1. “Tell Me About Yourself”
Often asked at the very start of an interview, this is your opportunity to deliver an elevator pitch that gives the interviewer a quick idea of who you are. Used wisely, your introduction could make the interviewer very interested in your next answer. You should aim at presenting yourself as the best possible candidate for the job. Used incorrectly, the interviewer could lose interest before you even have a chance to answer a second question.
How to answer “Tell me about yourself”?
“I’m a goal-oriented and innovative Marketing Manager with 11 years of experience with SaaS and cloud-based products used by both SMBs and Fortune 2000 companies. I’m an expert in inbound, outbound, growth and agile marketing and have helped 3 companies scale from 1 million to 5+ million ARR, each in under 2 years. My strongest asset is my organizational and planning skills. Although I’m content in my current role, I’m now looking for an exciting new opportunity in blockchain.”
Check out 7 more outstanding answers (+ video answers and analysis).
2. “Why do you want to work here?”
Repeat after me: Don’t say “for the money” — Don’t say “for the money” — Don’t say “for the money”. Got it? You’re already off to a better start than some candidates. Jokes aside, this is a motivation question – the interviewer wants to know what makes you tick and whether you’re excited about the opportunity.
Your reasons should send the signal that you’ve actually done the research and that you align with both the job requirements and the company culture. Be it your admiration for the company and their product/services or a specific initiative such as their newsletter or ads – this will tell the interviewer that you’re not approaching the job opportunity halfheartedly.
How to answer “Why do you want to work here?”
“I’ve been a fan of Too Good to Go since day one… I loved how you were different from other similar food waste initiatives in that you collaborated with restaurants. To me as a BDR, it would be a dream-come-true to be part of the solution to the global food problem, especially now that your company is teaming up with businesses and schools to cut food waste. I’m positive that I have the right assets for the job, and sharing the same mission is definitely one of them.”
Get more winning example answers to “Why do you want to work here?”.
3. “Why should we hire you?”
This is where you need to spend a ton of time thinking about the role, the competencies, and how you’re the perfect fit. It’s not about qualifications – everyone who’s made it to the interview is definitely qualified. But what sets you apart?
Don’t you dare answer this question the vanilla way. Instead, do it the chocolate truffle Sachertarte with orange liqueur and ground almonds way. In other words, be super specific. Here’s an example:
How to answer “Why should we hire you?
“I live and breathe data and Excel is my playground. For the last 3 years, I’ve been sourcing B2B leads for cold emailing from various sources like GovSpend, Zoominfo, Exchange Leads and company websites. I’m also proficient with tools like Hunter, Bouncer, Seamless AI and Boolean search, as well as with all major CRMs like Hubspot, Zoho and Salesforce. The lists I create have been used for cold emailing and advertising, resulting in up to 87% open rate and 54% click rate, respectively. I also met my KPIs 3 years in a row.”
Your next destination – this guide on how to answer “Why should we hire you?” (brought to you by our superstar VP of Marketing).
4. “Describe your current (or most recent) position.”
One of the easier interview questions to answer – but you’ll still need to use the opportunity to highlight your job-relevant greatness. Interviewers ask this question (usually right after the difficult opener) to help the candidate feel at ease and check if the info from your resume is valid. Your answer should be concise and to the point. Stick to the general duties and add a few numbers, stats, and achievements – the # of projects you managed, % of sales you’ve closed or won, promotions and awards etc.
How to answer “Describe your current position?”
“For the last 3 years, I’ve worked as a Tech Support Lead in a RegTech start-up. In that position, I’m responsible for a cross-functional team of 20 people and I collaborate closely with all departments, including IT, Product, Marketing, and Customer Success. I still occasionally handle some high-priority tickets and work on escalations with SysDev. All the while, I’ve guided the team to accomplish the 4.9 out of 5 rating from customers.”
Read a full guide on the “Describe your current position” question (with example answers).
5. “What is your greatest accomplishment?”
If you get this question, consider yourself lucky – it’s an opportunity to showcase your biggest achievements without the risk of sounding pretentious or smug. Still, the answer requires a bit of strategizing. It’s best to list all the things you’re proud of and then choose your three of four “greatest hits” – the stories highlighting your problem-solving, technical or leadership qualities that you can use in multiple interview scenarios. Here’s one way of handling this common interview question.
