← Interview lesson

50 Job Interview Questions

B2–C1 · Speaking practice

Choose five questions, rather than all fifty at once. Plan a short answer with a relevant example. For an experience question, include the situation, your task, your action and the result. Use examples from work, study, volunteering or an imagined role.

Partner practice: Take turns as interviewer and applicant. Ask a follow-up question: What did you do next? What did you learn? How would that help in this role?

Useful language: One example is… / My responsibility was… / As a result… / Since then, I have… / Could you explain what you mean by…?

Introductions

  1. Could you tell me a little about yourself?
  2. What made you apply for this role?
  3. What do you know about our organisation?
  4. Why are you interested in working with us?
  5. What motivates you at work?

Experience

  1. Tell me about your previous work, study or volunteering experience.
  2. What were your main responsibilities in your last role or project?
  3. What achievement are you most proud of?
  4. What skills did you develop in a previous role or project?
  5. Have you done similar work before?

Strengths

  1. What are your greatest strengths?
  2. What makes you a good team member?
  3. How do you handle pressure?
  4. How have you used technology in your work or study?
  5. How could your language skills help in this role?

Learning and improvement

  1. What skill are you currently trying to improve?
  2. How do you respond to constructive feedback?
  3. Describe a mistake and what you learned from it.
  4. What do you do when you are unsure how to complete a task?
  5. How do you keep learning new skills?

Teamwork

  1. Describe a time you worked with others.
  2. How do you handle a disagreement in a team?
  3. Tell me about a time you helped someone complete a task.
  4. What does good communication mean to you?
  5. How would you describe your communication style?

Problem-solving

  1. Tell me about a difficult problem you helped solve.
  2. What do you do when a plan goes wrong?
  3. How do you decide which task to complete first?
  4. Describe a time you used a creative solution.
  5. How would you respond to an unhappy customer?

Organisation

  1. How do you manage a busy day?
  2. Describe a time you had to meet a tight deadline.
  3. How do you keep your work organised?
  4. How would you prepare for a busy shift or meeting?
  5. What tools help you remember tasks?

Workplace behaviour

  1. What does professionalism mean to you?
  2. How would you describe your approach to work?
  3. Why is punctuality useful in a team?
  4. How do you support a positive work environment?
  5. How would you respond to unhelpful gossip?

Situations

  1. What would you do if you noticed a serious problem at work?
  2. How would you respond to a rude customer?
  3. What would you do if you noticed something unsafe?
  4. How would you approach a task you had never done before?
  5. How would you help a team that was behind schedule?

The role and future

  1. What kind of work environment helps you do your best?
  2. How might a teacher, supervisor or teammate describe you?
  3. What skills would you like to develop over the next two years?
  4. How would you discuss your availability clearly?
  5. What questions would you ask about this role?

Partner feedback

Was the answer relevant? Was there a clear example? Did the applicant explain their own contribution? Which sentence could be more specific?

C1 extension

Choose two possible approaches to a workplace situation. Explain their advantages, acknowledge a limitation and justify your preference. Respond to an unexpected follow-up question.