So you have sent in the resume and you have gotten the call. What now? It’s time to prepare for the interview process. Most people are scared of interviewing and are convinced they are poor interviewees. Fortunately, the interview is one of the steps you can easily prepare for, allowing you to walk in there with your best foot forward.

Below we have outlined the most popular interview questions. Preparing to speak intelligently about your past job experience, your personal attributes, and your future goals will give you a great advantage when compared to other applicants.

Interview Questions

Below we have outlined three common question categories:

• Questions about past job experience
• Questions about personal attributes
• Questions about future goals/intentions

We have also outlined the most customary questions under these categories. Read over these and write out your answers, practice them with a friend, or just practice saying them out loud. Once you have the questions down you can work on how you present yourself. We will touch on this a bit later.

Questions - Past Job Experience

• What were your responsibilities at your past job?
• What is most challenging about your current position and how do you handle it?
• What do you enjoy about your current job and what do you dislike?
• Why are you leaving your current job?
• If it has been a while since your last job…What have you been doing with your time?

Questions- Personal Attributes

• What words would you use to describe yourself?
• What do you consider your biggest strength? How do you use this in the workplace?
• What do you consider your biggest weakness? How do you handle this?
• Are you team-oriented or individually-oriented when it comes to work?
• How do you measure success?

Questions- Future Goals

• Why did you apply for this job? What interests you about it?
• Are there any challenges you can foresee if you take this job?
• What are your long term career goals?
• If you had to name one thing you bring to the table that other applicants may lack, what would it be?
• Why do you think we should hire you?

Other Interview Preparation Resources:

Post-Interview Steps

Preparing for a Phone Interview

Top 5 Things to Do Before a Job Interview

Top Questions to Prepare For Prior to an Interview

Questions to Ask During Your Interview

Most Common Interview Mistakes