- 1). The "Former Boss" Question(s) - If anybody asks you a tricky interview question involving your former boss, do nothing to insinuate that you had any problems with him. Your ability to bad mouth a boss gives the interviewer every reason to believe that you would be the same way if you got hired at their company. On the record, you respected your recent boss's policies (even if they were unorthodox), and you can't recall any time when you had a problem with any of your former bosses. If your boss described you, he would say that you are great at adapting to new situations and people. Your resume and experience will attest to your competence but your answer to the boss questions should demonstrate that you will fit in just fine with a new employer.
- 2). Why They Should Hire You - This interview question, much like "Tell me about yourself," and "Why do you want this job?" is a tricky one because it is general. You have to be more creative than "because I'm motivated and willing to learn" in order to stand out from the rest of the applicants. Prepare to sell yourself before you walk into the room. Write down and memorize a unique sales pitch for each of these questions but don't let any of them seem rehearsed.
- 3). Your Greatest Weakness - When an interviewer is asking you to describe your greatest weakness, don't just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Answer this tricky interview question by turning it into a story of great personal accomplishment. For example, you might say, "I am so friendly that I used to be more social than professional with coworkers. However, I have since learned that we can all get more accomplished if we save discussions about our personal lives for time outside the office."
- 4). Your Greatest Accomplishment - Don't be afraid to fully answer this tricky interview question. Think of it as an opportunity to sell yourself even more. Find an accomplishment that relates to the position you're interviewing for and avoid discussing irrelevant accomplishments. Think back to what this particular job description called for and tailor your response to what you know they want. Don't lie. Do choose wisely and be specific.
- 5). Your Salary Expectations - This tricky interview question isn't nearly so tricky if you know how to respond before you walk into the room. Commit yourself to not discussing any specific numbers. Research the pay range for the position you are interviewing for. Tell the interviewer that you will discuss salary specifics when the time is appropriate. If the interviewer says to name a number, just cite the range you read about prior to the interview.
- 6). Questions for Them - If an interviewer asks you whether you have any questions of your own, say yes. Always come with questions because you want to come across as being truly interested in the job. Include questions such as, "Why is this position vacant?" and "What are the hours?" but try to avoid questions such as, "What is your company truly about?" because you don't want them to think you didn't do your research about them before you applied.
previous post
next post