way to bankruptcy, so I left.”

Correct Example:
“I just felt like it was time - I got to a point where everything I was doing felt monotonous. I learned as much as I could in that position while delivering great results. But it was time to switch to something new.”

The hiring manager also wants to know if you left on good terms. Meaning, did you go through the offboarding process, instructing your coworkers on how to take up your responsibilities? Or did you just say “bye” and stop showing up at work?

Incorrect Example:
“Things started to get really boring, and the boss man was kind of annoying. I figured I deserve better, so I just ghosted them and now I’m looking for a new job.”

Correct Example:
“I didn’t feel like the company’s values matched mine. The management was too controlling and micromanaging everything. I prefer to have some control over my work so I can go above and beyond when I see an opportunity.
Of course, I went through the off-boarding properly. So, I discussed things with my manager, gave a timely notice of resignation, and transferred everything I was working on to my replacement.”

Another thing the hiring manager wants to know is if you left voluntarily or if you were fired.

Incorrect Example:
“I got fired for consistently being late.”

Correct Example:
“I was fired, actually. The fault was mainly in my communication skills at the time. I misunderstood my supervisor’s instructions and ended up setting a higher monthly spend on an ad account for the client. The losses were less than 3-figures, but apparently, the relationship with the client was already strained, so they ended up leaving.
I really took this to heart and worked very hard on improving my communication skills to make sure that I don’t make any mistakes like that again.”

#5. Why is there a gap in your work experience?

In most cases, a gap in your work experience doesn’t really mean anything. You probably have a very good reason for it.

But the interviewer will definitely ask about it, and you should be ready to give an adequate answer.

There’s no secret to answering this question; you just need to let the interviewer know about your situation, whatever that may have been. Examples include:

Parental leave
Health issues
Taking care of a family member
Time off to pursue further education
Relocating to a different city
Working on a personal project

Whichever the case may be, just explain the situation briefly and move on.

There’s just one thing you should keep in mind: If you were laid off at work or you quit and had trouble getting a new job after that, you should be very subtle about it.

If the interviewer knows that you’re struggling to find a job, you’re going to give them the upper hand in salary negotiations.

Here are some possible answers:

Sample Answer 1:
“I had a baby and had to take maternity leave to take care of my family.”

Sample Answer 2:
“I was really burnt out by my job at Company X, so I wanted to take some time to myself to recover. I used that to get back into school and get my Master’s degree, which put me back on track to pursue the career I want.”

#6. Why were you fired?

Now this is a tough one.

Getting fired is pretty much never good.

Keep in mind that we’re talking about getting fired, not getting laid off. There’s a huge difference between the two.

Getting laid off means that you got let go for something that had nothing to do with your competence. This could be budget cuts, company down-sizing, etc.
Getting fired, on the other hand, means that you got let go for a reasonable cause. And chances are, it’s probably your fault.

If you’re applying for a job after getting fired and the interviewer asks you about it, you should be honest. After all, they can easily check-in with your previous employer.

Your best shot here is to be critical about your mistakes and explain what you’ve done to improve.

Incorrect Example:
“None of it was my fault! My boss was mean and just hated me for no reason.”

An answer like the one above just makes you look defensive, and that’s a huge red flag for the hiring manager.

Instead, try saying something that shows that you’re aware of your shortcomings.

Correct Example:
“The main fault was a miscommunication. The interviewer at my previous company wasn’t clear about the job responsibilities - from what I understood, they were looking for a senior-level marketer to oversee their email marketing operations.
At the end of the day, though, it turned out that the company was looking to experiment with email marketing and needed some specifically to set it up from scratch.
While I did my best to deliver, in the end it turned out that their niche doesn’t actually need email marketing. This was against the management’s vision, so they decided to let me go.”

#7. How do you feel about working weekends or late hours?

Usually, you can expect this question if you’re applying for a job that requires working odd hours or shifts.

In that case, your answer should be pretty straightforward - since you’re applying for the job in the first place, you probably don’t have any problems working at unusual times.

Sample Answer:
“Sure! I’m okay with working late hours or weekends, as long as you let me know about it at least a few days in advance.”

However, if you’re applying for just about any other type of job, this question is a huge red flag.

