19 Top Interview Questions in 2023 (With Sample Answers)

Basic interview questions

Can you explain these gaps in your resume? Are you overqualified for this role? Why are you changing careers? Why is our company interesting to you? Why are you the right person for this job?

Questions about you

What is your ideal working environment? How do you keep yourself organized? What is your proudest achievement? What was your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it? What three things are most important to you in your job? Describe your work style.

Behavioral interview questions

Describe a time you went above and beyond at work. Tell me about the last mistake you made. Describe a time when you had to give a person difficult feedback.

17. Why are you leaving your current job?

There are many acceptable reasons for leaving a job. Prepare a thoughtful answer that will give your interviewer confidence that you're being deliberate about this job change. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of your current or previous role, focus on the future and what you hope to gain in your next position.

12. How do you handle conflict at work?

Employers ask this question to gauge how you interact with various stakeholders or colleagues of differing opinions. Often, being the right person for the job involves more than just hard skills, hiring managers also value candidates who can collaborate with others and approach conflict in a productive way. A good answer will discuss a time you encountered a conflict with a colleague, client or manager and maintained the patience to resolve it. It's important to relay what you learned—how you grew personally and professionally—as a result of the experience. Use the STAR method to construct your response.

5. What motivates you?

Employers ask this question to gauge your level of self-awareness and ensure your sources of motivation align with the role and company. To answer, be as specific as possible, provide real-life examples and tie your answer back to the job role and/or the company's mission Consider asking yourself these questions to prepare your answer: What did a great day at work look like in your previous role and why? What made you choose your profession or field? What prompted you to apply for the role when you read the job description?

14. How do you define success?

Employers ask this to help them understand how your definition of success influences your goals and how you measure them. A good answer will show that you know how to define and measure goals and you're willing to challenge yourself and work hard to meet them. Consider your proudest achievements, your long- and short-term successes and how the company you're interviewing with views success. Give specific examples of how you've succeeded in the past.

2. What makes you unique?

Employers often ask this question to identify why you might be more qualified than other candidates they're interviewing. To answer, focus on why hiring you would benefit the employer. Since you don't know the other applicants, it can be challenging to think about your answer in relation to them. Addressing why your background makes you a good fit lets employers know why your traits and qualifications make you a strong candidate. To help you prepare this answer consider the following: Assets the employers finds valuable: Review the job description for role responsibilities as well as required and desired skills, qualities, experience and qualifications. For example, if a position emphasizes cross-collaboration, you might communicate your ability to unite a team around a common goal. Ways you've been successful in previous roles: Reflect on past accomplishments and list the qualities that helped you achieve them. For example, if you received an award for your marketing skills you might share this along with the project or experience that earned you the award. Traits or skills you've been praised for: Consider your strengths and qualities commonly recognized by previous employers or coworkers. Think back to positive feedback you've received from performance reviews and completed projects. For example, if your employer consistently brings up your ability to motivate others in your performance reviews, it's likely a trait they highly value and other employers would also appreciate.

19 interview questions with example answers

Here are 19 of the most common interview questions you'll likely be asked in your next interview: (down below)

Additional job interview questions

Here are several more common questions to use as practice for your next interview: (down below)

8. What are your goals for the future?

Hiring managers often ask about your future goals to determine whether or not you're looking to stay with the company long-term. Additionally, this question is used to gauge your ambition, expectations for your career and ability to plan ahead. The best way to handle this question is to examine your current career trajectory and how this role helps you reach your long-term goals.

4. What interests you about this role?

Hiring managers often ask this question to ensure you understand the role and give you an opportunity to highlight your relevant skills. Study the job description carefully and compare its requirements to your skills and experience. In your answer, choose a few responsibilities you particularly enjoy or excel at and focus on those in your answer.

11. How do you respond to stress or change?

How you handle stressful situations and adapt to change is an indicator of your ability to solve problems. Employers want to hire candidates who react to stress constructively, so it's important that your answer to this question demonstrates personal growth. Spend some time thinking about your response to stressful situations and provide an example that communicates your abilities around perseverance, resilience and stress management.

6. What are your greatest strengths?

In your answer to this question, share your most relevant technical and soft skills. While it may feel uncomfortable to speak highly of yourself, remember that this is your opportunity to tell your interviewers what makes you a great candidate. To answer, follow the formula below: 1. Share one to a few positive qualities and personal attributes: "I've always been a natural leader..." 2. Back them up with examples: "...I've exceeded my KPIs every quarter and have been promoted twice in the past five years. I look back at those successes and know that I wouldn't have reached them if I hadn't built and led teams composed of highly skilled and diverse individuals. I'm proud of my ability to get cross-functional groups on the same page..." 3. Relate them back to the role for which you're interviewing: "...I've also regularly honed my management skills through 360 reviews and candid sessions with my team, and I know continuing to build my leadership skills is something I want from my next role."

