QUESTIONS
1 - Tell me about yourself
note: Here we are supposed to sell ourselves
(capability, achievement, greatest skill, etc)
- How would you describe yourself?
2 Why do we hire you?
ANSWER/RESPONSE EXAMPLES
The "tell me about yourself" interview question sometimes sounds different. Interviewers might ask:
• Tell me more about your background.
• I'm interested in learning more about you.
• Tell me about your time working at "x" company.
• Can you tell me more about your experience?
• Tell me something I don't already know from your resume.
If you’re a recent graduate: Start with the fact that you just graduated, and explain why you chose this career path
or field of area of study.
For example, you might start your answer like this:
“I graduated with my degree in Economics two months ago. I chose that field of study because I’ve always been
interested in finance and money, and a couple of family members told me it leads to great career options, too.”
If you have 1-8 years of experience, start with the moment you graduated and walk them through your
employment experience since then.
Here’s an example of how you’d start your interview answer in this situation:
“I graduated with my degree in Industrial Engineering six years ago and immediately went to work for a small
design firm in Chicago. Since then, I’ve…”
And if you have 8-20+ years of experience, you can start with a mid-point in your career. This will keep your
answer from getting too long.
For example, if you’re a manager, you could start with how you first became a manager. If you’ve been working
for 25 years but have only been a sales professional for 12 years, you could begin with how you got started in
sales.
“I first started managing people twelve years ago, when I was promoted from Customer Service Associate to
Customer Service Supervisor. Since then, I’ve…”
Conclude by Explaining Your Current Situation
Finally, the best way to finish your story is to bring them up to speed on your current situation.
“…and that’s why I wanted to interview with your firm. This position seems like a great opportunity to advance
those skills I just talked about, and continue building my career and challenging myself”.
I’m a great team player, and I really feel like that’s one skill that really sets me apart from other project
managers. Whatever team I might be managing, I end up making fast friends. I’m also very effective at getting
my teammates to be at their A-game without having to push them or be too micro-managing

3 Why do you want this position?
Why do you want to work here?
4 How do you handle stress and pressure?
5 What is your biggest strength?
6 Why Are You Leaving (or Have Left) Your
Job?
Why do you quit from your last job?
7 How do you work under pressure?
Because I have a lot of experience using event management to promote small startups such as your company! In
my last role, I held a brainstorming event with the CEO and came up with over 30 different event ideas, out of
which, we executed around 10. Most of the events turned out to be quite successful, driving over 50 participants
each on average.
From what I understand based on what I've read about the company and what we've discussed so far, you're
looking for an operations manager to oversee operational activities at every level organization to ensure higher
efficiency and employee performance. Well, I believe I have the right skills to make that happen for you. To give
you an example, in my previous role as a District Operations Manager, I oversaw more than 100 employees,
ensuring consistency across policies, procedures, and the sorts in the assigned territory.
'I want this job because I have clear skills that will help me achieve...'
‘This role will give me the opportunity to combine both my skills in [skill 1] and [skill 2] to achieve...’
‘I love [job role specific task] and my last job took me away from that. So now, I’m looking to find a role that
will let me get back to working on projects I really enjoy and after looking at the job spec I think this role would
be perfect with that.’
If I have a pressing deadline, I work to prioritize my most important tasks and get my work done. I find that being
adaptable helps me handle pressure quite well. Another strategy I use is finding a positive mindset. I try to
reframe every challenge as an opportunity
Enthusiasm.
Creative thinking.
Task prioritization.
Discipline.
Determination.
Analytical thinking.
Communication skills.
Dedication.
To be honest, I wasn't considering a change, but a former colleague recommended this job to me. I looked into the
position and was intrigued by the role and by the company. What you're offering sounds like an exciting
opportunity and an ideal match for my qualifications.
I was able to take advantage of an early retirement offer due to company downsizing, and now I am ready for a
new challenge.
I was laid-off from my last position when my job was eliminated due to downsizing, so I'm actively seeking
employment.
Working in a high-pressure environment can be stressful, but I’ve learned to cope with stress in a healthy,
productive way. I started doing yoga three times a week. This really focused me and allowed me to put everything