Here’s the thing: Is the employer just checking your dedication to the role, or are they looking for someone who’s going to work 24/7 with no overtime pay?

In this case, ask them to clarify what they mean.

Sample Answer:
“Given enough warning, sure, emergencies happen. Is that something I’ll be required to do often? Do you offer overtime pay for this kind of situation?”

#8. How would your boss describe you?

This question is pretty similar to “What is your greatest strength?” with the main difference being that it should be from the point of view of your boss or coworkers.

Here, you want to focus on your best traits and achievements that you’ve been praised for. After all, the interviewer might ask for a reference.

There are a couple of ways to answer this question:

For example, you could describe a specific situation where you excelled at work and received praise from your boss.

Sample Answer:
“They’d say I’m super hard working. During my weekend-off, not one, but three of my coworkers got sick, and I had to spot for them.
The weekend was peak season in Nantucket, so the restaurant was getting seriously overwhelmed. All of a sudden, we went from being very prepared for the season to complete panic.
I had to jump between serving, bussing, and line-cooking, but overall, I managed to survive through the weekend successfully. My boss was super grateful, too.”

Alternatively, you could quote a performance review.

If you’ve previously worked in an office job, you’re probably all too familiar with these.

And if your boss gave you a glowing performance review? Make sure to mention it here!

Sample Answer:
“Well, in my last performance review in September, my boss described me as someone who takes initiative.
My position as a PR manager involves constantly keeping track of our clients brand reputation and, if something goes wrong, dealing with it as fast as possible.
In a lot of cases, you need to be very proactive - if you wait for your entire team to have a meeting on how to deal with the issue, it might already be too late.
There were 4-5 different situations where I had to take charge and react to problems literally the moment they arose, whether it was during my work hours or not.”

#9. What would your first 30, 60, or 90 days look like in this role?

If you’re applying for a senior or leadership role, you’re probably going to get this question.

Chances are, at this stage of the interview, you already know a lot about your future position and the company.

Now, it’s time to show off your knowledge of the field and explain how you’re going to start making things happen at the company.

So, here’s how to answer the question:

The first 30 days:
You’re probably going to need to get to know the company first. You’re going to be learning as much as possible, including information on:
What does the company do?
What are the key processes?
What does your department do?
What are the current problems and challenges?
Where can you help?

The first 60 days:
Here, you’ll start making an impact. From all the information you’ve gathered so far, suggest a few initiatives you could take on. Examples include:
You’d audit the company's email marketing strategy and suggest improvements.
You’d help come up with better ad copies for Facebook marketing.
You’d help the team with their ongoing marketing initiatives.

The first 90 days:
At this point, you should already have an effect on the company. Describe several things you think are going to be working better than before you joined. Some examples could be:
Online ads are going to perform better by 10-20%
Email marketing operations are going to be more streamlined, taking significantly less manpower

Sound good? Now, let’s look at a sample answer to this question in action:

Sample Answer:
“Okay, well… in the first 30 days, I’d dive into understanding the company, our processes, and the team’s challenges. I’d get to know what we do, who our key players are, and where we need help.
Then, by 60 days, I’d start making changes. Things like improving our email marketing, refining ad strategies, and supporting ongoing projects.
At 90 days, I’d aim to have already left a mark. I think we could boost ad performance by 10-20%, streamline email operations, and start seeing real improvements in our marketing efforts. I want to make a positive impact quickly.”

#10. Are you a team player?

Wherever you’re applying, the answer to this question should pretty much always be some version of “Yes!”

Even if you’re applying for a completely solo role, you’re probably still going to have to work with a team occasionally.

We’d recommend being very specific about your answer here. Don’t just say yes, give the interviewer a specific example of when you excelled at working as part of a team.

Here are some possible answers:

Sample Answer 1:
“I’m much better at working as part of a team than alone, actually. That’s what I love about working in advertising - everyone has their own specific type of creative spark, and when you combine it all, magic happens!
I’m good at both leading and following in terms of creativity and brainstorming. I’m also super receptive to others’ ideas and do my best to help them execute it without nay-saying or criticism.”

