19 top interview questions in 2023 (with sample answers)

while every job interview is different, there are certain questions you can expect to be asked by a hiring manager. we’ve compiled 19 of those common questions for you in this article, so you can feel prepared and confident for your next interview.

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19 interview questions with example answers

here are 19 of the most common interview questions you’ll likely be asked in your next interview:

1. tell me about yourself and your qualifications

the employer is seeking to understand your qualifications and generally why you think you'd be a good fit. your answer should be concise and direct. include information about your background, your key achievements, and why you think the job would be a good fit.

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“i've been a hostess at xyz restaurant for just over two years and i greet and seat customers, assess wait times, fulfill to-go orders and answer the phones. i love the lively and busy environment and i am able to multi-task and seat customers quickly, even on our busy weekend nights. i've enjoyed and grown in my current role, but i’d like to utilize my customer service expertise in an elite restaurant environment. i am interested in your restaurant because of its reputation for delivering first-in-class service to your patrons in a lively, dynamic environment.”

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2. what makes you unique?

employers often ask this question to identify why you might be more qualified than other candidates they’re interviewing. to answer, focus on why hiring you would benefit the employer. since you don’t know the other applicants, it can be challenging to think about your answer in relation to them. addressing why your background makes you a good fit lets employers know why your traits and qualifications make you a strong candidate.

to help you prepare this answer consider the following:

assets the employers find valuable:andnbsp;review the job description for role responsibilities as well as required and desired skills, qualities, experience and qualifications. for example, if a position emphasizes cross-collaboration, you might communicate your ability to unite a team around a common goal.
ways you've been successful in previous roles:andnbsp;reflect on past accomplishments and list the qualities that helped you achieve them. for example, if you received an award for your marketing skills you might share this along with the project or experience that earned you the award.
traits or skills you've been praised for:andnbsp;consider your strengths and qualities commonly recognized by previous employers or coworkers. think back to positive feedback you’ve received from performance reviews and completed projects. for example, if your employer consistently brings up your ability to motivate others in your performance reviews, it’s likely a trait they highly value and other employers would also appreciate.

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"what makes me unique is my ability to meet and exceed deadlines. in my previous role, my manager consistently praised me for completing my projects efficiently with a high level of quality. this allowed me to take on additional responsibilities and eventually led to a promotion."

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3. why do you want to work at this company?

interviewers often ask this question to determine whether or not you took the time to research the company and think critically about whether you’re a good fit. the best way to prepare for this question is to do your homework and learn about the products, services, mission, history and culture of this workplace.

in your answer, mention the aspects of the company that appeals to you and aligns with your values and career goals.

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“the company’s mission to help college grads pay off their student loan debt resonates with me. i’ve been in student loan debt myself and would love the opportunity to work with a company that’s making a difference. finding a company with a positive work environment and values that align with my own has remained a priority throughout my job search and this company ranks at the top of the list.”

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4. what interests you about this role?

hiring managers often ask this question to ensure you understand the role and give you an opportunity to highlight your relevant skills. study the job description carefully and compare its requirements to your skills and experience.

in your answer, choose a few responsibilities you particularly enjoy or excel at and focus on those in your answer.

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“while i highly valued my time at my previous company, there are no longer opportunities for growth that align with my career goals. this position fits perfectly with my skill set and how i’m looking to grow in my career. i’m also looking for a position at a company like yours that supports underserved communities, which is a personal passion of mine.”

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5. what motivates you?

employers ask this question to gauge your level of self-awareness and ensure your sources of motivation align with the role and company. to answer, be as specific as possible, provide real-life examples and tie your answer back to the job role and/or the company’s mission

consider asking yourself these questions to prepare your answer:

what did a great day at work look like in your previous role and why?
what made you choose your profession or field?
what prompted you to apply for the role when you read the job description?

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“making a true difference in the lives of my patients and their families motivates me to strive for excellence in everything i do. i look forward to seeing my patient’s reactions when we get a positive outcome that will change their lives forever. that’s why i became a nurse and why i’m pursuing a position in pediatrics.”

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6. what are your greatest strengths?

in your answer to this question, share your most relevant technical and soft skills. while it may feel uncomfortable to speak highly of yourself, remember that this is your opportunity to tell your interviewers what makes you a great candidate. to answer, follow the formula below:

1. share one to a few positive qualities and personal attributes:andnbsp;"i’ve always been a natural leader...”

2. back them up with examples:andnbsp;"...i’ve exceeded my kpis every quarter and have been promoted twice in the past five years. i look back at those successes and know that i wouldn’t have reached them if i hadn’t built and led teams composed of highly skilled and diverse individuals. i’m proud of my ability to get cross-functional groups on the same page...”

3. relate them back to the role for which you’re interviewing:andnbsp;"...i’ve also regularly honed my management skills through 360 reviews and candid sessions with my team, and i know continuing to build my leadership skills is something i want from my next role.”

