Job interview questions are constantly changing and right here in the UK, this year is no exception.

The recruitment process is becoming even more competitive, interview questions are becoming tougher and your interview answers will need to be top notch to get that elusive offer.

While face to face interviewing will of course dominate, we have seen how remote interviewing has become increasingly common and is here to stay this year. Whether in the form of zoom, skype or other video based, these pre-recorded interviews are now the norm.

In this article, we reveal the most common types of questions that you may be asked in any job interview and we list the top 10 UK interview questions you should prepare for.

The Most Common Interview Questions UK

Questions at interview can take one of several forms.

There may be open questions that really just invite you to talk so that the interviewer can gain an insight into your attitudes, thought processes, and communication skills.

Competency and behavioural questions are now becoming the norm however many interviewers still favour the standard and traditional job interview questions such as “Tell me about yourself” and “Why should we hire you?” etc.

In addition, more and more employers are now using blended interviews formats combined with strength based interview questions where they explore not only what you are good at but also what you love doing.

Download and keep our free Interview Questions and Answers PDF.

Despite the pandemic now well and truly consigned to the past, employers will be aware that we have all been through a challenging period.

Here are the most common types of interview questions in use today.

• Competency Based Interview Questions also known as Behavioural Interview Questions
• Situational Judgement Interview Questions
• Traditional Interview Questions
• Technical Interview Questions
• Strength Based Interview Questions
• Hypothetical or Scenario Based Questions
• Value Based Interview Questions
• Professional Skills and Experience Interview Questions
• Interview Questions About Diversity, Inclusion, Equality in the UK
• Interview Questions about Career Goals and Growth
• Interview Questions Dealing with Gaps in Employment or Career Breaks
• Pressure Based Interview Questions

Top 10 UK Interview Questions and Answers

In our interview coaching practice, we work with clients in a variety of industries and at a range of levels. We also assist with recruitment in a range of sectors and we continuously gather feedback and input regarding the questions being asked.

Our research shows that the traditional big opening interview questions are still being used by many employers in the UK. They may ask 2 or 3 of them and them combine them with competency based or strengths based questions to gather a more holistic picture of you as a candidate.

Question 1: Tell Me About Yourself.

The “Tell me About Yourself” question is one of the most common questions guaranteed to come up regardless of your sector, your experience level or your job.

It is universally popular not just in the UK and used equally by inexperienced interviewers who haven’t looked through your application before and experienced interviewers who want to get an initial overall view of you and your skills.

How to answer this interview question:

A good answer is vitally important as it can set a positive tone for the rest of the interview while a poor one can be very difficult to recover from.

Most importantly your answer must have proper structure and a smooth flow that the interviewer can easily follow. They need to hear your key messages and you should deliver them succinctly and ideally within 2-5 minutes. The content needs to be strong, relevant, to the point.

Learn how to answer the tell me about yourself interview question for finance, accounting, customer services, banking type roles.

Question 2: Why Have You Applied for This Job?

Why they ask this question:

The interviewer’s task is to find out what drives you when you seek a job and the reasons why you chose them as opposed to another employer. Key areas they will be interested in are:

• What attracted you to the post, what was it that encouraged you to apply?
• Do you have a genuine interest in this position or some ulterior motive?
• What aspects are most important to you, what key areas first caught your eye?
• Do you understand what your responsibilities will be and how exactly you will fulfil them?

How to answer this interview question:

There may be any number of attractive reasons to apply for a position, and they can include:

• The industry or sector the company is in, its prospects for growth and expansion, its product line and its business reputation.
• The actual job and the variety of duties and responsibilities associated with the position.
• The company’s policy regarding its employees, the overall quality of their personnel, and the advancement opportunities available.

In giving your answer, be sure to place emphasis on what you would bring to the company, instead of focusing on what the company might do for you. Also, make a point to discuss the research you have conducted, as this will demonstrate that you have specifically targeted this firm as opposed to simply applying for a job.

Read More: How to Answer “Why Have You Applied For This Job?” With Sample Answers.

