Below is a list of questions that you may get asked at an interview, read them and have a think about what your responses would be, your answers may depend on the job or company in question, so you should go through your responses just before each interview.

Why do you want this job?
You need to think about this carefully, try to stress the positive aspects of why you have applied for the position, do not talk about the negative aspects of your current or previous jobs.

Why do you want to work for this company?
Emphasise the positive reasons why you want to join their company, but avoid aspects such as more money or shorter hours.

What can you contribute?
Tell them about your achievements in your previous position(s), which are relevant to the new position you are applying for, this is your chance to shine.

What do you know about this company?
This is your chance to impress the interviewer with your knowledge of their company, don’t forget to see if they have a website.

You have not done this sort of job before. How will you cope/succeed?
Say that you are the sort of person who aims to succeed at everything you do and that you are very determined and will ensure that you get the job done.

Why should we employ you?
The answer to this question will be based on your previous experience and achievements, which relate to the company. At the end you could add that you think there is a good fit between you and the job, and do ask the interviewer for their opinion.

How long do you think it would be before you were making a significant contribution to the team/company?
If you think that you could contribute from day one then say so. Then turn the question round on them and say how soon would they expect it.

What do you think of the last company you worked for?
You should stress the positive aspects of your last company saying that they were a good company to work for. Tell them about the training you received or the work related experience you gained.

Why did you join your previous company? Did they live up to your expectations? Why are you leaving now?
Always be positive about your reasons for joining and leaving a company. Be very careful that you do not say anything negative about your present employer. If you do, the new company will wonder what you will say about them when you leave. You might want to stress that you are looking for a new challenge and that you feel that the company who is interviewing you fits the bill!

Explain the organisational structure in your last company and how you fitted into it?
This sort of question may be used to find out whether your old job is at a comparable level to your new job. If the new job being discussed would be a step up the ladder you will need to show that you are ready for a more demanding position. You may be able to show that you have already had many of the responsibilities and the necessary skills which would be required for the next step.

What are you looking for in a new job?
Make sure your answer fits in with the company who is interviewing you. A suitable reply would be that you are looking for a new job where you can apply your existing skills and learn new ones.

Are you considering any other positions at the moment?
If you are say so, but do not give too many details away - it will weaken your negotiating position later. If you do not have any other job offers at the moment just say that you have a few irons in the fire.

What did you think of your manager/supervisor?
Say that he/she was the sort of person you could learn from and you communicated well, which meant that the task in hand was completed on time.

What did you do on a day to day basis?
Stress the positive things you did including your achievements. Even if some or much of it was paperwork, you can still show your interest in the way it was tackled.

How would you describe yourself? / How would others describe you?
Pick your best attributes and achievements from your career.

How could you improve yourself?
Do not mention anything negative about yourself - the interviewer is looking for a chink in your armour.

How do you handle criticism?
Your answer should be along the following lines: "I always think that it is important to get feedback on how I am performing so that I can improve any areas which my manager/supervisor highlights. Do you have regular staff appraisals and a staff development plan?"

Do you work well with others?
Some jobs mean that you have to work very closely with other people whilst other jobs mean that you are largely working on your own, so you need to say that you are happy in both situations.
Do you need other people around to stimulate you or are you self-motivated?
You need to say that you are self-motivated.

Are you accepted into a team quickly?
Hopefully you can answer a resounding "Yes" to this question.

Can you act on your own initiative?
You should say that you can. You could ask how much responsibility you would have.

What motivates you?
Our suggestions are career growth, opportunity to learn new skills, good co-workers, etc.

What management style gets the best results out of you?
Try and think about how you have reacted to different managers and which factors have motivated you. Do not say too much in reply to this question, because if your answer is contrary to the management style of the company they will not be keen to employ you!

Do you know how to motivate other people?
Hopefully you can say "Yes", and say that you have to find out what motivates a person and give them recognition for a job well done. You should always give them encouragement and help them when required.

Are you competitive?
Your answer depends on the sort of job you are doing. If you will be working as part of a team you will need to show that you can work in the best interests of the team and not just for your own benefit.

Are you aggressive?
If you mean by this someone who gets things done, then the answer is "Yes". You need to defuse the implications of this question.

What do you dislike doing?
Say that you are prepared to do whatever it takes to get the job done well and on time and try to do disagreeable things first to get them out of the way rather than putting them off.

Do you feel you are ready to take on greater responsibilities?
Show how you have progressed throughout your life and how you have accepted and taken on responsibility for the actions of yourself and others. If you have not really had much work related responsibilities you can mention other responsibilities you have had outside work.

Can you work under pressure?
You need to say that you can. You could ask how much pressure the job involves.

What are your career goals?
Link in your goals with the company who is interviewing you.

How did you get on with your previous manager/supervisor, co-workers and subordinates?
Hopefully you can say that you got on well with everyone.