30+ Most Common Job Interview

Questions & Example Answers

■ Tell me about yourself
■ Walk me through your resume.
■ Why do you want to work at this company?
■ Why do you want this job?
■ Why should we hire you?
■ What can you bring to the company?
■ What are your greatest strengths?
■ What do you consider to be your weaknesses?
■ What is your greatest professional achievement?
■ Tell me about a challenge or conflict you’ve faced at work, and how you dealt
with it.
■ Tell me about a time you demonstrated leadership skills.
■ What’s a time you disagreed with a decision that was made at work?
■ Tell me about a time you made a mistake.
■ Tell me about a time you failed.
■ Why are you leaving your current job?
■ Can you explain why you changed career paths?
■ What do you like least about your job?
■ What are you looking for in a new position?
■ How would your boss and coworkers describe you?
■ How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations?
■ What motivates you?
■ What’s your dream job?
■ What other companies are you interviewing with?
■ What makes you unique?
■ What should I know that’s not on your resume?
■ What would your first few months look like in this role?
■ What are your salary expectations?
■ What do you think we could do better or differently?
■ Are you willing to relocate
■ When can you start?
■ Is there anything else you’d like us to know?
1. Tell me about yourself.
This question seems simple, so many people fail to prepare for it, but it’s crucial. Here's the deal:
Don’t give your complete employment history. Instead, give a pitch—one that’s concise and
compelling and that shows exactly why you’re the right fit for the job. Talk a little bit about your
current role (including the scope and perhaps one big accomplishment), then give some
background as to how you got there and experience you have that’s relevant.

Example answer to “Tell me about yourself.”

“Well, I’m currently an account executive at Orange, where I handle our top-performing client.
Before that, I worked at an agency where I was on three different major national consumer
electronic brands. And while I really enjoyed the work that I did, I’d love the chance to dig in
much deeper with one specific consumer electronic company, which is why I’m so excited about
this opportunity with Banana.”

2. Walk me through your resume.

Like “Tell me about yourself,” this question is a common interview opener. But instead of framing
your answer around what qualities and skills make you best for the position, your answer should
group your qualifications by your past jobs and tell your career story. You might choose to tell
this story chronologically, especially if there’s a great anecdote about what set you on this path.
Or, as with “Tell me about yourself,” you can begin with your present job then talk about what
brought you here and where you’re going next. But regardless, when you speak about your
“past” and “present,” highlight your most relevant experiences and accomplishments for this job
and wrap up by talking about the future, i.e. connect your past and present together to show
why this job should be the next one you add to your resume.

Example answer to “Walk me through your resume.”

“Well, as you can see from my resume, I took a bit of a winding road to get to where I am today.
In college, I double majored in mechanical and fainance. I found early on that working in a lab
all day wasn’t for me and at some point I realized I looked forward to the lab class I TA’ed the
most.

“So when I graduated, I found a job in sales for a consumer electronic products company, where
I drew on my teaching experience and learned even more about tailoring your message and
explaining complex concepts to people without a science background. Then, I moved into a
sales training role at a massive company where I was responsible for teaching recent graduates
the basics of selling. My trainees on average had more deals closed in their first quarter than
any of the other trainers’ cohorts. Plus, I got so much satisfaction from finding the right way to
train each new hire and watching them progress and succeed. It reminded me of my time as a
TA in college. That’s when I started taking night classes to earn my mechanics teaching
certificate.

“I left my full-time job last year to complete my student teaching at 234 in San Francisco, and
over the summer, I worked for a science camp, teaching kids from the ages of 10 to 12 about
basic mechanical design concepts and best practices for prototype experiments. Now, I’m
excited to find my first full-time teaching job, and your district is my top choice. The low
student-to-teacher ratio will let me take the time to teach each student in the best way for
them—which is my favorite part of the job.”

