By Mike Simpson

You’ve done it! You’ve reached the last interview round, and that’s an accomplishment worth celebrating. However, it also means you need to focus, ensuring you’re prepared for the final interview questions.

You’re probably thinking, “Why do I need to spend more time preparing? Haven’t I done enough already?” Well, you likely did dedicate a lot of time and energy to get this far, and that’s a great thing. The issue is, you don’t actually have the job yet.

By reviewing the top final interview questions and answers, you can make sure that you’ll shine during this interview round. So, come with us as we explore what it takes to ensure your last impression is stronger than your first.

How to Answer Final Interview Questions

Okay, we know that you’re chomping at the bit for the final interview questions and answers examples, and we promise they’re coming. But before we dig into that, let’s take a second to talk about what a final interview is and how it’s unique from the rest of the hiring process.

Generally, a final interview is the last round before the hiring manager makes a decision. If a company only uses a single interview before choosing a candidate, then the first meeting with the hiring manager is also the final interview. If a company uses the Google approach and goes with four interviews, interview number four is the final interview.

In the simplest sense, the final interview is essentially the end of the process. It’s the last chance the hiring manager has to learn more about you and your last opportunity to impress them.

No pressure, right?

Yes, it’s true that there’s quite a bit at stake. You’ve made it this far, but you don’t have an offer quite yet. As a result, you need to make sure that you wrap things up like a boss.

So, what exactly lies ahead? Well, when you reach the final interview stage, you aren’t going to get as many questions about your skill set, credentials, and general experience. Why? Because the hiring manager already knows a ton about your education and technical capabilities thanks to the earlier rounds.

Instead, you’re going to face off against situational or behavioral interview questions more often than not. Since the hiring manager likely already knows about the skills you bring to the table, they’re going to focus elsewhere.

At this stage, the hiring manager is probably trying to learn more about how you think and react on the job. Oh, and they also want to measure the cultural fit.

Since that’s the case, you need to prepare the right strategy. Along with reviewing the final interview questions you’ll likely encounter, you want to have an approach for crafting great answers.

What do you need to do? Why combine the STAR Method and Tailoring Method, of course.

By meshing the STAR Method with the Tailoring Method, you’ll be able to provide relevant and compelling answers during the interview. Your responses will be engaging stories filled with details that will spark the hiring manager’s interest, increasing the odds that you’ll continue to make a positive impression.

So, that’s all you need to do, right? Just impress the hiring manager? Well, maybe, but maybe not.

During the final interview, there’s a greater chance that you’ll be meeting with someone other than the original hiring manager. You end up in a panel interview featuring potential coworkers. You might also end up speaking with the company CEO, especially if you’re interviewing for a higher-level position. Heck, anyone who has a stake in who’s hired could be there.

Now, that doesn’t mean you should panic. Instead, you simply need to understand that there may be other players at this stage of the game, and they each may be a big part of deciding who gets the job offer.

Yes, failing to impress even one of the interviewers can mean losing out on the job. That’s why you want to spend time preparing your answers in advance, ensuring you can respond naturally to typical final interview questions. That way, you can shine during this last meeting, increasing the odds that you’ll be the one who gets the offer.

In fact we we wanted to let you know that we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview. After all, hiring managers will often ask you more generalized interview questions!

Click below to get your free PDF now:

Top 3 Final Interview Questions

Alright, it’s time for the moment you’ve been waiting for: the top final interview questions. Here are three of the most common questions, along with example answers. 

1. Why are you interested in working for this company?

Here’s a question that, if it didn’t come up in an earlier round, it is almost guaranteed to make an appearance once it’s final interview time. Since you’ve been in the hiring process for quite a while at this point, the hiring manager assumes you’ve spent time considering whether this is the right place for you, and they want to know what you think.

Additionally, they may use this question as a way to separate those who aren’t truly enthusiastic about the opportunity from the rest. After all, the average hiring process takes just shy of 24 days. Since you’ve been involved for that much time, failing to do any research into the business shows that you weren’t intrigued enough to handle some basic due diligence. That’s no good.

So, essentially, the hiring manager asks this question to weed out candidates that might not be as enthusiastic, as well as to learn more about why you think this opportunity could be a good fit.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“What interests me most about working for your company is the opportunity for exploration. Your company is well-recognized for innovation, often being far ahead of other businesses in the sector. I want to be a part of an environment where thinking outside of the box and pushing boundaries is part of the norm, and that’s something I believe I can find here that isn’t available with your competitors.”

2. Where do your passions lie?

This question more commonly shows up during final interviews because it’s a way for the hiring manager to dig deeper. They want to know what keeps you engaged and propels you forward, as that could play a role in your success if you’re hired.

