Interview Questions and Answers

By Alison Doyle, About.com Guide

Job interviews are always stressful - even for job seekers who have gone on countless interviews. The best way to reduce the stress is to be prepared. Take the time to review the common interview questions you will most likely be asked. Also, review sample answers to these typical interview questions.

Then take the time to research the company and to prepare for an interview. This way, you will be ready with knowledgeable answers for the job interview questions that specifically relate to the company you are interviewing with.

Interview Questions: Work History

• Name of company, position title and description, dates of employment. - Best Answers
• What were your expectations for the job and to what extent were they met? - Best Answers
• What were your starting and final levels of compensation? - Best Answers
• What were your responsibilities? - Best Answers
• What major challenges and problems did you face? How did you handle them? - Best Answers
• What have you learned from your mistakes? - Best Answers
• What did you like or dislike about your previous job? -Best Answers
• Which was most / least rewarding? - Best Answers
• What was the biggest accomplishment / failure in this position? - Best Answers
• Questions about your supervisors and co-workers. -Best Answers
• What was it like working for your supervisor? - Best Answers
• What do you expect from a supervisor? - Best Answers
• What problems have you encountered at work? - Best Answers
• Have you ever had difficulty working with a manager? - Best Answers
• Who was your best boss and who was the worst? - Best Answers
• Why are you leaving your job? - Best Answers
• Why did you resign? - Best Answers
• Why did you quit your job? - Best Answers
• What have you been doing since your last job? - Best Answers
• Why were you fired? - Best Answers

Job Interview Questions About You

• What is your greatest weakness? - Best Answers
• What is your greatest strength? - Best Answers
• How will your greatest strength help you perform? - Best Answers
• How would you describe yourself? - Best Answers
• Describe a typical work week. - Best Answers
• Describe your work style. - Best Answers
• Do you work well with other people? - Best Answers
• Do you take work home with you? - Best Answers
• How many hours do you normally work? - Best Answers
• How would you describe the pace at which you work? - Best Answers
• How do you handle stress and pressure? - Best Answers
• What motivates you? - Best Answers
• Are you a self motivator? - Best Answers
• What are your salary expectations? - Best Answers
• What do you find are the most difficult decisions to make? - Best Answers
• Tell me about yourself. - Best Answers
• What has been the greatest disappointment in your life? - Best Answers
• What are you passionate about? - Best Answers
• What are your pet peeves? - Best Answers
• What do people most often criticize about you? - Best Answers
• When was the last time you were angry? What happened? - Best Answers
• If you could relive the last 10 years of your life, what would you do differently? - Best Answers
• If the people who know you were asked why you should be hired, what would they say? Best Answers
• Do you prefer to work independently or on a team? - Best Answers
• Give some examples of teamwork. - Best Answers
• More teamwork interview questions. - Best Answers
• What type of work environment do you prefer? - Best Answers
• How do you evaluate success? - Best Answers
• If you know your boss is 100% wrong about something how would you handle it? - Best Answers
• Describe a difficult work situation / project and how you overcame it. - Best Answers
• Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it. - Best Answers
• More job interview questions about your abilities. - Best Answers
• More job interview questions about you. - Best Answers

Job Interview Questions About the New Job and the Company

• What interests you about this job? - Best Answers
• Why do you want this job? - Best Answers
• What applicable attributes / experience do you have? - Best Answers
• Are you overqualified for this job? - Best Answers
• What can you do for this company? - Best Answers
• Why should we hire you? - Best Answers
• Why are you the best person for the job? - Best Answers
• What do you know about this company? - Best Answers
• Why do you want to work here? - Best Answers
• What challenges are you looking for in a position? - Best Answers
• What can you contribute to this company? - Best Answers
• Are you willing to travel? - Best Answers
• What is good customer service? - Best Answers
• How long do you expect to remain employed with this company? - Best Answers
• Is there anything I haven't told you about the job or company that you would like to know? -Best Answers

Interview Questions: The Future

• What are you looking for in your next job? What is important to you? - Best Answers
• What are your goals for the next five years / ten years? - Best Answers
• How do you plan to achieve those goals? - Best Answers
• What are your salary requirements - both short-term and long-term? - Best Answers
• Questions about your career goals. - Best Answers
• What will you do if you don't get this position? - Best Answers

Behavioral Interview Questions
In addition to being ready to answer these standard questions, prepare for behavior based interview questions. This is based on the premise that a candidate's past performance is the best predictor of future performance. You will need to be prepared to provide detailed responsesincluding specific examples of your work experiences. Review examples of behavioral interview questions.

Interview Questions Employers Should Not Ask
There are some interview questions, typically known as illegal interview questions, that employers should not ask during a job interview. Here are questions that shouldn't be asked during a job interview and how to best respond.

Interview Questions Listed by Type of Job
Job specific interview questions for a variety of jobs, career fields, industries, and types of candidates, as well as tips on how to answer these types of questions. List includes accounting, administrative, customer service, technical, management, retail, sales, analyst, consultant, entry level, part-time, work at home and many more.

Phone Job Interview Questions
Have a phone interview on the agenda? Here are common questions asked during a telephone interview, plus tips on how best to answer so you can move to the next stage of the interview process.

Practice Interview Questions
Review practice interview questions for a variety of different occupations, types of jobs, and types of interviews.

Tough Interview Questions
These are some of the more difficult interview questions that you may be asked on a job interview.

Interview Questions to Ask
The last job interview question you may be asked is "What can I answer for you?" Have aninterview question or two of your own ready to ask. You aren't simply trying to get this job - you are also interviewing the employer to assess whether this company and the position are a good fit for you.

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