13 popular interview questions

AND THE ANSWERS TO ACE THEM

You’re ready for your interview. (12-13 correct)

Remember to practice your answers so they’re second nature when the interviewer asks. And think about the interviewer’s intent when responding to their questions. What are they looking for? And how will your answers assure them that you’re the best candidate for the job? Good luck!

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You can learn more about how to write a great resume, create compelling answers to standard interview questions, how to negotiate salary and what to do on your first day by taking Pluralsight’s course: “Resumes, Job Seeking and Interviews in Context.” And for further help, see our blog post “5 interview types and how to ace them."

You’ve got some work to do. (9-11 correct)

Not bad, but you’ve got some work to do. You may want to run through the question again, this time putting yourself in the place of the interviewer. If you were asking the question, what answer would you want to hear? Prepare and practice answers to each question until you’re comfortable that your answers are good.

Need a little help getting ready?

You can learn more about how to write a great resume, create compelling answers to standard interview questions, how to negotiate salary and what to do on your first day by taking Pluralsight’s course: “Resumes, Job Seeking and Interviews in Context.” And for further help, see our blog post “5 interview types and how to ace them."

Practice, practice, practice. (8 or fewer correct)

If you really want this job, you may want to work on your answers. Take a close look at your skills and practice talking about them. Think about how your answers will appeal to an interviewer and whether they can be improved

You can learn more about how to write a great resume, create compelling answers to standard interview questions, how to negotiate salary and what to do on your first day by taking Pluralsight’s course: “Resumes, Job Seeking and Interviews in Context.” And for further help, see our blog post “5 interview types and how to ace them."

  • Congratulations, you've landed an interview.

    Now things get real. If you want this job, don’t even think about winging it. Prepare your answers to the most common interview questions long before the grilling begins. This quiz will get you started.

    Read each question, then choose the best answer. As you consider each question, think about how you might personalize your answers to fit your experience and skills.

    Ready? Let’s get started.

  • Edit
    • Best answer: B
      This question is not about work, your career or tech skills, and at this point in the interview, you shouldn’t talk about them. Notice, the interviewer asked about you, not your job history. This is a common test of your listening skills. Plus it’s an opportunity to show your human side and connect on a personal level. Talk about what you like to do outside of work. The interviewer will have plenty of question about your career later.
  • Edit
    • Best answer: C
      This question can be a trap. The interviewer is trying to gauge how well you work with other people. Always answer that you prefer working on a team. Any suggestion that you prefer to work alone indicates that you might have difficulty working or communicating with others. Adding that you can work on your own as needed will reassure the interviewer that you are self-directed and can get things done without supervision, but your stated preference should always be "team".
  • Edit
    • Best answer: A
      This question may seem useless, and a lot of people stumble trying to answer it. The interviewer is trying to find out if you can think seriously and realistically about your career and other long-term projects. Talk about realistic expectations for what you can accomplish or would like to do. The specifics of your answer matter less than showing you can plan long-term. You should work out an answer to this question before it’s asked.
  • Edit
    • Best answer: A
      The key here is to communicate that you can take ownership of problems and don’t just complain about them. It’s better if your answer communicates how you solved the problem by changing your own behavior or expectations. Even if you are exceptionally easy to get along with, it’s not very believable that you’ve never had a conflict at work. So prepare an answer that shows how you solve problems.
  • Edit
    • Best answer: B
      Managers know that things go wrong and projects end up late. Anyone who answers they’ve never been in this position is probably not being honest (or has almost no real experience). The interviewer is looking to see if you can honestly assess the situation and come up with an action plan. If you can show how you carried out the new plan and succeeded, you reinforce the assumption that they can count on you.
  • Edit
    • Best answer: B
      Be wary of interviewers who place a premium on working a high volume of hours. A job with sweatshop hours can be miserable. A good manager wants efficient employees, not pack mules. Conversely, don’t imply that your commitment is conditional. Simply communicate that you deliver what you promise, when you promise it. At this point, don’t focus on your willingness to work a lot of overtime.
  • Edit
    • Best answer: A
      For this question you are better off talking about something a little unexpected. Don’t answer with a tech skill—the other interviewees have those too. Instead choose something rare, like “I listen.” Interviewers are looking for someone who can work closely with others. Skills like listening are surprisingly rare, so stating you have them gives you an advantage. What manager doesn’t want an employee who listens to them carefully?
  • Edit
    • Best answer: C
      This question is designed to see how self aware and honest you are. Most interviewees will give an answer like, “I work too hard” or “I expect too much out of myself.” You should have an honest, believable answer about a real weakness and what you are doing to improve. Something like, “I’m not a great presenter, so I’ve joined Toastmasters to help me get better.” Whatever your answer, be specific. Choose something that errs on the side of doing too much, rather than too little. A good manager realizes you can’t teach effort and would rather dial back an enthusiastic employee, instead of prodding them to work harder.
  • Edit
    • Best answer: B
      The interviewer may come up with different scenarios to see how willing you are to work extra hours. Simply answer “Yes” to each of them. Don’t elaborate or make conditional statements, even if you will have to make special arrangements. Your employer doesn’t need to know about your personal circumstances.
      This question is occasionally used to create doubt about your commitment to your job—especially if you have a family and might need an employer to bend a little with your schedule from time to time. If an interviewer doesn’t want to hire you, any answer other than “Yes” can be used to create doubts about your commitment.
      The interviewer likely wants to determine whether you’re the type of employee who will step up if needed, or if you’re more interested in collecting a paycheck. A simple answer here is best.
  • Edit
    • Best answer: C
      This question is designed to bring the worst out of you. Resist the temptation to complain about former employers, projects or co-workers. Keep your answer and body language positive. Anything that communicates negativity will be a red flag to the interviewer. A manager may assume that people who speak negatively of others will be problematic employees. Don’t be one of them.
  • Edit
    • Best answer: All three are good answers
      You may want to have several answers ready for this question, depending on who is asking. If the interviewer is a “business first” kind of person, answers A and B are both good responses. If the interviewer is more technical, answer C will resonate with them.
      There are a lot of good ways to answer this question. Come up with something that is short, direct and communicates how serious you are about getting the job done.
      Don’t ramble on about your skills, creativity or your willingness to work hard. In business, success is the only thing that matters, so your answer should reflect this.
  • Edit
    • Best answer: B
      Like the question about your willingness to work overtime, keep this answer short: “Yes.” Don’t condition your answer on having enough time to make arrangements or the length of time that you’ll be away. It’s a good idea to ask about travel ahead of time, so you know what is expected before you are asked.
  • Edit
    • Best answer: A
      This question is common, though sometimes the interviewer will ask about a previous coworker or team instead of your boss. No matter how you feel about them, be positive. Even if your previous boss or former coworkers had a dark side, don’t mention it. Keep your answer completely positive. Before you get to the interview, it’s a good idea to practice an answer that demonstrates how you worked well together.
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