1. Can you tell me a little about yourself?

“So, tell me about yourself.”

What seems like such a simple question can really make you sweat, especially in an interview. What,
exactly, should you share—not just to build rapport, but to show that you’re the perfect fit for the job?

Fear not, job seekers: There’s a super-simple formula that will help you answer this question with ease.
Watch this quick video as our CEO Kathryn Minshew gives a simple tip from our career expert Lily Zhang,
then try it out for yourself!

(Can’t watch the video at work? Don’t worry—we’ve also copied the transcript below.)

How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself”

So, the first question you’re probably going to get in an interview is, “Tell me about yourself.” Now, this is
not an invitation to recite your entire life story or even to go bullet by bullet through your resume.
Instead, it’s probably your first and best chance to pitch the hiring manager on why you’re the right one
for the job.

A formula I really like to use is called the Present-Past-Future formula. So, first you start with the present
—where you are right now. Then, segue into the past—a little bit about the experiences you’ve had and
the skills you gained at the previous position. Finally, finish with the future—why you are really excited
for this particular opportunity.

Let me give you an example:

If someone asked, “tell me about yourself,” you could say:

“Well, I’m currently an account executive at Smith, where I handle our top performing client. Before that,
I worked at an agency where I was on three different major national healthcare brands. And while I really
enjoyed the work that I did, I’d love the chance to dig in much deeper with one specific healthcare
company, which is why I’m so excited about this opportunity with Metro Health Center.”

Remember throughout your answer to focus on the experiences and skills that are going to be most
relevant for the hiring manager when they’re thinking about this particular position and this company.
And ultimately, don’t be afraid to relax a little bit, tell stories and anecdotes—the hiring manager already
has your resume, so they also want to know a little more about you.

2. How did you hear about the position?

I know what you’re thinking. Nobody messes this interview question up, right? I mean, it’s the easiest
one you’ll ever have to answer during your job hunt. Ever. When I was recruiting, I approached it with
the mindset of, “I’m going to ask the candidate to tell me how he found the gig just to break the ice.” Or,
I’m going to bring this up to know which of my many methods actually led to a qualified candidate sitting
in front of me. Never was it ever a trick question.

But I quickly learned that in a lot of ways, this one trips people up sometimes. And because I’ve seen
some of the worst examples, here’s how you can avoid making the most common mistakes when talking
about how you found the job.
1. You Feel Uneasy About Sharing That a Friend Referred You

I get it. Nepotism, right? Yuck. Nobody wants to feel like he got his foot in the door just because he
knows someone at the company. What's worse than getting a little help from a friend? Dancing around
the answer, hoping that you won't have to fess up to the fact that not only is your future on the line,
your friend currently has a referral fee on the table for getting you an interview.

What to Do Instead

I hate to sound so crass, but if you’re fortunate enough to know someone at a company you want to
work for, just buckle up and tell everyone who asks you exactly how you found out about the job. A
simple response like, “I was excited to find out about the job from my friend who works in [department]”
is a perfectly OK response. In fact, it’s the only response you should be giving if this is the case.

2. You Turn it Into a Monologue About Why This Is the Only Job You Want

Here's a perfect example of an interview question that only requires a short answer. All you need to do is
tell the hiring manager where you found the darn job. But, all too often, candidates get so caught up in
the moment that they end up turning it into a long-winded explanation of not only where they found the
listing, but also why they couldn’t imagine working anywhere else. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with
being excited about an opportunity, but when you’re going on and on about how you simple found the
gig, it can be a huge turn-off for a recruiter.

What to Do Instead

If you want to fold in a little tidbit about why you’re so excited about the job, that’s not a terrible idea.
But, keep it short. Add your unique spin to a response along the lines of, “I found it on [wherever you
found the job], and since I’ve been hoping to work for the company for a long time, I was excited to see
the opening had become available.” That’s all you need. Seriously.

3. What do you know about the company?

Acing the interview isn’t just about having the perfect canned speeches. Yes, you need to show off your
experience, talents, and personality—but before answering each question, you also have to figure out
what the interviewer is actually asking you.

Those seemingly innocuous questions, like “tell me about yourself” and “where do you see yourself in a
few years?” aren’t just get-to-know-you conversation starters. They’re one of the key ways an
interviewer will seek to uncover whether you’re the right fit for the job.

So, before you start to share your life story—or recite the same answer you gave at the last interview—
it’s important to figure out what the interviewer really wants to know. Check out our guide to translating
interviewer-speak, and learn how to plot your answers accordingly.

1. Question: Tell me about yourself.

Translation: Tell me why you’re the right fit for this job.

The interviewer already has your resume and cover letter, so she’s not looking for a rundown of your
employment history. Nor does she care that you grew up in Boston and love to jog on the weekends.
She’s looking for a pitch—one that’s concise, compelling, and keeps her attention, and one that tells her
exactly why you’re the right fit for the job.

So, while this is a good time to paint a broad picture of who you are, it’s most important that you include
a couple of key facts that will sell you as the right candidate.

Think about the 2-3 specific accomplishments or experiences that you most want the interviewer to
know about, and share them here. You can frame your stories or tie them together using a theme or a
quote, if appropriate, such as “My first boss told me that fundraising is really building relationships, and
that’s the approach I’ve taken throughout my career. For example…”

It’s also a good idea to practice your answer aloud, record it, then listen to your pitch. Are you engaging?
Are you rambling? Are you getting your most important points across loud and clear? (This is good advice
for any interview question.)

2. Question: How would you explain our organization’s mission?

Translation: Can you be an ambassador for our organization?

Any candidate can read and regurgitate the company’s “About” page. So, when an interviewer asks you
this, she isn’t necessarily trying to gauge whether you understand the mission—she wants to know
whether you care about it, and she’s looking for who in the applicant pool can most effectively discuss
the organization’s work and its impact.

So, in addition to doing your research on the company’s work, think about concrete ways it relates to
your passions and experiences, and weave them into your answer.

Start with one line that shows you understand the mission, using a couple key words and phrases from
the website, but then go on to make it personal. Say, “I’m personally drawn to this mission because…” or
“I really believe in this approach because…” and share a personal example or two. For example, if you’re
interviewing at a school that stresses character, share some specific character-building education
activities you’ve led for students in your last job. If you’re interviewing for a position at a hospital, talk
about the 5K you recently ran to raise money for leukemia or your passion for volunteering your time to
help children with cancer.

4. Why do you want this job?

Like the dreaded “Tell me about yourself,” the question, “Why are you interested in this position?” is
sure to come up in an interview.

And, even if it doesn’t, if you want the job you should get this sentiment across regardless. So, really,
there’s no way around figuring out how to string together a coherent thought about why this being in
this position makes sense for you (and for the company).

