When preparing for an interview, come up with answers to common challenging and intimidating questions beforehand. It is much more difficult to form answers to questions like these in a way that shows your quality on the spot. Here are some guidelines on how to handle five of the tricky questions that might be thrown at you.
This is a common interview question that can be difficult to answer because you want to present yourself in the best light possible, and discussing your flaws seems counterproductive. However, when asked this question, keep in mind that the interviewer not only wants to know your weaknesses, but how you handle them. Everyone has weaknesses, so never say, “I don’t have any.” Avoid the cliché answers like, “I work too hard,” “I’m to much of a perfectionist,” or “I’m too excited about work!” Instead, be honest and pick a real weakness that you have, but then put a positive light on it and explain how you try to offset that weakness. For example, “I am naturally a little scatterbrained. I tend to forget things. Knowing this about myself, I have made the habit of writing everything down in my planner, which I refer to often. Since doing this, I have become much more organized and never miss appointments or deadlines. “
It is also a good idea to discuss a weakness that is not long-term. For example, “I don’t have a lot of experience in this kind of position yet. However, I am a quick learner, I have a good memory, I work really hard, and I am enthusiastic about this job.”
This is another question that could make you squirm because it involves a negative experience in your past. Like weaknesses, everyone has failed at something. Failure is proof that you have taken risks and tried! Use this question as an opportunity to show that you are self-aware, you have the ability to learn and grow from experience, and you see risk as worth taking.
When telling about an experience, first define failure in the context of your story. For example, failure might mean not meeting expectations/goals, not satisfying a customer, etc. Next, tell about a real failure. Be careful not to pick a story that just makes you and your character look really bad. The best stories are ones you learned from and that you can show through a subsequent story how you used what you learned.
The key to this question is to avoid speaking negatively about your previous boss and coworkers. Avoid blaming others, talking about work gossip and drama at your last job, and whining about how you weren’t appreciated. Avoid complaining, and instead give the impression that you are a good team player. Employers see how you talk about your last job as a good indicator of what kind of employee you will be at your next.
A good response to, ”Why did you quit your last job?” could include how the job wasn’t a good fit, you decided to pursue other interests, or you wanted a job in which you could grow, learn, and be challenged. If you left your last job for reasons out of your control (family, medical, etc.), then explain why without being too detailed, and then conclude with a positive attitude about how you are eager and ready to work again.
When explaining why you were fired from your last job, be honest. However, be careful and professional about how you explain. Tell what happened, what you learned from the experience, and why it will not be a problem in the future. Tell the truth—the interviewer could always call your previous employer, and you don’t want to be stuck in a lie. If you weren’t fired for a mistake you made, explain that your previous employer had to let some people go due to the economic situation. This is very understandable.
Normally, this is best discussed when you are further along in the process and in a better position to negotiate. However, if the interviewer asks this question, never respond by saying, “anything is fine.” This makes you seem desperate for a job and not specifically interested in their company. Don’t respond with an unreasonably high pay and make it seem like they can’t afford you, but don’t sell yourself short either. Before going to the interview, research similar positions in your area and what they are paying and respond accordingly with a reasonable range taking your experience and your previous pay into account. However, it is always good to include that the pay you suggested is negotiable.
Always have a question ready to ask! However, avoid responding with questions about pay, other interviewers, when they will get back to you, vacation days, or any others that are similar. Your question should show your sincere interest, your attentiveness to the conversation, and your knowledge of the company. Before you interview, it’s a great idea to do research on the company and the interviewer and then ask for further information on something you read. Other ideas of insightful questions could be, “What would a regular day in this position be like?” or “What is the most challenging aspect of this job?” Or, you could ask about the challenges the company is dealing with (this will help you get ideas of how you could help benefit the company).
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