62 Essential Interview Questions for Freshers & Experienced

Applying for a new job can be exciting, and I want to share something that really helped me during my own job hunt. When I was applying for roles like Customer Service Representative, non-voice/back-office support, and technical support, I collected a list of interview questions that came up. I'm sharing them with you now, hoping they'll give you a real edge in landing your dream job!

Beyond just knowing the questions, practice is key. I highly recommend finding a friend who has a lot of interviewing experience. Ask them to do a mock interview with you and give you honest feedback on your performance. Getting an outside opinion is incredibly valuable for spotting areas where you can improve and really polish your answers.

If you don't have a friend like that, here’s a personal tip that worked for me: when you're about to attend an interview, try to befriend someone who has previous work experience. Don't be shy—ask them for any tips or insights they might have on passing interviews. Jot down all the advice they give you, then do some research on those points and practice, practice, practice!

I will prepare and some day my chance will come. —Abraham Lincoln

Common interview questions

Tell me about yourself.¹, ²

What is your greatest strength(s)?^{1, 2}

What is your greatest weakness(es)?^{1, 2}

Why should we hire you?^{1, 2}

Why do you want to work here?¹, ²

Tell me about a time you showed leadership.^{1, 2}

Tell me about a time you were successful on a team.^{1, 2}

What would your co-workers say about you?^{1, 2}

Why do you want to leave your current role?^{1, 2}

Describe your most challenging project.^{1, 2}

Tell me about something you've accomplished that you are proud of.^{1, 2}

Can you explain your employment gap?^{1, 2}

What are your salary expectations?^{1, 2}

What do you like to do outside of work?^{1, 2}

Tell me about a time you had to manage conflicting priorities.^{1, 2}

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?^{1, 2}

Describe your leadership style.^{1, 2}

Tell me about a time you failed or made a mistake.^{1, 2}

Tell me about a time you worked with a difficult person.^{1, 2}

Tell me about a time you had to persuade someone.^{1, 2}

Tell me about a time you disagreed with someone.^{1, 2}

Tell me about a time you created a goal and achieved it.^{1, 2}

Tell me about a time you surpassed people's expectations.^{1, 2}

Tell me about a time you had to handle pressure.^{1, 2}

Tell me about a time you had to learn something quickly.^{1, 2}

Do you have any questions for me?^{1, 2}

Rare interview questions

Tell me something about yourself that’s not your resume.^{1, 2}

What was your greatest contribution(s)?^{1, 2}

What is a success means to you?^{1, 2}

What is innovation?^{1, 2}

What motivates you?^{1, 2}

Describe your work style^{1, 2}

What is your edge from other applicants?^{1, 2}

What are your hobbies?^{1, 2}

Do you work well with other people?^{1, 2}

Do you easily get bored?^{1, 2}

Why [insert your course]?^{1, 2}

How long do you want to stay in our company?^{1, 2}

Describe a situation wherein you work under pressure.^{1, 2}

How do you handle change?^{1, 2}

Was there a time you suggested a brilliant idea to your colleagues?^{1, 2}

What is Customer service?²

What is the difference between good customer service and excellent customer service?²

Why call center?²

What call center agents do?²

Where do you live?^{1, 2}

Why donuts have a hole in the middle?²

Why the sky is color blue?²

Why the ocean is salty?²

How can you describe the color blue to a blind person?²

What is your favorite dish?²

How to cook your favorite dish?²

Can you give me a direction on how to go to [insert place]?²

How to untie your shoelaces?²

Do you have plans of going abroad?^{1, 2}

Do you have relatives abroad?^{1, 2}

Do you have a passport?^{1, 2}

Do you have plans for continuing your studies?^{1, 2}

Are you willing to work on shifting schedules?^{1, 2}

Are you willing to work on weekends?^{1, 2}

Are you willing to work on Holidays?^{1, 2}

Why is there a need for Filipinos to learn English?¹

Professionally designed resume templates

The following sites provide a vast array of free professionally designed resume templates including modern, creative, and traditional. Each template provided by the sites below is expertly designed and follows the exact “resume rules” hiring managers look for. To stand out from the herd of job applicants go ahead and use one of their professionally designed resume templates now!

• Resume Genius
• LiveCareer Resume Builder
• How to Write an Effective Resume – The Balance Careers
• 51 Free Microsoft Word Resume Templates That'll Land You the Job – GoSkills
• 400+ Free Downloadable Resume Templates – Hloom
• Resume Templates That Will Land You a Dream Job! – Novorésumé

Powerful Phrases

The following links provide a comprehensive list of the best action verbs and power phrases and words you can include in your resume and cover letter, and how to incorporate them into your resume.

• How to Effectively Use Resume Action Words - TopResume
• Powerful Words To Use In Your Resume - Freesumes
• Power Phrases to Build Your Resume - Indiana University Southeast
• Best and Worst Terms to Use in Your Resume – Ranked by Hiring Managers
• 185 Powerful Action Verbs That Will Make Your Resume Awesome - The Muse
• List of Action Verbs for Resumes & Professional Profiles - Wake Forest University
• 139 Action Verbs to Make Your Resume Stand Out - Indeed: Job Search

Interview tips from experts

Visit the below list of sites to get expert advice to help you land your dream job. They provide bite-sized videos on how to deliver strong, well-crafted responses to some of the most common questions posed by job interviewers.

Get tips on how to be confident and professional.

Know the do’s and dont’s in answering interview questions.

• How to Answer the Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions - TheBalance
• How Will You Describe a Blue Color to a Blind? - Glassdoor
• Top 10 Common Job Interview Questions With Best Answers - The Balance Careers
• 18 Most Common Interview Questions and Best Answers (With Tips) - Indeed: Job Search
• Top 14 Job Interview Questions and Answers Examples - Career Sidekick
• The 10 Most Common Interview Questions & Answers - Big Interview
• Answers to 10 Most Common Job Interview Questions - Monster

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1. This question was asked to me when I was applying for a pure back-office/non-voice/semi-back-office positions.↩

2. This question was asked to me when I was applying for a customer service/technical support positions.↩