50 Common Interview Questions with Responses

1. What are your strengths?

• Always a good idea to do a proper SWOT before answering this question

• Even soft skills can be strengths if you have enough evidence to

demonstrate that ability

• Strength you mention should be relevant to the role you are applying for.
For instance, if you are looking for a sales job, negotiation skills is a good
strength to have. If you are applying for a Data Science role, coding skills is a
big strength.

2. What are your weaknesses?

• Always a good idea to do a proper SWOT before answering this question

• Mention weaknesses that are real and not cooked up – “I trust people too
much” is not a weakness, it appears to be a manipulative answer

• The weakness shouldn’t be a critical skill for the job. Eg., if you are looking
for a sales job and your biggest weakness is interacting with people you will
most likely not get that job

3. Why are you interested in working for us?

• Give a real reason for joining. Answers like “I want to learn” won’t sell. Even
if that’s the reason be specific, what is it that you want to learn in that
organization and why you think you can learn that better in that org and not
elsewhere.

• Do your research on the company before answering this. Your reason for
joining should be in sync with the strengths of the company.

4. Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years?

• It is pretty clear that in today’s world planning anything beyond a year or at

max a couple of years is futile. It is ok to say that you don’t believe in
planning so long into the future.

• A safe answer would be to move to a field that’s related but not

contradictory or competitive. In the next 10 years I would have completed
my Masters or PhD is a good answer.

5. Why don’t you want to study more?

• If it is due to personal commitments, it is ok to say so. This could be

correlated with your earlier or responses later on your family background, or
other information you provide on your family background.

• Not interested in learning is a very bad answer to this question. Inability to

learn is a performance issue in today’s times.

6. Why are your grades not that impressive?

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 • If your overall scores are not high but in certain subjects you scored above
average it is ok to say that you take more interest in those specific domains.
More so if those domains are critical for the role you are applying for. For
instance, you want to be a data scientist and you have scored really well in
Econometrics while doing your Economics major. But your overall score
dipped due to poor scores in Indian Economics. You can mention that.

• If your scores generally are lower and across subjects it is ok to mention that
you gave your best and the scores do not always reflect the true learning
potential. It is also important to mention you have improved as a learner
over time, with examples.

• A very bad answer would be that you are not interested in the subject hence
the scores are low. Eg., an engineering student saying I didn’t score well
because I didn’t like engineering. It means you are non-committal and a bad
decision maker.

7. What can you offer us that someone else can not?

• This is a trick question. The moment you start bragging you will oose the
plot. So it’s better to doge the question.

• You can always say that you have no visibility to the strengths of the other
candidates who are applying for this role. Also mention that you believe in
getting better everyday rather than trying to outsmart others by getting into
a rat race.

• If the interviewer is persistent and wouldn’t let you get away with such
replies compare yourself to your peer group in college or previous
organization. But for any such unique value you claim to bring to the table,
give relevant examples. Say you are claiming that at school you had been a
natural leader. Give examples in support of that.

8. What are three things your teachers would like you to improve on?

• See the response to Question 2. This is another way of asking the same
question.

9. Are you willing to relocate?

• Do not jump to say yes. Give a safer response like, if the need arises you will
definitely consider looking at the opportunity and your professional and
personal commitments.

10. Are you willing to travel? *(Post COVID-19)

• Do not jump to say yes. Give a safer response like, if the need arises you will
definitely consider looking at the opportunity and your professional and
personal commitments.

11. Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of.

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 • Similar to the response on Question 1, mention achievements that are
tangible, quantifiable, measurable & defendable.

• Eg., winning a football match is not an achievement when applying for the
job of an engineer unless you are relating it back to a soft skill like
leadership. A better example would be a science project you did at school
that you are really proud of and still remember.

12. Tell me about a time you made a mistake.

• Similar to weakness, don’t mention something that will show you lack a skill
critical to do the job. Even if you do prove how you have improved on that
later and used that mistake to learn and grow.

13. What is your dream job?

• Your dream job shouldn’t be exactly the job you are applying for, that will
look like a fake answer. Your dream job shouldn’t be totally different from
the job you are applying for, that would put doubt on whether you really
want that role.

• Eg., if you are applying for an engineering job and your dream job is to
become a pilot something is missing. It is better to talk of an aspirational job
in engineering. For instance, my dream job would be one where I can lead
the team to deliver a product that would be a truly smart innovation.

14. How did you hear about this position?

• Mention the source like LinkedIN or Naukri. But know that you could get
follow up questions like how much time you spend on such platforms
looking for new opportunities and jobs. It’s always safer to mention a Social
Networking site than a Job portal.

15. What would you look to accomplish in the first 30/60 /90 days on the job?

• You need to do a good research on the role and the organization to answer
this question. Define goals that are SMART, not wishes.

16. Discuss five key points from your resume.

• Mention those points on which you would like to be asked more questions.
This is your Golden chance to take control of the interview.

17. Tell us about your educational background.

• If your grades are really good talk about them. If your grades are average or
below talk more about the subjects. Talk more about those subjects where
you scored better than others.

18. Describe yourself.

• 30 secs elevator pitch – Always customize that to suit the role you are
applying for.

