Interviews & offers
Common interview questions in Australia and how to answer them
The questions most first interviews include, what each one tests, a fictional “tell me about yourself” answer and questions to ask at the end.
Most first interviews in Australia use a familiar set of questions. You cannot predict every one, but you can prepare an answer for the questions that come up again and again, and practise saying it out loud.
The NSW Government's interview tips for your first job groups the opening questions into four areas: your experience, your reasons for applying, your career objectives, and how you handled a challenging situation. UNSW's guide to preparing for a job interview lists the same core questions. This guide takes each one and shows what the interviewer is assessing.
The questions and what they test
| Question | What the interviewer is assessing | A structure that works |
|---|---|---|
| Tell me about yourself | Whether your background fits this role | Present, past, why this role, in about a minute |
| What are your strengths? | Self-awareness and relevance | One strength the job needs, with a short example |
| What is your weakness? | Honesty and whether you improve | A real, non-critical weakness and what you are doing about it |
| Why did you apply for this role? | Motivation and research | Something specific about the role or organisation, linked to your experience |
| Why should we hire you? | Fit with the main requirements | Two or three requirements from the ad, each matched to evidence |
| Where do you see yourself in five years? | Whether your goals fit what the role offers | A direction, not a job title, connected to this role |
| Tell me about a problem you solved | Judgement and initiative | A STAR answer: situation, task, action, result |
| Do you have the right to work in Australia? | Eligibility | A direct, accurate answer about your visa and conditions |
Behavioural questions ("Tell me about a time…") are covered in detail in our STAR method guide. UNSW's advice is to avoid generalisations and use specific STAR examples. If your work experience is limited, draw on coursework, projects, volunteering or extracurricular activities.
Tell me about yourself
This is usually the first question, and it sets up the rest of the interview. Do not walk through your whole resume. Choose the parts that explain why you are a credible candidate for this role.
A fictional example for an entry-level data analyst role:
I'm finishing a Master of Data Science at the University of Example. My final project used public transport data to show which routes had the biggest gaps between timetabled and actual arrival times. Before that, I spent two years as an operations assistant at a logistics company in Chennai, where I built the weekly delivery report the managers used. I've applied for this role because your team supports operational decisions with reporting, which is the kind of work I've enjoyed most in both study and my previous job.
That answer takes under a minute, gives the interviewer two topics to follow up, and ends with a link to the role.
Strengths and weaknesses
For strengths, choose one the job ad asks for and give evidence straight away. "I'm detail-focused" is a claim. "I reconciled the weekly stock report and found the duplicate supplier invoices that had been missed for three months" is evidence. That example is fictional; use one from your own work.
For weaknesses, choose something real that does not undermine the core of the role, then explain what you are doing about it. Avoid disguised strengths such as "I work too hard". They are common, and they rarely answer the question.
Why this role, and where in five years
UNSW suggests preparing a clear answer on why you want to work for the organisation. Research the organisation's website, reports and recent news. Your answer should mention something specific: a service, a project, the team's work or the kind of customers it serves.
For the five-year question, describe the direction you want to grow in, such as more responsibility for analysis or managing client relationships. Show how this role helps you build it. You do not need to name a title.
Work rights and salary
Australian employers may ask about work rights at any stage. Answer directly and accurately: "I'm on a Temporary Graduate visa with full work rights until March 2028" is better than a vague "yes". If you are on a Student visa, explain your hours during semester and breaks; our student visa work hours guide covers the limit.
If the interviewer asks about salary expectations, give a researched range. Our salary negotiation guide explains how to set it. UNSW's guidance is not to raise salary yourself in a first interview.
What to ask the interviewer
Prepare two or three questions. UNSW suggests asking about:
| Topic | Example question |
|---|---|
| The role | Is this a new role, and where does it fit in the organisation? |
| The team | Who would I work with most closely? |
| The organisation | What opportunities are there to develop in this role? |
| Next steps | What are the next steps in the recruitment process? |
Avoid questions the job ad or website already answers.
After the interview
UNSW recommends emailing the person who interviewed you within a couple of days to thank them, restate your interest and mention what appeals to you now that you know more about the role. Keep it short. Our follow-up email guide has templates for when you have not heard back.
If you are not successful, the NSW Government guidance suggests asking for feedback. Many employers and recruiters are happy to give it, and it shows you what to work on before the next interview.
Questions about common interview questions
How long should my answer to "tell me about yourself" be
Aim for about a minute. Cover your current situation, the most relevant experience and why you applied, then stop and let the interviewer follow up.
Is it acceptable to bring notes to an interview
Brief notes with your questions for the interviewer are usually fine. Rehearse your main answers out loud beforehand rather than reading them from a script.
What if I do not know the answer to a question
UNSW suggests taking a breath, gathering your thoughts and telling the interviewer you need a moment. For "what would you do if…" questions, explain your thought process; there is often no single right answer.
Should I send a thank-you email after the interview
Yes. UNSW recommends sending one within a couple of days to thank the interviewer and restate your interest in the role.