New research measuring the changes in the heart rate (beats per minute) of candidates being interviewed for a job reveals which are the most intimidating job interview questions.
For this study, over 1,300 participating interviewees were outfitted with fitness trackers to assess which common job interview questions raised their heart rate the most. The results revealed that being asked to perform an unexpected “quick test” of their skills or knowledge caused the most significant spike in heart rate.
When told they would have to take a test, the candidates’ average beats per minute jumped to 154 BPM from the calmer average of 80 BPM. Here’s a quick look at the other most intimidating job interview questions – and our top tips for how to answer them like a pro.
Being asked, “Do you know what we do here?” should not have to stress you out. You should research the company and have a solid idea of its products and services before applying for the job. Furthermore, when preparing for the job interview, you should conduct even more in-depth research about the company, its culture, challenges, and competition. So that you can describe your skills and experience in the context of how they would be beneficial to the specific employer.
Having done that, being asked what you know about the company shouldn’t be overly intimidating. Of course, you won’t be fully aware of the organization’s inner workings, but you’ll be able to describe what they do without panicking.
When asked intimidating or open-ended questions, remember that the employer is simply trying to determine if you are confident in your abilities to do the job and would be a good fit with the team.
So, keep in mind that whatever the question, your answer should relate to what you can do for the company that other candidates can’t and how you are a right fit for the job. Map your skills, experience, and accomplishments to those required for the role, and stay upbeat so that you seem like an excellent addition to the team.
How to answer the most intimidating interview question
1 What’s your greatest achievement?
Employers might ask this question to understand what you consider to be your most valuable accomplishments. To answer, think about a recent example that is ideally related to the job in some way. Briefly explain the achievement, your role in it and why it is valuable to you.
Example: “Last year, my team won an award for most innovative process improvement. My role was to organize the team to brainstorm ways we could speed up the production process. We tested three proven ways and implemented the one that worked best for us. The change in processes decreased time to production by 20%, allowing us to double our output.”
While some interview questions are common and expected, others may surprise you. It is important to prepare as much as possible for unexpected scenarios. You can do this by preparing a few examples and asking others in your industry for unexpected questions they’ve been asked in interviews. You can also ask for a moment to come up with a thoughtful answer.
Lastly, it is also often difficult for many people to discuss salary, but you should come prepared to discuss your pay expectations. If you’re unsure about what salary is appropriate to ask for the position you’re interviewing for, visit Indeeds Salary Calculator to get a free, personalized pay range based on your location, industry and experience.
What have been your most positive and negative management experiences?
Employers might ask you this question to understand what you like and dislike in certain management styles. This might help them decide whether or not you would be a good fit under a certain manager. You should answer this question honestly and as tactfully as possible.
Example: “One of my past managers, while very talented, tended to manage our team’s work closely with little flexibility on how things were to be done. It made me feel like I wasn’t trusted and there wasn’t much room for process improvement. My most recent manager was terrific at listening to my needs and helping me get the resources I needed to achieve my goals. I thrive under managers who create a collaborative, trusting team environment.”
What’s your biggest weakness?
Employers may ask about your weaknesses to see if you have a sense of self-awareness and how you’re working to improve.
Example: “One weakness I’ve been working on is my ability to provide constructive criticism. I understand how providing feedback on work or projects that could have been handled better is extremely valuable. To improve on this, I’m writing down my feedback before I approach my colleagues. This helps me to plan out my answer, give the best criticism possible and be less nervous.”
Learn strategies for answering some of the toughest interview questions. Daniel Bortz, Monster contributor
You reworked your resume, perfected your cover letter, and landed the big job interview. But walking through the door is only the beginning. You know the person across the table from you will ask some difficult interview questions. If you don’t know how to respond, consider yourself toast.
Smart hiring managers ask tough interview questions to whittle down their pool of potential hires, which is why it’s important for you to prepare in advance. Start with these.
Related Stories:
Savvy hiring managers can glean a ton of information about you by asking just a few, well-chosen questions, with some being behavioral interview questions.
But while they may seem simple, some are actually designed to get you to reveal information you may have been trying to conceal. In other words: they’re trick questions.
Though it may seem unfair for an interviewer to ask a question that’s essentially unanswerable—such as “how many people in the world are sleeping at this exact moment?”—it’s important to remember that an interviewer is more interested in the process you use to answer it, rather than your answer itself. Interviewers who ask questions like these usually want to see that you’re a creative thinker, a problem solver, and always up to a challenge:
To read more, see our article on being prepared for out of the box interview questions, here.
There are plenty of tried and true ways to prep for an interview, but employers still have plenty of tricks up their sleeves to ensure a candidate isn’t too rehearsed. Often, those tricks come in the form of insanely difficult interview questions designed to throw an interviewee off their game.
So how do you answer such baffling questions? Firstly, take a moment to think; the interviewer certainly doesn’t expect you to have an answer immediately. Then talk out your reasoning as you come to your answer, which should effectively show the interviewer how you work. Whatever you do, never say “I don’t know,” as you’re essentially opting not to answer a question—which is rarely, if ever, acceptable on a job interview.
FAQ
What are the most difficult interview questions?
- Tell Me About Yourself. …
- Tell me about a time you made a mistake or experienced a failure and how you dealt with it. …
- Describe a time you dealt with a difficult colleague and what you did. …
- Why did you leave your last job? …
- Why do you want this job?
How do you deal with intimidating interviews?
- What is your greatest weakness? Strengths-and-weaknesses interview questions are a given. …
- Why should we hire you? …
- What’s something that you didn’t like about your last job? …
- Why do you want this job? …
- How do you deal with conflict with a co-worker?