Luckily, there’s actually a pretty simple way to go about answering this question effectively without
having to go through every big moment or transition in your life and career that’s brought you to this
interview. Here’s a smart framework for how you should structure your answer.

Step 1: Express Enthusiasm for the Company

First things first, this is an excellent opportunity for you to show off what you know about the company.
You can talk all day about how excited you are about joining the team, but nothing will trump actually
knowing a thing or two about the place you’re interviewing with. So, to prepare, spend some time
honing in on what you know about the company and select a few key factors to incorporate into your
pitch for why you’re a good fit.

Say you’re interviewing for a small quantitative asset management company. The start of your answer
might sound something like this:

The first thing that caught my eye when I saw the position posted was definitely that it was at EFG
Advisers. I know that you build a lot of your tools in-house, the team is small, and you run a variety of
long- and short-term strategies in the U.S. equities markets using a quantitative approach.

Especially with smaller companies, it’s always impressive when a candidate knows a thing or two about
what goes on at the company. And the best thing about this is you rarely have to go beyond reviewing
the company website or having a quick conversation with a current or past employee to learn enough to
sound like you’ve been following the company for a while.

Step 2: Align Your Skills and Experiences With the Role

Next, you want to sell why, exactly, you’re right for the role. There are two ways you can do this: You can
either focus more on your experiences (what you’ve done before that brings you to this point) or your
skills (especially helpful if you’re pivoting positions or industries).

Try to pinpoint what the main part of the role entails, plus a couple of the “desired skills” in the job
description, and make sure you speak to that. Follow up your introduction to how excited you are about
the company with why you’re a good fit:

But the part that really spoke to me about this position was the chance to combine both the
programming skills I gained from being a senior software engineer and my knack for quantitative analysis
in a position that actively lets me engage with my growing interest in investing and portfolio
management.

Keep it short—you’ll have plenty of opportunities to talk about how you got your skills or relevant stories
throughout the interview—and just focus on highlighting a couple key relevant abilities or experiences
for the position.

Step 3: Connect to Your Career Trajectory

Finally, you want to show that the position makes sense for where you’re going in your career. Ideally,
you won’t give the impression that you’re just using the position as a stepping stone. Show that you’ll be
around for the long haul, and your interviewer will feel more comfortable investing in you:

I’ve been interested in switching to finance for a while now and have been actively managing my own
personal portfolio for a few years. Joining a quant shop makes sense to me because I think it’s one of the
few places where I’ll still be able to use my technical skills and spend my day thinking about finance. I’m
really excited to learn more and see how I’ll be able to contribute the firm.

Of course, you don’t have to state specifically that you see yourself in the position for a long time. Just
show that you’ve given some thought to how the job makes sense for you now and that it continues to
make sense for the foreseeable future.

String these three components together, and you have a response that will impress on three fronts: your
knowledge and enthusiasm for the company, your relevant skills, and your general fit with the position.
Plus, this framework has the added benefit of not stopping the flow of the conversation the way going
through your entire life story would.

5. Why should we hire you?

I don’t even like asking this question in a mock interview, so I don’t know how hiring managers stomach
it in a real one. But, apparently they do—in fact, turns out it’s one of the 31 most common interview
questions.

The good news is, despite how demanding and weirdly petulant the question is, it’s actually a really
great opportunity to sum up why you’re a good fit for the position. It allows you to talk about your skills,
your fit with the culture, and everything in between. What more could you ask for in an interview?

So, how exactly do you cover your bases for such an open question? Here are three strategies.

1. The Intersection

One way to attack this interview question is to intersect what’s in it for the hiring manager and what’s in
it for you. Basically, you want to get across that he or she will get a enthusiastic employee who has the
exact right skill set for the position and that you’ll get to—and therefore look forward to and be
motivated to—do something meaningful, build your skills, and work toward the next step of your career.

The key here is to not forget that second part: talking about yourself. Too many people make the mistake
of only listing the benefits for the employer. Going into what’s in it for you will give insight into why you’ll
stay driven—a trait all interviewers are looking for.

2. The Company Expert

Some interviewers will spell it out and others won’t, but you should know that the full question is
always, “Why should I hire you over everyone else?” If you feel you’ve already spelled out your skills and
experience multiple times, perhaps a better approach for you is to show what you have to offer that
others don’t. Assuming you’re competing against other similarly qualified candidates, a good thing to
highlight at this point is your dedication to the role.

To do that, show deep knowledge of the business and an understanding for how you might fit in. This, of
course, requires a good bit of company research (here’s a great guide to get you started), so you can talk
about the uniqueness, the history, the future, and your own personal investment.

Diving into your knowledge of the company serves a few purposes. You show your excitement for the
position, you come off as an insider who might be easier to train than other candidates, and you
demonstrate how you handle something you’re invested in.

3. The Problem Solver

Frequently, hiring managers post positions because they have a problem that needs to be solved. Get
straight to the point with your response and outline, ideally in detail, how you can offer immediate relief
for the company’s pain point.

Like in a “Pain Letter,” don’t spend all your time talking about the past—focus your efforts on the future,
and explain how you can make the interviewer’s life easier by addressing his most imminent issue. This
shows you’re forward-thinking, already a team player, and ready to hit the ground running.

Next time you’re faced with this interview question, try one of these strategies to stand out above your
competition. If nothing else, you’ll be memorable for how polished and unruffled you were. That alone
might make you special.

6. What are your greatest professional strengths?

If starting multiple businesses people love is any measure of success for a serial entrepreneur, Tina Roth
Eisenberg has got it made. Known as Swiss Miss, she runs a popular design blog, created a company
making temporary design tattoos Tattly, and founded Creative Mornings, a breakfast talk series held in 80
cities (and growing!) around the world.

At a 99U Conference, Eisenberg shared stories from her journey as designer turned creative
entrepreneur—and one question that helps keep her going. It’s a simple question, but one that she says
gives her a lot of focus and clarity:

If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?

Don’t worry: This isn’t another one of those curveball interview questions. She says that all the most
successful people she’s met have been able to answer this question immediately: John Maeda, who led
the MIT Media Lab and Rhode Island School of Design, responded with “curiosity.” Maria Popova, who
curates the popular Brain Pickings blog by reading 12-15 books a week, said “doggedness.” Eisenberg’s
own superpower? Enthusiasm.

Figuring out your superpower means you know yourself well enough to have a focus, and that’s the
same competitive advantage that makes you so great at what you do. It’s the quality you’re most proud
of, the one thing that makes you stand out, and what gives you an edge over everyone else.

