Common graduate interview questions and how to answer them

Whatever job you’re applying for, you’ll likely have an interview at some point in the recruitment process.

Interview formats vary, so ask your interviewer if there's anything you need to prepare in advance. But even if you ask and they don’t give you any guidance, there’s still one thing to do – practise your answers to typical interview questions.

While you can’t predict every question that’ll come your way, some interview questions pop up time and time again. To help, we've rounded up the most common graduate interview questions and how to prepare for them:

• Tell me about yourself
• Why do you want this job?
• Why do you want to work for us?
• What do you know about our company?
• What are your three greatest strengths?
• What are your three greatest weaknesses?
• What would your current boss or previous employer say about you?
• What are your salary expectations?
• Tell me about a time you demonstrated a certain skill

Interviewers will often open with this general question. It throws lots of people because it’s not specific – and it’s hard to know where to start and end.

Keep your response concise and relevant to the job interview. Don’t launch into a monologue about your life. The interviewer doesn’t want to know where you grew up and how many brothers and sisters you’ve got. Focus on your most recent activities and why you’re applying for this role.

Being authentic and accurate here is key, as is supporting any points you make with examples. You don’t need to give too much detail, but don’t be vague either. Finding the balance is tricky, but you’ll get there with practice.

Almost every applicant will face this question at some point. But even though it’s a standard question, lots of candidates still find it tricky to answer.

To help answer this question, think about how you structure your response. Try using the art of listing. For example, “I want this job because of three reasons,” and then expand on the three reasons.

When selecting your reasons, pick the ones that’ll appeal to the potential employer. Remember you're trying to sell yourself as the best person for them. So, while “reduced commute time” benefits you, it doesn’t give the employer a reason to hire you. They want someone committed and excited about the opportunity who’ll thrive in the role, so show them that’s you. Tailor your answers to suit the job and organisation. One way of doing this is to talk about elements of the role that motivate you.

Don't mistake this question for the one above. Here, the interviewer is testing what you know about their brand, culture and professional opportunities.

To give a good answer here, you need to do your research. Try and reference something that makes it clear you’ve gone beyond a quick browse of their website.

Read up on what’s going on in their industry and why it’s an exciting time to join the organisation. Pick something that matters to you – giving a unique response will make you stand out.

Think about what their competitors are up to as this’ll help you explain why you’ve chosen to apply to this company over another. But remember the golden rule: never be rude about other businesses. You never know who knows who.

It’s a good idea to have more than one reason in mind. If you want, deploy the listing technique here as well. Showing you’ve prepared and thought through your answer to this interview question is great. But keep your delivery natural.

Don't get caught out here, so do your research. Check their website, socials and the news. If you know anyone who already works there, talk to them too. A top tip is to set up a Google alert for the company so that anything related to them will be delivered straight to your inbox.

You don't want to talk for too long – after all, they know their company better than you do. But summing up what they do will put you in a good position to progress through the interview process.

Many people struggle with this interview question because they don’t like bigging themselves up. But talking about your talents and merits isn’t boasting; it’s an essential part of a job interview. So, don’t be shy. Tell your interviewer what you’re good at.

If you’ve been asked for three strengths, pick three. If one, stick to one. The key here is to think of some strengths in advance and have clear examples to back up each point. Perhaps you've had feedback from a previous employer or hit a target. Don’t throw in a strength unless you’re able to back it up! So, think about your achievements and how they connect to your strengths. For instance, if you say you’re good at public speaking, talk about how much you thrived at uni presentations.

Don’t forget to think of your strengths in relation to the job you’re applying for. So, if the role is finance-related, talk about your great analytical skills – as evidenced in your course, work experience or extra-curricular activities.

It’s your time to shine so be proud of yourself and tell your interviewer what you’ve achieved.

Not sure where your strengths lie? Ask your coursemates, lecturers and colleagues for feedback.

