20 Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Most interviews recycle the same core questions. Prepare for these and you'll walk in calm and confident.

The classics

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why do you want this job?
3. Why do you want to leave your current role?
4. What are your greatest strengths?
5. What's your biggest weakness?
6. Where do you see yourself in five years?
7. Why should we hire you?

Behavioural questions — use the STAR method

For "tell me about a time when…" questions, structure your answer as STAR:

• Situation — set the scene briefly
• Task — what you needed to achieve
• Action — what you did
• Result — the outcome (with numbers if possible)

Common ones:

8. Describe a time you handled conflict.
9. Tell me about a goal you achieved.
10. Describe a mistake and what you learned.
11. Give an example of working under pressure.
12. Tell me about leading a team or project.

Role & company fit

13. What do you know about our company?
14. How do you handle feedback?
15. What's your ideal work environment?
16. How do you prioritise your work?
17. What motivates you?

Closing questions

18. What are your salary expectations?
19. Do you have any questions for us? (Always say yes — ask about the team, success in the role, or next steps.)
20. Is there anything else we should know?

Final tips

• Research the company and re-read the job advert beforehand.
• Prepare 3–4 STAR stories you can adapt to many questions.
• Practise out loud — it's different from rehearsing in your head.

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