10 Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Most interviews recycle the same core questions. Prepare these ten and you'll walk into nearly any interview ready. Don't memorise scripts — understand the approach and adapt.

1. "Tell me about yourself."

Give a 90-second Present–Past–Future summary focused on why you fit this role. Not your life story.

2. "Why do you want to work here?"

Show you've researched them. Connect something specific about the company to what you want next. Generic praise fails.

3. "Why are you leaving your current job?"

Stay positive. Focus on what you're moving toward (growth, new challenges), not what you're fleeing. Never badmouth.

4. "What's your greatest strength?"

Pick one relevant to the role and back it with a concrete example and result.

5. "What's your greatest weakness?"

Name a real one and what you're actively doing to improve it. Avoid fake weaknesses like "I work too hard."

6. "Tell me about a challenge you faced."

Use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Emphasise your actions and a positive outcome or lesson.

7. "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Show ambition that's compatible with the role. You want to grow in this direction — not "in your job" or "starting my own company."

8. "Tell me about a time you worked in a team / handled conflict."

Pick a real story showing collaboration, maturity, and resolution. Avoid blaming others.

9. "Why should we hire you?"

Briefly tie your top 2–3 strengths directly to their biggest needs. This is your closing pitch — be confident.

10. "Do you have any questions for us?"

Always yes. Ask about success in the role, team challenges, or working style. This signals genuine interest.

How to prepare

Write a few bullet points (not a script) for each, prepare 5–6 STAR stories you can reuse, and rehearse out loud. Preparation turns nerves into calm — and calm reads as competence.