What types of interview questions are there?
Before we explore some example interview questions, let’s first look at what these different types of questions entail. Behavioural questions focus on how a candidate has handled situations in the past, while situational questions ask how they would approach hypothetical scenarios. They contrast with technical questions, which you can use to assess specific job-related skills and knowledge.
For candidates, answering these questions effectively means being prepared to share relevant examples, highlight key skills and demonstrate a clear understanding of the job requirements. By preparing for different types of interview questions, both hiring managers and candidates can ensure a more productive and insightful interview process.
1. What career accomplishment makes you most proud?
While it’s important to hire someone who can do the job well, you also want to hire an employee who takes pride in their work. By asking the candidate to share their favourite career accomplishment, you allow them to share a career highlight. This will also help you better understand the type of work that makes them feel fulfilled and determine whether it’s aligned with what the role entails. Paying attention to the small details in their story can reveal their passion and thoroughness.
2. Tell me something about yourself that isn’t on your CV.
Job seekers carefully craft their CVs to provide the best summary of their professional experience, but you can’t learn everything about a candidate from what they put down on paper. This question is purposefully vague to allow the interviewee to decide how they want to approach it and what kind of information they wish to share with you, whether that’s job-related or not. They may choose to talk about their charitable work, their travel experiences or another defining experience in their lifetime.
The way they choose to respond to this question and the story they share, can tell you a lot about the type of employee they will be.
3. Why do you want to work here?
This question is your opportunity to determine how much an employee has researched the company, and get a better idea of what they’re looking for in an employer. When asking this question, listen carefully for details about your organisation and any parallels the applicant is drawing between your company and their career aspirations.
Look out for answers that refer to your employer brand, either directly or indirectly. For example, a candidate might talk about how your industry’s reputation in the field is important to them, and how the work you do aligns with their own personal and professional values. This could be, for example:
- Working with the community as a small business
- Investing in sustainable resources (such as through being a B-Corp)
- Being known for strong diversity and inclusion initiatives
- Or having a reputation for job security and career progression
4. What made you want to apply for this position?
This is one of the best interview questions to ask because it delves into specifics about the job role. It shows how carefully the candidate read the job description and also gives them the chance to share why they feel they’d be a good match.
A well-crafted answer will touch on skills the applicant has as well as skills they want to develop or improve. Candidates may reference their current job and explain how the new role offers opportunities for growth or better aligns with their career goals. For example, a candidate might be interested in particular learning and development opportunities, such as acquiring new skills in artificial intelligence, data or other fields that are currently being advanced.
Alongside aspects of the role’s responsibilities, a candidate might also mention how the working arrangement appeals to them. For example, if the role enables them to travel more or work flexibly, they might highlight this as a key reason for applying as well.
5. What are your greatest weaknesses?
This question is one of the most popular interview questions for a reason: it helps you quickly learn a lot about a candidate. This question enables you to deduce three things:
- Whether the candidate’s weaknesses could conflict with job requirements or hamper their ability to excel in the role
- Whether the candidate is self-aware enough to know their weaknesses without having to think for too long
- How a candidate is working to improve on their shortcomings
6. What are your greatest strengths?
Like addressing weaknesses, when a candidate talks about their strengths, it shows their level of self-awareness and humility. This also gives the applicant a chance to discuss how their best qualities align with the needs of the role and even demonstrate how they will use their strengths to help the company reach its goals. Being a team player is a valuable strength, as it highlights collaboration, effective communication and a willingness to support others to ensure the team’s success.
When assessing strengths, look out for a combination of hard and soft skills. Again, this can be worthwhile as part of a skills-based hiring approach since candidates who demonstrate adaptability and a strong capacity for learning new technology could help you to future-proof your business.
7. Tell me about a difficult work situation and how you overcame it.
Everyone has experienced challenging circumstances at work. Often, it’s in these moments that professionals grow the most. This question allows the candidate to tell you about how they perform under pressure and also discuss their problem-solving skills and ability to manage stress. Interviewers can use this question to assess how candidates handle stress in the workplace and demonstrate resilience in difficult situations.