So, if you haven’t ever considered what your superpower might be, do! Having an answer to this
question shows that you’ve thought hard about your best personal qualities, and you’ll even have
something prepared for the “What’s your greatest strength?” question at your next interview.

And if your current answer doesn’t sit well with you? Well, there’s no better time to think about what
you want to be known for and start getting to that next level.

7. What do you consider to be your weaknesses?

“You’ve told me about your strengths—now, can you share what you consider to be your biggest
weakness?”

It’s the interview question that nobody likes. Well, except for hiring managers—who ask it pretty
frequently—which means that you should be prepared with a well-thought-out answer.

How to Answer “What Are Your Weaknesses?”

The questions, “What’s your greatest weakness?” or “What do you know you need to work on?” trip a
lot of people up, because who wants to talk about the less impressive parts of your skill set or
personality?

But here’s the thing: It can be really tough, but it’s important not to lie or to gloss over your weaknesses.
Ultimately, most employers want to hire someone who’s reflective about their skill sets and knows what
they’re not as good and need to work on.

So here’s one way that I think about answering this question. First, think about something that isn’t your
strong suit, whether it’s delegating to others or attention to detail, but think about it back in the past.
Show how you’ve taken steps to overcome it, or worked hard on getting better, and mention that you’re
still working and working at becoming even better at this skill set.

So for example, if someone said, “What’s your biggest weakness?” you could answer:

Well, I used to be pretty horrible at public speaking. When I started college, it was a massive problem,
and I was just terrified of doing it, and I didn’t do a very good job. So first I took the small step of
promising myself that I would speak up in front of really small groups, for example in class. Then, I
worked up to taking a public speaking class, which made a big difference. Now, even though I get
nervous, I feel like its something that doesn’t completely hold me back, and, in fact, recently I gave a
speech at a conference to over 100 people. My hands were shaking the whole time, but I got really good
feedback at the end.

See, that wasn’t so bad. Now just make sure you don’t say something like, “I’m too perfect,” or “I
struggle with perfectionism,” because nobody really believes that is your biggest weakness.

8. What is your greatest professional achievement?

Give your interviewer a firm handshake. Make eye contact. Answer each question succinctly. Have
questions to ask the interviewer at the end.

If you’ve had a job, then you’ve had an interview, and you likely know those interview essentials and
these interview questions.

But if you want to move from being a viable candidate to the hiring manager’s top choice, you’ll need to
go well beyond the basics. While the way you dress and present yourself is important, it will be the
substance of your responses and interactions that leave the interviewer picturing you in the role—and,
more importantly, being unable to imagine that anyone else could be a better fit.

Convey these four messages in your next interview, and you’re sure to hit a home run.

1. You Were Indispensable in Your Previous Jobs

Hiring managers want to hire people who have a history of getting things done. The logic goes that if you
were successful in other jobs, then you’re likely to be successful in this one. Truly, nothing says “hire me”
better than a track record of achieving amazing results in past jobs.

So, your first task in the interview is to describe how indispensable you were in your previous position.
Now, you can’t just say, “I was the best Junior Analyst they’d ever seen, and the place will never be the
same now that I’m gone”—you have to show the interviewer by providing specific examples of the
actions you took and what results came because of them.
These are two of the four components of the S-T-A-R method for responding to interview questions. To
use this method, set up the situation and the task that you were required to complete to provide the
interviewer with background context (e.g., “In my last job as a Junior Analyst, it was my role to manage
the invoicing process”), but spend the bulk of your time describing what you actually did (the action) and
what you achieved (the result).

“In one month, I streamlined the process, which saved my group 10 man-hours each month and reduced
errors on invoices by 5%.”

Don’t worry that someone else could have done it if they were in your position—they weren’t. It was
your job, your actions, your results.

2. You Will Be Awesome in This New Job

Unfortunately, success in one role doesn’t necessarily translate to being a fit in another role—and to
convince the interviewer that you’ll be able to hit the ground running and be awesome in the new job,
you must explain how your skills translate. In particular, you want to highlight those skills that specifically
address the issues that the hiring manager is facing.

To understand those issues, conduct industry research prior to the interview. Are there certain themes
that come up again and again in job descriptions in your field, like being a shark at sales or a detail-
oriented perfectionist? Also, listen closely to what the interviewer is asking—often, she’ll ask leading
questions or share challenges that others before you have had in the role.

For example, say the interviewer asks, “We have tight deadlines and have to turn around our projects
quickly. Can you work under time pressure?”

Don’t just say yes—give a response that showcases your skills and how they’d transfer, like: “Absolutely.
In my last job, we often had short deadlines. I was great at managing these situations because I focused
on consistent communication with the team, and used my organization skills to stay on top of everything
we had going on.” Then, provide a specific example.

3. You’re the Perfect Fit for This Job

Companies have interview guidelines designed to hire the most qualified employees based on
experience and aptitude, but let’s be honest: Often a big factor is likability.

Hiring managers don’t generally hire people that they don’t connect or vibe with. Of course, they don’t
often say that—they cloak it in statements like, “She’s smart, but I just don’t think that she is the right fit
for the role.” But the truth is, you won’t get hired if you’re not liked.

So, to get the job, you must connect with the interviewer. I’m not suggesting that you crack jokes or
become buddies—but you should be confident and interact as if you’re already working together,
through eye contact, active listening, smiling, and avoiding nervous laughter. I call it “relaxed formality.”

It’s an interview, so don’t get too comfortable, but try to be yourself and have a natural conversation.

4. You Really Want This Job

You’re almost there! But, it’s not enough that you’re capable of doing the job and would be pleasant to
work with—you have to actually want the job. Hiring managers, after all, are looking for employees that
really want to be there and will be part of the team for the long haul.

So, you want to show enthusiasm for the role. Not bouncy cheerleader “spirit,” but the type of
enthusiasm that comes from understanding what the role entails, how you can add value in the role
based on your previous experiences, and what new challenges it offers to you for growth and
development.

Think, “One of the reasons I’m so excited about this role is because it allows me to leverage my client
management skills [your expertise] with larger clients on more complex deals [the new challenge].”

And, of course, you’ll want to follow up with a genuine, seal-the-deal thank you note!

9. Tell me about a challenge or conflict you've faced at work, and how you dealt
with it.
You’ve reviewed your resume, practiced your elevator pitch, checked out common behavioral interview
questions, and reviewed a few stories you can share during the interview.

All is well, and you’re feeling confident. And when the interviewer says, “Tell me about a time you
disagreed with your supervisor,” you are ready to go and launch straight into a story about that one time
you bravely confronted the director of marketing at your previous company about a new campaign you
had a bad feeling about.

OK, so maybe that doesn’t sound like you—yet. Let’s take a step back and talk about how you can get
there.