3. Why do you want to work at this

company?
Beware of generic answers! If what you say can apply to a whole slew of other companies, or if
your response makes you sound like every other candidate, you’re missing an opportunity to
stand out. Try one of four strategies: Do your research and point to something that makes the
company unique that really appeals to you; talk about how you’ve watched the company grow
and change since you first heard of it; focus on the organization’s opportunities for future growth
and how you can contribute to it; or share what’s gotten you excited from your interactions with
employees so far. Whichever route you choose, make sure to be specific. And if you can’t figure
out why you’d want to work at the company you’re interviewing with by the time you’re well into
the hiring process? It might be a red flag telling you that this position is not the right fit.

Example answer to “Why do you want to work at this

company?”
“I saw on Linkedin that you were also hiring for new positions on the West Coast to support your
new operations there. I did some more reading about the new data center you’re building there
and that excites me as I know this means there’ll be opportunities to train new teammates. I also
learned through a Harvard Business Review article that you’re expanding in Asia as well. I
speak Chinese fluently and would be eager to step up and help liaise whenever necessary.”

4. Why do you want this job?

Again, companies want to hire people who are passionate about the job, so you should have a
great answer about why you want the position. (And if you don’t? You probably should apply
elsewhere.) First, identify a couple of key factors that make the role a great fit for you (e.g., “I love
customer support because I love the constant human interaction and the satisfaction that comes
from helping someone solve a problem”), then share why you love the company (e.g., “I’ve
always been passionate about education, and I think you’re doing great things, so I want to be a
part of it”).

Example answer to “Why do you want this job?”

“I’ve always been a fan of Orange’s products and I’ve spent countless hours playing your
games. I know that your focus on unique stories is what drew me and other fans into your
games initially and keeps us coming back for more. I’ve followed Orange on Linkedin for a
while, and I’ve always loved how you have people in different departments interact with users.
So I was psyched when I came across this posting for a social media manager with TikTok
experience. At my last job, I was responsible for launching our TikTok account and growing it to
10,000 followers in six months. Between that experience, my love of gaming, and my deep
knowledge of your games and fanbase, I know I could make this TikTok account something
special and exciting.”

5. Why should we hire you?

This interview question seems forward (not to mention intimidating!), but if you’re asked it, you’re
in luck: There’s no better setup for you to sell yourself and your skills to the hiring manager. Your
job here is to craft an answer that covers three things: that you can not only do the work, but also
deliver great results; that you’ll really fit in with the team and culture; and that you’d be a better
hire than any of the other candidates.

Example answer to “Why should we hire you?”

“I know it’s been an exciting time for X Co—growing so much and acquiring several
startups—but I also know from experience that it can be challenging for the sales team to
understand how new products fit in with the existing ones. It’s always easier to sell the product
you know, so the newer stuff can get shortchanged, which can have company-wide
ramifications. I have over a decade of experience as a sales trainer, but more importantly, most
of those years were working with sales teams that were in the exact same boat X Co is in now.
Growth is wonderful, but only if the rest of the company can keep up. I’m confident I can make
sure your sales team is confident and enthusiastic about selling new products by implementing
an ongoing sales training curriculum that emphasizes where they sit in a product lineup.”
6. What can you bring to the company?
When interviewers ask this question, they don’t just want to hear about your background. They
want to see that you understand what problems and challenges they’re facing as a company or
department as well as how you’ll fit into the existing organization. Read the job description
closely, do your research on the company, and make sure you pay attention in your early round
interviews to understand any issues you’re being hired to solve. Then, the key is to connect your
skills and experiences to what the company needs and share an example that shows how
you’ve done similar or transferable work in the past.

Example answer to “What can you bring to the

company?”
“As Smith talked about in our interview earlier, General Tech is looking to expand its market to
small business owners with less than 25 employees, so I’d bring my expertise in this area and
my experience in guiding a sales team that’s selling to these customers for the first time. In most
of my past roles, this segment has been my focus and in my current role, I also played a big part
in creating our sales strategies when the business began selling to these customers. I worked
with my managers to develop the sales script. I also listened in on a number of sales calls with
other account execs who were selling to these customers for the first time and gave them
pointers and other feedback. In the first quarter, our 10-person sales team closed 50 new
bookings in this segment, and I personally closed 10 of those deals. I helped guide my last
company through the expansion into small businesses, and I’m eager to do that again at
General Tech. Plus, I noticed you have a monthly karaoke night—so I’m eager to bring my
rendition of ‘Call Me Maybe’ to the team as well.”

