1.

Tell us about yourself

This is an often-asked fresher interview question and its purpose is for the
interviewer to observe the candidate's demeanor and confidence in describing
themselves. The best way to answer is usually by briefly speaking about your
family history and education.Example: “I was born in New Jersey to a family
consisting mostly of teachers. I'm a hard-working individual with a winning
mentality and I always look for creative solutions to difficult challenges.”Related:

2. What are your biggest strengths?

The interviewer typically asks this question to see the area where you are most
confident in. However, you have to be able to find the right balance between
showing belief in yourself and not seeming overconfident.Example: “I am very
good at mathematics and anything numbers-related. This is why I started to get into
coding and I am already a fairly experienced Node JS backend developer.”

3. What are your biggest weaknesses?

This question usually either follows the previous one or the two are mixed
together. You should think of various shortcomings that you have and that you
are willing to work to overcome. They shouldn't be directly linked to the
responsibilities of the job you are applying for, however.Example: “I sometimes
have difficulties with time management and I end up spending much of my
personal time working or studying. However, this is something that I constantly
work on, with better results each day.”

4. What are your hobbies?

Asking about your personal time is a way for the interviewer to see what kind of
personality you have and how you unwind after work. You should show
enthusiasm when you answer but also reassure the interviewer that your
passions are not likely to interfere with your work.Example: “My biggest passion
is basketball. A knee injury kept me from trying out for my high school team, but I
play as often as I can. I believe sports keep you physically and mentally healthy
while instilling discipline in you.”
Show Transcript
Video: Top Common Interview Questions and Answers
Jenn, an Indeed Career Coach, breaks down the intentions behind
employer's questions and shares strategies for crafting strong responses.
5. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Interviewers ask this question to test an applicant's forward planning and

loyalty to the hiring company. Although it may be difficult to answer this
question as a fresher, it's best to do so by mentioning how you have high
ambitions for the future and how the company you are interviewing for can
help you achieve them.Example: “Five years from now I hope to be a
successful sales professional working for your company. I believe this job can help
me improve my skills and kickstart my career."

6. Why do you want to work with us?

This is a way for the interviewer to see how much you know about the
organization. The best answer is typically one that underlines the company's
strengths and how they can help your career.Example: “I want to work for this
organization because of its excellent track record in providing quality services and
loyalty to both customers and employees. I think your high standards can push me
to be better and your promotion policies can help me have a long and successful
career here.”

7. Why should we hire you?

This question aims to evaluate how you perceive your own skills and how
confident you are in your own abilities. The best way to answer this question is
to mention the skills and qualities you have that would be helpful for the job
you're applying for.Example: “I am very good with numbers and have an almost
obsessive attention to detail, so I think I am very well-suited for the role of junior
accountant at your company.”

8. What do you know about our organization?

This question helps the interviewer see how thorough your research was before
attending the interview. The best way to answer is by preparing for it and giving
an answer that convinces the interviewer that you are prepared for the
interview and understand the company's business model.Example: “I know you
started with four employees in 1996, but gradually grew in the years since then,
mainly due to your total commitment to customer satisfaction and cost reduction. I
also know that you plan to increase your turnover by 20 percent in the next three
years by going into new markets and geographical territories in South
America.”Related: How To Format a Fresher Resume (With Tips and
Examples)
9. What are your wage expectations?

This question typically appears after the interviewer has concluded that you
may be a good fit for the role. The best way to answer is typically by not giving
an actual number and at the same time reiterating how grateful you would be
to get the job and how well you would perform.Example: “It is a very difficult
question to answer from my position, as my lack of workplace experience prevents
me from knowing exactly what the market is for this role. However, it would be a
huge career step to work for your organization and I am sure my skills and
determination can be beneficial to the team.”

10. What is your motivation for doing a good job?

Interviewers ask this question to test your willingness to stay with the company
over the long term without losing your motivation. You should mention an
internal or external factor that keeps you motivated to perform and to
succeed.Example: “I am motivated by success, as I know how rewarding it can be. I
also know it doesn't come overnight and to have a good career in this industry I
have to work hard every day and gradually improve my skills.”

