60 Toughest Interview Questions

& Recommended Answers

Question 1: Tell me about yourself.

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This is the single most important strategy in

Question 2: What are your greatest strengths?

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Question 3: What are your greatest weaknesses?

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Question 4: Tell me about the greatest mistake you ever made in your life.
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Question 5: Why are you leaving (or did you leave) this most recent position?
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Question 6: Why should I hire you?

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Question 7: Aren't you overqualified for this position?
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Question 8: Where do you see yourself five years from now?

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Question 9: Describe your ideal company, location and job.

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Question 10: Why do you want to work at our company?

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Question 11: What are your career options right now?

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Question 12: Why have you been out of work so long?

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Question 13: Tell me honestly about the strong points and weak points of your (former or
present) boss (company, management team, etc.).
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Question 14: What good books have you read lately?

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Question 15: Tell me about a situation when your work was criticized.
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Question 16: What are your outside interests?
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Question 17: How do you feel about reporting to a younger person (minority, woman, etc)?
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Question 18: On confidential matters…

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Question 19: Looking back, what would you do differently in your life?
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Question 20: Could you have done better in your last job?
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Question 21: Can you work under pressure?
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Question 22: Who has inspired you in your life and why?
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Question 23: What was the toughest decision you ever had to make?
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Question 24: Tell me about the most boring job you've ever had.
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Question 25: Have you been absent from work more than a few days in any previous
position?
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Question 26: What changes would you expect to make if you came on board?
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Question 27: I'm concerned that you don't have … (“x” college degree/ “x” certification or
licensure/ as much experience as we'd like in “x” area….)
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Question 28: How do you feel about working nights and weekends?
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Question 29: Are you willing to relocate or travel?

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Question 30: Do you have the stomach to fire people? Have you had experience firing
people when necessary?
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Question 31: Why have you had so many jobs?

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Question 32: What do you see as the proper role/mission of…

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Question 33: What would you say to your boss if he's crazy about an idea, but you think it
stinks?
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Question 34: How could you have improved your career progress?
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Question 35: What would you do if a colleague at your level wasn't pulling his/her weight…
and this was hurting your department?
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Question 36: You were with your former employer a long time. Won't it be hard switching
to a new company?
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Question 37: May I contact your present employer for a reference?

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Question 38: Give me an example of your creativity (analytical skill…managing ability, etc.)
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Question 39: Where could you use some improvement?

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Question 40: What do you worry about?

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Question 41: Could you be considered a workaholic? (or) How many hours a week do you
normally work?
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Question 42: What's the most difficult part of being a (your job title)?
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Question 43: The "Hypothetical Problem"

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Question 44: The Behavioral Question (“Tell About a Time When….”)

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Question 45: What was the toughest challenge you've ever faced?
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Question 46: Would you consider starting your own business?
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Question 47: What are your goals?

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Question 48: What do you look for when you hire people?
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Question 49: Sell me this stapler (or this pencil…this clock…or other object on the desk).
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Question 50: Looking back on your last position, have you done your best work?
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Question 51: What was the toughest part of your last job?
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Question 52: How do you define success…and how do you measure up to your own
definition?
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Question 53: Tell me something negative you've heard about our company. (A variation on
“What do you know about our company?”)
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Question 54: Why should I hire you from the outside when I could promote someone from
within?
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Question 55: The Illegal Question

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Question 56: The Unasked Illegal Question
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Question 57: "The Opinion Question" - What do you think about …Abortion…The President…
The Death Penalty…(or any other controversial subject)?
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Question 58: If you won $10 million in the lottery, would you still work?
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Question 59: "The Salary Question" - How much money do you want?
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Question 60: On a scale of one to ten, rate me as an interviewer.

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This WIOA Title I financially-assisted program or activity is an “Equal Opportunity Employer/Program.”