Personal Interview Questions

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Most Frequently Asked Personal Interview Questions

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What are your strengths?
3. What are your weaknesses?
4. Why should we hire you?
5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
6. What motivates you?
7. How do you deal with pressure?
8. What role do you usually take on a team?
9. What three words would you use to describe yourself?
10. Why do you want to leave your current job?

This blog consists of a combination of basic as well as tricky questions. While giving your interview, keep the following tips in mind:

• Do thorough research about the company and its role.
• Review your resume and provide specific examples of your key achievements and career highlights.
• To demonstrate enthusiasm, prepare questions to ask your interviewer about the role, team, company, growth opportunities, etc.
• Make eye contact, smile, and maintain positive body language to appear engaged and enthusiastic.
• Listen carefully to each question, pause if needed, and then respond. It is perfectly fine to ask for clarification.
• Provide specific examples and stories to demonstrate your key points. Back up your claims with quantifiable impact and results wherever possible.
• Be authentic and honest. Do not claim skills or experience you do not possess.

Let’s begin with the basic questions. They might sound too obvious, but that makes them crucial, answering these questions correctly will help you land the job efficiently.

1. Tell me about yourself.

I am an enthusiastic and dedicated person who loves to take up new challenges and work with different teams. I believe in constant self-improvement and always push my limits to achieve the best results.

2. What are your strengths?

Some of my key strengths are my communication skills, adaptability to different situations, positive attitude, and problem-solving ability. I am a strong communicator, both verbal and written. I can adapt to change and different demands quickly. I always maintain an optimistic outlook which helps in pressure situations. I have a knack for solving complex problems promptly and efficiently.

3. What are your weaknesses?

I can be too much of a perfectionist sometimes, leading to difficulties in time management and prioritization. I am working on becoming better at letting go of things that don’t matter in the grand scheme of priorities. With experience, I have improved at identifying key priorities and focusing my perfectionist instincts on high-impact areas.

4. Why should we hire you?

You should hire me because I have the experience, skills, and work ethic to thrive in this role. My background and strengths match the requirements you are looking for. I am passionate about this field and motivated to take on new responsibilities. I am a team player, learn quickly, and strive to exceed expectations which means I will do whatever it takes to achieve individual and company goals. Overall, I believe I would be a great fit for this position and a valuable addition to your team.

5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years, I see myself progressing into a position of more responsibility in the company where I can utilize both my technical and leadership skills. Ideally, I will be in a managerial role where I can leverage my experience to lead key programs and teams. However, to get there, I want to focus on developing expertise in emerging areas of the organization and building strong working relationships. My career ambitions are flexible based on where the most significant opportunities and needs are within the company. My motivation to keep learning, growing, and taking on new challenges and responsibilities is constant.

6. What motivates you?

I am motivated by building impactful solutions, collaborating with colleagues, developing meaningful relationships, and achieving challenging goals. I gain satisfaction from producing work that contributes value, helps others, and moves the organization forward. I am most motivated by growth, progress, and team success.

7. How do you deal with pressure?

I deal with pressure by remaining focused, staying positive, and breaking down big problems into smaller, manageable tasks. When facing a stressful situation, I take a step back to evaluate priorities and deadlines to create an actionable plan. I communicate proactively to set the right expectations and get help if needed. Having a positive mindset and maintaining open lines of communication are key to overcoming challenges in a high-pressure environment. Experience has also taught me what I can control and influence which helps minimize wasted effort and distraction.

8. What role do you usually take on a team?

I typically emerge as a team leader but aim to achieve consensus and listen to other perspectives. I enjoy organizing, delegating tasks, and keeping groups focused on critical priorities and deadlines. However, I value all input and the diverse experience different members bring. An effective team is one where members trust and rely on each other. The best approach is often collaborative, where multiple voices are heard, different options are weighed, and people feel a sense of shared purpose and ownership in the work. I aim to facilitate that type of engaging and productive team environment.

9. What three words would you use to describe yourself?

Three words I would use to describe myself are:

• Determined
  I pursue my goals and objectives with perseverance and resolve to succeed. I do not give up quickly in the face of obstacles or setbacks.
• Empathetic
  I have a natural ability to understand and share the feelings of others. I can put myself in someone else’s shoes and see their perspective.
• Adaptable
  I have developed an ability to adjust my approach and demeanor to suit different people and situations. I can step out of my comfort zone and thrive amid change or challenge.

10. Why do you want to leave your current job?

I have learned and grown a lot in my current position. However, I now need to take up more significant challenges and responsibilities to continue progressing in my career. I want to work with a bigger team and handle more complex projects. I want to utilize my skills and experience in a new position where I can contribute significantly to the growth and success of the organization.

Apart from these basic questions, personal interviews ask brainteasing questions. These questions reveal how someone will handle complex issues in the role.  They also assess qualities like creativity, judgment, ethics, and ambition.

