OK, so some interview questions are easier to answer than others. But whilst you can’t predict exactly what you’ll be asked, any question has the potential to make you stumble – unless, of course, you’ve prepared in advance.

To help give you an idea of what could come up, here’s our list of common interview questions, and how to answer them:

Common interview questions and answers

Tell me about yourself…

A common opening question, partly because your interviewers want to know more about you, but mostly because they want to put you on the spot and see how you react.

They’ve given you complete control here, and you should take full advantage of it. They have not, however, asked for your life story.

Keep your answer pertinent, and try not to go off topic too much. You’re here to interview for a particular position, and you shouldn’t lose sight of this. Remember: the interviewer is not just making small talk.  

Right answer: Should be about a two or three minutes long and briefly cover your education, your interest in the field, work history and experience.

Wrong answer: ‘Well, where do I start? I was born in 1974. A precocious child…’

What are your weaknesses…?

The first part of this question is realising that you actually have some (no, being a perfectionist doesn’t count).

Everyone has weaknesses or things that they can improve about themselves. And being honest with yourself here will save you a lot of time in the long run.

The best answers to this question take one of your weaknesses, and then give practical examples of how you’re trying to address it. A good example of this type of answer would be:

‘I used to find it difficult to work on simultaneous projects, preferring to finish on one task before starting another. However, since taking a time management course recently, I’ve learnt how to manage my schedule more effectively, making it easier to multi-task when necessary’.

Right answer: Weakness + how you’ve tried/are trying to address it = (eventually) strength

Wrong answer: ‘Kryptonite’

Why should you get this job?

This is unashamedly aimed at provoking a personal sales pitch.

As there will probably be a number of other candidates having interviews, this is your chance to demonstrate why you want the job, and why you would be a perfect fit for the company.

Essentially, the company is hiring for a reason (a brief summary of which can usually be found in the job description). You need to position yourself as the person to do this.

Right answer: ‘From what we’ve discussed so far, you’re looking to X (or, ‘having a problem with X’). In the past I have demonstrated X, Y and Z (experience and your main strengths), which have really helped my previous employer’

Wrong answer: ‘I just really need the money’

What are your salary expectations?

When completing your preparations for the interview, always have this question in the back of your mind.

Have a look at the average salary for someone in this industry, area, and who possesses similar skills to yourself, and you should get a basic idea.

But remember: this is only the first interview. You haven’t been offered the job. There’s no need at this stage to be try and begin negotiations. Giving a broad salary range will usually be enough to move on, but be prepared to back it up if you need to.

Just don’t be tempted to sell yourself short. If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at our average salary checker.

Right answer: A broad (but realistic) answer e.g. ‘I‘m looking for a starting salary somewhere between £25,000 and £30,000’

Wrong answer: ‘I’m not sure. How much are you on?’

Should I ask about salary at my interview?

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

Ah, the perennial job interview favourite.

What the interviewer really wants is to see that you’ve thought about your future, and gauge your ambition. They also want to verify that this isn’t just a stop gap position.

Although all of your answers should be tailored to the organisation and position you’ve applied for, this is especially the case with this question. If you’re going for an entry level position, for example, explain how you’d like your career to progress (e.g. ‘I’d like to progress to a Senior Software Engineer’ or ‘I see myself being a team leader…’).

If you’re going for a more senior position, explain how you’d be looking to move the company forward. Have a look at their business strategy or corporate objectives before the interview, and explain how you can help in achieving them.

Right answer: Be passionate about the industry. Fit your career goals around the organisation’s objectives, demonstrate ambition and exploit your strengths

Wrong answer: ‘On the other side of this desk’

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We spoke to Mark Ridley, former Technology Director at reed.co.uk, to find out…

I was once asked by Clare McDonald (@ClareEllenMcD), Business Editor at Computer Weekly, if I could help with some opinions and figures about recruiting for tech jobs.

If you’re short on time and curious about the answer to the question posed in the opening line, the short answer is, “No. But it won’t hurt.”

Some background

I’ve been responsible for recruiting for tech and product development roles for almost two decades, and have always had a very strong preference for hiring and training junior staff. This probably reflects my own background (I’ve never had any formal IT education, and left university with a Psychology degree).

My policy has always been to favour mindset – attitude and capacity to learn – over qualifications, or even work experience. My primary goal at an interview is to find the people who will love their job, have the aptitude to gain the appropriate skills and the motivation to develop and kick-on in their own careers.

Tech interview questions

Should I go to university? Does the course matter?

The answer to this will vary significantly from employer to employer, and from job to job.