Pick the Right Story

All these “Tell me about a time when…” questions require stories. As a hiring manager, it’s incredibly
unsatisfying to interview someone who has no stories to share. After all, how can someone know what
you can do if you can’t talk about what you’ve done? Don’t be that job candidate.

So, how do you find the right stories to share? Go through the job description and highlight all the soft
skills that are featured. You’ll likely find things like “ability to work on a team and independently,”
“comfort with multitasking,” or “strong communication skills.”

Then, come up with an example of a time you demonstrated each of these traits—though keep in mind
that you don’t necessarily need a different example for each. In fact, it’s better to come up with stories
that are flexible, since you’ll likely have to adapt them to the exact questions anyway.

There are, of course, a few things that interviewers frequently like to ask about that will not be on the
job descriptions. Be prepared for “negative” questions, like “Tell me about a time you had to deal with a
conflict on your team” or “Tell me about a time you failed.” It’s not that interviewers are out to get you—
how you handle conflict and failure are good things to know—it’s just not the best idea to put “must deal
with frequent team conflict” in a job description.

Finally, brainstorm a few more questions that could potentially come up based on the position you’re
applying for and your particular situation.
For example, if you have a big gap on your resume, you’ll want to be prepared to talk about why you’re
no longer at your previous job (more on that here), or if you’re coming into a newly merged department,
you should be prepared to discuss a time you’ve been part of a big change.

Make a Statement

Once you have your stories, it’s time to think a little deeper about why these questions are asked in the
first place. What does the interviewer actually want to know?

Take a few seconds to think about this before you start answering the question—even if you have the
perfect story prepared—so that you can make an appropriate introductory statement about essentially
what the moral of your story is going to be.

The reason for this is that even though the interviewer is specifically asking you to tell a story, the idea is
that he or she will learn something about the way you do things. The problem with this is that what the
interviewer gleans from your story could be very different from what you were hoping to share.

For example, say you tell that story about standing up to the director of marketing when asked to talk
about conflict with a previous supervisor. You eloquently move through the story about how you shared
your hesitation about the new marketing campaign to no avail, but once the initial numbers came in, it
was clear that you were right. You triumphantly showed the performance to the director, and she agreed
to scrap the campaign.

While this story is definitely suitable, there are actually a few different ways it could be taken the wrong
way. The interviewer could hone in on the fact that you really didn’t do anything until it was too late or
that you were unpersuasive or a poor communicator the first time you raised concerns about the
campaign.

To make sure your stories are as effective as possible, make a statement before you start telling the story.
In this particular example, it might be something like this, “I learned early on in my professional career
that it’s fine to disagree if you can back up your hunches with data.” Now, when you tell your story, it’s
not about the various ways you could have approached the situation better, but about how you learned
from that experience and how you use it to inform future disagreements.

Finish Strong

So, when it comes to these behavioral interview questions, have some stories prepared and then
practice framing them based on the question you’re asked. Practice, practice, practice, and you’ll sound
like a natural in no time.

The final piece of the puzzle is wrapping up your answers well. You don’t want to ruin your perfect frame
and story by ending your response with, “And… yeah.”

Instead, try connecting the story back to the company or position. Quickly explaining how your
experience would be useful in the position you’re interviewing for is always a strong way to wrap up.

Another way to finish up a response is to give the “in short” version of the answer. For example, “In
short, it’s not that I’m an amazing multitasker—I just set and review my priorities frequently.” Wrapping
up an interview answer (see more in-depth tips here) is such a commonly neglected area of preparation,
but it can really help you nail the “strong communicator” impression, so don’t disregard it when you’re
practicing.

The thing people assume about these questions is that they’re all about the story. And, yes, that is a
critical component.

But even if your story isn’t exactly what the interview question asked for, if it’s framed well and you go
the extra mile to tell the interviewer what he or she should take away from it, you’ll actually end up
making a stronger impression.

So, don’t stress too much about having the perfect stories lined up or the exact relevant experience.
Instead, focus on the messages you’re trying to communicate to the hiring manager, and back them up
with the stories that you have.

10. Where do you see yourself in five years?

“Where do you see yourself in five years?”

When a hiring manager asks you this, there may be a few things running through your brain. “Moving
(way) up the ranks,” “running this place,” “working for myself,” or “in your job,” for example.

None of which are necessarily things you should say out loud in an interview.

So, how do you answer, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

This can feel like a bit of a trick question, because sometimes the answer is, “not in this job,” or, “in your
job,” or something like, “at a bigger better opportunity elsewhere.” But none of those are things you
actually want to say to a hiring manager.

The good news is you can be honest while still telling them what they really want to know. Do you have
realistic expectations for your career? Are you ambitious? And does this particular position align with
your growth and goals overall?

For example, one way I like to think about it is: Think about where this position could realistically take
you, and think about how that aligns with some of your broader professional goals.

So, for example, you might say, “Well I’m really excited by this position at Midnight Consulting because in
five years, I’d like to be seen as someone with deep expertise in the energy sector, and I know that’s
something that I’ll have an opportunity to do here. I’m also really excited to take on more managerial
responsibilities in the next few years and potentially even take the lead on some projects. I’ve been lucky
enough to work with some amazing managers, and so developing into a great manager myself is
something I’m really excited about.”

So, what if this position is not a one-way ticket to your professional aspirations? It’s okay to say you don’t
really know what the future holds, but you see how this experience could really help in making that
decision.

11. What's your dream job?

It’s important to be able to articulate your dream job. Not just for personal reasons, but also for when
you’re asked about it in interviews.
But, how can you even begin to describe your ideal job, especially to someone who’s clearly going to be
judging your response? Just picking a place to start is a head-scratcher.

Here’s a hint: Career counselors like to think about good jobs as the intersection of your skills, interests,
and values. That’s a good way for you to approach it as well. Talking about your skills will give you an
opportunity to sell them a bit—after all, it is an interview. Your interests will show your investment, and
your values can help illustrate your fit with the company.

Break it down into three parts, like this:

1. What Skills Do You Want to Use?

First, let’s talk about what you’re good at doing, or your strengths. It’s likely you’ve already had the
chance to talk about this topic a bit during the interview, so it makes for a nice transition.

Highlight the skills that you enjoy using most, not just the ones you’re a superstar at. This is about your
dream job, so don’t shy away from mentioning any that you want to grow as well.

Here are a couple of ways you can begin your response:

I’ve mentioned my experience with __. My dream job would definitely have to relate to that. I’d also love
to grow my skills in __.

I’ve thought about this before, and I know I would want to keep honing my skills in __ as well as learn
more about __.

2. What Interests You?

Next, it’s time to talk about what interests you.