As a general rule, you want to highlight something specific that aligns with the position. That way, you can show that your passions and the job go hand-in-hand, increasing the odds that you’ll make a stellar last impression.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“During my career as a software developer, I’ve grown to have a deep appreciation for efficiency. As a result, that sparked a new passion, stirring my interest in automation and all of its potential. Not only do I continue to dig into the subject and hone my skills in that area, but I also enjoy learning how it can benefit other professionals within a company and customers. This has led me to some intriguing discoveries, including chances to innovate in a way that helps not just me, but others, be at their best.”

3. What’s your desired salary range?

If the salary topic hasn’t come up before, it’s almost guaranteed to come around during the final interview. At this stage, the hiring manager is probably only speaking with a top candidate or two, so making a job offer is definitely on their mind. As a result, they ask this question to gauge whether what you’re looking for aligns with what they can support.

Since you’re getting to the point where negotiating pay is appropriate, you don’t want to fully dodge the question. However, you may want to see if they’ll offer up the first number, giving you a bit of leverage.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“While I’m certainly aiming for fair pay based on my skillset and the nature of the role, I do understand that there are other factors in play. The value of the total compensation package is a factor, as well as securing a role with a company that offers an outstanding culture. Before I provide a number, could you tell me more about the salary range the company has in mind, as well as provide an overview of any benefits that boost the overall value of the total compensation package?”

With an answer like that, you give yourself room to find out more about what they had in mind. Hopefully, they’ll offer a range, creating an opportunity for a back and forth. Just be aware that they may decline to provide that information, even if they are outright asking you for a number.

22 More Final Interview Questions

Here are 22 more final interview questions you might get asked during the last meeting:

1. 1. What are you hoping to find here that wasn’t a part of your last job?
   2. How are you different from the other candidates we’re considering?
   3. Where do you see yourself in five years?
   4. Are you actively pursuing other job opportunities at this time?
   5. Is there anything else that hasn’t come up during the interview process that you’d like us to know?
   6. Tell me about a time when you were under immense pressure on the job. How did you navigate the situation?
   7. How do you decide if going above and beyond for a customer is the right move?
   8. Is there any reason why we shouldn’t hire you?
   9. What motivates you to excel at work?
   10. How would your current manager describe you? What about your coworkers?
   11. Tell me about a time where you became overwhelmed at work. What was the situation, and how did you move forward?
   12. Can you describe a time when your motivation at work faltered? What happened, and how did you address the situation?
   13. What was the biggest failure you’ve ever experienced in your career?
   14. How would you describe your dream manager?
   15. Tell me about a time where your work was criticized. Did you agree with their perspective? How did you take the feedback?
   16. If hired, how would you personally help the company grow?
   17. Can you describe a time where you experienced conflict at work and weren’t able to achieve an outcome you felt positive about?
   18. How do you define success when it comes to your work and career?
   19. If you weren’t offered this role, would you reapply if another opportunity that fits your skills became available?
   20. Is there anything you consider a dealbreaker when it comes to a role, work environment, or company culture?
   21. What feedback do you have about the interview process at our company? Are there any improvements we should consider?
   22. If you are offered the position, how quickly would you be able to start?

5 Good Interview Questions to Ask at the End of a Final Interview

As your interview draws to a close, you usually have a chance to ask some questions of your own. Since you’ve interviewed before, you want to focus on topics that make sense during the last round. Usually, that means being future-focused, as well as ensuring that there isn’t anything else the hiring manager needs to know about you before you leave.

While you can certainly ask a question that comes to mind as the interview unfolds, you also want to have a few options in your back pocket. Asking questions makes you seem engaged and interested. With a few prepared in advance, you won’t be at a loss for words when this moment arrives.

So, with that in mind, here are some questions to ask in a final interview to have at the ready:

1. 1. If I am hired, what is the first thing you’d like me to focus my attention on?
   2. Is there anything currently preventing me from being the top candidate for this job?
   3. Are there any changes on the horizon for this role?
   4. Is there anything that hasn’t been discussed during the course of the hiring process that you’d like to know?
   5. After today, what are the remaining steps in the hiring process?

Putting It All Together

At this point, you should have a solid idea of the final interview questions you’ll probably face, as well as how to tackle them. Use every tip and piece of information above to your advantage, including the questions to ask in a final interview above. That way, you can stand out from the remaining candidates and ultimately secure the job offer you’ve worked so hard to land.

Good luck!

—

Mike Simpson( Co-Founder and CEO )

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan, Penn State, Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page.