Quick answer: The same 20 questions come up at interviews across almost every industry — and you can prepare for every one of them in advance. Given that 46% of people (Ipsos, 2023) find finding a suitable job difficult, an interview is far too valuable an opportunity to leave to chance. Below you will find all 20 questions along with how to answer them.
What questions are most often asked at an interview?
The most common interview questions revolve around four things: you, your experience, your motivation and your salary. Through them the recruiter is finding out two things — whether you can do the job and whether you will fit into the team.
The good news is that these questions are predictable. Once you have prepared your answers in advance, at the interview you simply talk calmly.
20 interview questions and how to answer them
Each question comes with a short tip on how to "sell" your answer:
- Tell us something about yourself. — Sum up your career in 3 sentences pointing towards this role, not your whole resume.
- Why are you applying for this position? — Connect what you can do with what the company needs.
- What do you know about our company? — Before the interview, read at least their website and recent news.
- Why do you want to leave your current job? — Talk about where you are heading, not about what annoys you.
- What are your strengths? — Pick 2–3 that match the job ad and back them up with an example.
- What are your weaknesses? — Give a real weakness and, above all, how you are working on it.
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years? — Show ambition that makes sense within this company.
- Why should we hire you in particular? — One sentence: what specific problem you can solve for them.
- Describe a difficult situation and how you handled it. — Use the sequence: situation → what you did → result.
- How do you handle stress and pressure? — Give a concrete example, not the phrase "I am resilient".
- What is your greatest professional achievement? — Pick a measurable result (numbers land well).
- You have a gap in your resume — what were you doing? — Answer honestly and briefly, without apologising.
- Do you prefer working alone or in a team? — Ideally both, with an example of each.
- What does a good manager look like to you? — Describe a style of working together, not criticism of former bosses.
- What are your salary expectations? — State a range you have checked in advance (see below).
- When could you start? — Give a realistic date based on your notice period.
- Do you have other offers? — Be honest; a signal that other companies are interested does no harm.
- What motivates you at work? — Connect your motivation with what the role actually offers.
- How do you keep learning? — Mention a specific course, book or skill from recent times.
- Do you have any questions for us? — Always have at least two ready (see the next section).
What questions should you ask the employer?
Never say "no, I have no questions" — it comes across as disinterested. Your own questions are your chance to find out whether the job suits you.
- What does a typical working day in this role look like?
- How will you assess whether I have been successful in the first few months?
- What is the team I would be working with like?
- What are the opportunities for further growth?
What to wear to an interview?
Dress one level more formally than the company's usual dress code. For an office, go for smart casual; for production or operations, clean and tidy clothing is entirely enough. More important than brands are tidiness and punctuality — arrive 10–15 minutes early.
How much should you ask for at an interview?
Ask for a range you have checked against the market in advance, not a single fixed figure. The advantage is that the basic component of the salary or its range must now be stated directly in the job ad (see the Labour Code). You will find real figures by role in the average salary 2026 overview and in the article on how to ask for a higher salary.
How is an AI interview different?
An AI interview assesses what you actually know, not how well you come across on paper. Surikado Interview AI can tell whether you are answering off the top of your head or reading something out, tracks how long your answer takes and picks up on its logic.
For you that means one thing: a fair chance. No connections and no polished CV — if you really know your job, the AI will bring it out.
Try Surikado: over WhatsApp you say what you can do and you get tailored offers — or Surikado Interview AI can interview you for the position directly over a call. No CV and no registration.
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