7. What are your greatest strengths?

Here’s an opening to talk about something that makes you great—and a great fit for this role.
When you’re answering this question, think quality, not quantity. In other words, don’t rattle off a
list of adjectives. Instead, pick one or a few (depending on the question) specific qualities that are
relevant to this position and illustrate them with examples. Stories are always more memorable
than generalizations. And if there’s something you were hoping to mention because it makes you
a great candidate, but you haven’t had a chance yet, this would be the perfect time.

Example answer to “What are your greatest

strengths?”
“I’d say one of my greatest strengths is bringing organization to hectic environments and
implementing processes to make everyone’s lives easier. In my current role as an executive
assistant, I created new processes for pretty much everything, from scheduling meetings to
planning monthly all hands agendas to preparing for event appearances. Everyone in the
company knew how things worked and how long they would take, and the structures helped
alleviate stress and set expectations on all sides. I’d be excited to bring that same approach to
an operations manager role at a startup, where everything is new and constantly growing and
could use just the right amount of structure to keep things running smoothly.”

8. What do you consider to be your

weaknesses?
What your interviewer is really trying to do with this question—beyond identifying any major red
flags—is to gauge your self-awareness and honesty. So, “I can’t meet a deadline to save my
life” is not an option—but neither is “Nothing! I’m perfect!” Strike a balance by thinking of
something that you struggle with but that you’re working to improve. For example, maybe you’ve
never been strong at public speaking, but you’ve recently volunteered to run meetings to help
you get more comfortable when addressing a crowd.

Example answer to “What do you consider to be your

weaknesses?”
“It can be difficult for me to gauge when the people I’m working with are overwhelmed or
dissatisfied with their workloads. To ensure that I’m not asking too much or too little from my
team, we have weekly check-ins. I like to ask if they feel like they’re on top of their workload,
how I could better support them, whether there’s anything they’d like to take on or get rid of, and
if they’re engaged by what they’re doing. Even if the answer is ‘all good,’ these meetings really
lay the groundwork for a good and trusting relationship.”

9. What is your greatest professional

achievement?
Nothing says “hire me” better than a track record of achieving amazing results in past jobs, so
don’t be shy when answering this interview question! A great way to do so is by using the STAR
method: situation, task, action, results. Set up the situation and the task that you were required to
complete to provide the interviewer with background context (e.g., “In my last job as a junior
analyst, it was my role to manage the invoicing process”), then describe what you did (the action)
and what you achieved (the result): “In one month, I streamlined the process, which saved my
group 10 person-hours each month and reduced errors on invoices by 25%.”

Example answer to “What is your greatest

professional achievement?”
“My greatest accomplishment was when I helped the street lighting company I worked for
convince the small town of Stony Brook, NY to convert antiquated street lighting to
energy-efficient LED bulbs. My role was created to promote and sell the energy-efficient bulbs,
while touting the long-term advantage of reduced energy costs. I had to develop a way to
educate city light officials on the value of our energy-efficient bulbs—which was a challenge
since our products had an expensive up-front cost compared to less efficient lighting options. I
created an information packet and held local community events aimed at city officials and the
tax-paying public. There, I was able to demo the company product, answer questions, and
evangelize the value of LED bulbs for the long term. It was crucial to have the public on board
and I was able to reach a wide variety of community members with these events. I not only
reached my first-year sales goal of $100,000, but I was also able to help us land another
contract in a neighboring city. Plus, the community-focused strategy garnered attention from the
national media. And I’m proud to say I got a promotion within one year to senior sales
representative.”

