10 Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers (With Tips)

Updated 17 August 2023

As a fresher with minimal or zero experience, you require extensive research and preparation to deliver an impressive performance during an interview. In many interviews, hiring managers are going to ask you questions that relate directly to the duties and responsibilities of the role, which makes it essential for you to be familiar with the questions so you can provide relevant answers. Knowing the common interview questions employers can ask freshers can help you prepare adequately and enhance your chances of getting hired.

In this article, we list 10 interview questions and answers for freshers and provide tips on answering them.

10 interview questions and answers for freshers

Here are 10 interview questions and answers for freshers and tips to help you create convincing answers that can demonstrate your skills and knowledge of the employer's role:

1. Tell us about your strengths and weaknesses.

This is a typical question interviewers often ask candidates to determine whether they're suitable for their role. The question can also help an interviewer find out whether you're honest and able to take responsibility based on the information on your resume. While this question seems straightforward, it's important to answer it honestly. A good way to answer is to reference skills and experiences from the job ad when describing your strengths. Be honest about weaknesses, but emphasise that you're working to improve in those areas.

Example: 'I'm proficient in the main project management tools and I can manage budgets, negotiate with vendors and communicate effectively in oral and written form. The major weakness I have is supply chain management. I believe that by shadowing the supply chain manager, I'm going to learn the core elements of the shipping and warehousing aspects'.

2. What are your long-term goals?

Interviewers can ask this question for several reasons, but primarily they want to know your career plans. A hiring manager may ask you this question to know whether you're going to be committed to the organisation for the long term, which is an important consideration if the company is going to invest in your professional development. A suitable answer can discuss your ambitions for the role and explain how it can help you acquire the skills and experience to achieve your career goals.

Example: 'I want to be in a mid-level manager role in the next five years. If I get this job and stay disciplined, I believe I can gain valuable leadership and technical skills that can help me move to a more senior role with increased responsibilities. Getting this job is going to give me the opportunity to work on medium and large-scale projects and collaborate with some of the smartest people in the field.

Being able to gain and practise marketing research and promotional campaign execution skills can help validate my credentials as a marketing expert, drive revenue generation for the company and prepare me to manage bigger marketing budgets'.

3. What are your hobbies?

Asking about your personal time is a way for the interviewer to see what kind of personality you have and how you unwind after work. Show enthusiasm when you answer, but also reassure the interviewer that your passions aren't likely to interfere with your work.

Example: 'My biggest passion is basketball. A knee injury kept me from trying out for my university team, but I play as often as I can. I believe sports keep you physically and mentally healthy while instilling discipline in you'.

4. What's your motivation for doing a good job?

Interviewers ask this question to test your willingness to stay with the company over the long term without losing your motivation. You can mention an internal or external factor that keeps you motivated to perform and succeed.

Example: 'I'm motivated by success as I know how rewarding it can be. I also know to have a good career in this industry requires working hard every day and gradually improving my skills'.

5. Are you a team player?

Many jobs require some kind of collaboration between employees, so this question is a way for the interviewer to test this skill. Ideally, answer with a yes, but also give an example or explain why you can function in a team situation.

Example: 'Yes I am. I've been playing basketball since age seven and over the years, I learnt that it's essential to communicate effectively in a team to succeed. With strong relationships between team members, we can achieve team goals more easily'.

6. When can you start?

This question may not necessarily be an invitation to join the company, but a way for the interviewer to see if you have other commitments preventing you from starting right away if you get the job. Unless you have other activities that prevent you from doing so, express your willingness to start right away without seeming overeager.

Example: 'I can start immediately. I organised my priorities to be sure that, if I get this position, I have the time to commit to it'.

7. What do you know about our company?

An interviewer can ask this question to know whether you've done some background research about the organisation. Your answer can show the interviewer whether you're passionate about the role and are familiar with the company's vision and goals. To answer this question properly, learn about the company before the interview. You can check the job description and the company's website and social media handles for information about their mission and vision, strategic goals, organisational culture and popular products and services.

Example: 'I've been interested in Dragon Bird since the company released the first AI-powered database management system. In the last two years, I've followed the company's progress and read about 15 of your case studies documenting how you provide bespoke tools to help businesses improve their data security and efficiency. As an AI engineering graduate with a minor in programming, I was always on the lookout for an opportunity to be a part of your talented machine learning team where I can use my knowledge of large language models to help you develop more innovative products'.

8. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Employers typically ask this question to know about your future career plans and whether you're going to be committed to the company in the long term. As a fresher, you might require on-the-job training that's going to cost the employer money and time, and they want to be sure you're going to be a loyal employee before investing in your professional development. A good way to answer this question is to outline your career goals for the next five years and explain how getting the job can help you achieve them.

Example: 'In the next five years, I hope to be a certified mechanical engineer leading a team of specialists in the mechatronics division of the company. Considering the number of pioneering projects the company is executing now and the talented engineers leading the programmes, I believe this job can offer me hands-on training and experience that can help me acquire the skills I require to start my career and achieve my professional goals'.

9. How well can you handle pressure at work?

An interviewer can ask this question to know whether you can maintain your composure and perform your duties effectively in difficult situations. Your answer can show the interviewer your ability to solve problems and adapt to changing situations. When answering this question, provide relevant examples that demonstrate your ability to function under pressure.

Example: 'I use pressure to boost my productivity and organisation. As an undergraduate, I'm most productive during the examination period. During that period, I organise and prioritise my schedule so that I can complete my revisions on time and get enough sleep to remain alert during the examinations. I believe I can transfer this experience to my job. When I encounter a stressful situation at work, I'm going to assess the circumstances properly and choose the best course of action to achieve optimal results'.

10. Do you have any questions for us?

Recruiters often ask this question at the end of the interview to know whether you require some clarification about the discussion. The questions you ask the interviewer can demonstrate your attention to detail and passion for the job. A good way to answer this question is to note important points during the discussion. You can also research the employer before the interview and ask the hiring manager questions about things that aren't clear to you. For example, you might want to know more about the work environment, the job duties and responsibilities and the organisational culture.

Example: 'While researching the company, I saw information regarding the revenue-sharing formula for the sales department. Does it mean that salespeople also get a share of the company's profits besides their salary?'