DayShift / Interview questions
Each question comes with why the interviewer asks it and a sample answer to put in your own words, written for job seekers in the Philippines and Malaysia.
The sample answers are made-up examples. Swap in your own jobs, places and numbers, then say them out loud until they sound like you.
Why they ask: It's the warm-up, and it shows how you talk. They want about a minute on what you do now, what you've done that fits this job, and why you applied.
Sample answer (example: Joy, customer service, Davao):
"I handle email and chat support for an online shop, about 60 tickets a day, mostly orders and refunds. Before that I spent two years on calls at a BPO, so upset customers don't rattle me. Your post asks for chat support on Singapore hours, which is the work I do now, minus the night shift."
Read next: How to answer "tell me about yourself"
Why they ask: They want one strength that matters for this job, and proof that it's true.
Sample answer (example: Mark, bookkeeper, Iloilo):
"I'm careful with numbers. In my last job I reconciled three bank accounts every week, and I caught a double payment to a supplier before it went out. I like work where one wrong digit matters, which is why bookkeeping suits me."
Read next: Strengths and weaknesses: examples and sample answers
Why they ask: To see if you know yourself and fix what's not working. Pick a real weakness that won't stop you doing this job.
Sample answer (example: Paolo, video editor, Cebu):
"I used to say yes to every edit request the same day, and my bigger projects slipped. Now every request goes on a Trello board with a delivery time before I start. Since then I've missed one deadline in six months, and I told the client two days ahead."
Why they ask: It checks what you've said about yourself. They may ask your reference the same question.
Sample answer (example: Liza, admin assistant, Quezon City):
"She'd say I'm the one who remembers things. I kept her calendar for two years and she never missed a client meeting. She'd also say I ask a lot of questions on day one, so I don't have to ask them again."
Why they ask: Will you stay? Clients spend weeks teaching a new hire their tools and their customers, so they want someone who plans to grow in this kind of work.
Sample answer (example: Bea, social media VA, Bulacan):
"Still in social media. By then I'd like to run whole accounts on my own, from the monthly plan to the report the client reads. I'd rather get there with one or two long-term clients than hop between short gigs."
Read next: How to answer "where do you see yourself in 5 years", with 6 samples
Why they ask: To hear that you read the post. Name two things in it that drew you, and say why they fit you.
Sample answer (example: Aisyah, appointment setter, Kuala Lumpur):
"Your post is about booking viewings for property agents, and I've done that for a developer in KL for a year. I like that the leads have already asked to be contacted. And the hours are daytime, which works for my family."
Why they ask: They need a short case they can repeat to their boss or the client. Say what you've done, how it matches the job, and what you'd do first.
Sample answer (example: Carlo, general VA, Laguna):
"You need someone to run your inbox and calendar and keep your CRM up to date. I've done all three for a real estate agent for two years. In my first month I sorted her backlog of old emails into folders, and now every new one gets a reply within a day. In my first week here, I'd learn how you like replies written, so you don't have to check every one."
Read next: How to answer "why should we hire you", with 6 sample answers
Why they ask: It shows whether you prepared. Spend ten minutes on their website and their last few social posts before the call.
Sample answer (example: Rica, graphic designer, Pampanga):
"You run three bakeries in Singapore and post on Instagram most days, mostly product photos and promos. Your last few posts use different fonts, so I'd guess part of this role is making the brand look the same everywhere."
Why they ask (remote jobs): They want to know you can work without someone watching, not just that you hate the commute.
Sample answer (example: Nina, admin VA, Rizal):
"I've worked from home for a year and I get more done here. I have a desk in a quiet room, fiber internet with mobile data as backup, and I plan the next day in Google Calendar each night. I also get back the three hours I used to spend on the road."
Read next: Your work from home setup: stay online through brownouts
Why they ask: To see if you fit their budget. When the listing shows the pay, they're really asking whether that pay works for you.
Sample answer (example: Bea, social media VA, Bulacan):
"I saw the range on the listing and it works for me. With two years of social media work behind me, I'd hope to start in the middle of it."
Read next: How to answer "what is your expected salary"
Why they ask: They're planning around a date. Give a real one, and say if you need to give notice first.
Sample answer (example: Liza, admin assistant, Quezon City):
"I need to give my current employer 30 days' notice, so I could start on the first Monday of next month. I'm happy to do a short call before then to get set up."
Read next: Resignation letter template, with the notice rules
Why they ask: They're listening for complaints about your old boss. Keep it short and talk about what you want next.
Sample answer (example: Jun, BPO agent, Pasay):
"I've worked a US night shift for four years, and I want to work the same hours as my family. I've learned a lot on calls, and I'd like to use it in a day shift role like this one."
Why they ask: Everyone makes mistakes at work, and they'd like to hear that you own yours. Spend most of the answer on the fix and what you changed afterwards.
Sample answer (example: Mark, bookkeeper, Iloilo):
"I once sent a client's report with last month's numbers in one table. I caught it the next morning, sent the right version with a one-line note, and now I check every table against the source before I export."
Why they ask: They want a real story told in order: the situation, what you had to do, what you did, and the result. Interviewers call that the STAR method.
Sample answer (example: Joy, customer service, Davao):
"A customer messaged us five times in an hour about a late parcel, angrier each time. I replied once, said sorry for the wait and sent the tracking link. The courier was two days behind, so I gave him that date instead of a vague promise. He wasn't happy, but he stopped messaging, and the parcel came on the day I said."
Why they ask: They want your method. "I work well under pressure" doesn't tell them anything.
Sample answer (example: Paolo, video editor, Cebu):
"I split the job into pieces and tell the client what they'll get and when. When a client needed six Reels by Friday instead of next week, I sent two a day for review so the changes didn't pile up at the end. All six went out on Friday."
Why they ask: Gaps are normal. They want a short, honest reason and proof you're ready now.
Sample answer (example: Grace, bookkeeper, Batangas):
"I took a year off to care for my mother after her surgery, and she's well now. During that year I did a free Google Sheets course and kept the books for my aunt's sari-sari store, so I'm ready to work full-time again."
Why they ask (remote jobs): They need to know you'll be online when they need you, and what you'll do on a bad day.
Sample answer (example: Nina, admin VA, Rizal):
"I can work 9 to 6, Manila time, Monday to Friday. My router runs on a small UPS, I keep prepaid mobile data as backup, and if both fail I'll message you right away with when I'll be back."
Read next: Your work from home setup: stay online through brownouts
Why they ask: It's your turn to interview them, and "none" can sound like you aren't interested. Ask two or three.
Questions you could ask:
Read next: Good questions to ask the interviewer, and which to skip
Each page lists the questions remote clients ask for that role, with what a good answer shows.
The free practice tool shows one question at a time with a timer. Record yourself if you like: the video stays on your device. Practice against a timer
For the day before and what to send after, read job interview tips for remote jobs.
About one to two minutes for most questions. Give one example with a number in it, then stop.
No. Learn the two or three points you want to make, then say them in your own words each time you practice. A memorised answer sounds memorised, and it falls apart when they phrase the question differently.
Use school projects, freelance work, a family business or volunteering. A task you did and what came of it counts as an example.
Mostly the same ones, plus questions about your setup: your hours, your internet and backup, and how you work when nobody is watching.
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