10. Tell me about a challenge or conflict

you’ve faced at work, and how you dealt
with it.
You’re probably not eager to talk about conflicts you’ve had at work during a job interview. But if
you’re asked directly, don’t pretend you’ve never had one. Be honest about a difficult situation
you’ve faced (but without going into the kind of detail you’d share venting to a friend). “Most
people who ask are only looking for evidence that you’re willing to face these kinds of issues
head-on and make a sincere attempt at coming to a resolution,” former recruiter Richard Moy
says. Stay calm and professional as you tell the story (and answer any follow-up questions),
spend more time talking about the resolution than the conflict, and mention what you’d do
differently next time to show “you’re open to learning from tough experiences.”
Example answer to “Tell me about a challenge or
conflict you’ve faced at work, and how you dealt with
it.”
“Funnily enough, last year I was part of a committee that put together a training on conflict
intervention in the workplace and the amount of pushback we got for requiring attendance really
put our training to the test. There was one senior staff member in particular who seemed
adamant. It took some careful listening to understand he felt like it wasn’t the best use of his
time given the workload he was juggling. I made sure to acknowledge his concern. And then I
focused on his direct objection and explained how the training was meant to improve not just the
culture of the company, but also the efficiency at which we operated—and that the goal was for
the training to make everyone’s workload feel lighter. He did eventually attend and was there
when I talked to the whole staff about identifying the root issue of a conflict and addressing that
directly without bringing in other issues, which is how I aim to handle any disagreement in the
workplace.”

11. Tell me about a time you

demonstrated leadership skills.
You don’t have to have a fancy title to act like a leader or demonstrate leadership skills. Think
about a time when you headed up a project, took the initiative to propose an alternate process, or
helped motivate your team to get something done. Then use the STAR method to tell your
interviewer a story, giving enough detail to paint a picture (but not so much that you start
rambling) and making sure you spell out the result. In other words, be clear about why you’re
telling this particular story and connect all the dots for the interviewer.

Example answer to “Tell me about a time you

demonstrated leadership skills.”
“I think that a good leader is someone who can make decisions while also listening to others
and being willing to admit when you’re wrong and course correct. In my last role, my team and I
were responsible for giving a big presentation to a prospective client. I quickly assigned different
tasks to members of my team, but the project never really got moving. I gave everyone an
opportunity to share their input and concerns, and it turned out that they were struggling in the
roles I’d given them. I ended up switching a few people around. Meanwhile, the employee I’d
assigned to give the presentation was nervous, but still wanted to give it a try. I worked with
them to make sure they were ready and even held a practice session so that they could
rehearse in a more comfortable environment. When the time came for the real thing, they nailed
it! We landed the client and the company still has the account to this day. And that employee
became a go-to person for important client presentations. I’m really glad I took the time to listen
to everyone’s concerns so that I could re-evaluate my approach and help my team be the best it
could be.”

12. What’s a time you disagreed with a

decision that was made at work?
The ideal anecdote here is one where you handled a disagreement professionally and learned
something from the experience. Try to pay particular attention to how you start and end your
response. To open, make a short statement to frame the rest of your answer, one that nods at the
ultimate takeaway or the reason you’re telling this story. For example: “I learned early on in my
professional career that it’s fine to disagree if you can back up your hunches with data.” And to
close strong, you can either give a one-sentence summary of your answer (“In short…”) or talk
briefly about how what you learned or gained from this experience would help you in the role
you’re interviewing for.

