50 Screening Interview Questions (With Example Answers)

60% of candidates fail at the screening stage.

Not because they're unqualified. But because they don't prepare for the specific questions recruiters ask.

This guide provides 50 real screening interview questions organized by category, plus example answers that actually work.

Before you start: These aren't final-round interview questions. Screening questions test communication clarity, genuine interest, and cultural fit — not deep technical knowledge.

Related: Master the full process with our Phone Screening Interview Guide.

Part 1: Introduction & Background Questions

These questions assess how well you communicate your value and whether you're genuinely interested.

1. "Tell me about yourself."

What they're evaluating: Can you summarize your value concisely?

Example answer:

"I'm a backend engineer with 5 years of experience building scalable data systems. Most recently, I led the architecture for a pipeline processing 10 million events per day, which reduced our infrastructure costs by 40%. I'm here because your job description mentioned scaling your data platform — this is exactly the type of challenge I've solved before."

Time: 60-90 seconds max Focus: Present (what you do) → Past (how you got here) → Future (why this role)

2. "Walk me through your resume."

What they're evaluating: Can you highlight what's relevant and skip what's not?

Example answer:

"I'll focus on the last 5 years since that's most relevant. I'm currently a senior engineer at [Company] where I lead backend development. Before that, I transitioned from frontend to backend at [Previous Company] because I was more interested in systems architecture. That's what led me to this role — you're looking for someone with exactly this background."

Don't: Recite every job from college onward Do: Spend 60% of your answer on recent, relevant experience

3. "Why are you interested in this role?"

What they're evaluating: Have you researched the company? Is this a thoughtful move?

Example answer:

"I saw in the job description that you're migrating to microservices architecture. I led that exact transition at my last company and reduced deployment time by 75%. I'm interested because I know how transformative this change can be, and I want to bring that experience to your team."

Bad answer: "I'm passionate about your mission" (vague, could apply to any company)

4. "Why are you leaving your current job?"

What they're evaluating: Are you running away or running toward something?

Example answer:

"I've learned a lot at my current company, but we're shifting focus to a different product area that doesn't align with my long-term interests. I'm looking for a role where I can continue building expertise in [specific area] — which is why this role caught my attention."

Don't: Speak negatively about your current employer Do: Focus on what you're seeking (growth, challenge, alignment)

5. "What do you know about our company?"

What they're evaluating: Did you do basic research?

Example answer:

"I know you're a B2B SaaS company focused on [product/service]. I read that you recently [recent news: funding round, product launch, expansion]. I'm particularly interested in [specific aspect of their work] because [relevant to your experience]."

Research sources: Company blog, About page, recent press releases, LinkedIn

6. "What interests you about working here?"

What they're evaluating: Genuine interest vs. mass-applying?

Example answer:

"Three things: First, the technical challenges you're solving around [specific problem]. Second, your team's focus on [value/culture aspect]. Third, the opportunity to [specific growth opportunity]. These align with where I want to take my career."

Be specific. Generic answers ("great culture") don't differentiate you.

7. "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"

What they're evaluating: Do your goals align with this role?

Example answer:

"In 5 years, I want to be leading technical architecture for large-scale systems. This role gives me the foundation to build that expertise — starting with hands-on work and gradually taking on more leadership as I grow."

Don't: Say you want to be CEO or start your own company Do: Show how this role fits your career trajectory

8. "What's your greatest professional achievement?"

What they're evaluating: Can you quantify impact?

Example answer:

"My biggest achievement was leading the migration from a monolith to microservices at my last company. I coordinated across 4 teams, delivered it on time, and we saw deployment time drop from 2 hours to 15 minutes. That directly enabled us to ship features faster."

Formula: Challenge + Action + Result (with metrics)

9. "Why should we hire you?"

What they're evaluating: Can you articulate your unique value?

Example answer:

"You're looking for someone who can scale your data infrastructure. I've done this before — I built a system handling 10M events/day that saved 40% on infrastructure costs. I know the challenges you'll face because I've solved them."

