Personality and values questions
Recruiters rarely care about the hobby itself. They use these questions to see how you think about yourself, how honest you are and whether your answers fit the rest of the interview.
“What do you do outside work?”
What they really check: Energy, curiosity and balance. Long-term hobbies suggest persistence; team sports or community roles suggest how you work with others.
Builds trust
- One or two real interests described with specifics.
- Something you have kept doing for years.
- Honest, not curated for the interview.
Red flags
- “Nothing, I work all the time” — a burnout signal.
- A list of trendy hobbies with no detail.
- Hobbies that contradict the role, e.g. heavy personal gambling for a responsible-gambling role.
Tip: Pick one hobby and say what it taught you that you also use at work.
“What is your biggest weakness?”
What they really check: Self-awareness and honesty. They know everyone has weaknesses; they want to see whether you know yours and manage it.
Builds trust
- A real weakness that does not break the core of the role.
- What you do about it, with an example.
Red flags
- “I am a perfectionist” and other disguised strengths.
- A weakness that is central to the job.
- “I don’t have any.”
Tip: Weakness + how it showed up + what you changed. Thirty seconds.
“Describe yourself in three words.”
What they really check: Self-image and whether the words match what they have seen so far.
Builds trust
- Words backed by a quick example each.
- Words that fit the role (a risk analyst who is “careful”, a BD manager who is “persistent”).
Red flags
- Generic words with nothing behind them.
- Words that contradict how you behaved in the interview.
Tip: Choose three words a former colleague would also use about you.
“What would your previous manager say about you?”
What they really check: Honesty — this is often checked in references — and whether you can see yourself from the outside.
Builds trust
- Strengths and one area to improve, both specific.
- Willingness to give the manager as a reference.
Red flags
- Only praise.
- Reluctance to name anyone who could confirm it.
Tip: Assume they will call that manager. Say what the manager would actually say.
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Post my resumeMore interview questions
- Motivation and career questions
Why you, why now, why this industry — and whether you will still be here in a year.
- Stress and pressure questions
Deadlines, incidents and difficult clients: how recruiters test behaviour under pressure.
- Integrity and trust questions
Questions about rules, confidential data and grey situations — essential in payments and iGaming.
- Polygraph and security screening questions
What security interviews and lie-detector tests ask about, what they look for and your rights.
- Money and negotiation questions
Salary expectations, other offers and “would you work for less?” — how to answer without losing out.
- Teamwork and conflict questions
Disagreements, difficult colleagues and remote teams — what recruiters listen for.
- Curveball questions
Unexpected questions with no right answer — what recruiters are really testing.