Use this portion of the interview to show that your skills match up with the specific requirements of the position. For example, if great communication skills are of paramount importance, talk about how yours can aid you in this type of company or role.

Get expert sample answers tailor made for you when you join InterviewGold.

Question 3: Why Are You Leaving Your Current Job?

Why they ask this question:

Your interviewing panel will be curious and what they will want to discover is just how planned is your move. They will want to know if this move is part of your career progression or a sudden change of heart. Are you rushing out the door or even being pushed out. Remember, it is always better if you can show it was the pull of the new role rather than a push away from the old one which precipitated the move.

How to answer this interview question:

This is a very common interview question and here we list the following as being acceptable reasons for wanting to change jobs, but there could be additional ones you may want to include in your answer. See detailed answer here in our post:

Why Are Your Leaving Your Current Job? Why Did You Change Jobs? Interview Questions Answered.

Progression – There simply wasn’t enough growth potential to suit your ambition

Opportunity – Your current position was no longer challenging or stimulating enough

Security – The prospects for a long term employment and advancement were lacking in your previous position

Setting – The travel and commuting has become tedious, and you are seeking a position closer to where you live

Most importantly, be sure that reason you want to leave is positive, and refrain from making any negative statements about your last company, or your superiors.

Question 4: What are your strengths?

This interview question offers a great opportunity for you to discuss how your professional skills are perfectly aligned with main competencies of the position. It also serves as a chance to convince the interviewer that you are the best candidate for the job.

You may see this combined with question 5 below as in: what are your strengths and weaknesses?

How to answer this interview question:

The key to delivering a great interview answer is in using the analysis of the position requirements combined with any other research you have conducted on the company.

Begin by asking yourself, ‘What key qualities must I demonstrate for this role, and what specific skills is the company looking for?” Then deliver a tailor-made response.

Your reply should focus on around three key attributes that are necessary and important to the position. Also, don’t hesitate to provide examples of past instances where you effectively implemented these skills to a successful outcome.

In addition, in your answers you may choose to talk about your favourable personality traits such as passion, professionalism, loyalty, and dependability, as interviewers are particularly keen on these in prospective job candidates.

Read more: Get expert sample answers to this and many more when you join InterviewGold today – select your job to start.

Question 5: What are your weaknesses?

A top tip when answering is to turn a weakness into a positive and give a situation and a solution at the same time. For example, “I tend to be very process-oriented and get very involved with the detail. I have been aware of that and so work with other members of the team who are more result-oriented so as to bring balance and ensure the project gets delivered on time and to target..”

With this example the candidate shows an awareness of their weakness however also an ability to use the resources around them. It is also a nice example of the working together competency.

Learn 9 brilliant ways to answer the weakness interview question.

Question 6: What do you like or dislike most about your current job?

Another common interview question and worth bearing in mind there is scarcely any job out there that doesn’t contain some unpleasant aspects.

However, when answering you shouldn’t mention them during the interview process. When giving an answer to an interview question such as this, we recommend avoiding any negative discussion, and instead talk about the things you like or enjoy, all while relating those duties and responsibilities to the position you are currently applying for.

Should the interviewer insist on an account of your dislikes, focus on the lack of growth potential, stability, and location referred to above.

Question 7: What will you bring to the role?

This is a very interesting question as it challenges you to know exactly what your value is to the employer. They are asking what is it that you have that they will find useful. What are you bringing to them that is going to help them solve their problem?

It is similar in a way to the question ‘What are your strengths?’ however it goes further as it also encompasses a combination of elements both required in the role and which you possess including:

• Experience
• Knowledge
• Skills
• Energy and
• Personal traits

How to answer this interview question:

Here, the interviewer is in search of an enthusiastic answer that relates to Capability, Commitment and Compatibility. Take this as an opportunity to really demonstrate how your past accomplishments and current skill set make you the perfect candidate to hire.

Also, use examples of your prior achievements to make the point that you will fit in seamlessly, and be a valued and committed employee.

