Interview Questions Guide
Frequently Asked Interview Questions
We recommend that you practice answering these questions prior to your interview:
- Tell me about yourself.
- What are you immediate objectives?
- What are your future aspirations? Where do you see yourself in five year’s time?
- What have you enjoyed most/least about your previous job(s)?
- What are your greatest achievements?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- What kinds of management style and team structure do you prefer, and why?
- How would your friends or people you’ve worked with describe you?
- What interests you in the position and/or our company?
- Why did you apply for this position?
- Have you applied for other positions? If so, what type?
- Have you been successful? If not, why not?
- What do you know about our company?
- Why should we hire you?
- What salary are you seeking? (don’t bring up salary, working hours or conditions; wait for the interviewer to mention the subject)
- How hard are you prepared to work?
- What are your hobbies or interests? What do you do in your spare time?
If you find yourself in a panel interview, listen carefully and answer the interview questions directly to the panel member who asked. Also ensure that you make eye contact with every panel member at some stage during the interview.
Suggested Interview Questions to Ask
Don’t forget to prepare some interview questions about the role and the company, based on the research you’ve undertaken prior to the interview. Here are some interview questions that you may like to ask:
- How has this vacancy come about? Can you tell me about the previous person in the role?
- How does the position fit into the organisation structure?
- What sort of positions have staff that have entered your organisation progressed to?
- What are the company’s growth plans for the company?
- In what areas do you expect the business to grow the most?
- How do you rate against your competitors?
- In relation to your recent merger with Company X, what are some of the effects being felt and how will it change the organisation?
- In relation to your recent acquisition of Company Y, how will it impact the business?
- How would you describe the culture of your company?
- What orientation or induction programs are available?
- What is the company’s approach towards external training and development?
- What type of internal social/sporting activities are organised?
- What will be the next step?
As a general rule, ask open-ended interview questions instead of closed questions. You ideally want detailed information, rather than a simple yes or no response.
You might also like to read our “Interview Guide” section where you can gain further knowledge about the interview process.
People Priority One provides training and employment programs that assist jobseekers gain employment in their chosen industries via our “People Recruitment” group recruitment program.