100 Potential Job Interview Questions

While there are as many different possible interview questions as there are interviewers, it always helps to be ready for anything. Which is why we've taken the time to prepare this list of 100 potential interview questions.

Will you face them all? We pray no interviewer would be that cruel.

Will you face a few? Probably.

Will you be well-served by being ready even if you're not asked these exact questions? Absolutely. How to be prepared for all manner of job interview questions begins here.

Now start practicing:

Basic interview questions:

Tell me about yourself.

What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
Why do you want this job?
Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?
What's your ideal company?
What attracted you to this company?
Why should we hire you?
What did you like least about your last job?
When were you most satisfied in your job?
What can you do for us that other candidates can't?
What were the responsibilities of your last position?
Why are you leaving your present job?
What do you know about this industry?
What do you know about our company?
Are you willing to relocate?
Do you have any questions for me?

Behavioral interview questions:

What was the last project you led, and what was its outcome?
Give me an example of a time that you felt you went above and beyond the call of duty at work.
Can you describe a time when your work was criticized?
Have you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own weight? How did you handle it?
Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback. How did you handle it?
What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it?
How do you handle working with people who annoy you?
If I were your supervisor and asked you to do something that you disagreed with, what would you do?
What was the most difficult period in your life, and how did you deal with it?
Give me an example of a time you did something wrong. How did you handle it?
Tell me about a time where you had to deal with conflict on the job.
If you were at a business lunch and you ordered a rare steak and they brought it to you well done, what would you do?
If you found out your company was doing something against the law, like fraud, what would you do?
What assignment was too difficult for you, and how did you resolve the issue?
What's the most difficult decision you've made in the last two years and how did you come to that decision?
Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you could finish them.

Salary questions:

What salary are you seeking?
What's your salary history?
If I were to give you this salary you requested but let you write your job description for the next year, what would it say?

Career development questions:

What are you looking for in terms of career development?
How do you want to improve yourself in the next year?
What kind of goals would you have in mind if you got this job?
If I were to ask your last supervisor to provide you additional training or exposure, what would she suggest?

Getting started questions:

How would you go about establishing your credibility quickly with the team?
How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?
What do you see yourself doing within the first 30 days of this job?
If selected for this position, can you describe your strategy for the first 90 days?

More questions about you:

How would you describe your work style?
What would be your ideal working environment?
What do you look for in terms of culture -- structured or entrepreneurial?
Give examples of ideas you've had or implemented.
What techniques and tools do you use to keep yourself organized?  
If you had to choose one, would you consider yourself a big-picture person or a detail-oriented person?
Tell me about your proudest achievement.
Who was your favorite manager and why?
What do you think of your previous boss?
Was there a person in your career who really made a difference?
What kind of personality do you work best with and why?
What are you most proud of?
What do you like to do?
What are your lifelong dreams?
What do you ultimately want to become?
What is your personal mission statement?  
What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?
What negative thing would your last boss say about you?
What three character traits would your friends use to describe you?
What are three positive character traits you don't have?
If you were interviewing someone for this position, what traits would you look for?
List five words that describe your character.  
Who has impacted you most in your career and how?
What is your greatest fear?
What is your biggest regret and why?  
What's the most important thing you learned in school?
Why did you choose your major?
What will you miss about your present/last job?
What is your greatest achievement outside of work?
What are the qualities of a good leader? A bad leader?
Do you think a leader should be feared or liked?    
How do you feel about taking no for an answer?
How would you feel about working for someone who knows less than you?
How do you think I rate as an interviewer?
Tell me one thing about yourself you wouldn't want me to know.
Tell me the difference between good and exceptional.
What kind of car do you drive?
There's no right or wrong answer, but if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
What's the last book you read?
What magazines do you subscribe to?
What's the best movie you've seen in the last year?
What would you do if you won the lottery?
Who are your heroes?
What do you like to do for fun?
What do you do in your spare time?
What is your favorite memory from childhood?

Brainteasers:

How many times do a clock's hands overlap in a day?
How would you weigh a plane without scales?
Tell me 10 ways to use a pencil other than writing.
Sell me this pencil.
If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?
Why is there fuzz on a tennis ball?
If you could choose one superhero power, what would it be and why?
If you could get rid of any one of the US states, which one would you get rid of and why?
With your eyes closed, tell me step-by-step how to tie my shoes.

Articles in This Feature:

Make a Great First Impression home
Last-Minute Interview Preparation
Six Key Interview Answers Employers Need to Hear
100 Potential Interview Questions
Nonverbal Communications: Escape the Pitfalls
Job Interview Tips
Steer Clear of Interviewers' Pet Peeves
Do Your Homework Before the Big Interview
Assessing Your Skills 

9 10-Minute Activities Which'll Make You Better at Your Job (and Impress Your Boss form this Process)

When you think of what you can do in 10 minutes, you probably think of taking a shower or checking your email—nothing too crazy.

But, what you may not realize is that this is actually plenty of time to do something far more productive and valuable, like get ahead in your career.

The best ways you can advance your knowledge and skillset in just 10 minutes of free time. Because why not take advantage of every second you have?

Research and Pick a New Podcast to Listen To

I love listening to podcasts as I’m driving or walking. I’ve learned so much from hearing different career stories, and it entertains me during my down time.

Learn From Experts

Identify an expert in your field and spend 10 minutes a day analyzing his posts on social media, his blog, or videos of him speaking. Pay attention to how he words things and how he appeals to audiences. Make time in your schedule for 10 minutes a day to do this, and in a year’s time, you’ll have spent over 60 hours learning from the masters.

Learn Anything Outside of Your Job

It’s often the most unexpected things that contribute the most to our careers. If you’re living in an information vacuum and only learning things directly relevant to your job, those bolts of lightning won’t strike. That’s why I spend my free minutes during the workday unwinding and learning something completely new, whether it’s through a short video or an interesting article.

Skim Industry Publications

Stay on top of your industry by using 10 minutes to skim through a relevant magazine or website. Not only does this keep you up-to-date with your profession, but it may spark ideas for new projects or initiatives at your company.

Reach Out to Someone in Your Network

We all think we’re too busy to keep up with the vast majority of our connections, yet we know that there is undisputed value in maintaining those relationships. In 10 minutes, you can quickly text or email someone whom you haven’t spoken to in a while and let her know you’re thinking about her. It goes a long way.

Watch a TED Talk

With each TED Talk you watch, even if it’s only for 10 minutes, you get to learn something fascinating about a new subject from experts in that field. Plus, you see firsthand how you too can turn any subject into a compelling narrative.

Take a Risk

Sometimes, the only way to push forward is by taking a leap of faith. For example, write that email you’ve been hesitating to make to that potential employer. There are times when the only way to overcome stagnancy is to face rejection or accept an offer from someone who’s willing to bet on you. Take the risk, and reap the rewards (or fail and try again).


Take a Walk

When I have 10 free minutes, I take a walk around the office or outside. I try not to think of anything in particular, but to observe what’s happening around me. It refreshes you, and you may notice things that you normally wouldn’t while actively engaged in a task. It’s when I’m doing ‘nothing’ that solutions to problems occur to me.

Subscribe to a Publication

Sign up for a daily email from a publication related to your field. They usually contain a word or story of the day that teaches you something new and informs you of the different aspects of your industry. Reading these emails generally takes no more than 10 minutes and gives you a powerful bit of knowledge for the day!

how to pick yourself up when you don’t get the job

You’ve been applying for dozens of jobs with no success and have just got your third rejection email of the week. Picking yourself back up and ploughing on with the job hunt can be tough for even the steeliest of people. Here are some tips from resilience coaches on how to restore confidence after such setbacks, and ultimately prepare yourself for job success. 

Remember, stress is caused by how we perceive a situation not the situation itself, says psychotherapist Rebecca Howard.  “We could choose to look at the fact that we haven’t got a job yet and it’s our third rejection as a negative - but all that would happen is our mindset would shift into a negative gear and take our resourcefulness and confidence down an unhelpful dead end.”

She advocates the NAC approach - Notice, Accept, Choose - a way of thinking which means we don’t get stuck with negative ruminating thoughts about how good, or not, we think we are.

Notice that you are experiencing thoughts of being fed up, down, angry or whatever it is that you are feeling as a result of the rejections. “In times of stress our thinking tends to polarise in rigid, ‘all or nothing’ positions, seeing everything in black and white,” explains Howard.

“The process of noticing its impact allows you to begin to step outside of it, almost as an observer, and acknowledge what is happening, which in turn releases you from the mind spending endless energy.”

Accept what has happened. Many of us will think, “Why is this happening to me?” but asking a negative question leads to a negative answer, Howard explains. “Acceptance is recognising that as human beings we experience emotions, such as disappointment, and it is pointless fighting them.”

Choose to use the negative energy or stress you are feeling as a result of your setback. Having connected with the motivation behind the stress, you can channel that energy in a positive way by asking, “What can I do right now?” and “How do I do it?”

Andy Cope, author of The Little Book of Emotional Intelligence, suggests that we come equipped with “ordinary magic” - an in-built ability to bounce back from adversity. It all comes down to your “explanatory style”, which is psychology speak for the way you explain to yourself why you’ve experienced an event - be it positive or negative.

If your reaction to a job rejection is, “It’s only a rejection letter, nobody died, let’s learn the lesson and move forward,” you’ve got an optimistic explanatory style. But if your response is to think, “Oh my gosh, rejection. It’s a disaster. I’m so rubbish. There’s no point applying for any more,” your explanatory style is negative. Clearly, the belief generated by your explanatory style directly affects your actions.