The dreaded reverse of the strengths question. Candidates are scared to answer this question honestly as they don’t want potential employers to know their weak spots. When you’re applying for a job, it seems counter-intuitive to reveal where you struggle. But it’s a frequently asked question for a reason.

None of us are perfect. Everyone has weaknesses and mature candidates will talk about them in interviews. The trick is to convey them in a way that recognises the weakness but also demonstrates how you’re tackling it. For example, “I struggle with time management and I’ve been using an online project management tool to help prioritise my workload” displays honesty and proactivity.

Whatever you come up with, avoid spinning a weakness as a strength. Saying “I’m a perfectionist”, “I work too hard” or “I care too much” has become tired. The interviewer has heard every cliché before. You’ve been warned.

Want more help on how to explain what you’re good and not so good at? Read our guide on how to answer strengths and weaknesses interview questions.

Your interviewer is testing your self-awareness, so you need to show both positives and negatives.

Our advice is to use the sandwich technique: positive, negative, positive.

For example:

“I’m extremely hard-working, always ready to go that extra mile. As a result, I’m sometimes overzealous and my attention to detail will slip when I take on too many projects. But they’d say that I’m a leader in the team and keep everyone focused on the goal.”

Be honest here. The person you’re describing will probably provide a formal or informal reference, so think hard about what they’d say.

Being asked about why you left a job is one of those nasty interview questions a lot of us dread. But it’s a predictable one that’ll almost certainly come up.

If you left your last job due to going back to uni or the contract came to an end, that’s completely fine. All you need to do is be honest.

If you’re in a job, it’s trickier. Many people will be leaving as they’re not enjoying it and it’s easy to give an overly negative answer here, which is an interview no-no. With that being said, there are many positive reasons why people choose to move – such as changing sectors or entering a new career stage.

If you don’t like your existing role, avoid falling into the trap of moaning about your current company or colleagues. While honesty is key, a future employer wants to see that you’ve got the maturity to make a change for the better. They also want to understand your positive motivations for applying for the role. For example, if you’re leaving because of a negative working culture, say that you’re looking for a more collaborative work environment with more development opportunities.

If you’re after a new role because you want a higher salary, mention that you’re looking for a role with more responsibility. Tell the interviewer you’re ready to take the next step, rather than seeking a pay rise.

As with every question, set your answer in the context of the role you’re applying for. If you’re moving from one big company to another, don’t say you’re looking for a smaller organisation.

Being asked about money is tricky and opinions differ on how to respond. “What are your salary expectations?” is also very different from “What is your current salary?”.

When asked what you currently earn (ie. “What is your current salary?”), be honest. Your new employer will be able to work out how much you’ve been earning if they receive a P45 form.

When questioned about what you’d like to earn (ie. “What are your salary expectations?”), be optimistic but realistic. Work out the salary band for your level within your industry and go in with something near the top end. Don’t sell yourself short.

There’s normally a negotiation process on salary so expect it to go down from whatever you started on. Whatever you state, say it with confidence. If you sheepishly say an ambitious figure, potential employers won’t take it seriously. So, know your worth and get your negotiation off to a good start.

To answer common interview questions, you’ll need to prepare examples of when you’ve used certain skills. Some of the skills an interviewer will quiz you on will be generic (eg. leadership in a team) and others will be specific to the role or company culture.

Go through the job specifications and think of examples from work, extra-curricular activities or university where you’ve used the skills they’re looking for.

Ensure your examples are varied, as you don’t want to be using the same example repeatedly. Once you’ve got your list, practise them using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique and concisely explain the scenario.

Want more help here? Read our guide on how to answer competency-based questions (which includes a handy STAR explainer).

There are some tricky interview questions. But every question gets easier with practice. While you can’t predict everything, it’s a good idea to rehearse responses to some of the typical interview questions that’ll come up.

Make a note of graduate interview questions to prepare for, take on our tips and start practising. You’ll soon be able to face any question with confidence.

Need some more support? Visit our advice on how to prepare for your interview.