11. Are you a team player?

Most jobs require some kind of collaboration between employees, so this

question is a way for the interviewer to test this skill. Ideally, you should not
only answer with a yes but also give an example or explain why you can
function in a team situation.Example: “Yes I am. I have been playing basketball
and hockey since age seven and over the years I learned that, no matter how good
you are at something, you need to work with a team that is more than the sum of its
parts.”

12. What are your long-term goals?

In a similar way to the question about where you see yourself in five years, the
recruiter asks this question to see how far into the future you have planned out
your life and how likely you are of being a long-term asset for the
company.Example: “My long-term goal is to work in a management position. One
of the things that attracted me to your company is the fact that you tend to promote
from within.”

13. How good are you at handling pressure?

The interviewer asks this question to test your composure in difficult situations
and to discover how pressure may affect your job performance. Simply stating
that you are good at handling pressure is not likely to convince the interviewer,
so the best way to answer this question is by giving examples of situations
where you were faced with pressure and managed to handle it.Example: “I
think pressure helps me stay focused and prioritize things. For example, in my final
year of high school, I was pressured to finish the school year with high marks,
prepare for college and keep performing my extracurricular activities at the same
time. The pressure helped me organize my tasks and pushed me to succeed on all
three fronts.”

14. When can you start?

Although it may seem so, this question is not an invitation to join the company,
but simply a way for the interviewer to see if you have other commitments
preventing you from starting right away should you get the job. Unless you
have other activities that prevent you from doing so, you need to express your
willingness to start right away without seeming overeager.Example: “I can start
immediately. I organized my priorities to be sure that, should I get this position, I
have the time to do it."

15. What is your ideal job?

Recruiters ask this question to see how your ideals line up with the job you are
interviewing for. You should avoid mentioning any job that is completely
unrelated to the one you are after right now.Example: “I always wanted to
manage a large company or department and make tough decisions on a daily basis.
I think this company can offer me that someday.”

16. How flexible are you regarding overtime?

Some companies require their employees to occasionally put in extra hours and
work late nights or weekends. Assuming you are willing to do that, you should
express your desire to help the company when needed. If you are not willing to
do it, you should mention it politely and honestly.Example: “I am comfortable
with helping out in difficult situations once in a while, but I have some family
commitments and I usually prefer to maintain a healthy work-life balance.”

17. Who do you think are this company's biggest competitors?

This question not only shows how much research you did on the hiring
company but also how familiar you are with the entire industry it operates in.
Ideally, you would have done your research and the best answer is typically a
brief description of the organization's biggest rivals.Example: “As far as I know,
Cybersmoke Systems have the biggest share of the market after yours, followed by
Hollow Communications. I also noticed a startup named OSB Tech who is quickly
gathering market share.”

18. What kind of environment do you expect at our organization?

The recruiter asks this question to discover how well the employee knows the
organization's culture and how well they'd integrate. The best way to answer
this question is to research the company and discover some of its
characteristics, while also stating your flexibility.Example: “I am expecting an
open-space office situation, with everyone working separately, but also
collaborating on various projects. That being said, I am very flexible and adapt
quickly to any work situation.”

19. Are you willing to relocate for work?

The purpose of this question is fairly obvious: to find out if the candidate is
willing to move to a different geographical area. If the answer is yes, you should
state so emphatically. If the answer is no, you should be truthful but also show
openness to the possibility of relocating in the future.Example: “I would love to
work for you but unfortunately I can't relocate at this time due to some personal
circumstances. However, I would definitely consider it in the future.”

20. What are your short-term goals?

This question helps the recruiter determine how much you want the role. You
should provide an answer that ties your goals to the role you are applying
for.Example: “Over the short term my main goal is to find a job with great career
prospects.”

21. Do you have any questions for us?

This is a commonly-asked question and usually comes at the end of the

interview. The best way to answer is to research the company beforehand and
have one or more questions prepared.Example: “Can you tell me what my
everyday tasks would be and who would I be reporting to?