Think big picture for this. What drew you to your industry? What’s something you did as a kid that’s
actually found its way into your work? What is it about your career that keeps you engaged? Weave that
in.

Build on your answer like this:

I’ve been interested in the __ industry ever since I first discovered __. That, combined with my interest in
__ and __, means I’ve been hooked ever since.

In terms of job content, I’m interested in work that involves __ and __. I’ve been curious about things like
this ever since __, so I would definitely want that to be part of my dream job.

3. What Are Your Values?

Giving a sense of what your career values are will give the interviewer an idea about what motivates you;
it’s a good way to bring the focus back to the company you’re interviewing for (assuming, of course, that
your values align with the company culture).

It also adds some extra complexity to your answer. You’re not just saying, “I want an interesting job that
I’m good at.” I mean, that’s nice, but this is your dream job we’re talking about!
Wrap up your response with something like this:

Based on my skills and interests, in my dream job, I would want to __ as related to __, ideally in a
company where I could __ and __. These are both really important to me, and I’m excited to see that
they seem to be equally important to this company.

Basically, my dream job would be to __ for __ in a position that would allow me to __ and __. I value this
last point in particular—it’s the reason I’m so excited to be interviewing for this position.

Notice how none of this included an actual job title? It’s not necessary.

Don’t pigeonhole yourself with anything that official. Instead, give the hiring manager a more nuanced
response by covering your skills, interests, and values. He or she will get the chance to learn more about
you—and you have more flexibility to line up your career goals and the position you’re applying for.
That’s a win-win.

12. What other companies are you interviewing with?

This question always throws people for a loop. Why are they asking, and how much do they actually
need to know?

Well, hiring managers are curious about what other companies you’re interviewing with for a few
reasons. They might want to scope out the competition, see how serious you are about the industry, or
even gauge their likelihood of landing such a star candidate.

Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way—the answer is not, “This is the only company I’m interviewing
with.” No need to give the interviewer more power than he or she already has.

So, how do you respond to this in a way that doesn’t make you sound desperate or unattainable? Here
are some ideas, depending on your particular situation.

If You’re Interviewing for Competitors

Say you have a couple of interviews set up at other companies within the industry. That’s a great position
to be in. Your best bet would be to explain how you’re actively exploring options within your field and
that you currently have some other interviews lined up—but are most excited about this position.

For example:

I do have a couple of interviews coming up soon with Digital Ventures and Renley and Co. for senior
marketing positions. But I can tell you that, based on what I know, this position has exactly the kinds of
challenges I’m looking for in my next role.

If You’re Interviewing in Other Industries

A trickier situation is if you’re interviewing for positions in a variety of industries. You don’t want to come
off as uncommitted to the type of role you’re applying for, so this requires a bit more finesse than the
previous situation. To make this work, try finding the connection between all the positions you’re
targeting. Once you have this common thread, let it guide your response.

It might sound like this:

I’m interviewing with a few companies for a range of positions, but they all come down to delivering an
excellent customer experience. I wanted to keep an open mind about how to best achieve that goal, but
so far it seems that this role will really allow me to focus all of my energy on customer experience and
retention, which I find very appealing.

If You’re Not Interviewing Anywhere Else

You know not to say this directly, but how do you get around it? The trick is to simply choose to answer a
different question. Instead of responding with your lack of other interviews, let your interviewer know
what types of positions and companies you’ve been applying to.

Here’s how it could go:

I’m still pretty early in my job search. I’ve applied to a number of opportunities that will allow me to use
my skills in data visualization to help educate clients, but this position is most exciting to me. In fact, I
think this position is a particularly good fit for my skill set because I can leverage my significant
experience working with complicated data sets.

In short, you want to answer the interviewer in a satisfactory manner, but you also want to get across
that you’re especially invested in the position you’re currently interviewing for. As with all interview
questions, you and the interviewer both have agendas. Answering well requires accomplishing both.

13. Why are you leaving your current job?

Dear Pat,

I took my current job right out of college and have moved laterally and been promoted a number of
times. A while back, a new director was brought in to finally give my department the stability it's been
lacking for many years.

Since then, I've seen this company make some very suspect business decisions, including laying off good
workers, hiring lazy workers, and targeting to eventually fire people who have been the backbone of this
company. People who have given this company their all are either no longer working here or fear for
their jobs daily, which makes the work environment almost unbearable. To top it all off, the new director
has replaced everyone who is now gone with someone from her team at her previous employer. It's like
they're staging a coup!

I decided months ago that it was time to start looking for a new job, but never got serious until my
mentor was fired. Since then, I've been sending resumes left and right but a nagging question keeps
coming back to me. If and when I finally get that interview and they ask me why I'm looking, what can I
say? I know better than to trash my current employer, and my old standby has been, "I really can't see
myself growing professionally there," but will that get me by? Do employers see right through that
canned response?

Please help,

Tough questions

Hello Tough,
Your question is a good one, and how you answer it is very important in the process of your job search.
New employers are quite attentive on all of your responses, but this one is “interview critical.” Often,
executives come to me at a time when they are considering making a move, and their rationale needs to
be sound when explaining a career transition.

First, you should never, ever be negative about your current or past employers. You have nothing to gain
by being negative, and it only detracts from your presentation. Just as they say, “beauty is in the eyes of
the beholder,” this too exists between companies and employees. Your cultural needs and expectations
can be quite different from others within any given organization. In this case, I recommend you focus
your response on seeking a company with cultural dynamics that better suit you, versus blaming the
company for the lack of fit.

For example, instead of saying a company “laid off good people” and “hires lazy workers,” you might say,
“I believe I am better suited to work in an organization that has a strong commitment to mentoring and
developing executives, where there is a strong sense of loyalty on both sides and a culture that fosters
career development and growth.” You could further say, “I realize that there are some companies that
are in highly intense growth mode, or have over-arching financial or business pressures and problems
that can’t possibly foster this type of culture. While this is all well and good for some, I don’t want to
work for the latter. It just does not feel like a good fit for me.”

This approach allows you to be honest without being negative, trashing the current company or any one
person in particular. The unbiased approach on your situation is that your company has gone through a
lot of organizational changes, has hired new management, and has an evolving corporate culture and
strategy, and the company is no longer a good fit for you. The more you can adopt this unbiased view,
the better for you.

And yes, try and really believe it. If you don’t make a meaningful attitude shift, your approach and
presentation will lack sincerity, and you’re right: Most perceptive hiring companies will see right through
it.

Hope this helps!

Sincerely,

Pat

14. Why were you fired?

Remember that time (four months ago) that you got called into your dictatorial punk of a boss’ office
(who, you could swear, had it out for you since day one)—and were asked to kindly pack up your cubicle,
log out of the office laptop, and return your cell phone, immediately?

