Key Questions Employers Ask During Job Interviews

If you've taken part in enough job interviews, you've undoubtedly realized that certain questions keep coming up. But did you ever wonder why they're so popular with employers? If so, then consider the following research from Accountemps, which links common interview questions to the motivations behind them. Ultimately, employers want to find out more about your work style, your ability to contribute to a team and whether your career goals align with the company's strategies. "While you can't predict every question you may hear during an interview, candidates should practice responding to commonly asked questions to impress hiring managers," said Bill Driscoll, district president for Accountemps. "Knowing your audience is crucial. Learn as much as you can about the company and position by conducting research, reading relevant news and reaching out to your network for insights." As part of the research, Accountemps included survey findings from employers that indicate what interviewers most like to discuss during these exchanges, as well as some interesting curveball questions that managers use to keep candidates on their toes. We've included some of those here. More than 300 U.S. senior managers took part in the research.