- Q: Why are you leaving your current job? …
- Q: How would your boss and colleagues describe you? …
- Q: Can you tell me about a past project of yours that failed? …
- Q: And finally, what question haven’t I asked you?
Interview invitations should really come with a warning: Strong feelings of excitement changing suddenly into dread are imminent upon receiving this invitation.
Career counselors (and yes, I’m guilty of this, too) will frequently say, “Oh, it’s a two-way street. You’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you.” And while that is partially true—you should definitely use the interview as a way to gauge whether or not you want to work for a company—there is still a power imbalance. Ultimately, the hiring manager will get to decide first whether you’ll get an offer. So, it’s understandable to be nervous.
But fear not! With a little preparation, you’ll know exactly what to say to impress. To get you started, here are four tricky, but common, interview questions and how to tackle them.
How to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions Sample Answers
It’s difficult to be prepared for every possible interview question. However, it’s important to be prepared for the ones that could mean the difference between receiving an offer of employment . . . or never hearing from the company again.
With that in mind, below are four straightforward interview questions that you should be prepared to answer:
Formulate your answers to the four questions listed above, and you’ll increase your chances of enjoying interview success.
Hiring and—by extension—interviewing continue to evolve, and those wishing to advance the scope of their careers must evolve right along with them.
Companies are constantly compiling different interview questions in their never-ending quest to find and hire the best candidates for their open positions. Consequently, it’s in your best interests to be as prepared as possible for the questions that are posed during a face-to-face interview.
Here are the five most common interview questions, as well as next-level responses to stand out.
If you want to prepare for an interview and increase your chance of getting the job, it helps to practice your answers to the popular questions that hiring managers ask. Check out these common job interview questions and examples of how to respond.
Tell Me About Yourself
This completely open-ended opportunity to talk about yourself throws a lot of people off. Worse, it’s usually the first question interviewers ask! The confusing part about “tell me about yourself” is that it actually isn’t an invitation to tell your life story. The interviewer really just wants to know why you’re interested in this position and what makes you qualified.
One way to structure this answer is to start with your present, go into your past, and finish off with your future. This approach covers all your bases by answering the question, giving you an opportunity to talk about your relevant skills, and getting to what the interviewer genuinely wants to know: How are you going to perform in this position? Remember to focus your experiences and accomplishments on what’s most relevant to the position and the employer.
Tricky Interview Questions & Answers
Use the sample answers to prepare your own convincing interview answers to these tough interview questions.
FAQ
What is straightforward interview?
What are straight forward questions?
What are 10 good interview questions?
- How many basketballs can fit on a bus?
- What two things, aside from food and water, would you want on a deserted island?
- How many pizzas are ordered every night in the United States?
- What would you do if you won the lottery?
- Blue or green?