Yeah, that pretty much sucked.

Fortunately, after six weeks of moping around in your rumpled hoodie and yoga pants, followed by two
months of informational interviews, job applications, and research, you’ve landed an interview. And the
company is amazing.

This is your shot.

But hold the phone. What are you going to do when that dreaded question comes up (as it surely will):
“Why, exactly, did you leave your last job?”

You’re going to explain what went down, share what you learned, and then knock their socks off with all
of the amazing things you can deliver, that’s what you’re going to do.

I know, I make it sound easy. And it’s not ever simple, especially if you’re still feeling hot emotions over
the termination or struggling with diminished “I’m the loser who got canned” self-esteem.

But if you truly want the job, here’s what you’ve got to do when asked the dreaded question at the
interview.

1. Come to Terms With Your Emotions Before You Set Foot in the Interview

This must be your first step, before you start pursuing new opportunities or booking interviews.

If you can’t walk into that meeting with a cool head and the ability to speak calmly about your
qualifications and your past job experience, spend whatever time it takes on the front end to process
what happened and find your peace.

No one hires a hothead. Well, except maybe clubs in search of super-intimidating bouncers or media
outlets that pride themselves on being annoyingly polarizing. All other employers will be expecting a
level-headed professional to walk through their doors. Be that person.

2. Without Hesitating, Explain Succinctly What Happened

Less is almost always more in this instance. If you rattle on and on about what happened and why and
over-explain the whole deal, you look sketchy; like you’re trying to cover something up.

Genuine, honest, and succinct dialogue, à la, “Unfortunately, I was let go,” is going to get you much
farther. Remember, you’re talking to a human. All of us humans goof up sometimes; some of us have
even been fired from jobs ourselves. Remember that as you speak.

3. Discuss What You Learned, Then Get Back on Topic

Our most significant growth as humans often comes following a major face plant. So, once you’ve
outlined what happened, you absolutely must share with the interviewer what you learned from the
experience.

Share how you’ve grown and how you approach your job and life now as a result—and then get back to
the business of showcasing your strengths as a candidate for that position. If you can position the
learning experience as an advantage for this next job, even better.

Here’s an example:

After we lost the huge client account, in no small part due to my error, I spent a lot of time reflecting on
the customer experience and how to ensure I keep the customer top-of-mind in everything I do. I believe
this will be a tremendous asset in my next role.

4. Never, Ever Bad Mouth Your Boss or Company

No matter how tempted you may be, and no matter how strongly you feel that you were wronged, don’t
go there. You’ll just look like sour grapes, and no one wants to work with sour grapes.

5. Recap What You Have to Offer, Making Your Interest Clear

To help ensure that the meeting ends on a positive note, take time to recap the top things you feel you
can deliver to that organization, to that interviewer, before you leave the meeting. Make it very clear
that you can walk through those doors and deliver what the team needs—and that you are very
interested in doing so.

And then walk out of there with your head held high, and fire off an incredible thank you note the
moment you get back to your computer. You’ve got this.

15. What are you looking for in a new position?

Whenever you get asked this question during an interview, it’s impossible to not feel like it’s a trap. What
other answer can you possibly give for, “What are you looking for in a new position?” other than,
“Everything this one offers?”

Well, it depends on the humor of the hiring manager, but in general, that’s probably not your best
option. To play it a little safer and to be thorough, follow these four steps. Remember, you want to be
honest, but diplomatic.

1. Start With Your Skills

The question is about you, but you need to think about it from the hiring manager’s perspective. Sure,
you’d love for your new position to pay extremely well, have an effortless commute, and ensure access
to nap rooms during all work hours, but that’s not going to impress anyone. Instead, dive into your skills
—an area the hiring manager is sure to care about—and talk about how you’re looking for a place where
you can use them.

I’ve been honing my data analysis skills for a few years now and, first and foremost, I’m looking for a
position where I can continue to exercise those skills.

2. Explain Your Motivation

Most hiring managers hope that the person he or she hires will be motivated by more than just a
paycheck. Assuage this concern by addressing it openly. Describe what motivates you and how you can
see that playing out in this position or company.

Another thing that’s important to me is that the position allows me to not only play with data, but also
present my findings and suggestions directly to clients. That would be really refreshing! I’m always very
motivated by being able to see the impact of my work on other people.

3. Connect With Your Long-Term Goals

Hiring people means investing in them, and no one likes to see his or her investment walk out the door. If
it works with the flow of your answer, it might be good to mention how you see growing or building your
career at a company that’s the right fit. Anything that signals you’re in it for the long haul is a good thing
(unless, of course, you’re specifically applying to a short-term position).
And, I’m definitely looking for a position where I can grow—professional development is something
that’s really important to me since I hope to take on managerial responsibilities in the future.

4. Wrap Up With Something About the Company

Bring the focus back to the company as you’re wrapping up your response. Depending on how long your
answer is, it may make sense to sum up everything you’ve talked about, and then end on how excited
you are about the company and why.

To sum it up, I’d love a position where I can use my skills to make an impact that I can see with my own
eyes. Of course, the position is only part of the equation. Being at a company where I can grow and work
toward something I care about matters, too. DNF’s goal of being the intersection between data and
education inspires me, and I’m really excited about this opportunity.

Your answer will change depending on the position. You might emphasize more than one skill or skip
over the part where you talk about your long-term goals, but the overall structure will probably remain
the same. The key thing to remember with this question is to, of course, answer honestly, but with the
hiring manager’s perspective in mind.

16. What type of work environment do you prefer?

Company culture can make or break your job experience—but it’s pretty hard to get an accurate feel for
a company’s values and vibe without, well, working there. Although most places have a section on their
sites devoted to explaining culture, they tend to be filled with phrases like “dedicated to customer
satisfaction” and “we encourage our employees to grow.” That tells us a whole lot of nothing.

To discover what a company is really like (and whether you’d be a good fit!) before you accept the job,
check out these nine techniques for researching culture.

During the interview, don’t ask, “What’s it like working here?” Ask, “What would a newspaper article
about your company’s culture have to include?” (TheLadders)

Go through the company’s tweets, videos, Facebook posts, and the like to get an idea of what’s
important to the team. (Careerealism)

Show up early to the interview and watch how employees interact with each other. (QuintCareers)

When talking to employees about the culture, note their response time. Generally, the quicker the
better! (Fortune)

However, don’t just consult employees. You’ll also want to speak with customers, suppliers, partners,
and so forth. (Harvard Business Review)

Be on the look-out for the “warning signs” of a problematic culture—like making a huge deal out of the
ping-pong table. (Forbes)

Learn how to read between the lines. For example, promotions that rest on “something opening up”
means you’ll probably have to wait for someone to move up or out. (Lifehacker)

Take a look at a beta survey that uses “psychometric frameworks” to show you workplaces in which
you’d thrive. (Co.Exist)
Of course, don’t forget to browse company profiles on The Muse to get an inside peek into what it’s
really like to work at some amazing companies! (The Muse)

17. What's your management style?

If you’re interviewing for a position that requires supervising others, any sensible hiring manager will ask
you, “What’s your management style?”

