The Top 13 Interview Questions of 2024 And How To Nail Them

Nikki Paterson Author

Want to know how to nail the top job interview questions of 2024 and bag the job? Keep reading...

The job interview is the apex of the recruitment process; it's usually the first time the recruitment panel will actually talk to you, and it's your opportunity to position yourself as the best candidate for the job. 

Your job application got you in the door; now it's time to close the deal at the interview.

The key to interview success is preparation, and a big part of interview preparation is anticipating what interview questions will be asked so that you can prepare structured, polished answers that hit the panel's marking matrix.

In this article, we will give you a head start with the top 13 interview questions of 2024 and how to best answer them. Granted, you're unlikely (and you'd be unlucky!) to get all 13 questions in an interview, but these are all excellent, strategic questions well worth planning for.

Understanding Behavioural Interview Questions

Before we jump into what questions you'll be asked, let's briefly talk about what type of question you'll most likely be asked.

The most common type of interview question, and the one that gives the panel the best picture of you and your capabilities and your alignment to the role, is behavioural questions.

Behavioural interview questions are a critical component of the interview process, as they provide insight into how a candidate has handled situations in the past. 

These questions ask candidates to share experiences from previous roles to understand their approach to challenges, teamwork, conflict resolution, and problem-solving. 

For example, a common behavioural question might be, "Tell me about a time when you had to overcome a significant challenge at work." 

This type of question allows the interviewer to gauge the candidate's resilience, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Employers and recruiters use behavioural questions to help them identify candidates who not only have the necessary skills and qualifications but also possess the soft skills required to thrive in the organisation.

So let's take a look at the top 13 interview questions of 2024 and how to prepare for them.

1. Why do you want this position?

Why they ask this: The panel use this question to gauge your understanding of the company, its purpose, its work and that you've looked beyond the pay packet that's attached to the position.

How to answer: Be genuine but also use this as an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the role and the organisation. Express your enthusiasm or passion for that line of work or industry, and explain why that particular company interests you. Talk about how the role will be a natural progression for your career (if it is) or how this role is an opportunity to use your established skills to transition into something completely different. This is an opportunity to talk about how the company's values align with your personal values and share an anecdote that demonstrates your passion for the company or the role.

2. What is your biggest weakness?

Why they ask this: To gauge your level of self-awareness. Self-awareness is linked to emotional intelligence, and employers want emotionally aware employees. If you're unable to identify a real weakness in yourself, you're unlikely to be a good team player.

How to answer: Choose a weakness that is improvable and is not critical to the function of the job. Explain what you've done to address this weakness and the positive improvements you've made. Explain how this has made you a better employee, colleague or leader. By focusing on the positive outcomes of your self-improvement, you are demonstrating your commitment to self-growth and development.

For more ideas on how to answer this one, watch our Youtube video 'What's is your greatest weakness?' How To Answer This Interview Question

3. What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Why they ask this: To gain insight into your values, goals and what you consider important.

How to answer: Choose an experience or event from your past that demonstrates a strength or achievement that is aligned with the position you're applying for and the company values and goals. Share what you did well and why this was important, whether it was leading a team through difficult times, overcoming an obstacle or taking on a new challenge and explain how you can apply these skills and learnings to this new role.

4. Tell us about a time you've had to deal with conflict and how you managed it.

Why they ask this: To see how you handle difficult situations, whether you take ownership of your part in the conflict and whether you have the skills to manage conflict effectively.

How to answer: Conflict is a natural part of life, especially work life, so don't shy away from acknowledging that you've been involved in conflict. The key here is to take ownership of your role in the conflict (don't lay all the blame on the other party), talk professionally about the conflict and highlight the skills you used to successfully manage the conflict and the learnings you had that you can bring to this role.

5. What is your greatest strength?

Why they ask this: This question is designed to assess your self-awareness, your communication skills and the relevance of your skills to the role. It's a way of gauging whether you'd be a good fit for the job and the team, and it also gives the interviewer an opportunity to hear about any achievements or projects that you're particularly proud of.

How to answer: Align your response with the key skills required to do the job. Even though the question calls for one strength, don't be afraid to list a few relevant key strengths. Go beyond just stating these strengths, talk about how you've intentionally developed these skills through education, development opportunities and experience, and how you've effectively used them to achieve work goals and how you can use them in this role. Be sure to use specific examples from your past that illustrate your point.

6. Tell us about a time you've had to overcome adversity.

Why they ask this: To gauge your resilience, to see how you deal with challenges and how you rise to the occasion.

How to answer: This is an opportunity to share a challenging experience from your past, whether it was in your professional or personal life, and more importantly, how you coped with it and the skills you used to navigate the adversity. Briefly talk about what happened and then focus on your coping strategies, skills you used to ensure a positive outcome and then the learnings you can bring from it to this role.

