Congratulations on scoring that big interview! It’s time to put on your best suit and show them how well you shine. This can be a bit scary because every interview is different, and no matter how well you prepare, you can’t anticipate every question. The good news is, you can expect a few trusty standbys, and you can prepare a stellar answer in advance—or better yet, avoid saying something that could cost you the job.

Don’t let these common questions trip you up:

• Tell me about yourself. Rein it in there, Turbo! This is not the time to share the story of your birth of your love of ceramic unicorns. Nor should you offer anything super personal, like health or family issues, or your dream to build a cabin in the Alaskan wilderness. Also avoid asking, “What would you like to know?” Instead, this answer should be a well-rehearsed snapshot of your professional journey. Talk about your relevant work progression, how it relates to the current position, and why you’d be a good fit. Let your personality shine in the delivery.
• Why do you want to work here? You did your homework on this company, right? Because you’ll look uninterested or sophomoric if you A) don’t have an answer, or B) have a really obvious answer. So you shouldn’t give responses like, “I want to work here because I need a job/it’s close to home/the salary is good.” (This should go without saying, but you’d be surprised!) Prepare an answer that shows you at least skimmed the company website. Discuss pertinent details about the company: experiences you’ve had with their brand, recent press, their products or services, positive word of mouth—anything that shows you are knowledgeable and excited about what they do, and that you want to contribute to their greatness.
• What’s your greatest weakness? There was a time in the not-so-distant past that clever candidates answered this question with a thinly veiled positive: “I work too hard” or “I’m a perfectionist.” These days, recruiters see through these answers. They want to hire a professionally self-aware candidate who can identify and learn to develop their weaker areas, because, hey, nobody’s perfect. And if your greatest weakness really is perfectionism that causes you to work slowly or be hard on yourself, explain that flaw and what you’re doing to fix it.
• Where do you see yourself in five years? Hint: You want to say anything but “Doing this job, of course!” or “Backpacking across Europe.” You want to show loyalty—that you’re worth their investment to hire you—so don’t say that your 5-year plan includes quitting. But don’t mistake loyalty for stagnation! Employers aren’t looking for someone who “camps” in the same job without ambition to develop or promote. So what do you see as a logical step beyond this job? Do you see yourself developing your management skills or your business acumen? Would you like to position yourself to promote? Perhaps train with other departments to learn the whole company? Always keep in mind how your unique skills can help the company grow and thrive.

You can’t anticipate every interview question, but for these common doozies, you can prepare an answer that highlights the best version of you!