Interviews vary from company to company, but some questions come up in almost every one. They aren't meant to catch you out; they help the interviewer understand who you are, how you think and how well you fit the role. Thinking through your answers in advance makes you calmer and more confident in the room. Don't memorise your answers word for word, though; prepare the main points and the examples you'll use, and speak naturally.
Short answer: The most common questions are about introducing yourself, why you want the job, your strengths and weaknesses, your future plans, why you left your last job, why you're the right candidate, your biggest achievement, a mistake you made, working under pressure, your salary expectations and gaps on your CV. Prepare a short, honest answer to each, backed by a concrete example.
"Tell me about yourself."
What they want to know: A short summary of your career and how you got to this role.
Give a professional summary, not your life story: what you do now, what you've done before and why you're interested in this role. Keep it under two minutes.
Example: "I graduated in business last year. For the past year I've worked as a marketing assistant at an e-commerce company, where I was responsible for reporting on email campaigns and ran tests that improved open rates. I applied for this role because I'm keen to grow in data-driven marketing."
"Why do you want this job, or to work here?"
What they want to know: Whether you've researched the company and are genuinely interested.
Instead of "I'm looking for a job", mention something specific about the company and how it connects to your goals.
Example: "I've seen that you've grown your mobile app over the last two years and invested in user experience. That's the area I want to develop in, and I think working with your team would teach me a great deal."
"What are your strengths and weaknesses?"
What they want to know: Whether you know yourself and are open to growth.
For a strength, pick a skill relevant to the role and back it up with an example. For a weakness, choose something real that isn't central to the job, and explain what you're doing to improve it. Avoid clichés like "I'm a perfectionist".
Example (weakness): "I used to feel uncomfortable presenting to large groups. To work on it, I've volunteered to present at team meetings regularly over the last six months; I'm much more comfortable now, but I'm still working on it."
"Where do you see yourself in five years?"
What they want to know: Whether your goals fit the role and whether you're likely to stay.
Describe a realistic goal connected to the role.
Example: "Over the next few years I'd like to become a specialist in this area and, in time, gain the experience to lead a small team."
"Why did you leave your last job?"
What they want to know: Whether your reason for leaving is a warning sign.
Never criticise a previous employer. Shift the focus to the future and the new opportunity.
Example: "I learned a lot in my last role, but I'm looking for somewhere I can take on more responsibility and develop on the data analysis side."
"Why are you the right candidate for us?"
What they want to know: Whether you understand what the role needs and can make your case.
Pick two or three key requirements from the job ad and match each one with an example from your own experience.
"What's your biggest achievement?"
What they want to know: What you see as success and whether you focus on results.
Choose an achievement relevant to the role, ideally one you can measure. Explain step by step how you did it.
Example: "During my internship, I gathered the customer service team's most frequent questions into a knowledge base. Within three months, calls about those questions dropped noticeably, and the team adopted the system permanently."
"Tell me about a mistake you made and how you handled it."
What they want to know: Whether you take responsibility and learn from mistakes.
Choose a real mistake, don't blame others, and focus on what you learned.
Example: "I realised after submitting a report that I'd used the wrong dataset. I told my manager straight away, corrected the report the same day, and since then I've used a checklist to compare data against its source before submitting."
"How do you work under pressure?"
What they want to know: How you prioritise during busy periods.
Rather than saying "I work really well under pressure", describe a busy period you handled: how you ordered your tasks, who you communicated with and the outcome.
"What are your salary expectations?"
What they want to know: Whether your expectations fit their budget.
Before the interview, research the going rate for the role, your level of experience and the location. Giving a realistic range rather than a single number, and mentioning that benefits matter too, gives you flexibility.
Example: "Based on my research and experience, I'm looking for a salary in a certain range, but I'm open to considering it alongside the benefits and development opportunities."
"Can you explain this gap on your CV?"
What they want to know: How you spent that time.
Keep it short and honest; mention something you learned or did during that period and link it back to the role.
The power of concrete examples
Saying "I'm hard-working" or "I'm a team player" is easy; employers want to hear examples that prove it. When telling a story, set out the situation, your task, the action you took and the result. For more on this method and on preparing for the interview, see What to pay attention to in a job interview.
At the end: "Do you have any questions for us?"
Saying "No" can make you seem uninterested. Prepare two or three questions about the role, the team and the next steps: "How do you measure success in this role?", "How does the team work day to day?", "What's the next step in the process?"
Preparation starts with your CV
Most interview questions are based on what's on your CV. With BUDDA CV you can keep your CV up to date and prepare versions tailored to different applications. The application tracking feature also shows, in one place, which companies you're at the "Interview", "Second Interview" or "Technical Test" stage with.
Last updated: 8 October 2026
Related guides:
- What to pay attention to in a job interview
- How to write an effective CV
- How to write a CV as a recent graduate
With BUDDA CV, create a strong CV that carries you to the interview. Fast and easy; creating your CV and downloading it as a PDF are free.
