Job Search - Interviews - Common Interview Questions

Common Interview Questions

This page goes through some very common interview questions. This is not an exhaustive list but it will give you an idea of the type of question you can expect at interview. You should plan answers to these types of questions in advance of the interview.

Questions about you

• What type of a person are you?
• What has been your greatest achievement so far?
• What do you do in your spare time?
• What are your long term career goals?

Questions about the job / sector

• Why do you want to be a …. ?
• Which other careers have you considered?
• What are the most challenging issues currently affecting this sector?
• How do you keep up to date with developments in this sector?
  

Questions about the organisation

• Why do you want to work for this organisation?
• What do you know about this organisation?
• What prompted your application for this organisation?
• How does our graduate training scheme compare with our competitors?
  

Questions about your education

• How did you choose your degree?
• What was the most challenging part of your degree course?
• Which parts of your degree are most relevant for this vacancy?
• Were there any subjects you struggled at?
• How did you approach your final year project/thesis?

Questions about your work experience

• What have you gained from your previous work experience / internship / placement/ voluntary work?
• How relevant is your work experience for this vacancy?
• What has been your greatest achievement in the workplace?
• Talk us through your most relevant experience to date?
• How has your work experience increased your business awareness?
  

Questions about your skills

• When have you used your communication skills to influence other people’s behaviour or opinions?
• Describe a situation when you worked in a team to achieve a goal. What was your contribution to the team’s success and what would you do differently in a similar situation in the future?
• Describe how you analysed a complex issue or problem to reach a decision. How did you evaluate the decision you made?
• When have you had to deal with an unexpected or changing situation? How did you cope with this uncertainty?

The questions above are competency based questions, visit our section on competency based interviews for details on how to prepare for these interviews.

View our page on tricky interview questions or return to interview overview.

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