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How to Answer the Most Difficult Interview Questions

We’ve all been there. You’re on an important job interview, and they ask you a difficult question-or a series of difficult questions-and you panic, because you are stumped as to how to best answer the question. What do you do? If you are like many ill-prepared interviewees, you stutter and rattle something off in a lingering ramble and blow the question and the possibility of getting the position. How do you avoid this tragic ending? With these best answers to the most common of difficult interview questions.

1.  What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses? One of the most common questions asked at an interview is      regarding your strengths and weaknesses. Strengths are typically very easy to elaborate on as you can      offer any of the position-worthy attributes that interviewers like, such as: strong work ethic, team player,      dedication, enthusiasm, etc etc. Unfortunately, when it comes to listing your weaknesses, you may not be      sure what is an acceptable answer. While it is important to be honest, there is such a thing as being too      honest. For a weakness, choose a minor weakness that you may have that doesn’t negatively impact your      job performance.

2.  Why Should I Hire You? Another biggie on the list of questions most often asked by potential employers is      “why should I hire you”? This is always a tough one, as many people are not sure which of skills,      experience, or accomplishments they should list and how involved they should get. The best rule of thumb                                                                        here is to review what the job ad said about what they were                                                                        looking for in a candidate, and answer according to the qualities                                                                        and experience they were seeking.

                                                                  3.  Why Are You Seeking a New Job? A potential employer will                                                                        probably want to know why you are looking to leave your                                                                        present position and company for something new. Again, be                                                                        honest but don’t list all the negatives of your present job-it will                                                                        only make you look negative. Instead, address the question in                                                                        two parts. The first should say something like you are looking to                                                                        move on and grow-be challenged as you aren’t at present. The                                                                        second point should address this company and position in                                                                        particular. Something like, “I recognize this company as a one                                                                        that is successful and will continue to be, and I want to be a part                                                                        of that”, etc. Not only are you showing that you have learned all                                                                        you can from your present employer, but you are also stroking                                                                        the ego of the company you are applying to.

                                                                  4.  Why Are You Interested in Our Company? Another common                                                                        question-and this relates to the last question as well: if you answered with the suggested answer, then they probably won’t even ask this one! The best way to answer why you want to work company A is something to the effect that you have seen what type of product or service they offer, have noticed their long-running success, or admire their uniqueness in a particular area and want to be a part of their future. The best way to anticipate the specifics of this answer is to do some research on what their mission statement is or what their main objectives are, and use these in your answer.

5.  What Are Your Salary Expectations? Though the question of salary expectations is not always ask of a job      candidate, it could be and therefore, you must be ready with the right answer; because once you say it,      you are pretty much locked in on that number. If it is too high, you run the risk of losing the job, and if it’s      too low, you run the risk of being underpaid if hired. The best way to approach this is by doing your      research on the salary estimate for your position in your area. From there, decide where in the estimate      range your experience fits in.