Focus on: Matching your experience to their specific needs

10. "What makes you unique compared to other candidates?"

What they're evaluating: Self-awareness and differentiation

Example answer:

"Most candidates have backend experience. What's unique about me is that I've done this at scale — 10 million events per day — and I've done it cost-effectively, reducing infrastructure spend by 40%. I bring both technical skill and business awareness."

Don't: Say "I'm a hard worker" (everyone says that) Do: Cite specific, measurable differentiators

Part 2: Skills & Experience Questions

These questions assess whether you have the baseline qualifications for the role.

11. "What are your greatest strengths?"

Example answer:

"My greatest strength is translating business requirements into scalable technical solutions. When our product team wanted real-time analytics, I designed a system that processed data in under 100ms — which became a key competitive advantage."

Pick 1-2 strengths relevant to the role, then back them up with evidence.

12. "What's your biggest weakness?"

Example answer:

"Early in my career, I tended to over-engineer solutions. I've learned to start simple and add complexity only when needed. Now I ask: 'What's the minimum viable solution?' before diving into architecture."

Don't: Say "I'm a perfectionist" Do: Show self-awareness and growth

13. "Describe a challenging project you worked on."

Example answer:

"I led a database migration with zero downtime for a system serving 5 million users. The challenge was coordinating across teams and ensuring no data loss. We ran dual writes for 2 weeks, validated consistency, then cut over. Zero incidents."

Structure: Situation → Challenge → Action → Result

14. "Tell me about a time you failed."

Example answer:

"I once pushed a deployment without proper testing that caused a brief outage. I immediately rolled back, wrote a postmortem, and implemented automated testing to prevent recurrence. It taught me the importance of testing before deploying."

Show: Honesty + what you learned

15. "How do you handle tight deadlines?"

Example answer:

"I prioritize ruthlessly. When we had a tight deadline for a new feature, I broke it into must-haves and nice-to-haves. We shipped the core functionality on time, then added enhancements in the next sprint."

Focus on: Prioritization and realistic scope management

16. "Describe your work style."

Example answer:

"I work best with clear goals and autonomy to execute. I prefer async communication for updates and sync meetings for complex discussions. I'm comfortable with ambiguity and figure things out as I go."

Match your answer to the company culture (research this beforehand)

17. "How do you handle feedback?"

Example answer:

"I actively seek feedback because it helps me improve faster. When my manager suggested I communicate updates more proactively, I started sending weekly progress summaries. It improved team alignment significantly."

Show: You're coachable and act on feedback

18. "What's your ideal work environment?"

Example answer:

"I thrive in environments where I can focus deeply but also collaborate when needed. I value clear documentation, minimal unnecessary meetings, and the freedom to experiment with new approaches."

Be honest but align with what they offer (research their culture)

19. "How do you prioritize tasks?"

Example answer:

"I use impact vs. effort matrix. High-impact, low-effort tasks first. For complex projects, I break them into smaller tasks and prioritize based on dependencies and deadlines."

Show a framework, not "I just do what's urgent"

20. "Tell me about a time you disagreed with a decision."

Example answer:

"My team wanted to add a feature that I thought would add complexity without enough value. I presented data on usage patterns and maintenance costs. We decided to defer it and focus on higher-impact features instead."

Focus on: Professional disagreement with data, not emotion

Part 3: Behavioral & Situational Questions

These assess cultural fit and how you handle real-world scenarios.

21. "How do you handle conflict with a coworker?"

Example answer:

"I address it directly and privately. When a teammate and I disagreed on an architecture decision, I scheduled a 1:1 to understand their perspective. We found common ground and presented a unified recommendation to the team."

22. "Tell me about a time you had to learn something quickly."

Example answer:

"When I joined my last company, they used a tech stack I wasn't familiar with. I spent weekends doing tutorials, paired with senior engineers, and shipped my first feature within 2 weeks."

23. "How do you handle stress?"

