50 Key Interview Questions - Help with your Answers

1. Tell me about yourself
Cover four areas in your life: your early years, education, work experience, and your current situation. Keep your complete answer to about 2 minutes; don't ramble or elaborate. This is your 2-minute self-introduction and you will be very accomplished at giving it by the time you are in job interviews. Because this question usually comes early in the interview, you will gain confidence by knowing you can answer it well.

2. What can you offer us that other candidates can't?
If this question is asked early in the interview, you might respond by discussing generally how your skills and experience would benefit the company. To get more specific, you will need to know something about the job situation they have in mind and that subject is not usually discussed until the end of the interview. Resist the temptation to frame an answer based on your assumptions about the position. If the question is asked after the interviewer has described the position, only then can you relate any of your accomplishments to the problems of your prospective employer. This is an opportune time to discuss your problem-solving abilities.

3. What are your strengths?
You should be able to list 3 or 4 of your key strengths that are relevant to their needs, based on the research and other data you have gathered about their company.

4. How successful have you been so far?
Be prepared to define success for yourself and then respond. Try to choose accomplishments that relate to the company's needs and values.

5. What are your limitations?
Respond with a strength which, if overdone, can be a detriment and become a weakness. For example, you might. say, "My desire to get the job done sometimes causes me to be overzealous and demanding of my organization. But I am aware of this problem and believe that I have it under control." Or deal with your need for further training in some aspect of your profession. Do not claim to be faultless, but limit your answer to one specific issue.

6. How much are you worth?
Try to delay answering this until you have learned more about the job and can estimate, based on previous research, the salary range this company endorses for similar positions. If you feel obliged to answer, you might reply in this way. "You are aware of what I have been earning at Ajax, and I would hope that coming to Acme would be a progressive step. Perhaps, we can go into this question in more depth when have a better idea of what the job responsibilities and scope would be."

7. What are your ambitions for the future?
Indicate your desire to concentrate on doing the immediate job well - and your confidence that the future will then be promising. You do not want to convey that you have no desire to progress, but you need to avoid statements that are unrealistic, or that might threaten present incumbents.

8. What do you know about our company?
You've done your homework, and have studied all that is publicly available about Acme and are thus aware of many published facts. However, you might state that you would like to know more; then be prepared to ask intelligent questions. Avoid a recitation of the facts, incorporate personal remarks and specific questions to facilitate a lively exchange of information.

9. Why are you seeking a position with our company?
Indicate that from your study of the company, many of the activities and problems are the sort that would give you a chance to contribute to the company through your experience and skills. If you honestly can, express your admiration for the company and what it is that appeals to you.

10. What qualifications do you have that you feel would make you successful here?
If this question is asked after you have sufficient information about the position, talk about two or three of your major skills (supported by accomplishments) which you believe will be useful in the position. If the question is asked earlier talk about two or three of your major skills and relate them to the extent that you can to the company. Gauge the amount of detail for this and other answers by the time frame set by the interviewer for your meeting and by his or her signals as to how much information is enough.

11. What things are most important to you in a job?
Use information developed in your knowledge of the company and relate it to the position, if you know the details of the position. If not, use a corporate" answer: "to be challenged," "part of the team," etc.

12. How would you describe your personality?
Mention only 2 or 3 of your most useful traits. Remember that the interviewer is trying to determine your "fit" in the company. Your ability to accurately identify their corporate values will enable you to frame your response appropriately

13. How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm?
Be realistic and speak in terms of 6 months to a year. Again, the timing of the question is important. Do you know enough about the specific position to give a cogent response? (If it's a new, undefined job, even 6 months to a year may be overly optimistic.)

14. Don't you feel you might be over-qualified or too experienced for the position we have in mind?
Most of the time this question really means: I am afraid you are willing to take this job because you need a job and you will leave as soon as you get a better job offer. Your answer must address this concern.

Example: "You could be right, but having taken a voluntary early retirement from XYZ Company, I am in the fortunate position of being able to do what gives me the greatest satisfaction; and what I enjoy doing most is - (describe the contents of the job). The additional advantage to you if you hire me is that extra qualification and experience will be available for you to use when necessary."