And for some reason, this question always seems a little awkward to answer. How can you respond in a
way that shows you can be an effective leader who’s right for the team while not sounding too grandiose
(and at the same time not being too humble)?

While there are plenty of ways to make an impression that strikes that balance, here’s one way that I
think works particularly well when it comes to discussing your management style.

1. Define “Good Management”

The secret to getting this question right is setting the parameters for how good management should be
judged. To do this, you want to explain what you believe makes a strong manager, so that the scope of all
the things a boss could possible be is narrowed down a bit. This ensures that you and the interviewer are
on the same page on how to evaluate the story you’re about to share.

Management style is so hard to put your finger on, but I think in general a good manager gives clear
directions and actually stays pretty hands-off, but is ready and available to jump in to offer guidance,
expertise, and help when needed. I try my best to make that my management style.

2. Add Your Spin

Now that you’ve defined what a good manager is and stated that’s your model, one up yourself and offer
something extra that you do in addition to what’s already been established. Making the point to set the
parameters early in your response will allow you to introduce an additional leadership trait that makes
you exceptional.

In terms of what makes me unique, I also go out of my way to make sure I know when my team needs
help. I don’t hang around and wait to be called upon by my direct reports—I go to them. That means
plenty of informal check-ins, both on the work they’re doing and on their general job satisfaction and
mental well-being.

3. Give an Example

Of course, all of this only works if you can back up what you’ve said. Give some evidence of your
management prowess by offering a brief story of how you demonstrated the traits you’ve described.
Since management can be such a lofty topic, you’ll have to be mindful of using a story that isn’t too long
—you don’t want your interviewer to lose interest, after all.

I remember one project in particular at my most recent position where I supervised seven staff that
involved everyone working on a separate aspect of the product. This meant a lot of independent work
for my team, but rather than bog everyone down with repetitive meetings to update me and everyone
else on progress made, I created a project wiki that allowed us to communicate new information when
necessary without disrupting another team member’s work. I then made it my job to make sure no one
was ever stuck on a problem too long without a sounding board.

Ultimately, despite the disparate project responsibilities, we ended up with a very cohesive product and,
more importantly, a team that wasn’t burnt out.

That’s it! Now that you have the basic structure down for this common interview question, just make
sure you don’t flub the ending. Try connecting your response back to the position or switching it up and
asking a question of your own. Practice, practice, practice, and you’re set.

18. How would your boss and co-workers describe you?

Saying nice things about yourself tends to be a lot harder than saying nice stuff about others. For most
people, it can be really awkward to talk about their own accomplishments—which is why interviewing is
so uncomfortable for many.

Thankfully, there is one question that can (kind of) bridge this gap. When an interviewer asks you, “How
would your boss or colleagues describe you?” this is your chance to use the words of others to talk
about your own positive traits. Here are a few ideas about how you can take advantage of this
opportunity.

1. Quoting an Official Performance Review

The easiest way to answer this question is to paraphrase a recent positive performance review.
Referencing specifically where you’re getting your information from makes it easier to describe yourself
as “trustworthy, dedicated, and creative” without cringing. You’ll also want to give some big picture
context about your role and responsibilities to fill in the gaps around your answer. Altogether, it’ll sound
something like this:

Actually, in my most recent performance review in April, my direct supervisor described me as someone
who takes initiative and doesn’t shy away from hard problems. My role involves a lot of on-site
implementation, and when things go wrong, it’s usually up to me to fix it. Rather than punting the
problem back to the team, I always try to do what I can first. I know she appreciates that about me.

2. Start With the Story and Share the Takeaways

Another way to do this is to start off with the story and conclude it with how your boss or co-workers
would describe you. Since the question is pretty open-ended, this is a great opportunity for you to share
something you really wanted to mention in the interview but haven’t had the chance to yet.

Or, it could be the other way around. There might be some trait or skill you know the hiring manager is
looking for, and the opportunity to talk about it hasn’t come up yet. This is your chance.

One thing I’ve noticed is that I’m always the one people turn to for recommendations on how to handle
a new event or program—the latest fundraiser that I just told you about would be one. I have a lot of
institutional knowledge, which helps, but I think the reason people come to me is because I work
through what a new program might look like very methodically. If you were to ask my colleagues, I’m
confident they’d describe me as logical, organized, and meticulous.

3. Naming Three Positive Traits With Short Examples for Each

Coming up with stories can be tricky when asked on the spot (which is why you should have a few
prepared), so if you just can’t think of anything, here’s another approach. Try to think of three positive
traits you bring to your work or workplace. Then, have a short example after each. It might go something
like this:

I don’t want to speak for anyone else, but I’m pretty confident my colleagues would describe me as
thoughtful—I’m the one in the office who remembers everyone’s birthdays—and hard-working, since I
never leave my office until it’s been dark out for a couple of hours. My boss in particular would say I’m
very knowledgeable about audience development—it’s why I kept taking on more and more
responsibilities in that domain.

Next time you get this question, you should be smiling because of what a great opportunity it presents to
talk about pretty much anything you want to framed in a way that makes it easier for you to talk about.
That’s what you call a win-win.

19. What are your salary requirements?

Dear Victoria,

When a job application asks for my salary requirements, what should I tell them—and will this impact
my ability to negotiate if I get offered the job?

I don’t want to put something too high in case I put myself out of their target salary range, but I don’t
want to go too low and cheat myself out of what I’m worth.

Can I leave it blank? What is your advice in this situation?

From

An Interviewee

Dear Interviewee,

The short answer to your question is that you should include in your job application as high a salary
requirement as you can reasonably justify. I’ll explain the “why” in a minute—but first, let’s talk about
the “how.”

Do your research to get your number—learn as much as possible about the position and comparable
salaries from local and industry sources and job sites such as Glassdoor. See if you can get any insider
information, too. Try looking for salary information on the company’s website or doing an informational
interview with the position’s recruiter.

You’ll likely come up with a range, and you should put the highest number in that range that applies,
based on your experience, education, and skills. And yes, that’s a little aggressive—but bear with me.

