How to Answer "What Was the Last Book You Read?" in an Interview

Photo by Dom J

Sometimes, the most common interview questions go beyond experience in the workplace. 

When interviewers ask about the last book you read, they try to learn more about you, your learning style, and maybe your self-development habits. 

If this interview question has caught you off-guard before, you're not alone. Questions like "What is the last book you read?" or "What do you do for fun?" can be the most surprising parts of an interview—and they can cause you to draw a panicked blank in your brain. 

Table of Contents

So, let's prepare to answer this common question, even if your reading habits are non-existent. 

Why Employers Ask About the Last Book You Read

Employers often use this question towards the start of the interview to get a feel for who you are. Some interviewers will urge you to share the title of the book you read, even if it's unrelated to the job for which you're interviewing. In this case, preparing to talk about the perfect book for interviewing specifically for a marketing role might not be necessary. 

Learning about your reading habits can give an interviewer insight into your individual characteristics, personal values, or hobbies outside of work. 

If you're applying for a position that involves reading, writing, or publishing, your answer to this question will likely be very important—it informs your reading comprehension and the style of writing you most enjoy. 

How to Answer "What Was the Last Book You Read?"

The answer to this question can vary depending on the job, the industry, and the kinds of books you like to read. 

For example, if you're interviewing for a position at a publishing house that specializes in romance novels, then your habit of reading steamy romances would fit right in. However, if you're interviewing for a tech sales position, they might not want to hear how much you adore Danielle Steel. 

Finally, if you're interviewing at a large organization that has propelled the careers of many folks, a great move would be to read books by folks who work there or have worked there. 

For example, if you're interviewing for a job at Apple, wouldn't you love to be able to talk about Steve Jobs' biography and what you learned from it? If you're interviewing for a job with Shondaland, you should be able to talk about Shonda Rhimes' autobiographical book, Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun, and Be Your Own Person. 

1. Make a List of Your Favorite Books, Articles, and Essays 

If you're prepping for the most common interview questions, prepare thoughtful answers about the last book you read or your favorite essays. In fact, feel free to create lists of your favorite podcasts, creators, and television shows, too. 

Even if you're not planning to talk about your lifetime love of the book Bridge to Terabithia, you never know! Perhaps the interviewer might ask a variation of this interview question, like:

Make a list of your favorites. We'll wait...

2. Analyze What You Liked and Your Big Takeaways 

Now, create a little space next to each item on your list.

Start to connect the dots by sharing your reason for sharing these books. 

3. Relate Your Favorites to Relevant Skills or Lessons

Once you've made your list of the books you might want to share and why you might mention each book in a job interview, you'll start to connect the dots.

You might even be able to infuse reading a particularly influential book into a story circle to answer other behavioral interview questions. 

Relate your list of books with relevant skills that this job requires. Pull some key phrases from the job post and talk about them through the lens of a book you recently enjoyed. 

4. Tell a Story About Your Favorite Reads 

Perhaps you've decided to share the title of a book you read a while back but relate it directly to your career and the job at hand. That's great, and your thoughtful answer should impress the interviewer. 

Impressive Books to Read (And Talk About in Your Next Interview) 

If you want to read a book (or, let's be honest, maybe the Cliffnotes of it) that impress your next hiring manager, we have you covered. 

We created these lists of books that center on professional development, growth mindsets, and other workplace-friendly subject matters.

Impressive Books About Leadership

Impressive Books About Productivity + Time Management 

Impressive Books About Creativity + Thinking Differently 

Impressive Books About Confidence + Self-Improvement

Impressive and Inspirational Biographies and Memoirs

Dos and Don'ts of Answering "What Is the Last Book You Read?"

Finally, here are a few dos and don'ts for answering this question and discussing books in an interview.