51 Most Common Interview Questions

Preparing for an interview is important for landing a coveted role, and research shows that preparation is key to getting the position you want.

A SimplyHired survey revealed that 89 percent of hiring managers view displaying a lack of preparation can sabotage your chances of landing a new job.

So, it’s important to prepare for the questions you may encounter during an interview.

When you’re preparing for an interview, there are some questions that you’ll often come across that are all too familiar, whether you’re applying for a full-time role or remote jobs. Here are some common interview questions you can expect:

Questions About You

Your future employer wants to get to know you and have a better idea if whether or not you’re an ideal fit for the company and role.

That’s why questions about you and your work ethic, your flexibility and your values often come up in interviews. Consider these key questions:

1. Why should I hire you?
2. What can you tell me about yourself?
3. What is your dream job?
4. Why are you looking for a new place to work?
5. What is your salary requirements?
6. Are you willing to travel if needed?
7. Will you be able to relocate to another location?
8. Are there any holidays or weekends you will not be able to work?
9. What are your expectations for your manager?
10. What is the most important item on your resume?
11. Are you able to work more than 40 plus hours a week if needed?
12. Do you have anything negative on your social media platforms that might not live up with the company views?
13. What grades did you obtain in college?
14. Do you have any upcoming personal events that you need time off for?
15. What are you passionate about?

Questions About Conflict Resolution and Motivation

Employers need insight on your motivation to work for the company. They also want to make sure they are hiring workers who want to be part of the resolution rather than the problem when conflicts arise.

This helps them determine if you are a fit for the company culture and whether or not you plan to stay for the long-haul. Here are some questions to look forward to in an interview:

15. Why do you want to work with this company?
16. Tell me about a conflict you had at work and how you handled it.
17. What was the outcome when you and your boss didn’t agree on something?
18. What do you do to get yourself up in the morning?
19. What other companies have you applied with?
20. How would you handle an angry co-worker?
21. What would you do if you were given a difficult client to work with?

Related: See our guide on resume objectives across different roles to help you craft the perfect one.

Questions About Career Goals

Companies want to know the goals you have for the future. So, you can expect to receive questions about your future career plans.

Here are some common questions you can expect to answer during an interview:

22. Where do you see yourself in the next five years and 10 years from now?
23. How did you learn about this position?
24. What is your ideal work environment?
25. What are some things you like to do outside of the workplace?
26. Why did you choose this career path?
27. What is something you regret about your past job?

Questions About Your Strength and Weaknesses

It’s important for employers to learn about your strongest skills versus the areas you need to work on. So, it’s not uncommon to receive questions about your strengths and weaknesses.

These questions come in many forms, too. Consider these common questions about your strengths and weaknesses:

28. What are your strengths?
29. What are your weaknesses?
30. How do you overcome your weaknesses?
31. What items would you need to help improve your workflow?
32. What would we get from you in the first three months of being part of our team?
33. What can you offer us that other applicants can’t?

Questions About Your Skills

From leadership skills to communication skills, you can expect employers to inquire about your capabilities.

Your skills are essential to the position you are applying to, so expect to get a series of questions surrounding this topic, including:

34. How do you lead a team?
35. Describe your leadership style.
36. Describe how you would fire someone?
37. What were the results when you oversaw a major project?
38. If hired, what is the first thing you would do to improve the workflow of your role?

Questions About Your Experience

Employers want insight on your experience in specific situations. So, prepare to find a few questions that delve into your work history, such as:

39. What was the highest title you obtained at your previous employer?
40. What was the biggest project you were part of and what was the outcome?
41. How long did it take you to get your first promotion at your prior employer?
42. Have you ever been fired and, if so, why?
43. What was the most inspiring role you ever had?
44. Tell me about the first time you were in a leadership role?
45. Why do you have a gap between employment?
46. What are some of the typical tasks you did for your previous employer?

Question About the Company

The company often wants to make sure they are hiring candidates with a true interest in the role and the business.

So, it’s important to prepare for these questions in advance by knowing the type of questions to expect.

47. Who are our current competitors?
48. What would your previous employer say about you if we call?
49. What do you think this company could do to be better?
50. What do you know about our company history?
51. What questions do you have (about the company, the process, the next steps)?

Some of our Resume Samples

These resume samples can help you craft an impactful resume for your job application. And in the meantime, check out our entire collection of premium resume templates.