If you have an upcoming interview, you are probably preparing for the tough interview questions. These are the questions that are not the ones that you get asked every day like, “What do you do?” Taken at face value, it doesn’t seem like a complicated question, but give a simple one word answer, and the conversation is over. For this reason, many career counselors will advise developing an elevator pitch in response to that seemingly simple question. You elevator pitch should be 20 to 30 seconds, and give an overview of what you do, not just your title. However, there are other questions that you haven’t rehearsed daily, and might be more difficult for you to answer, especially in an interview setting. Below are some suggestions to navigate the toughest interview questions.
Question 1:
“Have you been applying to other positions?”
You will want to be honest when you answer this question, but you don’t want to look lazy in your job search, or seem desperate for just any job. The ideal approach to this question is to answer “I have applied to a small number of other openings, but this role is the one that stands out to me, and it’s something I can see myself doing for the foreseeable future.” A follow up statement that would make a good impression here would be to express how impressed you are with the company’s philosophy, position in the community and vision. If the interviewer does ask about the other roles you have applied for, make sure to only point out the ones that are consistent with the position you are discussing. Don’t talk about the waitressing job you applied for at your favorite restaurant because you “thought it would be a fun change of pace.” Additionally, do not use this question to bring up any positions that you have applied for, but have been rejected as the ideal candidate. This will lead the interviewer to believe that if no one else has wanted to hire you, they should think twice before adding you to their team.
Question 2:
“How do you handle working under pressure?”
Every job has things that can make it stressful, but when an interviewer asks you this question, they presumably know what areas of the job may have bothered a previous employee and are trying to assess if you can handle it. To give a good answer, you’ll want to draw on previous experience, cite an example of a difficult situation and how you handled it. If you can give an answer like “In my experience, I have found that a fast-paced workplace requiring me to focus my attention in multiple directions brings out my best qualities.” Make sure your answer tells the interviewer that you want a challenge, not just a mundane job where all you’re required to do is show up.
Question 3:
“Why should I hire you?”
We are hoping that this question comes up near the end of the interview and you’ve already been able to ask the question, “What types of skills or personality traits do you feel your perfect candidate needs to have in this role?” If you have been able to ask this question and listened carefully to the interviewer’s response, you should be able to regurgitate their answer with specific examples that relate to your experience or personality. If you have not been able to ask the aforementioned question, or were so nervous that you forgot what the interviewer said, focus on your strengths and skills related to how much of the job description you can remember. Do not use this time to criticize other candidates you may be aware of that are also applying for the position, and try to explain why you think you will fit into the interviewer’s team, company culture and bring many assets to the position.
Question 4:
“What is your biggest weakness?”
Taking this opportunity to talk about a strength like it’s a weakness will not impress the interviewer. Saying “I’m a perfectionist,” leaves too much room for interpretation. The interviewer may think that you spend so much time trying to get everything perfect that you don’t actually get any work done. The interviewer might also think that you have a control issue and are unable to delegate because you believe you’re the only person who can finish a project correctly. When citing a weakness, be specific. If you had to learn a specific system that your company currently uses, and there has been a learning curve, you could say something like, “When I started with company XYZ, I had never used system ABC. But I’ve used it every day for the last year, proactively found webinars to help with the areas that I’ve struggled, and gained proficiency.” You are specifically explaining an area that you were weak and illustrated that you have taken proactive steps to grow.
Question 5:
“Why are you leaving your current job?”
The interviewer is trying to assess what elements of your current job are making you unhappy, and determining if this new role will make you any happier. For example, if you currently dislike how much customer service your current role demands, if this new role has a big people interaction component, the interviewer may think twice about your potential for job satisfaction. Think about what you know about the position you want, what you don’t like about your current role, and be honest about your concerns. This is not the time to cite all the reasons you “hate your boss,” but could explain that you’re worried about the direction the company is taking, or you don’t see any upward progression in your level of responsibility in the near future. This nicely alludes to your ambition to succeed without appearing disgruntled with your current employer.
Question 6:
“Do you have any questions for us?”
This is not the time to discuss how much paid vacation you will be allocated in your first year, or if parking is reimbursable, but this is the time to ask something. Do not shake your head no because you can’t remember the questions you prepared. Bring a small notebook or professional looking binder to the interview containing your questions for the interviewer. The failure to ask questions makes it appear that you are more interested in what the company can do for you, versus what you will bring to the company. Do not ask questions about where the job is located when it is clearly part of the job description. Ask questions like “What type of management style does your culture embrace?” Also, asking about plans for future growth or projections for the next couple of years insinuates that you have thought about how you might fit into the organization.
Once you’ve answered the most difficult interview questions, make sure you thank the interviewer for their time, emphasize that if they think of any additional questions that they should reach out to you, and ask how soon they will follow up with you. Lastly, make sure you send a written letter of thanks as soon as possible after the interview. If you’re working with a recruiter, they will encourage you to practice your answers to the questions you are struggling to answer. They will also give you insight about what the hiring manager you will be interviewing with wants to know about you as a candidate and a person. If you found this opening through your personal network, make sure to get as much information about the position and person/ people you will be interviewing with, the more you know, the more likely you will be to craft answers to shine.