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19. Tell me how you handled a difficult situation.

• Similar question no 12 above

20. Why should we hire you?

• A different way of asking question no 7

21. How do you choose your friends?

• This is to understand a couple of things – the company you keep, how well
you can interact in a mixed group etc.

• Never say you choose a friend based on where they come from. That is
detrimental to the corporate culture.

22. Would you work holidays/weekends?

• Response should be similar to Question No 9 & 10

23. How would you deal with an angry or irate customer?

• Don’t give gyan. It is better to narrate an experience you had while serving a
customer or while being served as a customer. You can also describe using
an example you read on the internet.

24. What are your salary requirements?

• Unless you are lateral hire and very confident about your hiring chances its
best to dodge this question, particularly in the early stages of the interview. I
am open to a salary that is commensurate with my experience and expertise
and as per industry standards is the best answer to this question.

25. Give a time when you went above and beyond the requirements for a project.

• Another way of asking Question No 11. A similar response would do.

26. Who are our competitors?

• This is a direct question and you can only answer this if you’ve done your
research.

27. What was your biggest failure?

• Another way of asking Question No 12. Give a similar response.

28. What motivates you?

• Avoid abstract replies like “humanity” or something very tangible like

“money”. A good mix of learning, earning & growth motivates me would be
a good answer.

29. What’s your availability in case of work urgencies?

• Similar question and response as in Question Number 9/10/22

30. Who’s your mentor?

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 • Do not mention a celebrity. It is ok to mention a family member particularly
if he/she is in a related field. Eg., If your elder sister is a successful engineer
and you want to be an engineer its ok to talk about her as your mentor. Else
an ex-manager or some senior at work or college.

31. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your boss or teacher?

• Purpose is to understand your ability to think & act independently and your
ability to disagree amicably

• The example should ideally be project related – disagreements regarding

promotions or salary should be avoided

32. How do you handle pressure?

• The purpose is to test your stress management skills

• Narrate a real situation where you were under stress or pressure and how
you came out of it successfully

• The situation can be personal, professional or academic. Again avoid

examples where you are under stress because of a boss or colleague.
Basically avoid blame games.

33. What is the name of our CEO?

• You can answer this question only if you have researched the position and
the purpose is to exactly test that

34. What are your career goals?

• Another way of asking question number 4

• Ensure that the GOAL is SMART – avoid wishes and dreams

35. What gets you up in the morning?

• Purpose is to understand what are your current priorities in life

• Avoid a negative response like worries about job or career

• Talk about things that you can impact – good examples are going to college,
working out, cycling, meeting friends etc

36. What would your friends say about you?

• Another way of asking strengths & weaknesses – mention at least one

strength & one weakness

• Mention a strength/ weakness that they can observe not something that is
private or very personal

37. What were your best friend’s strengths/weaknesses?

• Purpose is to assess your ability to make objective assessments

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 • Always start with the name of your best friend

• Mention one strength and one weakness atleast

38. If I called your teacher right now and asked him/her what is an area that you could
improve on, what would he/she say?

• Another way of asking Question 2 – mention at least two weaknesses

• Be ready with examples your teacher is likely to know. Again nothing very
personal

39. Are you a leader or a follower?

• Best answer, I am a learner who would want to be a successful leader

40. What was the last book you’ve read for fun?

• I don’t read books is a bad answer

• Ideally mention one English book outside text books

• For fun doesn’t mean a comic book – any non-text book is good to be
mentioned here

• Try reading this book – The Brand Called You by Montoya & Vandehey. Good
book to mention in interviews

41. What are your co-worker pet peeves?

• Pet peeves means common complaints. Purpose of this question is to

understand the kind of company you keep

• Pet peeves should be professional and constructive

• Bad answer would be teacher and boss cribs. Good answer will be lack of
opportunities etc

42. What are your hobbies?

• Be honest and if you have many hobbies talk about the one that is most
relevant to the job

• If both reading and singing is your hobby better to mention reading if you
are applying for an engineer role

43. What is your favorite website?

• Good examples are Google and Wikipedia – avoid social media websites
which will give an impression that you’re a time waster

44. What makes you uncomfortable?

• Lack of learning, earning and growth is a good answer.

45. What are some of your leadership experiences?

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 • Need not necessarily be people leadership – Class Representative, school
captains etc are good examples

46. How would you fire someone?

• First acknowledge that at your level you won’t need to or have to fire
someone so you are answering hypothetically

• Then say while firing you will be empathetic and honest in communications

47. What do you like the most and least about working in this industry?

• Again a question that you can answer if you have done enough research

• Remember the question is about the industry not company

48. Would you work 40+ hours a week?

• Similar to question numbers 9/10/22/29. Don’t jump to say yes

49. What questions haven’t I asked you?

• This is a good opportunity for you to bring up a point you want to talk about
which would increase your hiring chances

• For example, “what else did you learn in the last four years apart from
engineering?” is a a good response if you have done additional courses like
IOT

50. What questions do you have for me?

• One more question that will test how much research you have done on the
role, company etc

• Never say you don’t have any questions

• Never ask a question that you know the interviewer cannot answer for sure

• Example of a good response – “why is this position available?”

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