Common Job Interview Questions

One of the keys to success at a job interview is preparing responses to those difficult interview questions.

The four major types of interviewing questions that interviewers use are:

Closed ended questions, which are used to confirm or verify information:

You have a Bachelor of Business Degree from the University of New South Wales. Is that correct?

Open ended questions

What kind of work environment do you prefer?

Theoretical questions, which provide hypothetical situations

How would you react if you saw co-worker disagreeing?

Behavioural questions, which focus on your past experience and behaviours:

Describe a time when you were under pressure to make a decision. Did you react immediately or take time in deciding what to do?

Behavioural based questions are becoming increasing popular, as the interview can be structured to concentrate on areas that are important to the interviewer; instead of allowing you to concentrate on areas that you think are important.

Below of some of the common job interview questions used:

• Why did you leave your last job?
• What kinds of people frustrate you the most?
• Where do you see yourself in five years from now?  Ten years from now?
• What are your long term career objectives?
• Why did you choose this career?
• What do you dislike most about work?
• Have you ever had difficulty with a supervisor? How did you resolve the conflict?
• What do you think are your strongest abilities?
• What do you think are your weaknesses?
• What are your long range and short range goals and objectives?
• How would a good work colleague describe you?
• So tell me about yourself?
• What is your management style?
• What are your major achievements in the last year?
• What do you look for in a job?
• Why did you apply for this position?
• What sort of work environment do you prefer?
• Describe a situation in which you dealt with a problematic client. How did you resolve this issue?
• What else, besides your qualifications and experience qualifies you for this job?
• Why do you want to move into this area?
• What are 2 of your major accomplishments?
• Are you willing to relocate?
• What is wrong with your present position?

Relevant articles and resources

• What you need to know about the interview process for the public service sector
• Answers to common interview questions
• Book review of 10 key steps to ace that interview
• Sample questions to ask potential employer
• How to pass job selection tests
• Do's and Don'ts during the interview
• How to manage illegal questions at interview
• Questions to ask during the job interview
• Dressing for job interviews
• Key rules for succesful job interviews