I’m not going to start this blog telling some magical story about my own interview process because this blog isn’t about me. It’s about you and selling yourself in the interview. Now to be clear, I hate that phrase “selling yourself.” But that’s what people Google, and frankly, I know it’s what people believe. You get the interview after months of job searching, and now, it’s time to sell yourself. 

So let’s clear that up right here, right now. You’re not selling yourself. You’re telling the truth with confidence. Your worth is not defined by some resume or work history. Especially not how you perform for one stranger for a half hour. So get that out of your head. You’re not selling anything. 

You’re helping recruiters like me answer three very important questions:  Can you do the job? Do you want to do the job? Can you do this work in this environment (aka the famous “culture fit” or “soft skills” depending where you’re interviewing)?

Top 3 Most Asked Interview Questions (And How They Can Help You Get Hired)

Unfortunately, employers don’t make interviewing that easy. Imagine if they just asked you those questions and made a decision? We can dream. Instead, managers often make up a list of questions and you’re supposed to “be prepared” to answer anything they come up with. Feels like a recipe for anxiety, not making a good impression. 

Now, for my anxiety? Preparation helps. But if you don’t know the questions, how are you supposed to prepare? I recommend that you have concise, structured answers to common questions memorized. If you have rehearsed answers to common questions, you have more mental load to answer creative and specific questions. 

Write the answers to these interview questions down. Practice them with a friend (I can help! In 1 hour, I’ll coach you on the answers to all of these - more info here). So, what are the top 3 most asked questions in interviews? According to ChatGPT: 

1. Tell me about yourself. If you memorize nothing else, do this one or else it becomes the long and winding road answer. Not a good impression. In my experience, this answer alone can make or break some interviews. Mostly break… 
2. Why do you want to work here? I hate this question because they’re asking you to kiss their butt. Still, prepare to kiss butt. 
3. What are your strengths/weaknesses? There’s no right answer which only makes me hate this question more. Tip? Always give both. Weakness first, what you learned to overcome it, then the strength.

Two Tactics To Make An Impression During The Interview 

Making an impression during an interview requires a bit more than memorization. My first recommendation for making an impression? Prepare some detailed questions. Not “Does your team like working here?" No easy yes or no. 

I’m thinking more along the lines of things like: What are the top 3 goals for this team in 2026? How do you measure success? What do you think about (trending topic)? I like this because it helps answer that second important question for me - do they want to do this job? If you ask great questions, I feel more confident that it's a yes. 

The second thing I encourage? A little “why not” energy. Be confident! Why not you? Why not your experience? Why not your time? If you’re feeling worried before you go into your interview, that worry comes with you. Anxiety is going to make an impression, just not the one you want to make.  

Ask A Recruiter: How Do You Sell Yourself In An Interview?

I have a lot of friends who do a lot more interviewing than I do. So I asked them what helps candidates make an impression. Here’s some of my favorite advice (you can read them all here):

• TJ Scott: The ones that stick out are the ones that are A) Prepared and B) Don't take themselves too seriously and are ready to show their personality. 
• Eli Karstens: The candidates I move forward with are the ones who don’t just say they can do the job — they show it, in both big and small ways. If the role requires strong communication skills, the candidate should answer the phone professionally and clearly. If problem-solving is key to the role, the candidates should be able to walk through real examples: what the challenge was, what action they took, and — critically — what the outcome was. You'd be surprised how many people skip the impact piece entirely!
• Leslie Johnson: For me, it's not just about the actual interview! The candidates that often stand out are the ones that realize the interview started LONG before the introductions! They greet the support/admin team warmly, make small talk, show their personality - even better if they ask them questions! I love when a candidate references that they have done some research outside the normal - Indeed/Glassdoor Reviews - outside the box! On the other side, they can ruin things here too - treating staff rudely, even their parking/driving on site has made an "impression"! 

Don’t forget, we still have our $9 job search kit. If you love this advice, that kit has more articles and advice for your search. Happy hunting!