For instance, roles like User Experience Researcher or Business Analyst can benefit hugely from social science degrees like Psychology, Management and Economics, where statistics and the scientific method form a core part of the degree. Other degrees, like pure Science, Engineering and Arts, can all bring unique skills, experience and perspective.

Even though personality is foremost, training and education is a great opportunity to advance your own skills and knowledge and will always have an impact on your interview because it gives you something to talk about.

This is a great reason to make sure that you choose a degree subject that you think you’ll love, rather than one that you think will get you a job – your enjoyment and affinity for the course are what will be memorable to a good interviewer, not the course modules.

For those people working in IT without a formal education in tech, the training provided by the employer will be key to future development – so be sure to ask what training and development schemes are offered whilst you’re in any interview.

Should I go to university?

Are IT degrees important for technology roles?

Speaking from experience, I’d be just as likely to hire a skilled Arts graduate as I would be a Computer Science graduate – because personality makes a far greater difference to me than their degree subject.

Having studied IT at degree level is nowhere near as important as being able to show that you’re passionate about what you want to do. If you really want a job as a developer, show me the Android app or Ruby on Rails website that you built in your own time.

Having said that, if the course sounds interesting to you, you will have a great opportunity to learn many things that you might not have a chance to learn during your career.

Is IT a good career?

Of course it is! But many people may have misconceptions of what a job in IT really means. In fact, ‘the IT department’ of the past barely exists any more.

Professional developers and data scientists may work in Marketing departments. Finance teams often analyse the biggest data in the company. Scrum Masters, a role in agile teams, work more as coaches and trainers than the HR team.

The tech industry comprises some of the most creative, exciting, collaborative and challenging work of any industry – if you love solving problems creatively (Developer), working with customers (UX and Product Owner), motivating teams (Scrum Master) or just taking things apart (Engineer and Administrator), there’s almost certainly an IT job that you will enjoy.

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The data from McKinsey’s latest Women in the Workplace report shows that, at entry level, the workforce is fairly balanced: 51% male, 49% female. However, that percentage declines at every step of the career ladder, until at senior management level only 22% are women. McKinsey calls it the broken rung that prevents women’s progress.

The fact is it is still a significantly uneven playing field out there, and it is still harder for women’s careers to progress. Unlike previous decades when the discrimination against women was overt, today the issues are often much more subtle.

They are issues such as interruption, idea appropriation, judgement, criticism, unequal pay, double standards, microaggressions, and unconscious bias. To name just a few.

There are clearly measures that organisations need to put in place to help promote change and overcome these issues. But what can you, as an individual, do to help your own career get past the broken rung?

Speaking up, and speaking out

The biggest single thing is to be visible, to speak and to be heard.

But speaking up and speaking out has often proven to be a barrier for women. There are societal paradigms that effectively press on women and subconsciously encourage them not to speak up. Many women may also feel uncomfortable speaking in public scenario’s e.g. meetings or presentations, and when they do, they often find it hard to be heard.

And when women are not heard it can prove to be a major issue for their careers.

Breaking through ‘the glass wall’

More than a glass ceiling, it’s a glass wall that women frequently walk into – they do not see the issues clearly so they do not realise what is in front of them until they crash into this glass wall, or fall off the career ladder at the broken rung. After all, it’s hard to deal with what you do not clearly see.

A study by Catalyst found that self-advocacy skills (the ability to speak up for yourself) have a higher correlation to workplace status and pay than merit. In other words, it may not be fair, but it’s true: speaking well is better for your career than working hard.

‘Wading through treacle’

Being heard in meetings, for example, is important. It’s where reputations are built and people start seeing you as a problem solver, as an ideas person, or as leadership material.

In meetings, however, many women often face interruptions when they speak! In fact, one senior woman I spoke to said it feels like ‘wading through treacle’ trying to get herself heard in her own meetings.

Many women therefore take a different approach. Instead of struggling to be heard in meetings, they take things offline, preferring to talk to people one-on-one. And this, of course, can work. However, it means that people do not see or hear you, and you’re not capitalising on the opportunity to share ideas or resolve issues.

Without visibility, you do not always get credit for your abilities and contributions. When that becomes your habit then, over time, it could significantly negatively impact your career.

Finding your voice in meetings and presentations

Similarly, if you avoid making presentations you are not visible, heard or acknowledged.

Many people (men and women) hate giving presentations, and yet they are a critical opportunity to showcase your work, achievements, and ideas.

Most people in your organisation probably don’t work with you on a day-to-day basis, so the way the wider organisation will judge your professional competence largely comes from what they see of you in public. Including meetings and presentations.

The ability to speak well in these environments therefore is pivotal to your whole professional credibility. And it’s a skill you must master if you’re serious about career progression.

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