8 What qualities make you a good candidate?
What make you special/unique?
9 What Is Your Greatest Strength?
10 What Is Your Greatest Weakness?
in perspective. Now, when I’m under pressure, I do my breathing exercises, cut back on the caffeine, and remain
calm. I passed organic chemistry with an A-. If I’m under pressure at work, I know how to make it work
I believe I can apply a lot of how I’ve handled stress and pressure during university to this research position, as it
also requires deep work and different projects. I’m confident that my personal research on productivity will also
help me make adjustments to help me work well under pressure.”
Leadership. Even in entry-level positions, most employers look for evidence of leadership qualities. ...
Teamwork. ...
Communication and Interpersonal Skills. ...
Analytical Skills. ...
Dependability and a Strong Work Ethic. ...
Maturity and a Professional Attitude. ...
Adaptability and Flexibility. ...
Good Personality.
Example Answer #1
I have a solid work ethic. When I'm working on a project, I don't just want to meet deadlines. Rather, I prefer to
complete the project well ahead of schedule. Last year, I even earned a bonus for completing my three most
recent reports one week ahead of time.
Example Answer #2
I have extremely strong writing skills. Having worked as a copy editor for five years, I have a deep attention to
detail when it comes to my writing. I have also written for a variety of publications, so I know how to shape my
writing style to fit the task and audience. As a marketing assistant, I will be able to write and edit press releases
effectively and update web content with accuracy and ease.
Example Answer #3
I am a skilled sales representative with over 10 years of experience. I have exceeded my sales goals every quarter
by at least 20%, and I've earned a bonus each year since I started with my current employer.
Example Answer
Numbers have not always been my strong suit. Fortunately, as a copywriter, I can focus most of my time on the
creative process of writing. However, in recent years I have begun to familiarize myself with the digital analytics
tools used in the various websites and apps I write for, and I have found that when you add context, “numbers”
can actually be quite enlightening.
Example Answer #2
When I'm working on a project, I don't just want to meet deadlines. Rather, I prefer to complete the project well
ahead of its due date. While this means I never miss a deadline, it also means that sometimes I can find myself
rushed when I’m working. I’ve since learned to slow down, be more patient, and give each project the careful
attention it deserves.

11 What Are Your Salary Expectations?
What motivates you?
What interest you about this role/job?
12 Why should we hire you?
13 Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Example Answer #3
I used to wait until the last minute to set appointments for the coming week, but I realized that scheduling in
advance makes much more sense. I’m now much more proactive about scheduling meetings, and this allows me
to plan and segment out my work for the week without having to guess at when I’ll need to leave time for
meetings.
“I’m more interested in finding a position that’s a good fit for my skills and interests. I’m confident that you’re
offering a salary that’s competitive in the current market.”
“Well, according to my research and past experience, my understanding is that 75-90K per year is typical based
on the role and requirements.”
“Since this position is not exactly the same as my current job, let’s discuss what my responsibilities at this
company will be and work together to determine a fair salary for this position.”
“Based on my 10 years of experience in this field, I would expect a salary in the range of $Y to $Z.”
meeting deadlines, targets or goals.
mentoring and coaching others.
learning new things.
coming up with creative ideas to improve something, or make something new.
analyzing complex data in order to draw clear and simple conclusions.
working well as part of a team.
I’m a great team player, and I really feel like that’s one skill that really sets me apart from other project managers.
Whatever team I might be managing, I end up making fast friends. I’m also very effective at getting my
teammates to be at their A-game without having to push them or be too micro-managing.
For fresh graduate;
“Honestly, I possess all the skills and experience that you're looking for. I'm pretty confident that I am the best
candidate for this job role. It's not just my background in the past projects, but also my people skills, which will
be applicable in this position
You should :
a. Be honest
b. Be realistic
c. Follow the formulas
- Start your answer with one or two key goals and consider connecting them with some of the qualities
you want to convey to the interviewer. For example, “I’m someone who loves learning about new tech
and trends, so in the next five years, I see myself as having established strong knowledge on what’s new
and emerging in digital marketing.”
- Next dive into how and why you will have done these things. Interviewers want to see that you’ve
thought through your plan. So continuing with the example you might say: “By working as an analyst, I
 will have gained experience in analyzing the results of a range of marketing tactics, and I’ll have stayed on
top of new developments by becoming active in one or more professional marketing groups. I will have
also used my analysis and knowledge to contribute to the conception of marketing campaigns and gained
some experience running campaigns myself. This will give me a good foundation in marketing practices
and help me leverage new trends effectively to create marketing campaigns that never feel stale.”
- Finish with your ambitions beyond the next five years (if you’d like). “From there, I’m hoping to decide
if I’d like to become a marketing specialist or continue as a generalist, but regardless, I’m hoping to
eventually move into a marketing manager or strategist position where I’m making bigger-picture choices
regarding campaigns and branding.”
14 What are your passionates about? Select something that genuinely excites you. ...
You also want to pick a passion that you are knowledgeable about. ...
Pick a passion that you are actively involved with in some way. ...
Keep in mind that your passion can involve almost anything.

Examples
1. “I’m passionate about helping other people achieve success and figuring out what fulfills them.”
No matter what type of job you’re applying for, a willingness and passion to help others is an important quality
for any employee to have. An answer like this one will show the employer that you care about others, and it will
show that you’re willing to volunteer your time to help others as well. Even if you’re not currently volunteering
your time anywhere, talk about a specific time when you did help someone else.

2. “My passion is learning about technology and computer software. I love staying up to date with the latest
technology and learning all about how it works.”
This answer works because it shows the employer that you enjoy learning new things and are interested in
breaking things down to learn about them. You will be required to use some amount of technology in most jobs,
and it will benefit you in an interview to show that you’re tech-savvy.