Example answer:

"I break large problems into smaller tasks and focus on what I can control. During a critical launch, I created a checklist, tackled one item at a time, and communicated progress to keep the team aligned."

24. "Describe a time you went above and beyond."

Example answer:

"During a critical outage at 2am, I stayed up to debug and fix the issue even though it wasn't my on-call shift. I wanted to ensure our customers weren't impacted."

25. "How do you handle criticism?"

Example answer:

"I see criticism as growth opportunity. When my code review feedback was that I wasn't adding enough tests, I made testing a priority. Now my code coverage is consistently above 80%."

26. "Tell me about a time you worked with a difficult person."

Example answer:

"I worked with a teammate who was very detail-oriented and slowed down our progress. I realized they needed more context upfront. Once I adjusted my communication, we worked well together."

27. "How do you stay motivated?"

Example answer:

"I stay motivated by seeing the impact of my work. When I see users benefiting from features I built, or when we hit performance milestones, it reminds me why I do this work."

28. "Describe a time you had to adapt to change."

Example answer:

"When my company shifted from waterfall to agile, I had to adapt quickly. I learned scrum, started attending daily standups, and embraced iterative development. It actually improved our shipping velocity."

29. "How do you handle ambiguity?"

Example answer:

"I start by clarifying what we know, what we don't know, and what assumptions we're making. Then I build the minimum viable solution and iterate based on feedback."

30. "Tell me about a time you showed leadership."

Example answer:

"When our team lead was out sick during a critical launch, I stepped up to coordinate tasks, run standups, and communicate with stakeholders. We shipped on time."

Part 4: Role-Specific Questions

These vary based on the position but assess job-specific knowledge.

31. "What tools/technologies are you proficient in?"

Example answer:

"I'm proficient in Python, Go, and JavaScript. For databases, I work with PostgreSQL and Redis. I use Docker for containerization and GitHub Actions for CI/CD."

Be honest. Don't claim expertise in things you can't explain.

32. "How do you stay current with industry trends?"

Example answer:

"I follow tech blogs like Hacker News and read engineering blogs from companies like Uber and Netflix. I also attend local meetups and experiment with new technologies in side projects."

33. "What's your experience with [specific technology]?"

Example answer:

"I've used [technology] for 2 years on production systems. Most recently, I used it to build [specific project] which handled [scale/metric]."

If you don't have experience: Be honest and express willingness to learn.

34. "Describe your experience with remote work."

Example answer:

"I've worked remotely for 3 years. I over-communicate in async channels, keep my calendar updated, and ensure I'm available during team core hours. I've found this increases my productivity."

35. "What's your experience managing projects?"

Example answer:

"I've managed projects from planning through deployment. I break work into milestones, track progress, communicate risks early, and coordinate across teams to ensure on-time delivery."

36. "How do you ensure code quality?"

Example answer:

"I write unit tests, use code reviews, and follow style guides. I also use linters and automated testing in CI/CD pipelines. For critical code, I pair program with teammates."

37. "What's your experience with agile/scrum?"

Example answer:

"I've worked in agile teams for 4 years. I participate in sprint planning, daily standups, and retrospectives. I'm comfortable with iterative development and adjusting priorities based on feedback."

38. "How do you approach problem-solving?"

Example answer:

"I start by understanding the problem deeply — what's the actual issue vs. symptom? Then I research potential solutions, prototype the most promising approach, and iterate based on results."

39. "What's your experience with testing?"

Example answer:

"I write unit tests for business logic, integration tests for APIs, and use end-to-end tests for critical user flows. I aim for 80%+ code coverage on new code."

40. "How do you handle technical debt?"

Example answer:

"I document technical debt as I encounter it and advocate for allocating sprint capacity to address high-impact debt. I balance new features with maintaining system health."

Part 5: Logistics & Closing Questions

These assess practical concerns and give you a chance to ask questions.

41. "What's your notice period?"

Example answer:

"My current contract requires 2 weeks notice. I can start [date] if we move forward."

