The Most Challenging
Interview Questions and Answers You Should Give
As Product Manager for Lifehack I’m often required to interview
people. However, let me be honest with you – I don’t really like interviews.
Having said that, there’s a part of interviews that I’ve actually grown to
enjoy…
It’s the part that most candidates probably hate. Namely, the interview
questions that move beyond the common and go into the realm of challenging or
ridiculously tricky.
Some candidates answer these questions with cliched replies,
others with weird replies, and still others rise to the occasion and answer
with creative, intelligent and witty responses.
It’s the
challenging questions that can set you apart from the competition
One thing I’ve
learned after conducting numerous interviews, is that the challenging questions
rapidly separate the weak from the strong candidates.
To give you an example of this, I remember asking two candidates
the following question: “Can you describe yourself in three words?”
The first candidate looked horrified, before stumbling the
words: “Confident… skilled… experienced.” Not the worst answer, but not the
best either! Here’s what the second candidate did. She listened to my question,
paused for a second, and then simply said: “Yes I can!”
Given that we were hiring for a creative role, it’s no wonder
that I much preferred the second candidate’s response. It was delivered with
flair, and was an inventive (even funny) reply to a deliberately awkward
question. The first candidate offered nothing more than a cliched, dull
response.
What the responses immediately told me, was that the first
candidate probably struggles under pressure – while the second candidate would
be likely to thrive under pressure.
Clearly, a strategic, mature and imaginative reply quickly sets
a strong candidate apart from a weak one.
Don’t answer
with the information that the interviewer expects
The essence of
answering difficult questions is never answer with the information that the
interviewer expects, but instead, provide an answer that includes information
you’d like them to know. It’s a subtle difference, but will keep you in control
of the interview. (And will show your most favorable characteristics to the
interviewer.)
In other words, you’ll be proactive instead of reactive.
To be a skilful interviewee, you’ll need to know how to easily
and quickly switch the focus of an interview, so that your positive side is
always on show. As you’ll see in a moment, there are several techniques that
you can use to achieve this.
It would be impossible to cover all the challenging questions
that you may be asked. However, by looking at a selection of difficult
questions, you’ll be able to spot the necessary tips and tricks for answering
almost anything you’re likely to be asked.
“You don’t
appear to have sufficient experience?”
When people talk about experience, they often mean ‘years’ of
experience.
For example, a person with 10 years of experience at a company
did the same things over and over again, while another person with 3 years
experience at a company tackled hundreds of issues and even managed to save the
company. Who is the more experienced candidate?
The nugget of wisdom to remember here, is that if you get questioned over your lack
of ‘years’ of experience, you need to define exactly what your
experiences have been. Be sure to highlight what you have done, and talk about
the many challenges you’ve overcome.
By doing this, you’ll convince the interviewer that even though
you only have 3 years of experience, that you’ve learned more than someone
who’s had 5, 7 or even 10 years of experience.
“What’s your
salary expectation?”
You should always be prepared for this question, and if given a
range to choose from, make sure that you pick a salary that is higher than the
median. This will demonstrate your confidence in yourself – and your ability to
do the role you’re interviewing for. If no range is given, but the interviewer
insists that you state it, choose instead to give a concrete number, not a
range. This will persuade the interviewer that you know exactly what you want –
and that you’re serious about the role.
Forget about worrying whether the amount you’ve stated will be
too high. If they really want to hire you, they will ask further details about
the package you expect. And please don’t panic, as it’s unlikely that your
proposal will scare a prospective employer. (Of course, ensure that you’ve done
your research and know what the going market rate for the role is.)
If they really can’t match your salary expectations, then this
is where some negotiating skills around a benefits package will come in handy.
For instance, they may offer to pay for your internet connection at home, your
travel costs – or even provide you with a company car. If you’re able to have a
serious conversation with the employer about this, you’ll instantly demonstrate
that you’re a professional person who’s open and willing to consider different
factors.
“Why are you
leaving your current company?”
You’re probably aware that it’s not good practice to criticize
your previous company. However, I recall interviewing a candidate who cleverly
talked about the reasons she wanted to quit his current company, but managed to
highlight the achievements that she’d made during his time with them. It’s like
walking a tightrope hundreds of meters above a canyon. One slip, and you’ll
find yourself plummeting to the ground. One slip in your interview, and you’ll
find your chances of getting the job plummeting too!
The candidate above impressed me. Her shrewd use of language
persuaded me she was not bitter about her previous company – but instead, she
was simply ready for a new opportunity. This is the type of candidate whom most
employers are looking for.
A further example for you to think about…Let’s say you currently
work in a call centre, and you like your job, but you’re not comfortable with
the amount of sales pressure you need to apply to callers. The latter is a
genuine reason to want to seek a position at a new company. However, in an
interview situation, you don’t want to dwell on the negatives. Instead, you
could say something like this: “I’ve enjoyed working at my present company, and
have learned lots of things, however, I’m now ready to expand my skills and
experience.”
“What you did
before doesn’t fit our role very much?”
This may be true, as you might be applying for a role in a
different field – or one that has a different scope or target customers, etc.
However, instead of focusing on these superficial factors, you must decisively
lead the interviewer to focus on the fundamental and common skill sets that
your previous job and the new role share. For instance, a job in accounting
would be complimentary to a job in business analytics. They both deal with
numbers, and require a keen eye for accuracy.
So, to answer this particular challenging question, explain how
what you’ve learned before can actually be applied to the new position. If you
can do this well, you’ll even be able to convince the interviewer that your
previous experience can help you outperform those who are already working in
the field. You can do this by emphasizing how the ‘difference’ can help you
bring in new insights and ideas into their company. By doing this, you’ve taken
a perceived weakness – and turned it into a legitimate strength.
Imagine for a moment that you currently work as a school
teacher, but you’re now keen to change careers and to find work as a writer. In
an interview situation, you could highlight how at school you used clear,
concise and engaging stories to impart knowledge and wisdom to your students.
These are the same skills that you could bring to writing news stories.
“Are you having
other interviews, if yes, what are they?”
Always remember, the gist of answering questions isn’t to answer
what the person who asks want to know- but what you want them to know.
For sure, you can answer their questions frankly, but be certain
to switch the focus when needed. This might be to highlight what you’re looking
for in a company. For example, “I’m looking for a company which is passionate
about growth, and values open communication…” Statements like this will help
persuade the interviewer that you’re a good fit for the role and the company.
As for whether to say you’re having other interviews… My
recommendation is to say yes. You don’t need to state what they are, but be
admitting that you have other interviews, will give you the aura of someone in
demand.
My final piece of advice is: Don’t shy away from challenging
interview questions. They are your opportunity to shine, and to show that you
are head and shoulders above other candidates.
Brian Lee
http://www.lifehack.org/620548/how-to-answer-challenging-interview-questions-and-stand-out-from-the-crowd?ref=mail&mtype=newsletter_tier_2&mid=20170804&uid=687414&hash=707e797f7e757e6d794c856d747b7b3a6f7b79&utm_source=newsletter_tier_2&utm_medium=email&action=click
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