But as Cope explains, it’s possible to train your inner voice towards something more positive. He says: “It helps if you can learn to be your own best friend. On job rejections (we’ve all had them) I always tell myself, ‘Crikey, they’ve missed out.’”. Be your own cheerleader and champion and remember that all emotions have positive intent, according to Cope, even negative ones. “Despondency (feeling sorry for yourself) is temporary downtime while you renew your energy for whatever comes next. Which brings me full circle to your inner reserves of ‘ordinary magic’,” he says.

Geetu Bharwaney, author of Emotional Resilience advises speaking to your main supporters and champions in life and asking them what they would do in your shoes, after this job rejection, and follow their advice. “Know the difference between the people in your life who can provide you with intelligent input from those who are likely to impose unrealistic assumptions on you,” she says. Approach the people you respect and whose opinions matter to you. “Some people will tell you it was either the wrong job or the wrong employer, so this action helps you to keep things in perspective.”

Finally, take the time to review your life experiences and achievements so far and make a list of positive “I” statements - things you can do, your strengths and what you are good at. Bharwaney explains: “When you are going to speak to anyone about your challenges, including your close colleagues, remind yourself of at least three of these affirmations, so that you can stay grounded in what you are good at during the dialogue. This will enable you to be your best self despite the current set-back.”

MSD show you how to captain your team with a cool head

Mahendra Singh Dhoni plays multiple roles with elan. He’s the captain of the Indian cricket team, a batsman who can change the game, a wicketkeeper whose one-liners egg his bowlers on, an occasional bowler, and a role model for players and fans. It was under his captaincy that India climbed to No. 1 in the ICC Test Rankings in 2009. He led the Indian team to many wins, the most famous being the one in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final against Sri Lanka with his match-winning knock of unbeaten 91.

But it wasn’t easy for Dhoni to get past the many challenges and tests that life – and cricket – threw at him. What’s helped him become one of the most successful captains in the history of Indian cricket is that he’s maintained his calm and led from the front under pressure. Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has famously said that Mahi was the best captain he had played under, adding that his handling of pressure was “incredible”. But Captain Cool makes short work of pressure. “It's like having 100 kg put over you. After that, even if you pit a mountain, it will not make a difference,” he has said.

Dhoni keep his head when all around him people are losing theirs, and here’s what you can learn from him:

#1 Stay calm in the face of criticism
These lines of Rudyard Kipling’s poem, If, may well have been written for leaders: “If you can keep your head when all about you, are losing theirs and blaming it on you…” It’s not easy to stay unruffled when you and your decisions are gathering flak but maintaining your composure and having the ability to transform a crisis into positive action is a major determinant of success as a leader. Before the 2007 T20 World Cup, cricket analyst Ravi Shastri referred to Team India as the “underdogs”. As he picked up the trophy, Dhoni responded to that label: “I remember you called us underdogs and so we have won the cup for you.”

Lesson: Don’t let people’s remarks get to you. Stay cool and focus on your work. Let your work speak for you.

#2 Always think out of the box
In the 2011 World Cup, Mahi, sorely out-of-form, decided that he would come in to bat at No 5 before Yuvraj Singh, the man in form. He went on to hit the winning runs and was declared man of the match. In the 2007 T20 World Cup, he chose to give inexperienced pacer Joginder Sharma the ball in the last over. In the 2013 Champions Trophy Final, which India won, he gave Ravichandran Ashwin the ball in the last over. He keeps everyone guessing amidst pressure, an ability that’s game-changing.

Lesson: Think on your feet and be a quick decision maker. A good leader should always have a Plan B in mind.

#3 Don’t let emotions get in the way
Dhoni is called Captain Cool for a reason. No matter what the situation may be, he isn’t perturbed. Sledging? He takes it easy and won’t resort to getting into a war of words. He never gets involved in heated arguments and chooses to keep his emotions to himself. Once, abused by a bowler on field, he chose to get the umpire to intervene instead of hitting back. This calm demeanour has helped him win matches, but it’s also ensured that he can cope with losses better.

Lesson: Set an example by staying cool, calm and collected. This helps you think about and handle the googlies being thrown at you better.

#4 Look towards the future
Like all great leaders, Dhoni owns up and takes the fall for his mistakes. He never hesitates to take responsibility for India’s poor performance but he doesn’t dwell on the past. He chooses to tackle things head on and come up with a new game plan and another and another. When asked halfway through a series if India were beaten, he famously said: “Till the full stop doesn't come, the sentence isn't complete.”

Lesson: Take responsisbilty of your actions and then work on a plan to solve the problem.

#5 Win the battle in your head
The actual battleground isn’t a geographic location or a cricket ground; it’s in the minds that the fiercest battles take place. As he says: “Nobody has seen form. It is a state of mind where you are confident and you think very positively.” The cricketer maintains a positive attitude, through ups and downs. His composure and poise rub off on the rest of the team, helping them focus on the matter – or match – at hand.

Lesson: Work on building strengths – your own and the teams – and keep a positive attitude at all times.

To be the best, you need to #LoveWhatYouDo. Find a job that you love here.