How to answer 8 tough job-interview questions
without lying
1. 'Have you ever had conflict with
a prior bosses?' or, 'Describe the worst boss you've had, and how you resolved
matters.'
"Questions like these can be the most challenging because many people
leave jobs due to conflicts with their boss," says Taylor. "The
hiring manager wants to make sure you're a team player, and not
insubordinate."
The question may be worded in various ways, but they're trying to imagine
you at your worst and gain insight into just how bad that might be, she says.
"Your best option is to diffuse the idea that you had a contentious
relationship and instead answer more factually and non-emotionally. Be concise
and end it on a positive note."
For example, "I'm fortunate in that I've had very positive
relationships with my managers. In my last position, my manager and I once
disagreed on the best launch date for a project. He was open to hearing more
about my recommendation, and after I returned with alternatives, we came to a
mutually agreeable solution."
Or, your add-on to the direct answer might be: "I feel that I can
usually avert conflict by establishing open communications early on, and by
making an extra effort to understanding expectations. I realize that my manager
will always make the final call, so my role is to help facilitate the best
solution in whatever way I can."
2. 'What didn't you like about your
last job?'
"Like other negative questions, your best approach is to downplay the
negative and play up the positive," suggests Taylor. "Your candor is
being evaluated with such questions, too. So you're better off addressing them
briefly than dodging them with an unrealistic, dishonest response like: 'I
loved every aspect of my job!'"
A possible answer to this would be: "I liked most of my
responsibilities, especially X, Y and Z. Perhaps my least favorite aspect was
administrative functions, but I eventually found a way to make it more
appealing by ... ."
3. 'How would your adversaries
describe you?'
"In your zeal to be transparent, still remember not to sabotage
yourself with a long or regretful, self-effacing tirade," she says.
"The hiring manager is most interested in a short answer that illustrates
your self-awareness, but also your level of confidence – and there's a fine
line to walk."
When the going gets tough, you can also use humor to tamp down the
intensity, Taylor says.
An example of this would be: "I really make an effort to be cooperative
and friendly, so fortunately I don't have many that I know of. But if any of
them are lurking around, I'd imagine they might say I'm very determined to get
the job done when others might give up."
"Yes, you're putting a positive spin on the answer, but that's better
than saying, 'My adversaries would say I'm stubborn and easily
irritated,'" says Taylor.
4. 'What happened at your last job?
Were you terminated or did you resign, and why?'
The hiring manager wants to see how honest you'll be about why you're no
longer at a company, thinking of leaving one, or why you have a gap in
employment. "They want to uncover anything that might suggest you weren't
meeting expectations or better understand your work ethic," Taylor
explains.
If you were terminated, your best approach might be to explain that you and
your employer came to the conclusion that it was not a good match because of X,
Y or Z ... if that's true.
But if your interviewer presses further, you may have to shed more light on
the subject. Something like this might work: "I was terminated, but
my manager and I
both felt that we were moving in different
directions."
"In either case, this is your opportunity to quickly move the
conversation to what you're looking for going
forward and why the
position at hand is a great match," Taylor says.
5. 'Can you explain these gaps on your resume?'
"If you're asked about protracted gaps in your history the hiring
manager wants to be sure no employers were omitted from your resume, and is
also examining your work ethic," she says.
You want to convey that your career is a priority, however you respond.
Maybe you had a family matter to handle or took courses — but in that time
period, the hiring manager wants to know you were making strides at some level
to reenter the workforce.
You certainly don't want say, "I needed a six month break to De-stress
from my last tyrant of a boss," or, "It took me six months to decide
what I wanted to do."
If it's true, you might want to try something like: "I have been active
but also selective in my search. I have taken on project work and have managed
some charitable projects, so I have definitely been busy."
6. 'Describe a time when you failed
and how you handled the setback.'
"They want to get an inside track of how you perceive setbacks and
recover from them," Taylor says.
Here, you want to choose a setback that was relatively minor, not one that
highlights a major error in judgment, one that would directly affect your
ability to do this particular job well, or one that will raise a red flag.
"The interviewer also wants to know that you can learn from
mistakes," she says.
She suggests something like: "I always have viewed setbacks as learning
opportunities. In my last job, I once found that I relied too heavily on an
employee to deliver on a deadline. Since that time, I've always made an extra
effort to check in more frequently."
7. 'What is your biggest concern
about this position?'
Some hiring managers will put you on the spot with random questions in order
to see how you respond to pressure, or get to the "raw you," says
Taylor.
"A question like this one is highly subjective," she adds.
"Depending on your rapport with the interviewer, you may have greater
latitude to express your concerns. For instance, if you think an offer is very
likely, but you're concerned about the salary range, and that's a deal breaker,
this is your chance to address that. But if you're early on in the process and
have no issues, a possible response is: 'I'm actually very excited about this
opportunity and have little concern. I'd just want to make sure I answer any
questions you may have that we haven't yet covered.'"
8. 'What's your greatest weakness?'
This is perhaps the most common interview question, and your answer may
determine the outcome.
So many people lie or dodge the question by giving a cliché answer like,
"I am a perfectionist," or "I work too hard."
Personal finance author and speaker Ramit Sethi said in an episode of
"The Tim Ferriss Show" podcast that when he asks this question, he
wants to know "whether you're knowledgeable enough to acknowledge that you
have a weakness," reports Business Insider's Rich Feloni.
The trick is to mention a smaller weakness that isn't directly related to
the job at hand, writes Bernard Marr, a global enterprise performance expert
and best-selling business author, in a LinkedIn post.
For example, if you are applying for a job as a medical transcriber, you might
say that you struggle with public speaking —
not that you can't meet
deadlines.
And then you'll want to focus on what you're doing to improve or eliminate
the problem.
What the interviewer is looking for, Sethi said, is
"that you are self-aware enough to be working on them to improve it.
