MORGAN STANLEY: Don't let these 6 interview questions trip you up

Getty/Angela WeissCarla Harris, vice chairwoman at Morgan Stanley.What are interviewers really looking for when they ask questions like "what are your strengths and weaknesses?" Carla Harris, vice chairwoman at Morgan Stanley, reveals the subtext.

If you think the most common interview questions are often the most difficult to answer, then you're not alone. More people trip up on things like "tell us about yourself" and "what is your biggest weakness?" than questions about their skills.

That's because the most common interview questions all have a subtext, explains Carla Harris, vice chairwoman at Morgan Stanley. "What an interviewer is really trying to find out by asking common questions, is what kind of personality you have; are you a leader or a good pair of hands and will you fit in? They already know you have the qualifications because they've seen your resume."

Harris has coached hundreds of people on their careers during her 30 years at Morgan Stanley and is the author of Expect to Win and Strategize To Win. We asked her to demystify some of the most common interview questions - here's what she said: