19 Types of Interview Questions (With Tips)

Here is a list of the 19 of the most common interview questions employers ask candidates:

Traditional interview questions

These are the most common interview questions interviewers ask candidates. Traditional interview questions help hiring managers determine whether a candidate has all the relevant requirements for a job. Examples of traditional interview questions include those that ask you to describe yourself, reasons why you left your last job, motivations for choosing a specific profession, and your strengths and weaknesses.

Behavioral interview questions

Behavioral interview questions help interviewers identify specific soft skills required to perform on the job. These questions test how you will respond to specific work-related scenarios to determine your reaction based on previous experience. Behavioral interview questions are often more targeted than traditional interview questions. To answer these questions convincingly, you will need to back up your answers with real-life examples demonstrating how a specific skill or knowledge helped you in a work-relation situation.

Skills-based interview questions

These are questions that seek to understand your knowledge and proficiency with role-specific technologies, practices, tools, and regulations. Interviewers typically use skills-based interview questions to gauge your practical knowledge of the role’s duties. Skills-based questions can focus on both soft and hard skills, and even personal attributes such as empathy and leadership. If you are applying for a role in an industry such as tech, it is important to prepare adequately for skills-based questions because many of the interview questions test practical knowledge.

Situational interview questions

Hiring managers use situational questions to determine your reaction to specific work-related scenarios. Interviewers frame the situational questions hypothetically to see how you make decisions and solve problems in complex situations you will likely find yourself if employed. Your answers can help the interviewer gauge your self-confidence, decision-making skills, communication skills, and level of experience.

Competency-based interview questions

This type of interview question helps interviewers determine whether you have specific competencies required for the role. The questions require you to provide real-life examples of situations where you used certain skills or knowledge to provide desirable outcomes on the job. For example, they may ask you to explain the skills you have used to deal with an unhappy customer.

Case interview questions

Case interview questions help interviewers test your problem-solving abilities. The questions can also help employers determine your ability to analyze work-related scenarios and make the right decisions. Typically, the interviewer will provide a hypothetical scenario related to the role and ask how you will manage the situation. For example, the interviewer may ask how you will handle a vendor who suddenly increases the price of goods in the middle of a project, which can lead to an increase in the budget.

Credential verification questions

Hiring managers use these questions to determine whether you have the educational and professional qualifications for the job. Questions about your education, GPA, licenses, and training fall under this category.

Opinion interview questions

Opinion interview questions help interviewers get your personal views on a variety of work-related scenarios. They are typically framed like situational interview questions and are often difficult to answer because you don’t know the type of response the interviewer wants to hear. Examples include questions asking how you would respond if you found a colleague breaking workplace rules.

Learn more: The Ultimate Job Interview Preparation Guide

Brainteaser interview questions

Brainteaser questions gauge your mathematical skills and overall mental alertness. It is advisable to practice these type of questions if the role you are applying for requires using mathematical formula and calculations.

Experience verification interview questions

The purpose of experience verification interview questions is to evaluate your experience in the role to ensure accuracy of the information on your resume. They can help interviewers identify candidates with the requisite experience required for a position.

Salary interview questions

These interview questions help interviewers know the value you place on your qualifications, experience, skills, and the contributions you will make to the employer’s business. It is important to prepare for salary interview questions to accurately understand your potential earnings. It is always advisable to do extensive research about salaries to answer this question convincingly.

Management interview questions

Hiring managers will ask you these questions when applying for a management position and other senior-level roles. The purpose of management questions is to determine your experience, management and leadership style, professional achievements, and your plans for the company if hired.

Leadership interview questions

You will be asked this type of questions when you apply for a leadership role. This question evaluates your leadership qualities, leadership style, professional achievements and future expectations. The best answers will emphasize situations where your leadership skills helped deliver results for your organization.

Sales interview questions

Because of the peculiarities of a sales position, interviewers ask targeted questions that will help them identify your ability to sell effectively. These interview questions test your communication skills, interpersonal skills, persuasion and knowledge of customer relations and the company’s market.

Interview questions about why you left your job

Interviewers may ask questions about leaving your job. Interviewers want to know whether you left to seek better opportunities or bigger challenges, or you were fired for breaking the rules or for poor performance. Hiring managers may use this question to determine the things you’ve been doing since you became unemployed. Regardless of the reasons for quitting your job, it is important to answer this type of question honestly because it is easy for employers to verify your claims, giving you an opportunity to establish rapport.

Motivation interview questions

Interviewers ask questions about motivation to know more about the things that inspire and drive you to perform on the job. Your answer can reveal whether you are a self-motivated person who can take initiative. Hiring managers can also use your answer to gauge your suitability for the role.

Time management interview questions

The purpose of this type of question is to test your time management and prioritization skills. Your answer should demonstrate the strategies you use to manage time, increase productivity, and boost efficiency.

Questions to ask the interviewer

At the end of the interview, the interviewer will likely allow time for you to ask them questions. It is important to ask the interviewer a few questions relevant to the role and the organization. Sometimes, the questions may even be about the interviewer. Having your own questions shows you have a genuine interest in the position and have done your research about the employer.

Nonsense interview questions

Interviewers use this type of questions to test your ability for original thought. For example, you might be asked the color that best describes you. Most nonsense questions come from things you don’t prepare for, so you will probably have no pre-programmed answers from practice, but you can use the opportunity to show that you can be a creative problem-solver.

Here are tips for answering interview questions to impress the interviewer:

• Research the role and the employer. Before the interview, research the company and the role, and also study the job description carefully to identify the job requirements to answer questions confidently.
• Use the STAR method. This is especially helpful for behavioral, case, and situational interview questions. STAR is an acronym for situation, action, results. This method of answering interview questions requires providing a situation or task relevant to the question, discussing the actions you took, and the results achieved.
• Practice answering interview questions in scenarios as close to an interview setting as possible. You can ask a family member or friend to ask the questions or practice in front of a mirror to gain confidence and perfect your responses.
• Ask for clarification whenever you don’t understand the interviewer’s questions. This gives you more time to gather your thoughts and increases your chances of providing a more convincing answer.
• Use power words in your answers. Action words often help you make a better impression at interviews. Research the right power words interviewers want to hear for specific roles before the interview.
• Back up your answers with examples. Providing real-life examples in your responses is a better way to help the interviewer visualize you in their role.
• Stay on point. Make sure your response is direct, concise, and relevant to the interviewer’s question.
• Ask the interviewer questions of your own. The interviewer will typically tell you to ask them questions. Have a list of insightful questions ready to demonstrate you did your homework before coming for the interview.