7. Tell us about a time when you had to lead a team in a difficult situation.

Why they ask this: Even if the role you're applying for isn't a leadership role, employers want to see that you can demonstrate 'everyday leadership' and can take charge in difficult situations, whether those situations are within your own job or outside of it.

How to answer: Choose a situation that relates to the position you're applying for; a similar setting, task or skillset. Describe the steps you took and the outcome of this action. Be sure to share what you learned from the experience, whether it was about leading in a more effective way or communication techniques that worked well and explain how you can bring these skills and experience to the role.

8. What are the most important skills required for this position?

Why they ask this: To gauge your understanding of the position, to see if you've researched the position and the company and to see if you understand the company's key values and culture.

How to answer: Use this question as an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the position and the company, but don't stop there. Using anecdotes, give relevant examples that demonstrate that you not only possess these skills but that you've effectively utilised them for a positive outcome and can bring these same skills and results to this role.

9. How have you developed these skills?

Why they ask this: To see if you're invested in your own development and if you're a lifelong learner; to see if you are aware of the skillset you need to do a job effectively and actively go about developing those skills.

How to answer: This is an opportunity to show that you are self-aware and that you take the initiative when it comes to self-development. Share an experience where you have developed and improved on these skills, whether it's through education and training, stepping up for opportunities where you can practice and hone these skills or seeking mentorship in these areas.

10. What are your goals and objectives for the future?

Why they ask this: Recruitment and training is expensive. Employers want to know that you'll be sticking around for a while and that your goals and objectives align with the organisation's, that you have a plan for the future, and that their organisation forms part of it.

How to answer: This is an opportunity to share your career aspirations, what you are doing to help reach those goals and how the position will support your progress. Talk about how the company's values and culture are aligned with your personal values and how this will contribute to your long-term success, and what you can contribute to the team and organisation.

11. What is one thing that sets you apart from other candidates?

Why they ask this: To gauge what you think the important skills, characteristics, qualifications and experience are for the role. This is also an exercise in effective communication to see how you articulate your values, skills and experience.

How to answer: Most interview questions ask you to talk about a specific situation, skill or experience. This question is an opportunity for you to choose which of your skills, experience and qualifications you want to highlight. Choose a skill, qualification or experience that directly aligns with the position. Ideally, highlight this skill or experience in the form of an example of how you've best used it. And although the question asks for one thing, take the opportunity to weave associated skills and experience into your response.

12. Tell us about your biggest failure.

Why they ask this: To gain insight into how you learn and how you respond to failure.

How to answer: This is an opportunity to share a challenging experience from your past, whether it was in your professional or personal life. Choose a failure that doesn't relate to a critical skillset of the role and talk about what approach you took to deal with this failure, what you learned from the situation, what you'd do differently next time and how this has shaped your approach to challenges in the future.

13. Why did you leave your last job?

Why they ask this: Your reaction to this question will tell your interviewers a lot. Your employer wants to hear how you talk about your previous employer, your role and your relationships. They also want to gauge if you'll stick around for a while, which is unlikely if the same reason you left your previous employer exists in this organisation.

How to answer: Professionally! Even if your reasons for leaving were negative, it's important that you speak professionally about your previous employer. Answer honestly, but also focus on the future opportunities and possibilities that you are excited about with your new role.

Leveraging the STAR Method for Success

Now that you're up on the top interview questions for 2024 and the best way to approach your responses, it's worth considering how you'll deliver your responses.

And having a structure, or formula, to guide your responses is the best way to do this.

There are lots of different interview response structures out there, but the STAR Method is a simple and solid choice and is often favoured by government employers.

The STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is a powerful tool for answering behavioural interview questions effectively. It helps candidates structure their responses by describing a specific Situation, the Task they needed to achieve, the Action they took, and the Result of those actions. 

This method ensures that answers are concise, structured, and impactful, showcasing your problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. For example, when asked about a time you led a project under tight deadlines, using the STAR Method can help you articulate the challenge (Situation), your role (Task), the steps you took to address the challenge (Action), and the successful outcome (Result).

So In Summary...

Employers want to know that you have the skills and experience required for the role, that you're a good fit for the team, that you'll stick around for a while and that your goals align with the organisation's objectives.

By preparing responses for these Top 13 Interview Questions of 2024 and delivering them using a response structure, you'll be in a solid position to answer these questions confidently, demonstrate your strengths and qualifications and outshine your competition.

Want more help preparing to nail your interview? Check out our online panel interview preparation course and our 1 on 1 interview preparation coaching at www.accomplisheducation.com.au

Chasing more interview tips and strategies?  Check out YouTube channel -