Be honest. Don't undercommit and fail to deliver.

42. "Are you interviewing with other companies?"

Example answer:

"Yes, I'm exploring a few opportunities to find the best fit. But this role particularly interests me because [specific reason]."

Don't: Lie and say no Do: Show you're selective, not desperate

43. "What are your salary expectations?"

Example answer:

"I'd prefer to learn more about the role before discussing compensation. What's the budget range for this position?"

If they insist: "Based on market research, I'm seeing $X-$Y for similar roles. I'm flexible depending on total comp and growth opportunities."

44. "When can you start?"

Example answer:

"I need to give 2 weeks notice at my current role. Assuming we move forward this week, I could start in 3 weeks."

Factor in: Notice period + any planned time off

45. "Are you willing to relocate?"

Example answer:

"Yes, I'm open to relocating for the right opportunity. [If applicable: I've researched [City] and I'm excited about the area.]"

Or if no: "I'm not able to relocate, but I'm very interested in remote opportunities."

46. "Do you have any questions for me?"

Always ask 2-3 questions. Examples:

• "What does success look like in the first 90 days?"
• "What are the biggest challenges the team is facing?"
• "Can you tell me about the team I'd be working with?"
• "What's the timeline for next steps?"

Don't ask: Questions easily answered by the job description

47. "What's your availability for next round interviews?"

Example answer:

"I'm generally available weekday afternoons after 2pm or any time on [specific day]. I can also make other times work with a few days notice."

Be flexible but give realistic availability.

48. "Is there anything else you'd like to add?"

Example answer:

"Just that I'm genuinely excited about this opportunity. The work you're doing around [specific area] aligns perfectly with my experience and interests."

Use this to reinforce your interest and fit.

49. "How did you hear about this position?"

Example answer:

"I saw the posting on LinkedIn and immediately noticed it matched my experience with [specific skill]. I also follow your company blog and have been impressed by [specific thing]."

Show: You sought this out intentionally

50. "What are your long-term career goals?"

Example answer:

"Long-term, I want to be a technical leader who mentors engineers and drives architectural decisions. This role gives me the foundation to build toward that through hands-on work and gradual leadership opportunities."

Align your goals with what the role offers (progression path)

How to Use This Guide

Don't memorize answers. Recruiters can tell when you're reciting.

Instead:

1. Understand the pattern: What is each question really asking?
2. Adapt the examples: Use your own experiences and metrics
3. Practice out loud: Say your answers until they feel natural
4. Get feedback: Record yourself or practice with a friend

Related: Practice these questions with instant AI feedback - free, no signup required.

The Questions You MUST Prepare

If you only prepare for 5 questions, make them these:

1. "Tell me about yourself" (you'll get this 100%)
2. "Why are you interested in this role?" (shows you researched)
3. "Why are you leaving your current job?" (reveals motivations)
4. "What are your salary expectations?" (know your range)
5. "Do you have any questions for me?" (shows engagement)

Prepare these cold. Practice out loud until you can deliver them smoothly without notes.

What Happens After You Answer These Questions

If you answer these questions well, you'll advance to:

• Technical interviews (for engineering roles)
• Behavioral deep-dives (for leadership roles)
• Case studies or presentations (for product/consulting roles)

If you don't advance:

• You'll typically get a rejection email within 3-7 days
• Sometimes no response (unfortunately common)
• You can ask for feedback, though many companies won't provide it

Related: Learn what happens after screening interviews and how to prepare for next rounds.

The Bottom Line

Screening questions seem simple. But 60% of candidates fail at this stage.

Why?

Because they ramble, undersell themselves, sound generic, or don't prepare at all.

Success at screening requires:

• Concise answers (60-90 seconds for most questions)
• Specific examples (metrics, impact, business value)
• Preparation (practice out loud until answers flow naturally)

Don't leave this to chance. The candidates who advance aren't necessarily smarter or more qualified.

They're just better prepared.

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