Sample Answer 2:
“Yep, definitely. I excel at team-work.
This one time, while working at Company X, I was assigned to an existing team working on a web application for a business process management company.
They were working on a tight deadline and needed help on the API side.
I optimised their development cycles and oversaw a team of three developers while collaborating with the other two dev teams.
Everything went pretty well, and we managed to finish the project on time.”

#11. Are you a risk-taker?

This one can be tricky and the answer here depends on your profession and field.

Just ask yourself: Is risk-taking a valuable skill for the job?

If you’re a pilot, for example, the answer should be a strict “No!”

But, on the other hand, if you’re a day trader, then risk is an essential part of your job.

So, depending on how valuable risk-taking is for your job, answer accordingly.

You could also give a more strategic answer.

Let’s say, for example, you work in investment banking. You need to be a risk taker to some extent, but being too risk-friendly might make the entire company go bankrupt.

The strategy here would be to show that you’re all about calculated risk. You’re willing to take chances, but only when the odds are in your favor.

Try to give examples of situations where you had to take risks, and what the end-results were.

Let’s look at some possible answers:

Sample Answer 1:
“Yes, I’m a risk-taker. I believe that to achieve real results, you always need to be willing to take a certain level of risk.
Pretty much any marketing initiative you launch is tied to risk. You can plan everything from the beginning until the end, but no matter how well you plan it out, things might just not work out.
It’s just part of the job - in order to succeed, you need to launch risky campaigns on a regular basis, and hopefully, one in every five is going to bring you massive results.”

Sample Answer 2:
“I’m not a risk-taker; I’m more of a risk-manager. As someone who’s been in finance for years, I can say with a lot of confidence that there’s risk in everything.
The most important things are to one, minimize your risks; and two, minimize potential damages if everything goes very, very wrong.
While working at Investment Bank X, we had a very interesting policy for investing in new fintech projects. We used to avoid moon-shots, high-tech projects, and anything that had an experimental business model.
Our strategy was to invest in proven technology. As in, proven product-market fit, business model, etc. In most cases, these were runner up companies. We wouldn’t invest in that one innovative company that was all over the news - we’d instead invest in their latest competitor. More often than not, this ended up being more profitable and significantly less risky.”

#12. How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations?

If you’re applying for a high-stress job, you’re guaranteed to be asked this question.

The aim of this question is to see if you’re the type of person who would survive working at the job or fall through the cracks when the first signs of trouble show up.

So, obviously, you wouldn’t answer with something like:

Incorrect Answer:
“Well, I tend to have panic attacks and cry easily, so I end up running away from work sometimes.”

(Although, if that’s the case, we really don’t recommend you go for a high-stress job to begin with.)

Instead, say that you perform well during stressful situations and give one or two examples of a situation where you had to perform well under pressure.

Here are some possible answers to inspire you:

Sample Answer 1:
“Well, I can’t say I particularly enjoy stressful situations, but I am very good at working under pressure.
During chaos and panic, I tend to take a step back, think, plan, and prioritize.
For example, there have been times I’ve had to juggle multiple university projects and assignments at the same time. I would break up large assignments into small, individual tasks and prioritize based on things like:
How fast I could complete each task
Which task would take the longest
Which project had the earliest deadline
This way, my work became a lot more manageable. The more times I had to go through that, the better I performed overall.”

Sample Answer 2:
“I actually prefer working under pressure. I look at it as a challenge - a situation where I really have to up my game to succeed.
As a cook, working under pressure is pretty much part of the job. I’ve been in several situations where the restaurant was understaffed for the occasion. In fact, it’s pretty much a constant thing during peak season.
When there’s a ton of orders coming in and we can barely keep up, I tend to get significantly more productive than usual. Funny enough, my manager even said the kitchen has more blunders when it’s slow than when it’s a rush. I guess we just adapt to that really well.”

#13. If you had a choice, would you rather innovate a process or follow the established procedures for it?

This question is meant to assess your approach to problem-solving and your adaptability in the workplace.

The interviewer wants to understand if you're more of an innovator or if you prefer following protocol.

There are no right answers here. Different roles and different companies are going to value different approaches.

Just avoid any extreme answers that might make you seem too rigid or reckless. Such as:

Incorrect Answer:
"I always prefer to follow established procedures. Change is risky and unnecessary if things are working fine."