18. What is your salary range expectation?

Interviewers ask this question to make sure your expectations are in line with the amount they've budgeted for the role. If you give a salary range exceedingly lower or higher than the market value of the position, it gives the impression that you don't know your worth. Here are three ways to approach this response: Provide a range: Research the typical compensation range for the role on Indeed Salaries and make the low end of your range your lowest acceptable salary. For example, if you require at least $50,000 annually, you might offer the interviewer a range of $50,000-$60,000 per year. Let the hiring manager know if you're flexible. Include negotiation options: There may be other benefits, perks or forms of compensation you find just as valuable as your salary. Deflect the question: If you're early in the hiring process and still learning the specifics of the job duties and expectations, you may want to deflect the question for later in the conversation. If you're unsure about what salary is appropriate to ask for the position you're applying to, visit Indeed's Salary Calculator to get a free, personalized pay range based on your location, industry and experience.

3. Why do you want to work at this company?

Interviewers often ask this question to determine whether or not you took the time to research the company and think critically about whether you're a good fit. The best way to prepare for this question is to do your homework and learn about the products, services, mission, history and culture of this workplace. In your answer, mention the aspects of the company that appeals to you and aligns with your values and career goals.

7. What are your greatest weaknesses?

It can feel awkward to discuss your weaknesses in an environment where you're expected to focus on your accomplishments. However, when answered correctly, sharing your weaknesses shows that you are self-aware with an interest in continued growth and learning—traits that are extremely attractive to many employers. Consider using this formula for your response: 1. Select an actual weakness (not a strength) that's honest but professionally relevant: "I'm naturally shy..." 2. Add context: "...From high school and into my early professional interactions, it sometimes prevented me from speaking up..." 3. Provide a specific example:" ...After being a part of a workgroup that didn't meet our strategic goals two quarters in a row, I knew I owed it to my team and myself to confidently share my ideas..." 4. Explain how you overcame or are working to overcome it: "...I joined an improv acting class. It's fun and has really helped me overcome my shyness. I learned practical skills around leading discussions and sharing diverse perspectives. Now, in group settings, I always start conversations with the quieter folks. I know exactly how they feel, and people can be amazing once they start communicating."

13. What is your greatest accomplishment?

It's easy to get hung up on figuring out your single most impressive accomplishment. Instead, think of a few achievements that showcase your work ethic and values. If you can, pick examples that also tie back to the job you're applying for. The STAR method is a great tool to ensure you highlight the most relevant parts of your story.

1. Tell me about yourself and your qualifications

The employer is seeking to understand your qualifications and generally why you think you'd be a good fit. Your answer should be concise and direct. Include information about your background, your key achievements and why you think the job would be a good fit.

19. Do you have any questions?

This might be one of the most important questions asked during the interview process because it allows you to explore any topics that haven't been addressed and shows the interviewer you're serious about the role. Remember that you are interviewing the company too. Take time to ask the interviewer questions about their own experiences with the company, gain tips on how you can succeed if hired and address any lingering questions you have. Some examples include: What do you love most about working for this company? What would success look like in this role? What are some of the challenges people typically face in this position?" How important is it that you hire someone with XYZ qualities? Do you have any hesitations about hiring me?

10. Can you tell me about a difficult work situation and how you overcame it?

This question is often used to assess how well you perform under pressure as well as your problem-solving abilities. Keep in mind stories are more memorable than facts and figures, so strive to "show" instead of "tell." This is also an excellent opportunity to show your human side and how when faced with adversity you are able to persevere. For this question, consider sticking to the STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result or learning.

9. Where do you think you'll be in five years?

Understanding how you imagine your life in the future can help employers understand whether the trajectory of the role and company fits in with your personal development goals. To answer this question you can provide specific career goals including any dream roles or projects:

19 Top Interview Questions in 2023 (With Sample Answers)

While every job interview is different, there are certain questions you can expect to be asked by a hiring manager. We've compiled 19 of those common questions for you in this article, so you can feel prepared and confident for your next interview.

15. How do your skills align with this role?

While this is similar to questions like "Why should we hire you?" or "What can you bring to the company?" it allows you to be more specific about your work ethic, style and unique abilities as it relates to the role. An impactful answer will discuss your hard and soft skills and use the STAR method to illustrate how your unique skills might benefit the team or organization.

16. Why should we hire you?

While this question may seem like an intimidation tactic, interviewers generally ask to offer another opportunity to explain why you're the best candidate. Your answer should address the skills and experience you offer, why you're a good culture fit and what you believe you'd bring to the role. One thing to remember as you're discussing your fitness for the company with employers is that the idea of "culture fit" can sometimes be used as a way to eliminate and discriminate against candidates, however unknowingly, who don't think, act or look like existing employees. A better alternative concept you might consider addressing is "culture add," or your ability to bring fresh and additive ideas and feedback to the team. Culture adds make the company stronger by diversifying the experiences and perspectives of its workforce.