Simple Ways to Answer Tricky Interview Questions
A couple of years ago, my idea
of a job interview was being in front of a hard, unsmiling panel and having
extremely difficult questions thrown at me, like rocks. However, when I got
invited for my first interview, I realized this is not always the case.
A job interview does not have
to be tense. In fact, you may find yourself with a very friendly panel, who
will go all out to make you feel as comfortable as possible.
However, irrespective of the
size and manner of the panel you are faced with, what is required of you is
confidence and of course, the appropriate answers to every question you are
asked. This part is what’s tricky.
So, in this post, we’d be
looking at the simple ways to answer 5 tricky questions you are likely to get
in your job interview.
1. Tell Me About Yourself.
This question seems very
straightforward. Usually, the first you’d be asked in an interview. However, it
is tricky because though it sounds like an invitation to tell your life story,
it is not.
When asked the ‘tell me about
yourself’ question, what the hiring panel is actually asking you is to tell
them about yourself, as it pertains to the position you are applying for.
With this in mind, you should
not begin to share generic information about yourself, your family or how many
siblings you have. Rather, you could start with your name, academic
qualifications, present skills and strengths, previous experiences as well as
future professional aspirations. You should also feel free to ask the
interviewers for clarifications, just in case there are specific information
they’d like to hear about.
Take this for instance:
Question: Tell us a bit about
yourself.
Wrong Answer: Hmmn, where do I
start? My name is Oluwaseun. I was born in the late 80s and currently married
with 6 kids. …
Right Answer: My name is
Oluwaseun, a second-year master’s student of marketing communications at the
Lagos Business School. Prior to pursing this degree, I worked with the
marketing and communications department at Shell, where I developed and honed
my skills in copywriting and digital marketing. This experience really piqued
my interest in this field and I look forward to an opportunity to learn more
and contribute to your marketing communications department…
2. Where do you See Yourself
in Five Years?
This question is tricky
because you might be tempted to say everything you see yourself doing in five
years and completely miss the mark. Like the first question, your answer should
be much more professional than personal. What the hiring panel really wants to
know is if you are going to stick with them and if you are worth the investment
of training.
To answer this question, you
could tell them how you think the job will provide you with so many
opportunities, such that in 5 years, you'd be in a particular position within
the organisation. You can also explain what value you hope to have added as
well as how you could also have improved yourself professionally in that time.
Take this for instance:
Question: Where do you see
yourself in five years?
Wrong Answer: In five years,
I’d be a millionaire, enjoying life. I’d have built a house and would probably
be the CEO of this company …
Right answer: In five years, I
hope to have acquired a lot of knowledge in marketing communications, as well
as contributed immensely to the growth of my department and the company. I’m
also looking forward to eventually taking on additional managerial
responsibilities and possibly taking the lead on some projects…
3. What is your Greatest
Weakness?
Like the first two, this
question is also very tricky because you might be tempted to give personal,
instead of professional answers.
When asked this question, what
interviewers actually want to know is if or not you are consciously aware of
the areas you could improve on. Your weakness does not have to be present. It
could be something that you’ve already worked on, but say it anyway. I’d advise
that you think about this question before the interview, so you don’t give a
generic answer or be at a loss of what to say. No one would believe you if you
say you have no weakness.
To answer this question, start
by mentioning the weakness, how it poses a problem to your work or career and
how you’ve started to work on improving.
Take this for instance:
Question: What is your greatest
weakness?
Wrong answer: Hmmn, my
greatest weakness is to sleep. I could sleep all day…
Right answer: I used to have
to have a problem with time management and this affected me every time I tried
to multitask. Currently, I’m working on this through the use of certain time
management tools.
4. What did you Hate About
your Last Job?
This question is tricky
because you might be tempted to spill all the beans about why you hated your
boss, the work, the timing - all of it! This is wrong, because as Kachi
Tila-Adesina puts it, the interviewers might already begin to picture you
sitting elsewhere and literally dragging their name and their organisation in
the mud as well.’
To answer this question, start
by saying how beneficial the job was, before going to state one or two things
you could have changed, if given the opportunity. Also, explain why you think
the role you are now applying for is a better fit.
If you did not hate your last
job, you can say so. This response can also be adapted, just in case you are
asked why you are leaving your current position.
Take this for instance:
Question: What did you hate
about your last job?
Wrong answer: Ooh, my boss! I
hated my boss! …
Right answer: Well, my last
job did offer me an opportunity to learn and grow in my career. However, I
think it would have been better if such opportunity was granted in a less
hostile work environment... I believe that working here would not just give me
a better opportunity to grow, but also a conducive and comfortable work
environment, which is very important to growth.
5. How much are you looking to
be paid?
Now, this question is tricky
because well, money is involved and while you don’t want to short-change
yourself, you wouldn’t want to price yourself out of range either!
I know money is very important
but when asked this question, don’t jump at the opportunity to scream ‘one
million naira!’ Instead, you should have done your research on the organisation
you are coming into and how much is standard for the role you are applying for.
If you are aware of how much
the company really wants to hire you, say because of your expertise and skills,
you can negotiate your salary right there. However, if this is not the case,
you’ll need to fall back on the information you’ve gathered on what the going
rate is, for the position you’re being interviewed for. In the worst case
scenarios, you can request to know more about the role’s responsibilities and
benefits packages. You should also mention how you are willing to discuss
further when the time is right.
Take this for instance:
Question: How much are you
looking to be paid?
Wrong answer: I can’t take
anything less than ‘One million naira’!
Right answer: That's a fair
question. To answer it properly, I'd need to know more about the role’s
responsibilities and benefits package. I am quite confident that knowing the
reputation of the company, when the time comes, any offer you make will be
competitive.”
Read also: 8 Insightful
Questions Only the Smartest Candidates ask in a Job Interview
There you have it, the simple
ways to answer tricky questions in your next job interview. Of course, there
are quite a lot more tricky questions than I’ve listed. And while researching
for this post, I found a couple of materials on tricky interview questions,
which I think you’ll also find helpful. I’ve labelled them material 1, material
2, material 3 and material 4, respectively.
Finally, if you have any
questions concerning job search, preparing for an interview or anything
career-related, do feel free to ask.
Kindly share this post if you
found it useful
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