Next, I recommend writing “(flexible)” or “(negotiable)” next to your number. If you have room to do so
—for example, in your cover letter—stress again that your salary requirement is flexible or negotiable
and that there are so many working parts to compensation—benefits, job title, opportunities for
advancement—that you’re certain you can find a way to satisfy both of you if you’re a good fit for the
position.
Now, I realize that making an aggressive initial offer can be a scary proposition. So let me explain the
reasoning.

First, when the value of an item is uncertain—as your services to a prospective employer are—the first
number you put on the table acts as a strong “anchor” that will pull the negotiation in its direction
throughout the entire bargaining process.

Professor Adam Galinsky of the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University has explained the
anchoring phenomenon this way: “Items being negotiated have both positive and negative qualities—
qualities that suggest a higher price and qualities that suggest a lower price. High anchors selectively
direct our attention toward an item's positive attributes while low anchors direct our attention to its
flaws.”

By stating a salary requirement that is lower than your prospective employer might be willing to pay, you
not only cheat yourself out of more money, but you might come across as unsophisticated or
unprepared. By stating a salary higher than they might be willing to pay, you risk little harm, so long as
you indicate that your salary requirements are flexible. And at the same time, you are communicating
that you already know your skills are valuable.

Just as important as anchoring high, the second benefit of giving a number at the high end of your range
is that you give yourself enough room to negotiate if you’re offered the job.

Research has proven that people are happier with the outcome of a negotiation if their bargaining
partner starts at point A, but reluctantly concedes her first couple of requirements before saying “yes.”
So, by stating an initial salary that leaves room for negotiation (I recommend room for at least three
concessions, or back-and-forth conversations), you’re more likely to get what you actually want.

By far the best advice on making an aggressive opening offer is that contained in Galinsky’s short article,
“When to Make the First Offer in Negotiations?” The three major takeaways are these:

1. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Aggressive

Galinksy’s research shows that people typically tend to exaggerate the likelihood of their bargaining
partner walking away in response to an aggressive offer, and that most negotiators make first offers that
aren’t aggressive enough.

2. Focus on Your Target Price

Determine your best-case-scenario outcome, and focus on that. Negotiators who focus on their target
price make more aggressive first offers and ultimately reach more profitable agreements than those who
focus on the minimum amount they’d be satisfied with.

3. Be Flexible

Always be willing to concede your first offer. In doing so, you’ll still likely get a profitable deal, and the
other side will be pleased with the outcome.

Remember, there’s little to risk if you put out the highest number you can justify, but there’s a lot to lose
if you don’t.
This article is part of our Ask an Expert series—a column dedicated to helping you tackle your biggest
career concerns. Our experts are excited to answer all of your burning questions, and you can submit
one by emailing us at editor(at)themuse(dot)com and using Ask an Expert in the subject line.*

Your letter may be published in an article on The Muse. All letters to Ask an Expert become the property
of Daily Muse, Inc and will be edited for length, clarity, and grammatical correctness.

20. Do you have any questions for us?

You probably already know that an interview isn’t just a chance for a hiring manager to grill you with
interview questions—it’s your opportunity to sniff out whether a job is the right fit for you.

Which means: It’s important to go in with some questions. What do you want to know about the
position? The company? The department? The team?

To get you thinking, we’ve put together a list of key questions to ask in your interview. We definitely
don’t suggest asking all of them rapid-fire—some of this stuff will certainly be covered during the course
of your discussion, and you can weave in other questions as you go.

But when the inevitable, “So, do you have any questions for us?” part of the interview comes? Use this
list to make sure you’ve covered all your bases.

First, make sure you have a handle on exactly what the day-to-day responsibilities of the job will be—
both now and in the future.

What does a typical day look like?

What are the most immediate projects that need to be addressed?

Can you show me examples of projects I'd be working on?

What are the skills and experiences you’re looking for in an ideal candidate?

What attributes does someone need to have in order to be really successful in this position?

What types of skills is the team missing that you’re looking to fill with a new hire?

What are the biggest challenges that someone in this position would face?

What sort of budget would I be working with?

Is this a new role that has been created?

Do you expect the main responsibilities for this position to change in the next six months to a year?

Think of each new job not just as a job, but as the next step on your path to career success. Will this
position help you get there?

11. How will I be trained?

12. What training programs are available to your employees?

13. Are there opportunities for advancement or professional development?

14. Would I be able to represent the company at industry conferences?

15. Where is the last person who held this job moving on to?

16. Where have successful employees previously in this position progressed to?

Understanding how your potential new manager will measure your success is key in both understanding
the company priorities, as well as their managerial style. 17. What are the most important things you’d
like to see someone accomplish in the first 30, 60, and 90 days on the job?

18. What are the performance expectations of this position over the first 12 months?

19. What is the performance review process like here? How often would I be formally reviewed?

20. What metrics or goals will my performance be evaluated against?

Asking questions of the interviewer shows that you're interested in him or her as a person—and that's a
great way to build rapport.

21. How long have you been with the company?

22. Has your role changed since you've been here?

23. What did you do before this?

24. Why did you come to this company?

25. What’s your favorite part about working here?

Why not learn a little bit about where you might work. Because a job isn’t just about your day-to-day to-
do list. 26. I've read about the company’s founding, but can you tell me more about ___?

27. Where do you see this company in the next few years?

28. What can you tell me about your new products or plans for growth?

29. What are the current goals that the company is focused on, and how does this team work to support
hitting those goals?

30. What gets you most excited about the company's future?

The people you work with day in and day out can really make or break your work life. Ask some
questions to uncover whether it's the right team for you.

31. Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with?

32. Who will I work with most closely?

33. Who will I report to directly?

34. Can you tell me about my direct reports? What are their strengths and the team's biggest
challenges?

35. Do you expect to hire more people in this department in the next six months?

36. Which other departments work most closely with this one?

37. What are the common career paths in this department?

Is the office buttoned-up conservative or a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of place? Learn the subtle,
but oh-so-important, aspects of company culture.

38. What is the company and team culture like?

39. How would you describe the work environment here—is the work typically collaborative or more
independent?

40. Can you tell me about the last team event you did together?

41. Is there a formal mission statement or company values? (Note: Make sure this isn't Google-able!)

42. What’s your favorite office tradition?

43. What do you and the team usually do for lunch?

44. Does anyone on the team hang out outside the office?

45. Do you ever do joint events with other companies or departments?

46. What’s different about working here than anywhere else you've worked?

47. How has the company changed since you joined?

Before you leave, make sure the interviewer has all of the information he or she needs and that you’re
clear on the next steps by asking these questions.

48. Is there anything that concerns you about my background being a fit for this role?

49. What are the next steps in the interview process?

50. Is there anything else I can provide you with that would be helpful?

51. Can I answer any final questions for you?