Common interview questions

Tell me about yourself.

Resist the temptation to tell the interviewer your life story and focus instead on succinctly outlining how your experience to date equips you for the role and why you are interested in it.

Why are you interested in this role?
What is it specifically about this role and organization that interests you? It might be the breadth of responsibilities, the opportunity to learn new skills, or the types of clients you would work with.

What do you know about our organisation?
Demonstrate that you have done more than just glance at the company website by referring to something you have found in your wider research. Showing you have taken the time to research the organisation shows your enthusiasm.

Why are you looking to leave your current role (or why did you leave your last role)?
You need to answer truthfully but try to frame your answer in a positive way, for example that you are looking to challenge yourself in a more senior role rather than you found your prior role boring.

Can you tell me about your responsibilities in your most recent role?
Be prepared to succinctly outline exactly what you were responsible for in your most recent role. Use ‘I’ statements instead of ‘we’ so it’s clear these were your responsibilities. It's a good idea to highlight responsibilities most relevant to the position you are interviewing for first.

What are your career goals?

Many employers like people who are keen to progress their career, but they need to be confident that you will be committed to the role for which you are interviewing for a reasonable time frame. Focus on your desire to learn and add value in the role for which you are applying, with the prospect of adding new responsibilities in the long term that will build on this experience.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Your answer will have the most impact if you are specific and provide evidence to back up your claims. Identify your key areas of strength or weaknesses, provide a practical example where this has been demonstrated, and then outline how this will affect you in the new role.

What’s been your greatest work achievement to date?
Using ‘I’ statements, list an achievement that showcases the strengths and experience most relevant to the role you are applying for.