Try to strike a balance here. Show the hiring manager that you don’t have a problem doing things the way you’re supposed to, but that you’re also not afraid to try something new.

Here are some possible answers to this question:

Sample Answer 1:
"I think there's value in both. It really depends on the situation.
If the current process is fine, I'd follow it. But if I see potential for improvement, I'd do some research, propose changes, and look for feedback. Then I might try doing things my way.
It’s always good to try something new but it shouldn’t be at the expense of what already works great, you know?"

Sample Answer 2:
"Honestly, I prefer following established procedures. That way, I can always ask for advice or have something to fall back on.
I can try and figure something out on my own if I have to but I would always start out by following the go-to way to do things."

#14. Do you think there is a difference between hard work and smart work?

By definition, hard work is when you, well, work hard. It’s when you’re willing to put in a lot of work to get the job done.

Smart work, on the other hand, means doing the work efficiently. If you manage to get the job done in two hours instead of five, with the same end-result, you’re doing smart work.

Keep in mind, though, that by asking this question, the interviewer is looking to understand what your work ethic is like.

Meaning that they’re looking for a healthy combination of both, not just one.

So, they want you to be the candidate who can think smartly and work hard.

Here’s how you can explain how you excel at both:

Sample Answer:
“I don’t really have a preference - I believe that both hard and smart work are important to get the best results.
Smart work lets you figure out the best and most efficient way to get things done.
But hard work means that you’ll do the job right. Even if there’s no way to do it smartly or efficiently, you’ll be willing to put in long hours of work to get it done.
I’d say I’m the type who does both.
For an example of smart work, during my time at XYZ Corp, I was in charge of the sales department. As a process improvement initiative, I migrated from an outdated, in-house CRM to Pipedrive. This improved the department’s productivity by around 20%.
But the whole migration process took around three months of hard work. As the software we were using was outdated, trying to learn how to map and migrate our data was a lot more complicated than we’d expected.”

#15. How quickly do you adapt to new technology?

Today, whether you’re applying for a software engineering job or as a cashier in a supermarket, you’re going to need to use technology, at least on some level.

And it’s very common for a company to adopt new tech. This could be a new point of service system, self check-out kiosks, customer management software, or whatever else.

Generally, you should be able to pick up new tech as soon as possible. Any new change shouldn’t completely disrupt your work.

So, when answering this question, you should talk about your computer skills and how tech-savvy you are.

Here are a few possible answers:

Sample Answer 1:
“I’m pretty tech-savvy. I’ve worked with a lot of different Point of Service systems so far and have zero difficulties learning how to use new ones.”
As a given, I own a PC, have used Office 365, and all the usual stuff.”

Sample Answer 2:
“I’ve always been interested in tech. In fact, I’m the type of person who actively seeks out new software to help solve business problems at work.
I’ve worked with 3 different Customer Management Softwares in the past, such as PipeDrive, SalesForce, and Zoho CRM.”

#16. What are your interests outside of work?

If the interviewer asks you this question, take it as a good sign!

It means that they liked your professional background, and now they’re just trying to get to know you and see if you’re a good fit for the company culture.

It’s pretty hard to go wrong here, unless you’re going to say something like:

Incorrect Answer:
“I don’t really have hobbies. Sometimes I play video games, I guess?”

Now, there’s nothing wrong with playing video games, but the goal here is to get you to talk about your hobbies and interests.

Bonus points if you can mention something that’s also relevant to your job. For example, creative writing if you’re applying for a copywriting job.

Let’s check out some possible answers here:

Sample Answer 1:
“I’m a big fan of creative writing. I have my own personal short-story blog and I contribute actively to several online writing communities, like /r/WritingPrompts on Reddit.
Oh, and I’m also a huge fan of the New York Giants.”

Sample Answer 2:
“Well, I’m very interested in all sorts of sports. I like to keep active, as it really helps keep me productive. Over the past two years, I’ve done a bit of everything - fencing, archery, hiking, and several other things.”

#17. If you had to choose between a high-paying job you don’t enjoy and a lower-paying job you are passionate about, what would you choose?

This question is designed to give the interviewer insight into the values and priorities in your career.