7. what are your greatest weaknesses?

it can feel awkward to discuss your weaknesses in an environment where you’re expected to focus on your accomplishments. however, when answered correctly, sharing your weaknesses shows that you are self-aware with an interest in continued growth and learning—traits that are extremely attractive to many employers. consider using this formula for your response:

1. select an actual weakness (not a strength) that's honest but professionally relevant:andnbsp;"i’m naturally shy...”

2. add context:andnbsp;"...from high school and into my early professional interactions, it sometimes prevented me from speaking up...”

3. provide a specific example:" ...after being a part of a workgroup that didn’t meet our strategic goals two quarters in a row, i knew i owed it to my team and myself to confidently share my ideas...”

4. explain how you overcame or are working to overcome it:andnbsp;"...i joined an improv acting class. it’s fun and has really helped me overcome my shyness. i learned practical skills around leading discussions and sharing diverse perspectives. now, in group settings, i always start conversations with the quieter folks. i know exactly how they feel, and people can be amazing once they start communicating.”

8. what are your goals for the future?

hiring managers often ask about your future goals to determine whether or not you’re looking to stay with the company long-term. additionally, this question is used to gauge your ambition, expectations for your career and ability to plan ahead. the best way to handle this question is to examine your current career trajectory and how this role helps you reach your long-term goals.

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“i would like to continue developing my marketing expertise over the next several years. one of the reasons i’m interested in working for a fast-growing startup company is that i’ll have the ability to wear many hats and collaborate with many different departments. i believe this experience will serve me well in achieving my ultimate goal of someday leading a marketing department.”

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9. where do you think you'll be in five years?

understanding how you imagine your life in the future can help employers understand whether the trajectory of the role and company fits in with your personal development goals.

to answer this question you can provide specific career goals including any dream roles or projects:

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"some of my future goals for the next few years include leading a design team in a formal capacity. i’m also excited about the prospect of working with product and event teams on developing streamlined processes—this is a natural fit with my project management background. i’d also like to further develop my skills in user experience to aid in creating more user-focused designs all around.”

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10. can you tell me about a difficult work situation and how you overcame it?

this question is often used to assess how well you perform under pressure as well as your problem-solving abilities. keep in mind stories are more memorable than facts and figures, so strive to “show” instead of “tell.” this is also an excellent opportunity to show your human side and how when faced with adversity you are able to persevere.

for this question, consider sticking to theandnbsp;star method, which stands for situation, task, action and result or learning.

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“it was the first day of my boss’s two-week vacation and our agency’s highest-paying client threatened to leave because he didn’t feel he was getting the personalized service he was promised. i spent my lunch hour on the phone with him discussing his concerns. we even brainstormed ideas for his next campaign. he was so grateful for the personal attention that he signed another six-month contract before my boss even returned from her trip.”

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11. how do you respond to stress or change?

how you handle stressful situations and adapt to change is an indicator of your ability to solve problems. employers want to hire candidates who react to stress constructively, so it’s important that your answer to this question demonstrates personal growth.

spend some time thinking about your response to stressful situations and provide an example that communicates your abilities around perseverance, resilience and stress management.

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“i’m able to stay calm by focusing on the bigger picture and breaking down my projects into smaller tasks. i always start by asking myself, “what is the ultimate goal i’m trying to achieve?” from there, i make a list of immediate and long-term action items with achievable but ambitious deadlines. even if the big project is due tomorrow, i ask myself, ‘what’s something i can tackle in the next 30 minutes?’ before i know it, i’ve made significant progress and that impossible project doesn’t seem so impossible.”

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12. how do you handle conflict at work?

employers ask this question to gauge how you interact with various stakeholders or colleagues of differing opinions. often, being the right person for the job involves more than just hard skills, hiring managers also value candidates who can collaborate with others andandnbsp;approach conflict in a productive way.

a good answer will discuss a time you encountered a conflict with a colleague, client or manager and maintained the patience to resolve it. it’s important to relay what you learned—how you grew personally and professionally—as a result of the experience. use the star method to construct your response.

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“i was working as a project manager on an it project, and one technician was constantly late finishing tasks. when i approached him about it, he got defensive, so i kept calm and acknowledged that the deadlines were challenging and asked how i could help him meet expectations. he told me that he had been pulled into another project so i met with the other project manager and we came to a resolution that lightened the technician’s workload. for the remainder of the project, the technician delivered great work. i learned that you don’t always know what others are experiencing and by keeping that in mind, you can better navigate conflict and be a more helpful and supportive colleague.”

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13. what is your greatest accomplishment?

it’s easy to get hung up on figuring out your single most impressive accomplishment. instead, think of a few achievements that showcase your work ethic and values. if you can, pick examples that also tie back to the job you’re applying for. theandnbsp;star methodandnbsp;is a great tool to ensure you highlight the most relevant parts of your story.

