Tips for Answering Job Interview Resume Questions

Updated June 18, 20221.3k

Job interview resume questions are an important part of getting a job. Here’s what you need to know so that you can ace your interview and get your dream job.

Resume Questions

So, you’ve finally landed the job interview. This is already a great step forward, and it’s a big part of finally being able to end your job search. However, now you need to shift from writing resumes to preparing for interview questions. Part of the path toward getting a new job is meeting with a recruiter and answering many job interview questions, with some companies even requiring two or three rounds of interviews. If you’re looking to get that coveted new position, then it’s crucial that you know how to navigate these questions and answers. Here’s what you need to know about effectively working through the hiring process.

Why Do Interviewers Ask Resume Questions?

Resume questions give hiring managers a few important pieces of information. First of all, they generally give a snapshot of your skills, experience, career goals and career path. Most of the time, a company is hoping that you will be a long time employee. Hiring new workers is expensive, so making sure you’re a perfect fit with the company culture is extremely important. Interviewers also want to know that you’ll put in hard work for the company. Your work ethic and ability to be a team player are usually going to be big factors in whether or not you get a job offer. Many of these questions judge a job seeker’s ability to do the work they need. Lastly, an interviewer is looking for wrong answers just as much as they’re looking for good answers. Interviews are some of the best places to spot red flags in many workers, especially because you’re typically not able to prepare as extensively for an interview as you do for a resume. The answers you give off the cuff tend to be the ones that showcase things like your self-awareness and your honest thoughts.

Most Common Resume Questions to Prepare For

There are some resume questions that are very common throughout the interview process. Here are some of the most common job interview questions to prepare for.

How do you deal with stressful situations?
Tell me about yourself.
What are your greatest strengths?
What are your long-term goals?
What are your salary expectations?
What is your biggest weakness?
What is your dream job?
What is your greatest weakness?
What is your work style or management style?
What motivates you?
What work environment do you thrive in?
Where do you see yourself in five to ten years?
Why are you leaving your current role/current company?
Why are you the best candidate for this job?
Why do you want this job?
Why should we hire you?

It’s best to prepare for these questions as well as general behavioral interview questions – questions that ask, “What will you do in a certain situation?” If you can prepare for all of these, then you’ll likely ace the interview.

Using the STAR Method to Answer Resume Questions

One of the best ways to respond to resume questions is with the STAR method. This is an incredibly effective way to showcase your skills and the type of work you usually do.

STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result, and it’s a structural way to respond to most interview questions, but especially ones that ask you about your previous experience. Start with a situation you were in, discuss the Task you had to take on, talk about the Action you took and end with the Result that you accomplished. This structure directly outlines your thought process in tackling a situation, and it is a great way to show off problem-solving skills and knowledge of your field.

It's also important to remember that when using the STAR method, you want to be as specific as possible about certain actions you took. Although going over the actions of your overarching team is certainly important, you don’t want to present yourself as exclusively a team member here. Instead, target the specific actions you took individually to help with this problem.

FAQ: Resume Questions

Should I also have questions prepared for an interviewer?

You should. Although it’s certainly important to prepare for interview questions, chances are the interviewer will ask, “Do you have anything to ask me?” at the end of the interview. If you haven’t prepared any questions to ask at the end of an interview, then you’re left with the uncomfortable feeling of either saying, “No” or coming up with something on the spot. Either of these can be a red flag.

Can I tell which questions an interviewer will actually ask?

Unfortunately, no. There’s no way to tell what questions an interviewer is going to ask before you get to the interview, and most of the time, they won’t ask all the questions on the list. The only thing you can do is generally go over past experience, prepare for the questions on the common question list and rely on your general knowledge of the field.

Is it possible to clarify elements of my resume in the interview?

Yes. For example, if you have an employment gap and you want to discuss that information, then you can look for a place to mention it or see whether the recruiter actively asks you about it. If you have anything you want to clarify in your interview, then note it before you go into the interview and look for a place where you can talk about it.

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About The Author

Cindi Cervone Carlson

Cindi Cervone Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Cindi is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing a dynamic, world-class organization dedicated to delivering outplacement consulting, training, support, and executive coaching. Cindi started her career at Challenger as a client who had lost her job. Over the past nine years, she has risen from an entry-level, part-time professional to Senior Vice President.