3. “One thing I’m passionate about is personal development. I try to read at least one book a month that will help
me better myself.”
Personal development is a big deal to many employers because it shows that you’re not only interested in getting
better at your job, but you want to improve all areas of your life. Great employers want to hire employees who
have great character and can represent their company well.

4. “I’m passionate about health and fitness. I enjoy eating healthy and I go to the gym a couple of times a week.
When I feel my best physically, that’s when I do my best work.”
Even if the job you’re applying for doesn’t require you to do any manual labor, stating that you take care of
yourself shows that you’re a well-balanced individual. Employees who take care of their bodies are going to have
more energy and take fewer sick days.

5. “I really enjoy drawing. Being creative in my free time helps me feel more at ease and allows me to be more
creative at work as well.”
In this case, it doesn’t necessarily matter what your passion is. You could be passionate about drawing, writing,
or graphic design. Showing the employer that you have a creative side means they can count on you to use that
creativity for effective problem solving and performing tasks that are out of your comfort zone. It’s also a great
thing to show an employer that you have a life outside of work. Employees who never take time to themselves
tend to burn out in a shorter amount of time so it’s a positive thing that you have boundaries and interests outside
of your job.

6. “There are a few different things I’m interested in, but lately I’ve been focusing on spending time outdoors.
I’ve found a few good hiking trails in the area and even got a group of friends together to go hiking with.”
You may not think you have anything you’re passionate about, and if you don’t, it’s okay to talk about what
you’ve been focusing on lately. Your answer doesn’t have to be something you’ve been passionate about your
whole life. If you’re having trouble coming up with an answer, think about how you’ve been spending your free
time in the past month. Narrowing down the timeframe may help you think of something.
It’s also a good idea to talk about something that shows you enjoy having a sense of community. Being a team
player is an important quality to have when you’re trying to get hired, so showing you have people in your life to
encourage and challenge you can mean a lot in an interview.

7. “Cooking is one of my passions. I enjoy learning new recipes in my free time, and I often invite people over so
that I can cook dinner for them.”
This response works because it shows not only that you commit to practicing something until you get it right, but
it also shows that you have a sense of community and that you enjoy being around other people. Pointing out any
skills that you enjoy working on outside of work can help the interviewer see that you’re someone who likes to
learn and try new things.

8. I have an interest in a lot of things; however, traveling is one thing I’m most passionate about. Traveling is so
much fun and allows me to meet and interact with new people from different walks of life daily. Traveling has
broadened my perspectives and helped me improve my communication and collaboration skills. I can blend with
my teammates and colleagues effortlessly regardless of their social or economic background, which is essential to
excel in this role.”
 Conclusion
No matter what type of job you’re interviewing for, there are certain interview questions that are used across all
different industries. The question “what are you passionate about?” is one of them. It’s important to be genuine,
but having a general idea of what you will say before the interview can help improve your chances of saying
something meaningful.

Remember to be yourself and share something that you’re truly passionate about, but then connect it to the
position in a way that seems natural. If you have a tendency to get caught up in the moment when you’re talking
about your passion, but sure to watch the clock and stop yourself when you feel it’s appropriate.
15 What are your goals for the future? Example #1: Getting an Entry-Level Position as a New Graduate
I chose my area of study because I really want to work in this field, and my interest grew stronger as my course
progressed. Since completing my college degree, I have been looking for an opportunity to convert the theoretical
knowledge I have learned into practical skills and to develop professional experience that will grow my value to
the company.

One of my short-term goals is to get up to speed and become a contributing member of the team quickly, and I
would look to undertake further training or development to increase my productivity and value. Long-term, I
want to increase my subject knowledge in the business, and in three to five years, when an opportunity is
available in the company, I will apply for advancement to a higher position.

Example #2: Building Skills in a New Industry/Career Transition

My goal for this career transition is to develop new skills and experiences that will help me to develop
professionally. I’m excited to learn more about the industry, expand my professional network, and contribute my
knowledge and skills to support the success of the team. I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues and
developing innovative solutions to achieve our goals.

Example #3: Becoming an Expert in Your Field

My goal is to become an expert in my field. I want to be able to provide insights and analysis that can help my
company grow and succeed. I’m also interested in continuing to learn and grow as a professional, so I’m always
looking for opportunities to improve my skills. Ultimately, I want to be a valuable member of my team and
contribute wherever I can.
 My long-term goal is to become a more responsible and knowledgeable personality and achieve a good position
in the organization. My motto is want live independently, I think I have to take care of my own needs. My short-
term goal is to get a job in a reputed company. Where I can enhance my skills and knowledge.

16 What does mechanic/technician/operator Mechanical technicians work to maintain and repair different types of equipment and systems for a wide variety
mean to you? of industries, and they may also provide data analysis or other support for engineers.