Common interview questions

Preparing yourself for the most common interview questions is a great way to prepare yourself ahead of an interview. While there will of course be more specific things you will be asked - depending on the job you are applying for - these common interview questions seem to crop up again and again in all sorts of different fields and at all different job levels.

The most common interview questions include:

Why have you applied for this job?
This is a favourite, and if you are prepared, is an opportunity for you to highlight the areas where you think you excel. When answering this question, you need to focus on what you like about the company (showing that you have done your research), and the skills and experience that you have that will make you an ideal candidate for this job.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
This can be a tricky one - you need to show that you are going to be a loyal employee, but also that you are ambitious, wanting to learn and grow. An answer that suggests that you hope to be using the skills and experience you have acquired to help the company reach its goals strikes the right balance.

What are your strengths?
Don't be modest when answering this question! This is your chance to sell yourself, but be sure to focus on the skills and experience that are relevant to the post. Good generic strengths include areas like the ability to work under pressure, your willingness to learn, and interpersonal skills.

What is your biggest weakness?
Many people struggle to answer this question - the key is to pick something that doesn't affect your ability to do the job, and find a way to turn your weakness into your strength - something like you hate losing, you never quit, or that you are highly ambitious.

What are you looking for in a job?
An easy one to answer - tell them that you are looking for a position that allows you to grow personally and professionally while helping your employer to achieve their performance goals.

There are others, but whether you get these, or other questions, what matters is that you have thought about why you want this job, that you have analysed your own strengths and what you bring to the position, and you have done your background research on the company. Do that, and you'll be ready for almost any question.