How should I prepare for interview questions?

Do not memorise scripts word for word, or you will sound robotic. Instead, prepare the key points and a real example for each likely question, then practise saying them out loud. For any question about your past work, use the STAR method: briefly describe the Situation, the Task, the Action you took, and the Result you achieved.

The 10 questions to prepare

1. Tell me about yourself

A two-minute career summary, not your life story. Lead with who you are professionally, a highlight or two, and why you are here. We have a full guide to this answer.

2. Why do you want to work here?

Show you researched the company, and connect something specific about them to what you want to do next.

3. What are your greatest strengths?

Pick two or three relevant to the role and back each with a quick example, not just adjectives.

4. What is your biggest weakness?

Name a real but non-fatal weakness and, crucially, what you are doing to improve it.

5. Tell me about a challenge you overcame

Use STAR, and choose a story with a clear, positive, ideally measurable result.

6. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Show ambition that fits the role and company, not a plan that has you leaving in a year.

7. Why are you leaving your current job?

Stay positive. Focus on what you are moving toward, never on bad-mouthing an employer.

8. Tell me about a time you worked in a team

Highlight collaboration and your specific contribution to a shared result.

9. How do you handle pressure or deadlines?

Give a concrete example of staying organised and delivering when it mattered.

10. Do you have any questions for us?

Always say yes. Ask thoughtful questions about the team, the role, or what success looks like. It signals genuine interest.

What should I do before the interview?

  • Research the company, the role, and the people you will meet.
  • Re-read the job description and prepare an example for each key requirement.
  • Practise your answers out loud, ideally with a friend.
  • Prepare a couple of stories you can adapt to many different prompts.

Make sure your resume got you in the door for the right reasons, and be ready to negotiate the offer when it comes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the STAR method?

A simple structure for behavioural questions: Situation, Task, Action, Result. It keeps your stories clear, concise, and focused on the outcome you delivered.

How many questions should I prepare?

Prepare strong answers to the ten above plus three or four flexible stories. That covers the vast majority of what any interview will throw at you.

What if I do not know an answer?

Stay calm, take a moment, and think aloud. Interviewers often care more about how you reason than about a perfect answer, and it is fine to ask for a second to gather your thoughts.

Interviews reward preparation, not luck. Ready your answers to these ten questions, practise them out loud, and bring real examples, and you will come across as the obvious choice. Next, prepare to negotiate your salary with confidence.