Final Round Interview Questions And How To Answer Them

Every round in an interview process generally aims to test a candidate for a specific set of skills. The final interview is an important round as seniors from the company try to understand if the candidate is a right fit for the organisation's culture before onboarding them. If you have cleared the previous rounds, knowing how to answer the interview questions in the final round can help you appear confident and prepared.

In this article, we outline some commonly asked final round interview questions, discuss how to answer them and share sample answers to help you prepare for your interview.

What are final round interview questions?

Through final round interview questions, hiring managers try to understand whether the candidate is a good fit for the company. In some small companies, the final round interview can happen with the CEO while in others, senior hiring managers may conduct the interview. This is the last round in an interview process and clearing it may ensure placement in the company. In the rounds before the final interview, hiring managers and department heads ask technical and soft skills related questions to the candidates to gauge their subject knowledge and interpersonal skills.

In the final round, the questions are generally related to personal values and emotional intelligence to test whether the candidate matches the company's culture. It is important to be honest while answering final interview questions, as senior professionals can often identify dishonest answers easily. Pick stories from your experience at your previous job or college to give examples along with your answers. Present all your answers in a positive tone, irrespective of your reason for quitting your previous job.

Related: How To Crack A Job Interview

Examples of final round interview questions and answers

Here are some commonly asked last round interview questions along with sample answers for each of them:

What are your salary expectations from the company?

Companies generally ask about salary expectations in the final interview or in the first round of the interview process. Their aim is to understand whether your salary expectations match their budget. You can quote your previous salary and ask for a higher amount, considering the experience you have gained at the job. If you do not know the salary for the position, research the average salary for similar positions. Instead of stating an exact number, you can suggest a range so that the interviewer can choose within that range.

Example answer: "I am expecting a salary somewhere between ₹70,000 and ₹85,000, considering the average salary in the industry for this position. I believe this is a fair range, given my experience in the field and the amount I was earning at my previous job. I am confident that my experience can be an asset to the company, but I am open to negotiation."

Related: Salary Negotiation Tips And Examples

Describe a time when you handled a high-stress situation at work

By asking this question, the interviewer may try to understand how you respond to stressful situations. They may also try to understand what you consider stressful and whether you possess leadership skills. The interviewer assesses whether you have problem-solving, quick thinking and decision-making abilities in high-pressure situations. Think about a time when you faced a challenge and took the responsibility for solving it. If you are a fresher, think about a time in college when you handled a stressful situation proactively.

Example answer: "When faced with stress, I try my best to maintain my composure and think of ways to solve a problem. At my previous job, I encountered a situation where there was a miscommunication with a client. I took control of the situation and tried to calm the client. I then offered multiple solutions to them so that they could choose what suited them best."

Have you ever faced an ethical dilemma?

Interviewers ask this question to test your moral standards and understand your values. They try to see how you react to such complex situations where the company's reputation and your position are at risk. Though you may not have encountered such an instance, you can answer by telling them the ways that you think are right for handling ethical dilemmas.

Example answer: "I have not faced an ethical dilemma in my career so far, but if such a situation arises, it is my responsibility to do what is morally right and ensure that I do not compromise the company's image. Some options that I have are to consult my manager about it or look for solutions in the company handbook. I can then use my best judgement and use my personal values as a standard to identify a solution to the issue at hand."

How do you resolve conflicts with your colleagues?

There may be times at work when you may experience disagreements with your coworkers. The interviewer tries to understand your approach to such situations. Think of a time when you faced a conflict with a colleague and how you solved it. It is important to give the interviewer an impression that you are a team player and when such disagreements arise, you can handle them professionally.

Example answer: "There have been some occasions where my coworker and I have disagreed on certain things. In such situations, it is important to take each of our opinions into consideration. Since we work in a team, we work towards a common goal and the motive is not to win the argument. In some situations, I have tried to make my colleague understand my point of view and in some, we have compromised to resolve the conflict."

Related: What Is Conflict Resolution? Using This Practice At Work

How do you balance your personal and professional life?

Companies may often look for employees who can balance their work and personal life easily. It can ensure that their employees are productive and motivated. While answering this question, you can tell the interviewer about your hobbies and what you like to do in your free time. You can tell them about the strategy you follow to balance your personal and professional commitments.

Example answer: "I try my best to complete all my work in the office, but sometimes when I have pending work, I assign a particular time to it at home. I spend the rest of my time with my family and do things that I enjoy. I maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating well and exercising regularly. This helps me stay energetic throughout the day. After a tedious day at work, I prefer spending the evening quietly, reading a book and cooking a healthy meal."

Describe the biggest failure in your professional career

Through this question, the interviewer tries to understand your viewpoint on failure. Pick a real incident from work or college where something did not go as planned. If possible, relate it to the work you do right now. You can also talk about a situation where you failed as a team and how your team worked on the failure.

Example answer: "Once, during a presentation for an important potential client, my team and I could not deliver our best. We were unable to convert the lead and lost the account. In the beginning, we were quite disappointed and disheartened about the failure. Then, we decided that we can learn from the failure and work on improving our future performance. We sat together as a team, offered constructive feedback to each other, consulted with our manager and created a plan to ensure the situation does not repeat itself."

What do you do when you lack motivation?

Through this question, the interviewer tries to understand what you do to stay motivated. This is an important question, as it can affect your productivity at work. Be honest about your answer and think of the things that you enjoy doing to improve your state of mind.

Example answer: "I believe that there can be instances when one is not completely motivated and may lack the passion to do something. At such times, it is important to take the first step and start working. When I feel demotivated, I do some physical activity that energises me. I then think of my long-term goals and what I want to accomplish. It helps me gain perspective and gives me the motivation I require to feel better again."