Very brief and friendly. However some tricky questions like: Can you tell me a bit about yourself? This question, usually the opener, tops the list of typical interview questions. It's incredibly important, as you can provide the interviewer with a great first impression. Preparation is key, but your answer mustn't sound rehearsed. Focus on your skills, characteristics and successes, and how they make you a strong candidate in terms of the job description. Keep your answer to less than five minutes. Generally, you should begin with an overview of your highest qualification and greatest achievements, before running through your work experience and giving examples of the skills that you've developed. If you've little work history, focus on the areas of academia that you’ve most enjoyed and how this relates to the job. Why do you want to work here? Demonstrate that you've researched the role by discussing the skills and interests that led you to apply. Draw upon what you enjoy; use examples from your academic, professional or extra-curricular life that suggest you're strongly motivated for the role and can relate closely to the organisation. Tell the interviewer what particular aspect of the job advertisement enticed you. Similar questions include: What do you know about the company? What motivates you? Improve your skills with practice interview sessions Visit What are your strengths? Pick three or four attributes desired by the employer in the person specification; teamwork, leadership, initiative and lateral thinking are common examples. Whichever strengths you pick, ensure that you can evidence them with examples. Similar questions include: How would a friend describe you? How would you describe your personality? What are three positive things your last boss would say about you? What are your weaknesses? You can positively frame your answer by picking characteristics that you've taken steps to improve. For example, self-confidence issues could have previously led to difficulty accepting criticism; but tell the interviewer that you've learned to embrace constructive feedback as it allows self-improvement. Alternatively, discuss how you overcame a potential downside of your greatest strength; for example, you might have had to learn how to cope with conflict if you're a great teamworker. Never say that you have no weaknesses, that you're a perfectionist, or that you work too hard. These are clichéd responses that portray you as arrogant, dishonest or lacking in self-awareness. Similar questions include: How do you respond to criticism? How would your worst enemy describe you?