Common interview questions by job, and how to answer them
Pick your job to see the questions employers often ask, what the interviewer wants to hear, a structure for each answer and what to avoid.
- Real questions for each job
- What they want to hear
- Answer structures to adapt
Interview questions by job
Each page has the questions that come up most for that job, with what the interviewer is listening for. Pick the one closest to the job you are going for.
Health and care
Education
Shops, service and hospitality
Office and business
- Administrator “What is your experience with Microsoft Excel?” 12 questions
- Receptionist “Tell me about a time you dealt with an upset visitor.” 13 questions
- Accountant “Walk us through your month-end process.” 13 questions
- Project manager “How do you handle scope creep?” 12 questions
- Sales “How did you perform against your targets last year?” 12 questions
- Marketing “Which marketing channels do you know best, and how do you choose between them?” 12 questions
Tech, trades and logistics
How to answer with STAR
Questions that start "Tell me about a time when..." want a real example. STAR keeps your answer short and clear, and stops you running out of things to say halfway through.
Not every question needs it. For "what would you do if..." questions, say what you would do first, what next, and why. For questions about knowledge, give the answer, then an example of using it.
Prepare five or six real examples you can shape to different questions. Our guide to preparing for an interview covers the general questions and the day itself.
Situation
Set the scene in a sentence or two: where you were and what was going on.
Task
What you needed to do, or the problem that was yours to solve.
Action
What you did, step by step. Say "I", not "we": this is the longest part.
Result
What happened in the end, with a fact if you have one, and what you learned.
Practise out loud with mock interview questions
Answers sound different said out loud. With a free account, our interview prep tool gives you practice questions for the job you want, from your CV or the job title alone, with a tip for each one. Each practice set uses one free use.
Interviews: your questions
What questions are asked in most UK job interviews?
Most interviews mix a few general questions, such as "tell me about yourself" and "why do you want this job?", with questions about the job itself: your experience, how you would handle situations you will meet, and examples of times you have done similar things. Our guide to preparing for an interview covers the general questions; the pages above cover each job.
What is a competency-based interview?
Competency questions usually start "Tell me about a time when..." and ask for a real example of a skill the job needs, such as dealing with a complaint or working under pressure. Answer with one specific example, using STAR: the situation, your task, the action you took and the result.
What is a values-based interview?
Many NHS trusts, care providers, schools, charities and public sector employers recruit against their values. Expect questions about how you have shown values such as respect, compassion or honesty at work. Read the employer’s values first and have a real example ready for each.
How many examples should I prepare?
Five or six real examples you know well are usually enough, because one good example can answer several questions: a problem you solved, a busy day you handled, a mistake you learned from, a time you helped a colleague and something you are proud of.
Is it OK to take notes into an interview?
Yes. A few notes, such as your questions for the end, are fine to bring and glance at. Reading full answers from a page is not, so practise saying your examples out loud until you only need a prompt.
Interview coming up? You’ve got this
Pick your job, prepare a few real examples, and say your answers out loud before the day.