13 Top Interview Questions in 2023 (With Sample Answers)

 1. Tell me about yourself and your qualifications

“I've been a hostess at XYZ Restaurant for just over two years and I greet and seat customers, assess wait times, fulfill to-go orders and answer the phones. I love the lively and busy environment and I am able to multi-task and seat customers quickly, even on our busy weekend nights. I've enjoyed and grown in my current role, but I’d like to utilize my customer service expertise in an elite restaurant environment. I am interested in your restaurant because of its reputation for delivering first-in-class service to your patrons in a lively, dynamic environment.”“I've been a hostess at XYZ Restaurant for just over two years and I greet and seat customers, assess wait times, fulfill to-go orders and answer the

phones. I love the lively and busy environment and I am able to multi-task and seat customers quickly, even on our busy weekend nights. I've enjoyed and grown in my current role, but I’d like to utilize my customer service expertise in an elite restaurant environment. I am interested in your restaurant because of its reputation for delivering first-in-class service to your patrons in a lively,

dynamic environment.”



2. What makes you unique?

"What makes me unique is my ability to meet and exceed deadlines. In my previous role, my manager consistently praised me for completing my projects efficiently with a high level of quality. This allowed me to take on additional responsibilities and eventually led to a promotion."

3. Why do you want to work at this company?

“The company’s mission to help college grads pay off their student loan debt resonates with me. I’ve been in student loan debt myself and would love the opportunity to work with a company that’s making a difference. Finding a company with a positive work environment and values that align with my own

has remained a priority throughout my job search and this company ranks at the top of the list.”


4. What interests you about this role?

“While I highly valued my time at my previous company, there are no longer

opportunities for growth that align with my career goals. This position fits

perfectly with my skill set and how I’m looking to grow in my career. I’m also

looking for a position at a company like yours that supports underserved

communities, which is a personal passion of mine.”


5. What motivates you?

“Making a true difference in the lives of my patients and their families motivates

me to strive for excellence in everything I do. I look forward to seeing my

patient’s reactions when we get a positive outcome that will change their lives

forever. That’s why I became a nurse and why I’m pursuing a position in

pediatrics.”


6. What are your goals for the future?

“I would like to continue developing my marketing expertise over the next

several years. One of the reasons I’m interested in working for a fast-growing

startup company is that I’ll have the ability to wear many hats and collaborate

with many different departments. I believe this experience will serve me well in

achieving my ultimate goal of someday leading a marketing department.”

7. Where do you think you'll be in five years?

"Some of my future goals for the next few years include leading a design team

in a formal capacity. I’m also excited about the prospect of working with

product and event teams on developing streamlined processes—this is a

natural fit with my project management background. I’d also like to further

develop my skills in user experience to aid in creating more user-focused

designs all around.”

8. How do you respond to stress or change?

“I’m able to stay calm by focusing on the bigger picture and breaking down my

projects into smaller tasks. I always start by asking myself, “What is the ultimate

goal I’m trying to achieve?” From there, I make a list of immediate and longterm

action items with achievable but ambitious deadlines. Even if the big

project is due tomorrow, I ask myself, ‘What’s something I can tackle in the next

30 minutes?’ Before I know it, I’ve made significant progress and that impossible

project doesn’t seem so impossible.”\


9. How do you handle conflict at work? 

“I was working as a project manager on an IT project, and one technician was

constantly late finishing tasks. When I approached him about it, he got

defensive, so I kept calm and acknowledged that the deadlines were

challenging and asked how I could help him meet expectations. He told me that

he had been pulled into another project so I met with the other project manager

and we came to a resolution that lightened the technician’s workload. For the

remainder of the project, the technician delivered great work. I learned that you

don’t always know what others are experiencing and by keeping that in mind,

you can better navigate conflict and be a more helpful and supportive

colleague.”


10. What is your greatest accomplishment?

"Some of my future goals for the next few years include leading a design team

in a formal capacity. I’m also excited about the prospect of working with

product and event teams on developing streamlined processes—this is a

natural fit with my project management background. I’d also like to further

develop my skills in user experience to aid in creating more user-focused

designs all around.”


11. How do you define success?

“I define success as fulfilling my role in my team and in the company. I work

toward completing my individual duties as effectively as possible, balancing

that with professional growth and contributing to larger organizational goals. In

my previous role, success meant exceeding weekly metrics, implementing

processes that supported the company’s KPIs and meeting quarterly

professional development goals


12. How do your skills align with this role?

“I can make anyone feel comfortable in a new environment, which makes me a

good fit as a human resources assistant. In my previous position, a new

employee came to me and told me that she didn’t think she was right for the

company culture. After talking for a few minutes, we realized that she felt too

much pressure to participate in company events. I started introducing events

that involved fewer competitions and more casual environments, and she

quickly grew more comfortable with her team.”

13. Why should we hire you?

“My experience accurately managing inventory intake and skills in creating

effective, streamlined schedules make me uniquely qualified to succeed in this

kitchen manager position. I understand that you require a highly organized

candidate with acute attention to detail. In my previous job, I successfully

handled schedules for 20 employees and reduced food waste by 15%. I’m

confident in my ability to use my organizational skills to bring efficiency and

order to your restaurant."

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