They want to understand what motivates you and how you balance job satisfaction with other important factors, like your salary.

There's no universally "correct" answer here, but it is important to be thoughtful and explain the reason behind your answer.

That being said, avoid saying something that leans too far in either direction. You don’t want to seem like you’re solely motivated by money or that you don’t care about your salary at all.

Incorrect Answer:
"I'd definitely choose the high-paying job. At the end of the day, money is the most important thing in a career."

The best approach is to show that you value both job satisfaction and financial stability, and explain how you'd try to find a balance.

Here are a couple of possible answers that could work:

Sample Answer 1:
"Well, financial stability is important but I think that having passion for my work is crucial for any long-term success or satisfaction.
I'd lean towards the job I'm passionate about since it's likely to be better for me mentally, and it could lead to better performance and opportunities for growth.
But I'd also work to increase my value in that job. Maybe I could eventually get both, but I would prioritize passion for sure."

Sample Answer 2:
"That’s a tough one. Generally, I value both job satisfaction and financial security. Ideally, I would look for a middle ground – a job that I enjoy and that also provides fair compensation for me.
But if I’m forced to choose, I would probably go for the job with better compensation. I have too many responsibilities to prioritize a fun job over a good salary.
Besides, I’m a pretty curious person, so I’m sure I could eventually find satisfaction in any type of job. I just think I would find it hard to really enjoy a job if I felt like I wasn’t being compensated properly."

#18. What do you think our company/organization could do better?

Well, this one’s interesting!

While not too common for most organizations, it’s a favorite amongst tech companies.

Answering this question shows a couple of things:

You’re genuinely passionate about the organization, and you’ve done your research
You’re not afraid of giving feedback

Obviously, you should be very political about your feedback. You can’t just say something like:

Incorrect Example:
“Well, a lot of things, really. I’m not enjoying the interview process, for example. And your product could use a lot of work, no offense. But hey, there’s always room for improvement, am I right?”

Instead, you want to show off the research you’ve done. Talk about anything that might seem off about their product or business. Such as:

Correct Example:
“I actually went through your resume builder before coming to the interview and found several things that seemed kind of counter-intuitive.
Not to say that it’s too hard to understand or something, but it took me a while to figure out some stuff.
If you want, I can open up my laptop and show you what I mean.”

How to Answer 10 of the Most Common Behavioral Interview Questions [+ Sample Answers]

Finally, behavioral job interview questions are questions that focus on how you’ve performed in the past and give the hiring manager an idea of how you would behave in their organization.

These questions are used to understand your problem-solving abilities, thinking patterns, and whether you can think on your feet.

Just about any behavioral interview question can be answered by using the STAR method.

The STAR method gives you a structure your answer should follow. The acronym stands for:

(S)ituation - Set the scene and give the interviewer context for the story you’re about to tell them.
(T)ask - What was your role in this example? Describe what the specific problem or responsibility you had to handle was.
(A)ction - Explain all the steps you took towards addressing your task.
(R)esults - Wrap up your example with what the results were. If possible, provide numbers or other concrete data.

Want to learn more about STAR interview questions? Check out our dedicated article on the topic.

Now, let’s check out the sample answers to the ten most common behavioral interview questions:

#1. How have you handled a challenge in the workplace before?

Situation: “During my last job, I was managing the creative and web development team in charge of creating an online store for a client. Two days before deploying, we found a major bug that messed up the whole front-end user experience.”

Task: “Now, we could have pushed the deadline a bit, but that would have messed up the relationship with the client. The project was already postponed once because of unforeseen circumstances, so this one was a do or die. We had to figure out a way to fix it on time.”

Action: “I briefly discussed it with the management team and assembled a task force consisting of web developers from my team and some software engineers from another department. We focused 100% of our time on fixing the issue and even got in a few hours of overtime to make sure we were on track.”

Results: “It was hard work but we actually managed to launch on time at the end. The client was happy, and the team was relieved that all our efforts paid off.”

#2. Can you give me an example of a time when you performed well under pressure?

Situation: “As a seasonal worker, I’d say my entire career is high-pressure. My last position was as a line cook during the summer tourist season at the XYZ Restaurant near Yellowstone Park. There was a lot of work, and the restaurant was pretty much always full.”

