Are you smarter than an interviewer? If you prepare properly, you will
be.
During a job interview, employers sometimes ask tricky questions to trip
you up – not out of maliciousness, but to get an accurate sense of your
candidacy. Intervie
wers know that you’ve probably practiced all of the
traditional questions, so they try to stump you with trickier ones to get a
better idea of your background, your communication skills, and how you’ll
perform should they offer you the job.
Here are the 10 trickiest interview questions meant to trip you up, with
suggestions on how to answer them and sample answers.
1. What’s your biggest weakness?
The Trap: The first step to fixing a problem is admitting it. When
employers ask this question, it’s not just about figuring out your weaknesses,
but about finding out whether or not you’re aware of them, and if you’re
intending to make changes.
How to Answer: Be modest. We all have weaknesses, and it’s okay to
mention some parts of your skill set that need work. But, give your weakness a
silver lining, and use your answer as an opportunity to highlight other
strengths and underscore your determination to keep getting better.
Sample Answer: “I’m a perfectionist – sometimes to a fault. While this
means my work is always high-quality, I’ve realized that sometimes I spend more
time obsessing over little details that don’t matter in the long-run, rather
than moving on to my next task. I’m learning working on prioritizing between
perfectionism and efficiency, and learning about time management and
productivity strategies.”
2. Is this position a similar role to any other jobs you are considering?
The Trap: Your interviewer may have two goals in mind here. He or she may
be angling to uncover where else you’re applying, or may be trying to get a
better idea of your past experience, and your future professional goals. This
can be a good way for interviewers to get a sense of your strongest skills and
determine if you’ll actually be a good fit for the job.
How to Answer: If you’re applying for a variety of different positions,
certainly don’t name them all – and don’t name-drop different companies. For
one, you don’t want your employer to think that your skills and interests are
totally all over the place. Of course, it’s good to have a wide-range of
different abilities, but it’s most important to present yourself as the best
fit for the specific job you’re applying for. For example, if you’re a writer
who is also a project manager and you’re interviewing for project management
jobs, you wouldn’t want to mention that you’re also applying to writing jobs.
Fortunately, this is the type of question where it’s acceptable to give a
general answer and then move on.
Sample Answer: “Yes, I am looking for jobs that fit this description.
This is my preferred field, which I’m personally and professionally passionate
about. Fortunately, the job description, requirement and responsibilities of
this specific position seem best aligned with my experience and interests.”
3. Why do you want to work here?
The Trap: Employers want to figure out if you’ve done your research about
the company, and whether you want this job, rather than any old job.
The Best Way to Answer: Don’t just say that you want to work there
because there’s free gym access, complimentary coffee and a casual dress code.
Make sure your answer has real meaning. Be enthusiastic in your answer and talk
about how you connect with the company’s core values, their mission, and the
work they do. Then, you can go into a little more detail about the specific
position for which you’re applying.
Sample Answer: “I truly feel aligned with the company’s values, mission
and goals. I connect with your belief in integrity in your work, in fostering
an open, honest and supportive workplace, and your desire to better the lives
of both your employees and your customers. I believe that this position,
specifically, will provide a huge – and enjoyable – opportunity for me to
contribute to your objectives and add value to the company as a whole.”
4. If you could work for any company, where would you work?
The Trap: Your interviewer may be trying to figure out how invested you
are in their company, in addition to determining where else you might be
looking to apply. People sometimes have trouble answering this type of question
because they can’t decide if they should keep mum, or mention some other,
big-name companies that they’ve interviewed with.
The Best Way to Answer: Don’t mention any specific companies. Think about
if you were on a date, and your date asks, “If you could date anyone else in
this restaurant, who would it be?” If you asked your date that question, what
would you want to hear? Emphasize how the company you’re interviewing with is
your top priority.
Sample Answer: “Actually, I’ve spent a lot of time during my job search
researching different companies I might want to work at, and this company stood
out the most. I share your mission, values and objectives and feel that I would
really thrive in this type of work environment.”
5. Are you the type who checks email during your vacation?
The Trap: This is a tricky one. On one hand, you want to frame yourself
as someone who is dedicated to their work. At the same time, employers know
that employee health and wellness is a key factor to continuous success and
want to make sure you’re smart about taking care of yourself even outside of
the office. Burn-out is a real thing, and no matter how durable you think you
are, everyone is human and everyone needs a little rest sometimes.
How to Answer: Confirm your dedication to getting your job done, but also
convey your understanding that personal well-being is key to professional
success.
