30 common interview questions and how to answer them

By the EnDev team · Published 7 October 2026

Opening questions

1. Tell me about yourself. Give a short professional summary: your current role, two or three relevant achievements and why you are interested in this job. Keep it to about a minute.
2. Why do you want this job? Show you have researched the role and connect it to your skills and goals.
3. Why do you want to work for us? Mention something specific about the organisation, such as its products, values or recent work.
4. What do you know about our company? Summarise what it does, who it serves and one recent development.
5. Walk me through your CV. Tell your career as a story, focusing on experience that matches the role.

Strengths and weaknesses

6. What are your strengths? Pick two or three that matter for the job and back each with a short example.
7. What is your biggest weakness? Choose a real but manageable weakness and explain what you are doing to improve it.
8. What are you most proud of? Choose an achievement relevant to the role and explain the impact.
9. How would your colleagues describe you? Use feedback you have genuinely received.
10. What motivates you? Link your answer to what the job offers.

Behavioural questions

These start with phrases like "Tell me about a time…". Answer them with the STAR method.

11. Tell me about a time you worked in a team. Show your role and how you helped the group succeed.
12. Tell me about a time you faced a challenge. Focus on how you solved it and what you learned.
13. Tell me about a time you made a mistake. Own it, explain the fix and what you changed afterwards.
14. Tell me about a time you disagreed with a colleague. Show that you listened and reached a constructive outcome.
15. Tell me about a time you worked under pressure. Describe how you prioritised and stayed organised.
16. Tell me about a time you showed leadership. Leadership can be informal, such as guiding a project or helping a new starter.
17. Tell me about a time you went above and beyond. Choose an example with a measurable result.
18. Tell me about a time you dealt with change. Show you can adapt and stay positive.

Situational and role questions

19. How do you prioritise your work? Describe a simple method, such as urgency and impact, and give an example.
20. How do you handle tight deadlines? Explain planning, communication and when you ask for help.
21. What would you do in your first 90 days? Focus on learning, listening and delivering early wins.
22. How do you handle feedback? Show you welcome it and have acted on it.
23. How do you deal with a difficult customer or stakeholder? Emphasise listening, empathy and finding a solution.

Closing questions

24. Where do you see yourself in five years? Show ambition that fits the role and organisation.
25. Why are you leaving your current job? Stay positive and focus on what you are moving towards.
26. What are your salary expectations? Research the market rate and give a range.
27. When could you start? Be clear about your notice period.
28. Do you have any other offers or interviews? Be honest without oversharing.
29. Why should we hire you? Summarise your match to the role in three points.
30. Do you have any questions for us? Always have two or three ready, for example about team goals, how success is measured and what training is offered.

Answering well, whatever the question

• Answer the question that was asked. If you are unsure what it means, ask for clarification.
• Be specific. Names, numbers and concrete examples beat general statements.
• Keep answers to one to two minutes. Stop when you have made your point.
• Link back to the job. End answers by connecting your experience to what the role needs.
• Stay positive. Never criticise a previous employer or colleague.

Remote and phone interviews

Many first-round interviews are held by phone or video. Test your equipment beforehand, choose a quiet place, keep your notes at hand and speak a little more slowly than normal. On a phone call you cannot rely on body language, so your voice, pace and clarity carry more weight.

How to practise

Search a longer list in our free interview question bank, with what interviewers look for and how to answer each one.

Reading answers is not enough. Say them out loud, ideally to someone who can respond. An AI mock interview lets you rehearse with a friendly or tough interviewer, then shows a scorecard and model answers for each question.

Related reading

• How to use the STAR method
• AI mock interview practice
• EnDev pricing