Example answer to “What’s a time you disagreed with

a decision that was made at work?”
“In my job as a finance assistant, I was in charge of putting together reports for potential
company investments. It was important to get the details and numbers right so that leaders had
the best information to make a decision. One time, my boss asked me to generate a new report
on a Wednesday morning and wanted it done by Thursday at 5 PM. Because I’m committed to
high-quality work and I wasn’t sure my boss fully understood what goes into each report, I knew
I needed to speak up. At her next available opening, I sat down with my boss and explained my
concerns. She was firm that the report would be completed by Thursday at 5 PM. So I decided
to ask if there was anyone who could help out. After thinking about it, my boss found another
assistant who could put in a few hours. While it was a tight timeline, we got the report done, and
the committee was really pleased to review it at the meeting. My boss appreciated my extra
efforts to make it happen and I felt good that I hadn’t let the quality of the report slip. It was a
good experience of being a team player but also knowing when and how to ask for help. And
once I explained how much time and work goes into each report, my boss was careful to assign
them further in advance.”
13. Tell me about a time you made a
mistake.
You’re probably not too eager to dig into past blunders when you’re trying to impress an
interviewer and land a job. But talking about a mistake and winning someone over aren’t mutually
exclusive, Moy says. In fact, if you do it right, it can help you. The key is to be honest without
placing blame on other people, then explain what you learned from your mistake and what
actions you took to ensure it didn’t happen again. At the end of the day, employers are looking for
folks who are self-aware, can take feedback, and care about doing better.

Example answer to “Tell me about a time you made a

mistake.”
“Early in my career, I missed a deadline that ended up costing us a really big account. There
were a lot of factors that contributed to this, but ultimately, I was the one who dropped the ball.
From that experience, I went back and thought really hard about what I could’ve controlled and
what I would’ve changed. It turns out that I was not nearly as organized as I thought I was. I sat
down with my boss, asked for suggestions on how to improve my organizational skills, and a
few months later I was able to score an even bigger account for the department.”

14. Tell me about a time you failed.

This question is very similar to the one about making a mistake, and you should approach your
answer in much the same way. Make sure you pick a real, actual failure you can speak honestly
about. Start by making it clear to the interviewer how you define failure. For instance: “As a
manager, I consider it a failure whenever I’m caught by surprise. I strive to know what’s going on
with my team and their work.” Then situate your story in relation to that definition and explain
what happened. Finally, don’t forget to share what you learned. It’s OK to fail—everyone does
sometimes—but it’s important to show that you took something from the experience.

Example answer to “Tell me about a time you failed.”

“As a team manager, I consider it a failure if I don’t know what’s going on with my staff and their
work—basically if a problem catches me by surprise then I’ve failed somewhere along the way.
Even if the outcome is ultimately fine, it means I’ve left a team member unsupported at some
point. A somewhat recent example would be this training we do every year for new project
managers. Because it’s an event that my team has run so many times, I didn’t think to check in
and had no idea a scheduling conflict was brewing into a full-on turf war with another team. The
resolution actually ended up being a quick and easy conversation at the leadership team
meeting, but had I just asked about it sooner it would never have been a problem to begin with. I
definitely learned my lesson about setting reminders to check in about major projects or events
even if they’ve been done dozens of times before.”

15. Why are you leaving your current

job?
This is a toughie, but one you can be sure you’ll be asked. Definitely keep things positive—you
have nothing to gain by being negative about your current employer. Instead, frame things in a
way that shows that you’re eager to take on new opportunities and that the role you’re
interviewing for is a better fit for you. For example, “I’d really love to be part of product
development from beginning to end, and I know I’d have that opportunity here.” And if you were
let go from your most recent job? Keep it simple: “Unfortunately, I was let go,” is a totally
acceptable answer.

Example answer to “Why are you leaving your current

job?”
“I’m ready for the next challenge in my career. I loved the people I worked with and the projects I
worked on, but at some point I realized I wasn’t being challenged the way I used to be. Rather
than let myself get too comfortable, I decided to pursue a position where I can continue to grow.”

16. Can you explain why you changed

career paths?
Don’t be thrown off by this question—just take a deep breath and explain to the hiring manager
why you’ve made the career decisions you have. More importantly, give a few examples of how
your past experience is transferable to the new role. This doesn’t have to be a direct connection;
in fact, it’s often more impressive when a candidate can show how seemingly irrelevant
experience is very relevant to the role.
Example answer to “Can you explain why you
changed career paths?”
“Ever since my brother was diagnosed with a heart condition, I’ve been training and running with
him in your annual Turkey Run to raise money for your organization and help support patients
with expenses not covered by insurance. Each time, I’ve been struck by how truly dedicated and
happy to be there your employees have been. So when I saw this posting for a fundraising role,
it felt like it was meant to be. For the last 10 years of my career I’ve been an account executive
for various SaaS companies, and I’ve really honed my skills when it comes to convincing
organizations to make regular payments for something over the long-term. But I’ve been looking
for a position in fundraising where I can use these skills to really help people and I’m highly
motivated to do that with your organization.”

