Preparing for an interview is hard work. First, you have to research the company, pick out an interview outfit and possibly even find which route to take to make sure you arrive on time (if it’s in-person). Beyond that, you also have to prepare questions to ask your interviewer and construct concise yet excellent responses to unknown questions that will hopefully leave your interviewer feeling like they want to hire you today.

It’s a lot of pressure. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of our favorite answers to basic interview questions, along with some questions you can ask your interviewer.

Preparing for your interview

Instead of spending hours going over “The top 150 questions you may be asked in an interview,” look at the job description and search for the top five experiences or skills they’re looking for. Then, prepare five stories about past employment experiences that highlight those experiences and skills. Utilize the five selected stories during the interview to answer the questions you’re asked! This way, you get to highlight the five skills or experiences you know they want most!

Our favorite answers to basic interview questions

Tell me about yourself.

Make sure to cover these three principles. Share 1) how your education relates to the role, 2) how your relevant experience will benefit the company and 3) why you’re applying to this specific role. This way, if you don’t want to share anything personal, you don’t have to.

What would you bring to this role?

The employer wants to know what makes you stand out. Make sure to be honest when you answer—even if that means pausing for a couple of moments. Think about past experiences and how they’ve prepared you for this role. You never want to speak negatively of a past employer, so focus on what you learned from any difficult experiences and how it relates to this role.

What about this role excites you? And what gives you pause?

Be honest if there is something you want to address. Share any gaps in your skills or experiences and be honest about your concerns about the role. Most importantly, be sure to share why you’re specifically passionate about this role in the organization! I was once asked this when applying for a position where I’d be supporting parents of college students. I didn’t have experience as a parent yet, so I owned it and talked about what I’d do to try to understand their experiences and offer relevant support.

Questions to ask your interviewer

What is your definition of equity, and how do you apply an equity lens in your work?

I always ask this in the first interview because it is important to me. Then I decide whether I want to continue with the interview process, depending on their answer.

Was there someone in this role previously, and why did they leave?

They might give an answer like “yes, they left to go back to school” or something similar that doesn’t give you any additional insight. Still, in case they say “yes, and this person changed to a different team to more closely align with their future goals,” then you know that 1) this is an organization where people can move up and around; 2) people are committed to the mission, so they want to stay at the org; 3) that you have someone on staff to ask for help because they did your job before you!

What does success look like in this role?

I always ask this in the first interview round. It gives you clear insight into what you should highlight in the final round, making it easy to impress everyone! It’s like being given the answers to the test.

Is there anything giving you pause about me as a candidate?

This question can be asked in every interview round, but you have to be ready to respond to their concerns if they have them. If you don’t have a response right away or are running out of time, let them know you will email them your answers to their concerns by the end of the day.

How do you measure success for this role? What is your performance review process? How do you help your team grow professionally?

These questions will help you determine if you will find success and growth in the role. I usually ask these in the second round of interviews. When they respond, feel free to ask follow-up questions to gain clarity.

In the end, remember that you do not have to be perfect. You are human. Be yourself and share your excitement for the role! Lead as a human first and let your skills and experiences complement you. Remember, you are (usually) in an interview with other humans, all of whom are imperfect as well. They will first and foremost remember you because you made them feel a certain way, not because you gave “perfect” answers to every question.