Deeper discussions build understanding, spark meaningful exchanges, and leave a lasting impression. Answering these questions correctly will ultimately benefit both the interviewer and the interviewee.

We have listed some tricky and creative questions the interviewer might ask you to answer. Let’s find them out below:

11. What would you do if you woke up and found you were invisible?

I would likely do small acts of kindness that can improve someone else’s day without revealing my identity. For example, I may leave an encouraging note for a colleague or do a chore for my neighbor anonymously.

12. If you could instantly become an expert in one subject, what would it be?

I would choose to become an expert in artificial intelligence and machine learning. It is such an exciting and fast-growing field that will shape our future in many ways. I would love to have a deeper understanding of it.

13. What would you want to know if a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future, or anything else?

I would not want to know too much about my future. I think uncertainty and mystery are what make life enjoyable. However, I would be curious to glimpse crucial inflection points in my life and see how my decisions today might influence my future self. This could help provide guidance but still leave room for surprise.

14. What movie title best describes your life?

I don’t think one movie title can capture the essence of my life journey. My life has many dimensions – ups and downs, adventure and adversity, love and loss. Rather than a movie, I think my life is more like a collection of short stories. Each story has shaped who I am today, but they remain unfinished, waiting to be continued.

15. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

I would be an eagle. Eagles are strong, visionary, determined, and can soar to great heights. As an eagle, I can gain a higher perspective to spot opportunities and see the bigger picture. Yet, eagles are also very focused and persistent in achieving their goals. These qualities resonate with my own personality and leadership style. 

16. What would you do if you found a penguin in the fridge?

I would likely do the following:

• Stay calm and keep the fridge door closed to maintain the temperature for the penguin.  
• Call the local animal authorities, zoo, or wildlife organization and ask for help. Explain that I have found a penguin in the fridge and need guidance to care for it until they can pick it up correctly.   
• Ensure the penguin has enough space, food, water, and proper temperature/environment. Monitor it regularly until wildlife experts arrive to evaluate and transport it. 
• Once the penguin is removed, deep clean and disinfect the fridge before using it again for food storage.

17. If you could pick up a new skill in an instant, what would it be?

I would love to learn how to play the piano. I think the piano is such a beautiful instrument that can create moving and emotive music. Even with instant mastery, learning to play the piano would be incredibly rewarding. I could play pieces that inspire and captivate others. Music is also great for expressing creativity and storytelling without words. This artistic outlet would be invaluable.

18. If you had a superpower, what would it be and why?

If I had a superpower, I would choose the ability to fly. Flying would give me an incredible sense of freedom and allow me to gain a new perspective on the world below. I could soar up high above the city skyline or coast over mountaintops to get an aerial view of the landscape below. Of course, I have to be very careful with this power and ensure I do not disrupt air traffic or startle anyone below! But to peacefully float up into the clouds would be a fantastic experience.

19. What is your spirit animal? Why?

I don’t have a strong affiliation with any particular spirit animal. Different animals represent different qualities, and we embody a mix of these qualities as humans. However, I might select a dolphin as my spirit animal if I had to choose. Dolphins seem highly intelligent, social, and altruistic. They form close social bonds and work together in a community. Dolphins also seem playful, cheerful, and content. These are qualities I aim to embody and nurture in myself as well. So the dolphin aligns with my values and how I try to live life with an optimistic spirit.

20. If you were trapped in an elevator, who would you want to be trapped with and why?

In general, being trapped with someone who can provide leadership and structure to organize our escape safely and strategically would be most optimal. But remaining as calm and patient as possible together, regardless of who is there, would be most important. Panicking will only make the situation much worse and more frightening.

A potential answer to such questions can be:

If I were trapped in an elevator, I would want to be trapped with someone resourceful and level-headed who could help get us out or at least make the experience less frightening while waiting for rescue. Some options could be:

• A tradesman, like an electrician or mechanic who understands elevators, may know how to control opening doors or access emergency call buttons.
• An emergency responder is a firefighter trained for such situations and can provide first aid if anyone suffers anxiety or medical distress.
• A calm and rational problem-solver who can systematically explore options for escape or ways to alert emergency services to our location instead of panicking. Someone with a cool head and critical thinking skills would be helpful.

By now, you have discussed a lot of questions. But now it’s time for you to ask a question to your interviewer. 

Do This Next:

At the end of the interview, the interviewer always asks you if you have any questions for him/her. Just don’t say no, instead, you can ask the below questions:

Do you have any questions for me?

Yes, I would like to know-:

• What is the work culture like in the team? What are you looking to improve?
• What career progression opportunities exist for this position in your organization?
• What projects would I be typically involved in if selected for this role?
• How is performance evaluated for this position? What are the key metrics and success factors?