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10 Common UK Interview Questions (And How to Answer Them)

Congratulations—your CV did its job, and you've secured the interview. Now comes the hard part: proving you're the right person for the role.

UK interviews can be a mix of competency questions, informal chats, and technical tests. But you can almost guarantee you'll be asked a few of these 10 common questions.

1. "Tell me about yourself."

The Trap: Reciting your entire CV.

How to Answer: Use the "Present, Past, Future" model.

  • Present: "I'm currently a Marketing Manager at X, where I specialise in..."
  • Past: "Before that, I worked at Y, where I learned how to..."
  • Future: "I'm really excited by this role at your company because I want to..."

2. "Why do you want to work here?"

The Trap: "I need a job," or generic praise like, "You seem like a great company."

How to Answer: Be specific. Show you've done your research. "I've been following your 'Project Green' initiative and I'm incredibly passionate about sustainability..."

3. "What are your biggest strengths?"

The Trap: Listing 10 generic skills.

How to Answer: Pick one or two relevant strengths and give a specific example. "My greatest strength is my stakeholder management. In my last role, I had to coordinate between the sales, product, and legal teams..."

4. "What is your biggest weakness?"

The Trap: The fake weakness ("I'm a perfectionist") or a critical flaw ("I'm not a team player").

How to Answer: Be honest about a real, minor weakness and show how you are actively working to improve it. "I've found in the past I can be too quick to say 'yes' to new requests, which stretches me thin. I've now implemented a system where I use a Trello board to manage my priorities..."

5. "Describe a time you faced a difficult challenge or conflict." (Or "Tell me about a time you failed.")

The Trap: Blaming others or having no example.

How to Answer: Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

6. "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"

Focus on growth and learning within the company, not a specific title.

7. "Describe a time you worked in a team."

Show you can collaborate, communicate, and handle different personalities.

8. "Why are you leaving your current job?"

Be positive. Focus on the opportunity ahead, not the problems behind. "I'm looking for a role with more responsibility in [area]."

9. "What are your salary expectations?"

Do your research on Glassdoor or LinkedIn for similar roles in that location. Give a range, not a single number.

10. "Do you have any questions for me?"

The Trap: Saying "No, you've covered everything."

How to Answer: ALWAYS have 2-3 smart questions.

  • "What does success look like in the first 6 months for this role?"
  • "What is the team's biggest challenge right now?"
  • "What do you enjoy most about working here?"

Preparation is everything. You've proven you're qualified on paper; now show them you're the person they want to work with.