Here are our core guidelines for a great answer:

1. Analyse the job description and person specification: Highlight the skills and experience required by the company. Compare this list with your abilities and expertise.

2. Understand the employer: Gather information and understand what they are looking for. What skills do they value, what experience will they look for.

3. Choose three core requirements: List three top requirements as detailed on the job description or person specification. Choose those which are both listed as essential which you excel in and are fully confident with. This will form the basis for your answer.

4. Bring proper structure: Your interview is a communication exercise and you must structure and deliver it professionally. We include a range of formulas in the InterviewGold online training system however for this we suggest you use the ABC Formula and the Rule of 3 to structure perfectly.

5. Be confident: When answering be sure to exude confidence, self-assurance and determination, as the fact that you made it to the interview process means they are building a case to hire you, and not disqualify you. Remember to focus on the job description and refer to it when the discussion turns to how your competencies, skills, and abilities fit those particular requirements.

6. Transferable Skills: During the interview, you will want to place particular emphasis on how you wish to contribute to the company. If you are transitioning between dissimilar sectors or industries, be sure to make liberal use of the phrase ‘transferable skills’ in your answers. These are the abilities and traits that all company’s place great value on, and include great verbal and written communication skills, focus, time management, teamwork, being task-oriented, and accountability.

Read more: Get expert sample answers to this and many more when you join InterviewGold today – select your job to start.

Question 8: Why Have You Chosen This Career?

Simply put, the interviewers want to know what first attracted you to your career. They hope to understand the motives and reasons and whether you made an early positive choice or you somehow drifted into it.

How to answer this interview question:

A good answer is one which shows a positive choice and one where you recognised your talents and the types of careers these best fit.

Refresh your memory, think back and come up with a list of factors that prompted you to this choice.

Focus on experiences which gave you a positive impression, for example, this can be a successful internship, which confirmed your desire to work in this field.

Or maybe you followed in the footsteps of someone you know. You admired how they dedicated their life to this career how inspired and excited they were about their choice and how you decided from an early age to pursue the same path. This can work also for famous representatives of the profession, who inspired you to choose this field.

Question 9: Where do you see yourself in 2,3 or 5 years time?

Why they ask this interview question:

I have combined these two questions simply because they are effectively asking the same thing. These questions are exploring motivation and intention and the interviewer is trying to find out how long you will stay with this post should you be offered it.

In addition, they want to see how clearly you have though out your career plan or indeed if you have one. If you have selected this role carefully and see it and the employer as a core part of your future working life, then you are more likely to stay with the role and organisation.

How to answer this interview question:

So how do you deal with the question?

Firstly, reassure the interviewer that you see your career in this Sector doing this type of work; after all this is what you excel at.

Mention how this employer is top of your list and how you can see yourself settling onto a long term career with then, continuously delivering top quality work, growing with the organisation and enjoying the challenges that come along.

While it’s impossible to predict the future and indeed you might move again in six months, your answer should simply give the interviewer confidence in your intentions. and if you do intend leaving after as short time best not to mention that as you are unlikely to get offered the role.

Read more about how to answer – Where Do You See Yourself In 2,3  or 5 Years Time?

Question 10. Do you have any questions for us?

This is probably the most frequently asked interview question. It comes at the end of pretty much every job interview and gives you an opportunity to find out more about the job. Find out more about the duties and tasks, what the employer wants to do in the first six months, to whom you will be reporting and how many others in the team. You can explore more about the company and its plans or indeed the strength of its balance sheet.

How to Get Your Target Job Faster With InterviewGold

Are you struggling with job interviews? Getting tongue tied, going blank and unsure how to answer correctly? Perhaps you are doing ok in the interview room but just not getting jobs?

Whatever your situation, preparation is vital and to be more precise the ‘right’ preparation is key. With the InterviewGold online interview training system your interview preparation is done for you and you have access to a comprehensive database of interview questions with answers.

Best of all, accessing those most relevant to you is easy; just select your job and level and it will show you those most likely to arise in your actual interview. Use these expert answer guides to win the job offer in your very next interview; after all thousands of other job seekers have done just that using the system.