Job interviews can feel intimidating, especially if you haven’t been in one before. Knowing what questions are likely to come up, and having a clear idea of how to approach them, makes a big difference to how prepared and confident you feel walking in. While the same principles apply to other types of interviews, this article focuses on job interviews specifically.
Here are seven of the most common questions you’re likely to face, along with a framework for answering each one and an example of what a good answer looks like.
1. Tell me about yourself
This is almost always the first question, and it tends to catch people off guard because it feels too open. Keep your answer relevant to the role rather than covering your entire life story. A good structure is: who you are, what you’re currently doing, and why you’re interested in this opportunity. For example:
“I’m currently in Year 11 and I’ve been looking for my first part-time job for a few months. I’m organised and I enjoy working with people, which is part of why I was keen to apply for a customer-facing role like this one.”
2. Why do you want to work here?
This question checks whether you’ve done any research and whether you have a genuine reason for applying. Before your interview, spend a few minutes looking at the company’s website or social media and find something that actually interests you, whether that’s their products, team culture, or the kind of customers they serve. Something like:
“I’ve been a customer here for a while and I’ve always noticed how friendly the staff are. I’d like to be part of a team that takes customer service seriously, and from what I can tell this place does that well.”
3. What are your greatest strengths?
Name a strength that’s relevant to the role and back it up with evidence. Think about what the job actually involves, pick a strength that connects to it, and give a brief example of when you’ve demonstrated it. Avoid generic claims like “I’m a hard worker” without anything to support them. For example:
“I’d say reliability is probably my biggest strength. If I commit to something I follow through on it. At school I’m always the person in a group project who gets their part done on time, and I think that would carry over into how I’d approach shifts and responsibilities here.”
4. What’s your biggest weakness?
Avoid weaknesses that are strengths in disguise and avoid anything that would be a dealbreaker for the role. Interviewers aren’t expecting perfection, they want to see self-awareness and a willingness to improve. Pick something real but manageable, and follow it with what you’re actively doing about it:
“I can find it hard to ask for help when I’m stuck on something. I tend to want to figure things out myself first, which sometimes takes longer than it needs to. I’ve been working on that by making myself check in earlier rather than waiting until I’m really struggling.”
5. Where do you see yourself in five years?
When you’re still in school, this question can feel impossible to answer honestly. What the interviewer is really asking is whether you’re motivated and have some direction. You can be honest about still figuring things out while showing that you’re thinking ahead and taking things seriously:
“I’m still exploring what I want to do long term, but I know I want to keep developing my skills and take on more responsibility over time. I’m hoping this role gives me a good foundation to build from while I work that out.”
6. Describe a time you had to deal with a difficult situation
This is a behavioural question, meaning the interviewer wants a real example rather than a hypothetical. The most useful structure for answering these is STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Briefly describe the situation, what you needed to do, what you actually did, and what happened. Your example doesn’t have to come from a workplace, school, sport, or community involvement all count:
“In a group assignment last year, one of our group members stopped contributing a few weeks before the due date. I spoke to them privately to find out what was going on and it turned out they were overwhelmed with other subjects. We redistributed the work and I helped them catch up on their section. We ended up submitting on time.”
7. How do you handle stress or pressure?
This question comes up a lot in interviews for fast paced environments like retail, hospitality, or food service. The interviewer isn’t expecting you to say pressure doesn’t affect you. They want to know that you can recognise when things get hectic and have some way of managing it. Be honest, and where possible, give a brief example of a situation where you kept your head:
“I find that breaking things down into smaller steps helps when I’m feeling overwhelmed. During exam block last year I had multiple assessments due in the same week and I made a simple list of what needed to happen each day. It kept me focused and I got through it without falling behind.”
A final note on interviews
Preparing answers in advance is useful, but try not to memorise scripts word for word. The goal is to feel across your material so you can respond naturally rather than recite. Practising out loud with a friend or family member beforehand is one of the best ways to build that confidence.
For more tips on interviews and job applications, check out our resources here.