Sample Answer: “I’m 100% dedicated to going above and beyond when it
comes to fulfilling my responsibilities. That being said, I also know that it’s
important to take care of myself to ensure my long-term success. I try not to
work when I’m on official vacation. But, before I leave for a vacation, I
always make sure all my duties are covered before signing off, and I do make
sure my supervisor has my personal cell phone number should an emergency
arise.”
6. Where do you see yourself in five years?
The Trap: Employers don’t want to invest in hiring, training and paying
an employee who’s not going to stick around, or who’s going to change career
paths. Though it’s becoming more and more common for people to spend less and
less time at each job they hold, you certainly don’t want to give your employer
any doubts about your commitment to the role.
The Best Way to Answer: You don’t have to profess that you absolutely see
yourself with the same company. Instead, answer in a way that demonstrates your
commitment to growing within your field. Employers want to hire employees who
are self-motivated and who have an inner drive to better themselves, and keep
learning. But, keep in mind that an employer may follow up with a question
asking about specifics, so if possible have a few key tangible goals you’d like
to accomplish.
Sample Answer: “I see myself working within this field, but I hope to
have progressed to a higher level of responsibility, possess a greater degree
of knowledge and advance and expand my skill set. I always want to keep
learning, keep getting better, and I hope after five years my efforts will
carry me closer and closer to becoming an expert at what I do. That being said,
I’m also committed to staying happy and fulfilled with my career so that, too,
factors into my five-year plans.”
7. What do you think your references will say about you?
The Trap: Employers want to see if you’re insecure about your references
and if you’ll volunteer any negative information about your prior experience or
your ability to succeed in your role.
The Best Way to Answer: Simply put, don’t fall for the trap, but do be
modest. Under no circumstances should you offer up any negative information.
Your references wouldn’t have agreed to serve as references if they weren’t
willing to speak positively about you.
Sample Answer: “I’ve had a wonderful experience working with all of my
references, so I do expect their testimonials to reflect all that we’ve
accomplished together at work, along with positive rapport we share
personally.”
8. Which part of the job description sounds most challenging, and why?
The Trap: Are you really as experienced as you say you are? When it comes
to a job description, there will likely be aspects that you can ace, and
aspects that will cause you some trouble. Employers want to know if your
strengths align with their greatest needs.
The Best Way to Answer: A lie about your skills will come to haunt you
later, so be honest. At the same time, use the answer as an opportunity to
present yourself as a candidate who is always up for a challenge, and who is
sharpening your skills to keep up with that challenge.
Sample Answer: “As a visual designer, the bulk of my experience has been
in graphic design, specifically logos, posters and advertisement. I find
dynamic web design more challenging, but challenges like that I live for. I
just completed an online course on designing for mobile apps, and I’m currently
taking another one in user experience design to ensure my abilities keep up
with the latest trends.”
9 Tell me about your dream job.
The Trap: In many cases, passion breeds productivity. Dedication leads to
success. Employers want to know just how invested you’ll be in the role, or if
you see the job as a stop-gap measure just to keep up some income while you
hunt for something better. Along the same lines, employers want to know if you
love the idea of the job, or the job itself. Just because a job title sounds
glamorous, doesn’t mean you’ll love the day-to-day work.
How to Answer: Is the job you’re applying for your dream job? If yes, then
say so, emphatically. If your dream job is far-flung or far-fetched, it’s
probably best not to mention it. You want the employer to understand that
you’ll be fully invested in the position and not day-dreaming about some other
position while you’re at desk. If the job you’re applying for is somewhere in
between, you can tactfully frame your answer to convey that.
Sample Answer: “Advertising is my dream field and the junior copywriting
position is an ideal placement for me right now. Of course, I know I have lots
of learning to do before I can achieve my dream job – a creative director – and
I believe this job will put me on that path.”
10. Everyone has one exaggeration on their job application. What’s yours?
The Trap: Will you fall for your interviewer’s attempt persuade you into
admitting that’s an exaggeration or little white lie within your application?
Hopefully not. And hopefully, your cover letter or resume is free from any
mistruths. It’s never worth lying on your application.
How to Answer: Keep your cover letter and resume honest so you can be
honest when you answer. (Did you lie on your resume? Here’s what to do.)
Sample Answer: “I’m confident that my cover letter, resume and portfolio
accurately represent my experience and my work. You are welcome to reach out to
the references I provided if you’d like them to vouch for my attributes.”
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