8. Why are you leaving your current employer?
When you ask this question, pay close attention to how the candidate talks about their former job. Are they focusing on the negative aspects, or do they err more on the positive side by addressing their hopes for the future?
Candidates should avoid speaking negatively about their last company and instead highlight what they learned and how they are seeking new growth opportunities. The interviewee’s ability to show respect for their previous employer and workplace demonstrates their civility and professionalism, which are two essential attributes in any role.
A job interview is your opportunity to get a feel for whether a candidate is qualified, but also if they’re someone with whom other employees would enjoy working. By asking these questions, you can better assess both skill level and communication style, which are two of the most important factors to consider when choosing a new recruit.
9. What are your salary expectations and desired benefits?
When hiring managers ask about salary expectations, they’re looking to see if a candidate’s compensation requirements align with the company’s budget for the role. This interview question also helps set clear expectations early in the interview process, avoiding potential misunderstandings later on.
To provide a strong answer, candidates might demonstrate knowledge of typical salary ranges for the position and industry, taking into account their own experience and qualifications.
A good answer from a candidate might sound like: ‘Based on my research and my experience in similar roles, I would expect a salary in the range of £60,000 to £80,000 per year, depending on the overall benefits package and opportunities for growth’.
By being open to discussing a well-researched salary range, candidates show they understand the value of their skills and are willing to come to a mutually beneficial agreement on it.
10. How would you describe your management style? (For leadership roles)
For leadership positions, hiring managers often ask candidates to describe their management style to better understand how they lead teams and handle responsibilities. This interview question gives candidates the opportunity to share specific examples of how they have managed people, projects or departments in the past.
A strong answer can describe a candidate’s managerial approach, such as whether they are collaborative, hands-on or results-driven. They can also involve providing real-life examples that demonstrate their effectiveness as a leader.
For example, a candidate might say: ‘My management style is collaborative and focused on achieving high-quality work. I encourage open communication within my team and make sure everyone has the resources they need to succeed. In my last job, I led a cross-functional team through a challenging project by setting clear goals, scheduling regular check-ins and celebrating our successes together.’
By sharing specific examples, candidates help hiring managers see how their management style would fit within the company’s culture and support the team’s success.
11. Can you walk me through a situation using the STAR method?
The STAR method is a powerful tool for answering behavioural interview questions, helping candidates provide clear and structured responses. When hiring managers ask candidates to walk through a situation using the STAR method, they want to see how the candidate approaches problem-solving and handles challenging situations. The STAR method stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result. Each point guides candidates to explain the context, their responsibility, the steps they took and the outcome.
This can make the STAR method an excellent way to assess a candidate’s skills as part of a skills-based hiring practice. Instead of looking for traditional qualifications such as degrees, skills-based hiring involves hiring candidates on the basis of being able to fill skills gaps, or provide new, competitive abilities.
A good answer might be: ‘In my previous job, our team faced a challenging situation when a key project was at risk of missing its deadline (Situation). My task was to coordinate the team and get us back on track (Task). I organised daily check-ins, delegated tasks based on each team member’s strengths and kept stakeholders updated on our progress (Action). As a result, we completed the project ahead of schedule and received positive feedback from the client (Result).’ By using the STAR method, candidates can provide enough detail to show their skills and experience, making it easier for hiring managers to assess their fit for the role.
12. Best practices for remote interviews
With remote interviews now a common part of the hiring process, it’s important for both candidates and interviewers to be well-prepared. Dressing professionally helps set the right tone, even when interviewing from home. Consider using a quiet, distraction-free space and test your technology ahead of time to avoid any last-minute issues with your internet connection, audio, or video.
During the interview, focus on clear communication. After the interview, don’t forget to follow up with a thank-you email to the interviewee, expressing your appreciation for their time and informing them of the time frame for a decision.
For hiring managers, being flexible and understanding about potential technical hiccups can help put candidates at ease and ensure a smooth interview process for everyone involved.
