For a lot of people, January is the month to look for a new job – everyone wants to start the New Year with a boom and for many that means finally landing their dream job. (If you are still struggling to get an interview, please see our blog post ‘My New Year’s resolution – get a new job!’ for help and tips on where to look.)

So you’ve been keeping an eye out for jobs, you’ve sent off lots of relevant applications and made numerous calls to various companies, and finally you have an interview. Go you! Now comes the hardest bit. Interviews are nerve-racking there’s no doubting that, but the more prepared you are the easier it’s going to be.

You need to think of an interview like a sales pitch, but instead of selling a product you have to sell yourself! Like any product you want to look the part. You have your CV and portfolio all up to date, you’ve bought a new shirt, ironed your trousers and you even have matching socks ready to go! But the one thing that you haven’t done is think about the questions that you are going to be asked.

Interviewers can ask all kinds of questions to try and catch you off guard, but don’t worry. Below we have listed over 25 questions that could help you survive your interview - they are the interview questions you didn’t expect:

• How would your friends describe you?
• What was the biggest challenge you ever faced?
• You`re in an elevator with your potential future boss - sell yourself in 10 seconds!
• What was the reason for leaving your previous employer?
• Describe yourself in one word.
• What career goals have you set yourself?
• Why should I hire you?
• What would you bring to our company?
• Describe a situation where you successfully convinced others of your ideas.
• Which areas of the world would you like to explore and why?
• Have you ever considered starting your own business?
• What motivates you?
• Could you have done better in your previous job?
• What would you like to improve professionally about yourself?
• Tell me a joke.
• What would you do with 1 million Ping-Pong balls?
• Tell me 20 uses for a paper clip.
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
• If you were an animal what would you be and why?
• Tell me about your greatest achievement.
• What is the most random thing you have ever done?
• What are your weaknesses?
• Why do you want to work for this company?
• What do you know about us?
• Tell me how you have handled a difficult situation at work.
• What is your greatest fear?
• How would you overcome it?

Although some of these seem a bit off topic, it’s worth analysing them and thinking of answers in case you are put on the spot. Once you have done this, you should feel a lot more confident when asked one of these unexpected questions.

If you have ever encountered any of these questions let us know how you handled it, please comment below.

Good luck interviewees!