17. What do you like least about your

job?
Tread carefully here! The last thing you want to do is let your answer devolve into a rant about
how terrible your current company is or how much you hate your boss or that one coworker. The
easiest way to handle this question with poise is to focus on an opportunity for the role you’re
interviewing for offers that your current job doesn’t. You can keep the conversation positive and
emphasize why you’re so excited about the job.

Example answer to “What do you like least about your

job?”
“In my current role, I’m responsible for drafting media lists to pitch. While I’ve developed a knack
for this and can do it when it is necessary, I’m looking forward to a job that allows me to have a
more hands-on role in working with media partners. That’s one of the things that most excited
me about your account supervisor position.”

18. What are you looking for in a new

position?
Note: Ideally the same things that this position has to offer. Be specific.
Example answer to “What are you looking for in a new
position?”
“I’ve been honing my data analysis skills for a few years now and, first and foremost, I’m looking
for a position where I can continue to exercise those skills. Another thing that’s important to me
is the chance to present my findings and suggestions directly to clients. I’m always very
motivated by being able to see the impact of my work on other people. And I’m definitely looking
for a position where I can grow since I hope to take on managerial responsibilities in the future.
To sum it up, I’d love a position where I can use my skills to make an impact that I can see with
my own eyes. Of course, the position is only part of the equation. Being at a company where I
can grow and work toward something I care about matters, too.

19. How would your boss and coworkers

describe you?
First, be honest (remember, if you make it to the final round, the hiring manager will be calling
your former bosses and coworkers for references!). Then try to pull out strengths and traits you
haven’t discussed in other aspects of the interview, such as your strong work ethic or your
willingness to pitch in on other projects when needed.

Example answer to “How would your boss and

coworkers describe you?”
“Actually, in my most recent performance review in Dec, my direct supervisor described me as
someone who takes initiative and doesn’t shy away from hard problems. My role involves a lot
of on-site implementation, and when things go wrong, it’s usually up to me to fix it. Rather than
punting the problem back to the team, I always try to do what I can first. I know she appreciates
that about me.”

20. How do you deal with pressure or

stressful situations?
Here’s another question you may feel the urge to sidestep in an effort to prove you’re the perfect
candidate who can handle anything. But it’s important not to dismiss this one (i.e. don’t say, “I just
put my head down and push through it,” or, “I don’t get stressed out”). Instead, talk about your
go-to strategies for dealing with stress (whether it’s meditating for 10 minutes every day or
making sure you go for a run or keeping a super-detailed to-do list) and how you communicate
and otherwise proactively try to mitigate pressure. If you can give a real example of a stressful
situation you navigated successfully, all the better.

Example answer to “How do you deal with pressure or

stressful situations?”
“I stay motivated by thinking about the end result. I’ve found that even in the midst of a
challenging situation, reminding myself of my goals helps me take a step back and stay
positive.”

21. What motivates you?

Before you panic about answering what feels like a probing existential question, consider that the
interviewer wants to make sure you’re excited about this role at this company, and that you’ll be
motivated to succeed if they pick you. So think back to what has energized you in previous roles
and pinpoint what made your eyes light up when you read this job description. Pick one thing,
make sure it’s relevant to the role and company you’re interviewing for, and try to weave in a
story to help illustrate your point. If you’re honest, which you should be, your enthusiasm will be
palpable.

Example answer to “What motivates you?”

