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Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

One guide per question, with a structure and sample answers, plus the behavioral questions and the STAR method.

These guides cover the common interview questions that come up whatever the job. If your interview is soon, read the overview of common questions first, then the page on tell me about yourself, since it is often the opening question and sets the tone for the rest.

After that, pick by what worries you. For questions about why you are moving on, the two leaving guides do different jobs: one gives interview scripts for layoffs, a difficult boss and career growth, and the other gives short wording for application forms. The salary guide includes scripts for the recruiter call, which is where the question often arrives first.

Anything that begins with 'tell me about a time' is a behavioral question. For those, read the STAR method guide and build a bank of stories before you look at question lists. The printable STAR sheet is useful once you have stories to write down. The two screening guides at the end cover the recruiter call that comes before all of this.

Questions almost every interview includes

Leaving a job, pay and pressure

Behavioral questions and the STAR method

First-round screening calls

Practice these answers in a mock interview

In the job interview scenario in SayNow AI, the AI plays the interviewer in a live voice conversation, then scores your answers and suggests improvements.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common interview questions?
Tell me about yourself, why do you want this job, why should we hire you, what are your strengths and weaknesses, where do you see yourself in five years, why are you leaving your current job, and what are your salary expectations. Most interviews add several behavioral questions that begin with 'tell me about a time'. Each has its own guide on this page.
How long should an interview answer be?
One to two minutes for most questions. The tell me about yourself guides on this site work to about that length: the residency version targets 90 seconds and the medical school version stays under two minutes. Behavioral stories can run a little longer, but reach the result before the interviewer has to interrupt you.
What is the STAR method?
STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. You set the scene briefly, say what you were responsible for, spend most of the answer on what you personally did, and finish with the outcome. The STAR method guide recommends preparing eight to ten stories that can be adapted to different questions.
Should I memorize my answers?
Memorize the structure and the facts of each story, not the wording. Word-for-word answers sound recited and fall apart when the question is phrased differently. Say each answer aloud several times, in slightly different words each time, until you can reach the main point without notes.

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