Task: “On one occasion, the town we were in was hosting a festival, so we suddenly had this huge wave of hungry tourists, all at once. We had no time to prepare, so we had to roll with it and make sure everyone was served.”

Action: “I coordinated with the hostess and expo to make sure they were pacing the customers, not seating everyone at once. That way, the line cooks had more time to prepare everything. We encouraged them to seat smaller parties first, like two to four people, so we could get their food out faster. Bigger tables are always a challenge, especially during a rush like that. Every second counts when you’re working in a kitchen, so we used every spare moment to prep for the expected large parties.”

Results: “In the end, it worked out. We managed to roll out all the food on time, there were no complaints about quality, and though we were all stressed out by the end of the night, the customers were happy. It goes to show how teamwork can really make or break a high-pressure situation.”

#3. What was a time when you showed leadership qualities?

Situation: “As an entry-level marketer, there wasn’t much expected of me at XYZ Company.

Task: “My main to-dos involved doing research and completing whatever tasks were assigned to me. But one day, during a brainstorming session with the content marketing team, I had a chance to give my input.”

Action: “I came up with a pretty good idea of how to market the company. The gist of it was that we’d interview company clients who were very successful at using our software product, then create case studies on what exactly they’re doing, and include them in our email marketing strategy.”

Results: “The Chief Marketing Officer loved the idea and put me in charge of executing the project and it worked like a charm. We secured five new clients within the first two months of the campaign.”

#4. Describe a situation where you had to collaborate with a difficult coworker. How did you manage it?

Situation: "At my previous job, I was part of a project team working on a new product launch. One of my team members, let’s call him John, was particularly difficult to work with. He often dismissed others' ideas and insisted on doing things his way, which created tension within the team."

Task: "As the project coordinator, it was my responsibility to ensure the team worked smoothly and efficiently, which meant finding a way to work with John and keeping the project on track."

Action: "I decided to have a one-on-one conversation with John to understand his perspective better. I approached him in a friendly and non-confrontational manner and asked for his input on the project. During our conversation, I realized that he felt his expertise was being overlooked. I acknowledged his experience and suggested that we incorporate some of his ideas while also encouraging him to be open to others' contributions. I also made sure to involve him more in decision-making processes to make him feel valued."

Results: "After our talk, John became more cooperative and started listening to the team’s suggestions. The atmosphere improved significantly, and we were able to complete the project on time. Our collaborative efforts led to a successful product launch, and I even received positive feedback from my manager on how I handled the situation."

#5. Tell me about a time you had to quickly adjust your priorities to meet changing demands. What did you do?

Situation: "Last year, I was working as an editor for a publishing company. We were in the middle of finalizing the edits for a big book release when our CEO suddenly decided to push forward the launch date by two weeks."

Task: "I needed to quickly adjust my priorities and ensure the book was ready for the new deadline. This meant reworking my schedule and coordinating with the rest of the editorial team to speed up the editing process without compromising quality."

Action: "I immediately called an emergency meeting with my team to discuss the new timeline. We broke down the tasks and redistributed the workload to make sure everyone was on the same page. I also reached out to the author and designers to let them know about the change and get their commitment to the new schedule. To stay on track, I set up daily check-ins to monitor our progress and address any issues that came up quickly."

Results: "Thanks to the team’s hard work and cooperation, we managed to meet the new deadline. The book was released on time and received positive reviews. Our CEO appreciated our flexibility and dedication, and it was a great example of how we could come together to handle unexpected changes effectively."

#6. Have you ever had to deal with a dissatisfied customer? How did you resolve the situation?

Situation: "Yeah, I’ve had to deal with upset customers before. One time, when I was a retail manager at a clothing store, a customer came in really frustrated because the dress she bought a week ago had torn after she wore it once."

Task: "I had to calm her down, fix the issue, and make sure she left happy."

Action: "I listened to her, apologized for the problem, and took a look at the dress. I told her that we want our customers to be satisfied with our products. I offered her a choice between a full refund or a new dress. To make up for the trouble, I also gave her a discount voucher for her next purchase. I made sure to report the issue to our supplier to avoid this happening again."