“I’m driven primarily by my desire to learn new things—big or small—and take on new
responsibilities so that I’m constantly growing as an employee and contributing more to my team
and organization. I spent several summers working as a camp counselor and felt most fulfilled
when I volunteered to lead planning for a talent show, jumped in to help with scheduling
logistics, and learned how to run pickups efficiently. All of that experience helped immensely
when I took a step up to become the lead counselor last year focused on operations, and that’s
what excites me so much about the opportunity to take on this managerial role for the
after-school program.”

22. What’s your dream job?

Along similar lines, the interviewer wants to uncover whether this position is really in line with
your ultimate career goals. While “an NBA star” might get you a few laughs, a better bet is to talk
about your goals and ambitions—and why this job will get you closer to them.

23. What other companies are you

interviewing with?
Companies might ask you who else you’re interviewing with for a few reasons. Maybe they want
to see how serious you are about this role and team (or even this field) or they’re trying to find out
who they’re competing with to hire you. On one hand, you want to express your enthusiasm for
this job, but at the same time, you don’t want to give the company any more leverage than it
already has by telling them there’s no one else in the running. Depending on where you are in
your search, you can talk about applying to or interviewing for a few roles that have ABC in
common—then mention how and why this role seems like a particularly good fit.

Example answer to “What other companies are you

interviewing with?”
“I’m interviewing with a few companies for a range of positions, but they all come down to
delivering an excellent customer experience. I wanted to keep an open mind about how to best
achieve that goal, but so far it seems that this role will really allow me to focus all of my energy
on customer experience and retention, which I find very appealing.”

24. What makes you unique?

“They genuinely want to know the answer,” I promise. Give them a reason to pick you over other
similar candidates. The key is to keep your answer relevant to the role you’re applying to. So the
fact that you can run a six-minute mile or crush a trivia challenge might not help you get the job
(but hey, it depends on the job!). Use this opportunity to tell them something that would give you
an edge over your competition for this position. To figure out what that is, you can ask some
former colleagues, think back to patterns you’ve seen in feedback you get, or try to distill why
people tend to turn to you. Focus on one or two things and don’t forget to back up whatever you
say with evidence.

Example answer to “What makes you unique?”

“I basically taught myself animation from scratch. I was immediately drawn to it in college, and
with the limited resources available to me, I decided to take matters into my own hands—and
that’s the approach I take in all aspects of my work as a video editor. I don’t just wait around for
things to happen, and when I can, I’m always eager to step in and take on new projects, pick up
new skills, or brainstorm new ideas.”

25. What should I know that’s not on

your resume?
It’s a good sign if a recruiter or hiring manager is interested in more than just what’s on your
resume. It probably means they looked at your resume, think you might be a good fit for the
role, and want to know more about you. To make this wide-open question a little more
manageable, try talking about a positive trait, a story or detail that reveals a little more about you
and your experience, or a mission or goal that makes you excited about this role or company.

Example answer to “What should I know that’s not on

your resume?”
“Well, one thing you won’t find on my resume: the time I had to administer emergency CPR.
Last year, I was at the lake when I saw a young girl who looked like she was drowning. I was a
lifeguard in high school, so I swam out, brought her to shore, and gave her CPR. Although this
was—hopefully—a one-time event, I’ve always been able to stay calm during stressful
situations, figure out a solution, and then act. As your account manager, I’d use this trait to
quickly and effectively resolve issues both within the team and externally. After all, obstacles are
inevitable, especially in a startup environment. And if anyone needs CPR at the office beach
party, well, I’m your woman.”

26. What would your first few months

look like in this role?
Your potential future boss (or whoever else has asked you this question) wants to know that
you’ve done your research, given some thought to how you’d get started, and would be able to
take initiative if hired. (In some interviews, you might even get the more specific, “What would
your first 30, 60, or 90 days look like in this role?”) So think about what information and aspects
of the company and team you’d need to familiarize yourself with and which colleagues you’d want
to sit down and talk to. You can also suggest one possible starter project to show you’d be ready
to hit the ground running and contribute early on. This won’t necessarily be the thing you do first if
you do get the job, but a good answer shows that you’re thoughtful and that you care.