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“in my last role, i managed all of the company's social media content. i noticed other brands were experimenting with videos and seeing great engagement from their customers, so i asked my boss if we could do a low-budget test. she agreed, so i produced a video cheaply in-house that drove double the engagement we normally saw on our social channels. it also drove conversions with 30% of viewers visiting our website within a week of seeing the video.”

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14. how do you define success?

employers ask this to help them understand how your definition of success influences your goals and how you measure them. a good answer will show that you know how to define and measure goals and you’re willing to challenge yourself and work hard to meet them.

consider your proudest achievements, your long- and short-term successes and how the company you’re interviewing with views success. give specific examples of how you’ve succeeded in the past.

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“i define success as fulfilling my role in my team and in the company. i work toward completing my individual duties as effectively as possible, balancing that with professional growth and contributing to larger organizational goals. in my previous role, success meant exceeding weekly metrics, implementing processes that supported the company’s kpis and meeting quarterly professional development goals.”

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15. how do your skills align with this role?

while this is similar to questions likeandnbsp;“why should we hire you?”andnbsp;orandnbsp;“what can you bring to the company?”andnbsp;it allows you to be more specific about your work ethic, style and unique abilities as it relates to the role.

an impactful answer will discuss your hard and soft skills and use the star method to illustrate how your unique skills might benefit the team or organization.

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“i can make anyone feel comfortable in a new environment, which makes me a good fit as a human resources assistant. in my previous position, a new employee came to me and told me that she didn’t think she was right for the company culture. after talking for a few minutes, we realized that she felt too much pressure to participate in company events. i started introducing events that involved fewer competitions and more casual environments, and she quickly grew more comfortable with her team.”

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16. why should we hire you?

while this question may seem like an intimidation tactic, interviewers generally ask to offer another opportunity to explain why you’re the best candidate. your answer should address the skills and experience you offer, why you’re a good culture fit and what you believe you’d bring to the role.

one thing to remember as you’re discussing your fitness for the company with employers is that the idea of “culture fit” can sometimes be used as a way to eliminate and discriminate against candidates, however unknowingly, who don’t think, act or look like existing employees.

a better alternative concept you might consider addressing is “culture add,” or your ability to bring fresh and additive ideas and feedback to the team. culture adds make the company stronger by diversifying the experiences and perspectives of its workforce.

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“my experience accurately managing inventory intake and skills in creating effective, streamlined schedules make me uniquely qualified to succeed in this kitchen manager position. i understand that you require a highly organized candidate with acute attention to detail. in my previous job, i successfully handled schedules for 20 employees and reduced food waste by 15%. i’m confident in my ability to use my organizational skills to bring efficiency and order to your restaurant."

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17. why are you leaving your current job?

there are many acceptableandnbsp;reasons for leaving a job. prepare a thoughtful answer that will give your interviewer confidence that you’re being deliberate about this job change. instead of focusing on the negative aspects of your current or previous role, focus on the future and what you hope to gain in your next position.

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18. what is your salary range expectation?

interviewers ask this question to make sure your expectations are in line with the amount they’ve budgeted for the role. if you give a salary range exceedingly lower or higher than the market value of the position, it gives the impression that you don’t know your worth. here are three ways to approach this response:

provide a range

research the typical compensation range for the role onandnbsp;indeed salariesandnbsp;and make the low end of your range your lowest acceptable salary. for example, if you require at least $50,000 annually, you might offer the interviewer a range of $50,000-$60,000 per year. let the hiring manager know if you’re flexible.

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“my salary expectation is between $xx,xxx and $xx,xxx, which is the average salary for a candidate with my level of experience in this city. however, i am flexible and willing to discuss.”

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include negotiation options

there may be other benefits, perks or forms of compensation you find just as valuable as your salary.

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“i am seeking a position that pays between $75,000 and $80,000 annually, but i am open to negotiating salary depending on benefits, bonuses, equity, stock options and other opportunities.”

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deflect the question

if you’re early in the hiring process and still learning the specifics of the job duties and expectations, you may want to deflect the question for later in the conversation.

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“before i answer, i’d like to ask a few more questions to get a better idea of what the position entails. that way, i can provide a more accurate expectation.”

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if you’re unsure about what salary is appropriate to ask for the position you’re applying to, visitandnbsp;indeed's salary calculatorandnbsp;to get a free, personalized pay range based on your location, industry and experience.

19. do you have any questions?

this might be one of the most important questions asked during the interview process because it allows you to explore any topics that haven’t been addressed and shows the interviewer you’re serious about the role.

remember that you are interviewing the company too. take time toandnbsp;ask the interviewer questionsandnbsp;about their own experiences with the company, gain tips on how you can succeed if hired and address any lingering questions you have. some examples include: