Every job interview follows a pattern. While the specific questions vary by role and company, certain questions appear again and again.
Master these 50 common interview questions, and you'll be prepared for 90% of what any interviewer throws at you.
This guide covers every major question category with frameworks for answering each one effectively.
The 10 Questions Asked in Every Interview
These questions appear in virtually every job interview. Prepare these first.
1. Tell me about yourself
What they're really asking: Give me a 60-second pitch that connects your background to this role.
Framework:
- Present: Your current role and key responsibility
- Past: Relevant experience that led you here
- Future: Why this role is your logical next step
Example: "I'm currently a marketing manager at a B2B SaaS company where I lead our content strategy that drove 40% of qualified leads last year. Before that, I spent three years at an agency working with tech clients, which gave me a strong foundation in digital marketing across multiple channels. I'm excited about this role because it combines my content expertise with the product marketing focus I want to develop."
Read our complete guide: How to Answer "Tell Me About Yourself"
2. Why do you want to work here?
What they're really asking: Have you researched us, and is this genuine interest or just any job?
Framework:
- Company-specific: Something unique about THIS company
- Role-specific: How the role matches your goals
- Value add: What you'd contribute
Example: "I've followed your company since you launched the enterprise product last year—the approach to user onboarding was impressive. This role is exciting because it sits at the intersection of product and customer success, which is exactly where I want to build my career. I'd bring my experience scaling support operations, which seems relevant given your growth trajectory."
Read our complete guide: Why Do You Want to Work Here?
3. What are your greatest strengths?
What they're really asking: What value will you bring, backed by evidence?
Framework:
- Name the strength
- Provide specific evidence
- Connect to the role
Example: "My greatest strength is translating complex technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders. In my current role, I created the documentation system that reduced support tickets by 35%. For this product manager role, that skill would help bridge engineering and customer-facing teams."
Read our complete guide: Greatest Strength Interview Question
4. What is your biggest weakness?
What they're really asking: Are you self-aware, and are you actively improving?
Framework:
- Name a real weakness (not a strength in disguise)
- Show self-awareness about its impact
- Describe specific actions you're taking to improve
Example: "I tend to over-prepare for presentations, spending more time than necessary perfecting slides. I've recognized this can be inefficient, so I now set strict time limits for prep work and focus on the key messages rather than perfect visuals. It's still something I work on, but I've cut my prep time significantly."
Read our complete guide: What Is Your Biggest Weakness?
5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
What they're really asking: Will you stay long enough to be worth the investment?
Framework:
- Show ambition within realistic bounds
- Connect your growth to the company's success
- Avoid mentioning leaving or specific titles
Example: "In five years, I want to have developed deep expertise in this industry and taken on increasing responsibility for strategic projects. I'm particularly interested in mentoring others as I grow—that's something I've started doing in my current role and find really fulfilling."
Read our complete guide: Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?
6. Why should we hire you?
What they're really asking: Give me your closing argument.
Framework:
- Address their core need (from the job description or interview)
- Provide your unique proof point
- State your differentiator
Example: "Based on our conversation, you need someone who can hit the ground running with enterprise clients while building scalable processes. I've done exactly that at my current company—grew our enterprise book from 5 to 25 clients while creating the playbook now used across the team. What makes me different is I've done this in a fast-moving startup environment, so I'm comfortable with ambiguity."
Read our complete guide: Why Should We Hire You?
7. Why are you leaving your current job?
What they're really asking: Are there red flags, and will you leave us too?
Framework:
- Keep it positive and forward-looking
- Focus on what you're moving toward, not away from
- Never badmouth current employer
Example: "I've learned a lot in my current role and am proud of what I've accomplished there. I'm looking for my next step because I want to work on larger-scale projects and in an industry I'm passionate about. This role offers both."
Read our complete guide: Why Are You Leaving Your Current Job?
8. Tell me about a challenge you've faced
What they're really asking: How do you handle adversity?
Framework (STAR method):
- Situation: Brief context
- Task: Your specific responsibility
- Action: What YOU did (not the team)
- Result: Quantified outcome
Example: "Last year, our main product launch was delayed by two months due to a vendor issue. I was responsible for customer communication. I proactively reached out to our top 20 accounts personally, created a detailed timeline with weekly updates, and worked with product to offer early access to beta features as goodwill. We retained 100% of those accounts and actually got valuable feedback that improved the final product."
Read our complete guide: STAR Method Interview Guide
9. What are your salary expectations?
What they're really asking: Are you in our budget, and do you know your market value?
Framework:
- Research the market range first
- Give a range, not a single number
- Emphasize flexibility based on total compensation
Example: "Based on my research and experience level, I'm looking at the $85,000 to $100,000 range. I'm flexible depending on the total compensation package—things like equity, benefits, and growth opportunities are also important to me."
Read our complete guide: Salary Expectations Interview Question
10. Do you have any questions for us?
What they're really asking: Are you genuinely interested and thoughtful?
Always ask questions. Saying "no" signals disinterest.
Strong questions to ask:
- "What does success look like in the first 90 days?"
- "What's the biggest challenge facing the team right now?"
- "How would you describe the team culture?"
- "What do you enjoy most about working here?"
Read our complete guide: Best Questions to Ask in an Interview
Stop Guessing. See Exactly How You Sound.
Reading about interviews won't help you. Speaking out loud will.
Get specific feedback on what's working and what's killing your chances. Know your blind spots before the real interview.
Behavioral Interview Questions (11-25)
Behavioral questions ask about past experiences to predict future performance. Use the STAR method for all of these.
11. Tell me about a time you failed
Focus on a real failure, what you learned, and how you applied that lesson.
12. Describe a conflict with a coworker
Show emotional intelligence, focus on resolution, and never blame the other person.
13. Tell me about your greatest accomplishment
Choose an accomplishment relevant to the role with measurable results.
14. How do you handle stress and pressure?
Demonstrate specific coping strategies, not just "I thrive under pressure."
15. Describe a time you showed leadership
Leadership isn't about titles—show influence, initiative, or mentoring.
16. Tell me about a time you had to learn something quickly
Show adaptability and your learning process.
17. Describe a time you went above and beyond
Demonstrate initiative without seeming like you can't set boundaries.
18. Tell me about a time you disagreed with your manager
Show respectful disagreement and professional resolution.
19. How do you prioritize competing deadlines?
Explain your actual prioritization system with a specific example.
20. Describe a time you received difficult feedback
Show you can accept feedback gracefully and act on it.
21. Tell me about a mistake you made at work
Similar to failure question—focus on the learning and improvement.
22. Describe a time you had to persuade someone
Show influence skills without manipulation.
23. Tell me about a goal you achieved
Demonstrate goal-setting and follow-through.
24. How do you handle working with difficult people?
Show emotional intelligence and professionalism.
25. Describe a time you had to make a decision with incomplete information
Show judgment and risk assessment skills.
Role-Specific Questions (26-35)
These questions probe your relevant experience and skills.
26. Walk me through your resume
Not a chronological recitation—hit the highlights relevant to THIS role.
27. What experience do you have with [specific skill]?
Be honest about your level; give concrete examples.
28. How do you stay current in your field?
Mention specific sources, communities, or learning habits.
29. What tools/software are you proficient in?
Match your answer to the job requirements.
30. Describe your ideal work environment
Research the company culture first; find genuine overlap.
31. How do you approach [specific task from job description]?
Walk through your methodology with an example.
32. What would you do in your first 30/60/90 days?
Show you've thought about onboarding and early wins.
33. How do you measure success in your work?
Demonstrate you care about outcomes, not just activities.
34. What's your management/working style?
Know thyself and be honest—fit matters.
35. What relevant certifications or training do you have?
Connect them to role requirements.
Situational Questions (36-45)
These ask "what would you do if..." to assess judgment and problem-solving.
36. What would you do if you disagreed with a company decision?
Show you can disagree professionally and commit once decided.
37. How would you handle an angry customer/client?
Demonstrate de-escalation and problem-solving.
38. What would you do if you couldn't meet a deadline?
Show proactive communication and problem-solving.
39. How would you handle a team member not pulling their weight?
Direct conversation before escalation.
40. What would you do if asked to do something unethical?
Show clear values and professional pushback.
41. How would you approach a project you've never done before?
Demonstrate resourcefulness and learning approach.
42. What would you do if you realized you made a significant error?
Immediate disclosure, take responsibility, fix it.
43. How would you handle competing priorities from different managers?
Clarify, communicate, and escalate if needed.
44. What would you do if a colleague took credit for your work?
Professional response, documentation, direct conversation.
45. How would you onboard yourself in a new role?
Show initiative and systematic approach.
Curveball Questions (46-50)
These test creativity, self-awareness, or culture fit.
46. What's something not on your resume that I should know?
Opportunity to share relevant interests or experiences.
47. If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be?
Shows personality and interests—no wrong answer if you explain why.
48. What are you passionate about outside of work?
Genuine interests make you memorable.
49. What would your previous colleagues say about you?
Consistent with your own self-assessment; ideally verified by references.
50. Is there anything else you'd like us to know?
Your chance to address gaps or reinforce key points.
How to Prepare for These Questions
Don't try to memorize answers. Instead:
- Identify your 5-7 key stories that demonstrate different competencies
- Practice out loud, not just in your head—speaking is different from thinking
- Time yourself—most answers should be 1-2 minutes
- Record yourself to catch filler words and rambling
- Do mock interviews under realistic pressure
The goal isn't perfect answers. It's being so familiar with your material that you can deliver it naturally, even under pressure.
Practice Makes Interview-Ready
Reading about interview questions helps. But the gap between knowing what to say and actually saying it under pressure is what costs most candidates the job.
Practice with Revarta's AI interview coach →
Get real-time feedback on your answers, work on your delivery, and build the confidence that comes from genuine preparation.