Example answer to “What would your first few months

look like in this role?”
“It’s been exciting to hear about some of the new initiatives the company has started in our
previous conversations—like the database project and the company-wide sync, but I know
there’s still a lot for me to learn. The first thing I’d do is line up meetings with the stakeholders
involved in the projects I’d be tackling to help me figure out what I don’t know and then go from
there. Hopping into a database project halfway through can be tricky, but I’m confident that once
I know what all the stakeholders are looking for, I’ll be able to efficiently plot out our next steps
and set appropriate deadlines. From there, I’ll be focused on hitting the milestones that I’ve set
for the team.”

27. What are your salary expectations?

The number one rule of answering this question is: Figure out your salary requirements ahead of
time. Do your research on what similar roles pay by using sites like Glassdoor and reaching out
to your network. Be sure to take your experience, education, skills, and personal needs into
account, too! From there, try to choose from one of three strategies:

■ Flip the question: Try something like “That's a great question—it would be helpful if you
could share what the range is for this role,” Fink says.
■ Delay answering: Tell your interviewer that you’d like to learn more about the role or the
rest of the compensation package before discussing pay.

Example answer to “What are your salary

expectations?”
“Thanks for asking this question. Salary is not all I care about for the next job. I really want to
know the job and team better before I am comfortable talking about pay. BTW, what’s the pay
range this role targets?”
28. What do you think we could do better
or differently?
This question can really do a number on you. How do you give a meaty answer without insulting
the company or, worse, the person you’re speaking with? Well first, take a deep breath. Then
start your response with something positive about the company or specific product you’ve been
asked to discuss. When you’re ready to give your constructive feedback, give some background
on the perspective you’re bringing to the table and explain why you’d make the change you’re
suggesting (ideally based on some past experience or other evidence). And if you end with a
question, you can show them you’re curious about the company or product and open to other
points of view. Try: “Did you consider that approach here? I’d love to know more about your
process.”

29. When can you start?

Your goal here should be to set realistic expectations that will work for both you and the company.
What exactly that sounds like will depend on your specific situation. If you’re ready to start
immediately—if you’re unemployed, for example—you could offer to start within the week. But if
you need to give notice to your current employer, don’t be afraid to say so; people will understand
and respect that you plan to wrap things up right. It’s also legitimate to want to take a break
between jobs, though you might want to say you have “previously scheduled commitments to
attend to” and try to be flexible if they really need someone to start a bit sooner.

Example answer to “When can you start?”

“I am excited for the opportunity to join your team. I have several projects to wrap up in my
current role at Orange. I plan to give them two weeks’ notice to make a smooth transition for my
coworkers and will be happy to come onboard with the team here after that time.”

30. Are you willing to relocate?

While this may sound like a simple yes-or-no question, it’s often a little bit more complicated
than that. The simplest scenario is one where you’re totally open to moving and would be willing
to do so for this opportunity. But if the answer is no, or at least not right now, you can reiterate
your enthusiasm for the role, briefly explain why you can’t move at this time, and offer an
alternative, like working remotely or out of a local office. Sometimes it’s not as clear-cut, and
that’s OK. You can say you prefer to stay put for XXX reasons, but would be willing to consider
relocating for the right opportunity.

Example answer to “Are you willing to relocate?”

“I do love living in Portland and would prefer to stay here. However, for the right opportunity I’d
be willing to consider relocating if necessary.”

31. Is there anything else you’d like us to

know?
Just when you thought you were done, your interviewer asks you this open-ended doozy. Don’t
panic—it’s not a trick question! You can use this as an opportunity to close out the meeting on a
high note in one of two ways. First, if there really is something relevant that you haven’t had a
chance to mention, do it now. Otherwise, you can briefly summarize your qualifications. For
example, you could say: “I think we’ve covered most of it, but just to summarize, it sounds like
you’re looking for someone who can really hit the ground running. And with my previous
experience XXX, I think I’d be a great fit.