20 Common Job Interview Questions (And How to Answer Them)

The short answer: almost every interview question is testing one of four things — can you do the job, will you fit the team, why do you want this specific role, and how do you behave under pressure. Work out which one is being asked and the answer becomes obvious.

The opening questions

1. "Tell me about yourself."

Not an invitation to recite your life story. The interviewer wants a 60-90 second summary of your professional arc and why it leads here. Structure: where you are now, one or two relevant achievements, why this role is the logical next step.

2. "Why do you want this job?"

This tests whether you have actually researched them. Name something specific — a project, a market position, how they operate. "It seems like a great company" tells them you applied to forty places.

3. "Why are you leaving your current role?"

Keep it forward-looking. "I've learned a lot but I'm looking for more responsibility in X" works. Criticising your current employer never does, even when it is justified.

Behavioural questions (the STAR ones)

Anything starting "tell me about a time when" is a behavioural question. Use STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Spend most of your answer on Action, and always finish with a concrete Result.

4. "Tell me about a time you handled a difficult customer or colleague." — Testing composure and whether you take responsibility.
5. "Describe a time you made a mistake." — Testing honesty and whether you learn. Pick a real one with a real fix.
6. "Tell me about a time you worked under pressure." — Testing prioritisation.
7. "Give an example of when you showed initiative." — Testing whether you need to be managed.
8. "Describe a conflict with a team member." — Testing maturity, not whether you win.
9. "Tell me about a goal you achieved." — Testing follow-through.
10. "Describe a time you had to learn something quickly." — Testing adaptability.

Role and capability questions

11. "What are your strengths?" — Pick strengths the job description asks for. Back each with evidence.
12. "What's your biggest weakness?" — Name a genuine one and what you do about it. "I'm a perfectionist" is heard as evasion.
13. "Where do you see yourself in five years?" — Testing whether you will stay. Ambition tied to their business is the right note.
14. "What do you know about us?" — Purely a research check.
15. "How do you prioritise your work?" — Describe an actual system.
16. "What's your management style?" or "How do you like to be managed?"
17. "Why should we hire you?" — Three sentences connecting their stated need to your evidence.

The closing questions

18. "What are your salary expectations?" — Give a researched range, not a number. Check what the role pays in our salary guides first so your range is defensible.
19. "When could you start?" — Know your notice period.
20. "Do you have any questions for us?" — Never say no. Ask about the team, what success looks like in the first six months, or why the role is open.

Interview questions specific to WA

If you are interviewing for site or FIFO work in Western Australia, expect additional ground:

• "Have you worked a FIFO roster before? How did you find it?" — They are assessing whether you will last. Be honest.
• "Are you comfortable with pre-employment medicals and random drug and alcohol testing?" — A straight yes.
• "Walk me through a time you stopped a job for safety." — In resources, the right answer demonstrates you will stop work. Candidates who imply they push through are a liability.

Before you walk in

Research the company properly, prepare three STAR stories flexible enough to cover most behavioural questions, know your salary range, and prepare two questions of your own. That preparation separates most successful candidates from the rest — not confidence, not charisma.

Ready to apply? Browse jobs in Perth or all current vacancies across WA.

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