How to answer “What is your greatest accomplishment?”
“When I joined [Company] as a New Client Coordinator, it was impossible to get the customers to provide product feedback, let alone work with our Marketing and CSM teams on case studies. We could only dream of customers leaving a review on G2 or Gartner. We had a great product. The problem was that our niche was very specific and the clients’ company policies on case studies were simply too strict. Apparently, there was nothing I could do.
Two years later, there are 23 case studies in our resources hub. Our product has received over two hundred reviews thanks to the incentive programs that I designed. The best part? This initiative resulted in Gartner approaching us and including our product in their annual industry report. We also received Customers’ Choice awards two years in a row.”
Need more examples? Learn how to craft a concise summary for all of your “selling points” with this article.
6. “What are your greatest strengths?”
Your chance to toot your own horn – but make sure to do it artfully. Being able to do 20 pull-ups does not count as a strength. Make sure your answer is specific, personalized, relevant, and truly impressive.
How to answer “What are your greatest strengths?”
“I think my greatest strength is my ability to stay laser focused when in high-pressure situations, which is pretty much every day when you’re an ICU nurse. So I’d definitely say that my biggest strength is my stress management skills, alongside precision and vigilance. Sometimes a patient’s condition changes in a split second, and everything suddenly goes full gear. I can think clearly, and maintain my composure and efficiency.”
Need to brainstorm more for your stellar answer? Get more outstanding example answers in this article.
7. “What is your greatest weakness?”
By far one of the most commonly searched-for interview questions, the “weakness” question is difficult to properly tackle. This one could sink you unless you’re careful. Obviously, “I work too hard” is not the answer. Here’s what you could say instead:
How to answer “What is your greatest weakness?
“I’m shy and can get really nervous when I need to provide input in meetings. I have a lot to contribute, but I have trouble speaking up. I’ve already done a couple of things to address this – I’m currently reading “Talk like TED” and have just signed up for a Udemy course on presentation and public speaking.”
Here’s our favorite resource with real-life interview examples of weaknesses and how to approach this question.
8. Why are you leaving your current job?
Like with all other questions, the answer to this one requires a balance between honesty and strategy. There are many good reasons to leave a job, but not all of them are okay to discuss in an interview. Here’s a good example of what you could say.
How to answer “Why are you leaving your current job?”
“I’ve been with [Company A] for 4 years now and those have been the best years of my career, both because of the team and my professional achievements. However, I feel it’s time for a change of scenery. I think I’ve reached my full potential in [Company A] and for my professional growth to continue, I need a shift to something more challenging. I think [Company B] is perfect for me because it would allow me to work in a much bigger team and with new technologies that I find exciting.”
Here’s the best way to answer this question, with 5+ examples and explanations of why they work.
9. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
And the award for the most irritating interview question goes to… well, this one. You might find it silly or annoying, but this question too requires an artful and diplomatic answer. Another common variation of this interview question is “What are your career goals?”. Here’s a kickass answer by a recent candidate:
How to answer “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
“After years in Account Based Marketing, Sales and Customer Relations, my five year goal would be to become Chief Revenue Officer and improve all the existing revenue-generating processes. I’m already great with data-driven decisions, analytics, and strategy, so I think I would be successful in a role that requires go-to market strategy planning, revenue management, and scaling operations.”
Learn why interviewers ask this question and get 10 more answers that work like a charm.
10. “Do you have any questions for me?”
A good interviewer will always ask this question and your questions can either leave a strong, lasting impression or make you come across as clueless. When you get the opportunity to ask the hiring team a question or two, use it. It will show the interviewers that you’re truly into the company and that you’re not in a rush to get out of the door. Wondering what to ask?
How to answer “Do you have any questions for me?”
“Yes, thanks. I’d like to know about the immediate projects and duties that the person who joins you in this role will need to take. And also, where do you think the company is headed in the next five years?”
Find 20 winning questions to ask at the end of the interview (with explanations how each can help you gather key information about the job and company).
Learn More About 10 Most Common Interview Questions And Answers – Big Interview