Results: "She was pleased with how we handled everything. She exchanged the dress and even used the voucher to buy something else. Later, she left a nice review about our customer service. So, by listening and being helpful, we turned a bad situation into a positive experience for her."

#7. Can you talk about a time when you had to go above and beyond your regular duties to get the job done?

Situation: "Definitely. When I was working as a customer service representative at an online retail company, we had a customer who ordered a gift for her daughter's birthday. Unfortunately, there was a mix-up with the shipping, and the package was delayed, so it would arrive after the birthday."

Task: "I needed to resolve the issue and make sure the customer was happy, even though it wasn't technically our fault that the shipping company delayed the package."

Action: "I apologized sincerely for the inconvenience and assured her I would make it right. I arranged for a replacement gift to be sent overnight at no extra cost and offered a partial refund for the trouble. Additionally, I personally wrote a card and included a small complimentary item from our store as a gesture of goodwill. I also kept the customer updated throughout the process to ease her concerns."

Results: "The customer was thrilled with the quick resolution and the extra effort we put in. She received the replacement gift the next day and was very grateful for the card and the complimentary item. She sent a thank-you email and later left a glowing review about our exceptional customer service. By going above and beyond, we managed to turn a negative experience into a positive one, and she became a loyal customer."

#8. Describe a moment when you had to make an unpopular decision. How did you handle the feedback?

Situation: "As a project manager in my previous role, we were nearing the deadline for a major project, but it became clear that we wouldn't meet all the client's additional feature requests without pushing the timeline significantly."

Task: "I had to make a tough call to prioritize the core requirements and inform the client that we couldn't accommodate all the requested features within the original timeframe."

Action: "I met with the client, explained the impact of adding the features on time and budget, and proposed focusing on delivering the core project scope. I also suggested incorporating the additional features in future phases."

Results: "Initially, the client was disappointed, but they appreciated my transparency and how I understood their needs. We agreed on the core scope for the initial release, so that maintained project timelines and kept the client satisfied."

#9. Tell me about a time when you used data or analytics to make a decision. What was the outcome?

Situation: "As a business development manager, I needed to find new growth opportunities for our software products."

Task: "I had to figure out which markets would be most promising for us to focus on."

Action: "I dug into our customer data and market trends using our CRM system. I also looked at what our competitors were up to. Based on all that, I recommended that we target the healthcare sector, where there seemed to be a rising demand for our software."

Results: "We shifted our strategy to concentrate more on healthcare. It paid off because we started getting more leads and ended up signing some major new contracts in that sector. Using data to guide our decisions really helped us expand into a profitable new market."

#10. Describe a time when you had to learn a new skill to complete a task. How did you approach it?

Situation: "I remember one project where I needed to create animations for a client's website redesign."

Task: "To do this, I had to learn Adobe After Effects, which was totally new to me."

Action: "I started by watching tutorials online and taking a beginner's course. Then, I practiced in the evenings, experimenting with different features until I felt comfortable navigating the software."

Results: "After a few weeks of learning and practice, I successfully created the animations the client wanted. They were really happy with the results, and it added a dynamic touch to their website. Learning After Effects did a lot more than help me finish the project, though. I’d say the whole experience broadened my skills as a graphic designer, so it was great."

Want to learn more about behavioral interview questions? Check out our in-depth guide here.

[BONUS] Job Interview Questions Infographic

Now, it’s time for a quick recap!

Check out our new infographic on some of the most common job interview questions and how to answer them:

interview questions and best answers guide drafts interview questions and answers info

Key Takeaways

And we’re finally here!

If you managed to get to this point, you definitely deserve a high-five!

Now, to wrap up this article, let’s go through a couple of essential tips on acing your interview:

Make sure you’re prepared to answer all the common job interview questions. Wherever you’re applying, you’ll likely be asked several of them.
Think of the answers you’ll give for the situational interview questions that apply to you. Be ready to talk about any gaps in your work experience, why you didn’t complete your degree, or anything else that the hiring manager might ask.
Understand how to answer behavioral job interview questions with the STAR method. Make sure you have a few examples ready before the interview.
Make sure you follow basic interview etiquette. Maintain eye-contact with the interviewer, be polite, dress for success, and so on.

And finally, good luck on the interview! You got this!