15. What is your management style?
No doubt you defined your management style as part of your assessment and have talked about it with your consultant. You might want to talk about how you set goals and then get your people involved in them. Also, describe the techniques that you like to use to bring out the best in people, using the most appropriate style to fit the situation. Your research may have given you a sense of whether the company believes in a highly participative style, or is more authoritarian in its approach. If you don't know the company's style, keep your answer "soft" and situational.

16. Describe a situation in which you had a difficult management problem. How did you solve it?

Relate one of your accomplishments, which had to do with this kind of situation. Depending on the organization's culture and needs, highlight conflict management, team building, or staffing.

17. As a manager, what do you look for when you hire people?
Their skills, initiative, adaptability - whether their chemistry fits with that of the organization." Responding in this way mirrors the interviewer's need to determine what you can do, will do, and how you fit into their organization.

18. As a manager, have you ever had to fire anyone? If so, what were the circumstances and how did you handle it?
If you have, answer in brief that you have indeed had experience with this problem and that it worked out to the benefit of both the individual and the organization. You followed the company's disciplinary procedures carefully before proceeding to termination. (The company may be concerned about discrimination and legal issues.) Don't go into the details unless the interviewer asks for more information. If you have never fired anyone, say so, but talk about how you would utilize progressive discipline before resorting to termination to protect the company's best interests.

19. What do you see as the most difficult task in being a manager?
Your answer might address getting things done through others; getting things planned and done on time; within the budget; or other management issues. Since budget management is a valuable transferable skill, you might wish to work your abilities in this area into the discussion if appropriate. Be guided by the interviewer's I-Speak style and the needs and culture of the organization in determining what to stress in your answer.

20. Describe some situations in which you've worked under pressure or met deadlines.
Refer to your accomplishments. Discuss one or two in which you were especially effective in meeting deadlines or dealing with high-pressure situations.

21. Tell me about a work situation that irritated you.
Talk about this type of situation in terms of the skills you used to manage and improve it. Avoid describing a work situation you know exists in your target company unless you want to emphasize that you can improve or eliminate it Stress your ability to '' stay cool" under pressure.

22. Tell me about an objective in your last job which you failed to meet and why.
This question assumes that you failed to meet some of your objectives. If you can honestly state that you met all your established objectives, say so. If there was an objective, which you were unable to meet for legitimate reasons, discuss it with an explanation of the obstacles over which you had no control. Even better, discuss an objective which you "renegotiated" when you realized it could not be met because of obstacles beyond your control.

23. Would you describe a few situations in which your work was criticized?
Describe only one, and tell how you have corrected or plan to correct the issue. Do not go into detail. If the interviewer wants more detail let them ask for it.

24. What have you learned from your mistakes?
Discuss one or two situations where you successfully transformed a mistake or error in judgment into a learning experience. Emphasize the positive result, with the error as the learning catalyst.

25. What important trends do you see coming in our industry?
Choose two or three important developments to discuss. This is your chance to show that you have thought about the future, the economics, the markets, and the technology of the industry.

26. Why are you leaving your present job?
If you had the opportunity to cover this in your 2-minute self-introduction, there's a good chance the question will not be asked. Regardless of when it is asked, it must be answered briefly. If it was a force reduction due to economic circumstances, make that clear. If possible, explain how your termination was part of a larger movement. When you have finished answering, let it go. Refrain from analyzing any friction points with your boss.

27. Describe what you feel would be an ideal working environment.
This is a place where you can bring in some of your own values and personal experiences. But don't make it sound too sublime or impractical. Downplay the negative.

28. Looking back. How do you perceive your past employer? Be positive.
Refer to the valuable experience you have gained. "It is an excellent company which has given me a lot of good experience and opportunities to perform."

29. What have you done that helped increase sales or profit? How did you go about it?
This is your chance to describe in some detail a business accomplishment that is relevant to the proposed new job. Feel free to dwell on this.

30. How much financial responsibility have you had to account for?
You can answer this in terms of your budget or head-count or the size of the project or sales that you directed

31. How many people have you managed on your recent jobs?
Be specific - and feel free to refer to those over whom you had influence, such as a task force or a matrix organization.

