Blog · 6 min read
Common interview questions and how to prepare for them
You cannot predict every question, but most interviews draw from the same small set. Prepare five true stories and you can answer most of them.
The questions
These come up again and again:
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why do you want this job?
- Tell me about a time you solved a hard problem.
- Tell me about a conflict with a coworker.
- What is your biggest weakness?
- Why are you leaving your current job?
- Where do you see yourself in a few years?
- Do you have any questions for us?
Use the STAR shape
Situation, Task, Action, Result. Keep the situation short and spend most of your time on what you did. End with the result, even if it was only partly a success, and what you learned.
Build five stories
Pick five real moments: a problem you fixed, a time you led, a mistake you owned, a disagreement you handled and something you are proud of. Most behavioral questions fit one of these.
Questions to ask them
What does a good first 90 days look like? What is the hardest part of this role? How does the team decide priorities? Asking real questions shows you are evaluating them too.