Are you getting nervous as you prepare for your job interview? You’re not alone!
Job interviews can be both exciting and scary, as this is possibly the most crucial part in every job application. While it’s important to stay true to yourself during an interview, having a good understanding of potential interview questions can make all the difference in your performance.
If you don’t know where to start, we did the research for you and found this comprehensive and useful resource by Richard McMunn of CareerVidz on YouTube.
Here are 21 sample answers to common interview questions to help you ace that job interview!
Sample Answers to Interview Questions
Q1: Tell us about yourself
A: My name is [insert name] and thank you for giving me this opportunity today. I have the skills and qualities to match the job description, and to perform highly in the role. I have experience of working with other people; I’m always seeking to learn and develop, and I have the creativity to help your business grow whilst offering excellent service to your customers. Outside of work I keep myself fit and active. I am a positive person who always embraces change, and my professional development is my priority.
Q2: Why do you want this job?
A: I want this job because it is a role that I am very passionate about, and I see my long-term career in this position. I also want this job because having researched your company you are clearly innovative, you support your employees in their work, and you are always striving to move forward and develop.
Q3: How did you hear about this position?
A: I have held a keen interest in your company for several months now and I have been on the lookout for this role to be advertised. To make sure I was notified as soon as the position was advertised, I kept a daily check on the local job boards.
Q4: What are your strengths?
A: My strengths include my ability to learn things very quickly, I am a ‘people person’ which means I will always play a positive role model for your company whilst dealing with your customers. I consider myself as adaptable and will always embrace change for the better good of the company.
Q5: What’s your biggest weakness?
A: My biggest weakness is the fact that I don’t yet have much experience in talking to large groups of people. This is something I am very keen to improve on, so if any opportunities were to arise in this position to gain experience in this area, I would certainly want to take advantage of that.
Q6: How would you deal with a conflict with a co-worker?
A: I would deal with the conflict by seeing if I was doing anything to contribute to the conflict before speaking to my co-worker in private to find an amicable way forward that we were both comfortable with. I would always put the needs of my team first and try to overcome the conflict so we could quickly move forward.
Q7: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: I see myself hopefully working for your company either in the same role or having gained advancement to a higher level. In 5 years, I would have also developed significantly and be seen as a trusted, reliable, and productive member of the company.
Q8: What’s your ideal work environment?
A: My ideal work environment is positive, is one where everyone in the team seeks to continually grow and improve, and where I would get to use my creative side to help the business grow and develop.
Q9: What experience do you have relevant to this role?
A: I have experience of dealing with clients and customers in a manner that is representative of the company’s vision. I have experience of collaborating with other people in a team to achieve a common objective, and I also have experience of solving problems independently, and completing time sensitive tasks under pressure.
Q10: How would other people describe you?
A: My friends and previous co-workers have often described me as someone who is driven, enthusiastic and upbeat. I believe they would also describe me as someone they could turn to whenever they needed assistance, someone they could rely on to help them out at short notice, and someone who has a can-do attitude and that takes ownership of difficult situations.
Q11: Describe yourself in 3 words.
A: I would describe myself as productive, commercially aware and self-motivated.
Q12: What’s been your greatest achievement?
A: My greatest achievement was in my previous role where I helped the company increase sales. This was achieved by improving customer service standards and by thinking of different ways to help the business market its products via social media.
Q13: What do you do outside of work? (What are your hobbies and interests)
A: Outside of work I keep myself fit and active and I visit the gym a few times a week. This keeps me motivated and it also helps to boost my concentration levels at work. I am also a family person, and I often spend time at weekends with those closest to me. Finally, I like to read, in particular self-development books.
Q14: What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?
A: I can bring a diverse set of skills, qualities and experience to the team that I believe will help your business grow. I am a strong communicator who will always try to solve problems without troubling my manager. I’ll always take care of your customers, which in turn will increase sales. I can also bring a level of knowledge to this role that I believe is unrivalled and I will always work hard to ensure you see a positive return on your investment by hiring me.
Q15: Why do you want to work for us?
A: I want to work for your company because you are socially responsible, you have a strong set of workplace values that align with my own ambitions and aspirations. You also have a brilliant track record of achievement. If I am successful, I can genuinely see myself working for your company for many years to come.
Q16: How would you deal with a difficult customer?
A: I would listen to the customer; I would ask them questions to establish their needs, and I would try to establish a connection. At all times I would be professional, and I would try to find a solution to their problem quickly and calmly. It would be my goal to keep the customer onboard and to ensure they had a good experience with the company.
Q17: Tell me about a time when you failed
A: In my last job I was working as part of a team that failed to finish a project on time. We simply failed because we had not listened to the brief fully at the start of the project, and things got missed. As soon as we realised we had made a mistake, we informed our manager, we apologised, and we discussed what we had learned from the experience to make sure it never happened again.
Q18: Why do you want to leave your current job?
A: I want to leave my job because I am seeking a fresh challenge with an exciting and innovative company such as yours that has ambitious plans for the future.
Q19: Why should we hire you?
A: I believe you should hire me because I am a very fast learner and I need little supervision moving forward. I also believe you should hire me because I will represent your business positively, and I will treat your customers well. I will also ensure I find ways to help the business grow, whilst also helping you to save money by using resources in a frugal and responsible manner.
Q20: What did you dislike about your previous job?
A: There was only one thing that frustrated me slightly about my last job, and that was the fact that I felt we could have achieved so much more as a company. There were lots of opportunities in the market for us to expand and grow, but the company owners seemed satisfied with where the company was at.
Q21: Do you have any questions for us?
A: Thank you. I have just 3 questions, please.
- What would you need me to concentrate on in the first 30 days of starting?
- What are the plans for the company over the next 5 years?
- How has the position evolved over the years?
More job application tips here
How to be confident in an interview