32. Give examples of times when you were a leader.
Draw examples from accomplishments, which demonstrate your leadership skills.

33. How do you think your subordinates perceive you?
Be as positive as you can, referring to your strengths, skills and traits, remember to be honest. References are easily checked.

34. In your last position, what were the things that you liked most? And liked least?
Respond with care to this question. You'll have the information from your satisfiers/dissatisfiers, but you'll want to emphasize the positive and not talk at length about the negatives.

35. In your recent position, what were some of your most significant accomplishments?
Since you have already selected the specific accomplishments you want to talk about, this question will be easy for you. Be ready to describe three or four of them in detail. When possible, try to relate your answer to the nature of the new challenges you might be facing.

36. Why haven't you found a new position after so many months?
You may find this question offensive, but do not take it personally. Simply give a brief answer, "Finding just any job is not too difficult, but finding the right job takes care and time," and move on.

37. What do you think of your previous boss?
Be as positive as you can, and avoid becoming embroiled in this issue. This is a loaded question because most bosses avoid a contentious or difficult subordinate. If you like the individual, say so and tell why. If you don't, think of something positive to say.

38. If I spoke with your previous boss, what would he or she say are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
Be consistent with what you think he or she would say. Position any weakness in a positive way. Your old boss will probably want to give you a good reference, so recount some of the good things you did for him or her.

39. In your most recent position, what problems did you identify that had previously been overlooked?
Refer to accomplishments listed on your resume. Keep answers brief and include how the accomplishment was obtained.

40. If you had your choice of jobs or companies, where would you land?
Talk about the target job and what is attractive in the company that is interviewing you.

41. What do you feel you should earn in the proposed position?
You may want to answer this with a question, such as, "What is the typical salary range for similar jobs in your company?" Or, "I consider myself to be a better than average, so I would expect to receive an offer that would be better than the midpoint of the salary range for the position." If there is no range in the company, give the range that you had in mind. But qualify it by saying you hope to learn more about the job responsibilities and scope.

42. If we were to offer you this position, what changes would you make in your organization?
The timing of this question is critical, since you can't give any specific answer without knowing some details about the position, organization and culture. Even if you do, be careful about describing sweeping changes you might want to make. Unless the interviewer has specified critical problem areas that you feel comfortable addressing, limit your answer to explaining the need to study the current organization, talk with staff, and fully assess the implications before recommending any changes.

43. Do you have any objections to taking our battery of psychological tests?
"No, none at all." (This is an indication that you are a serious candidate.)

44. What other types of jobs or companies are you considering at this time?
Don't feel obliged to reveal details of your other negotiations. If you are interviewing elsewhere refer to your campaign in a general way. But concentrate mainly on the specific job for which you are interviewing.

45. What sort of outside reading do you do?
Be honest. If possible, mention some of the things you read in order to keep yourself up-to-date in your professional field. However, it is okay to show balanced interests by mentioning your recreational reading as well.

46. What motivates you the most?
Use the results of your career anchors and career assessment, but keep your answer fairly general: the satisfaction of meeting the challenges of the position, developing teams and individuals, meeting organizational goals. (Only if you are in sales would you mention money as a motivator.)

47. Give one or two examples of your creativity.
Refer to accomplishments that relate to the company and the position, if possible.

48. What are your long-range goals?
Relate your answer to the company you are interviewing with, rather than give a very broad, general answer. Keep your ambitions realistic. Talk first about doing the job for which you are applying, then talk about longer-range goals.

49. What sort of relationships do you have with your associates, both at the same level and above and below you?
This is a very important question, so you will want to take the time to answer it in logical steps. When talking about your relationships with subordinates, be prepared to state your management philosophy, particularly with regard to performance issues. When speaking of bosses, indicate your keen interest in understanding your boss's expectations, so that you and your organization can build your goals in a way that will support his/her goals. You may also want to talk about how you would keep your boss informed. Stress your team-building, mutually cooperative approach with peers.

50. What are some of your outside activities or recreations?
Hopefully, your answer can show that you lead a balanced life. But avoid mentioning so many activities that it casts some doubt on how much time you will have for the job. Remember that your hobbies and recreation activities can be quite revealing as to your own personality and values.