21 Job Interviews that are Designed to Trick You
Author: Rachel Premack and Jacqueline Smith Source: The Ladders
Sometimes, questions can be tricky or confusing. Interviewers ask them to learn more about you, including information you may be trying to conceal.
Savvy hiring managers can glean a ton of information about you by asking just a few, well-chosen 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.
“To uncover areas that may reflect inconsistencies, hiring managers sometimes ask these tricky questions,” said Tina Nicolai, executive career coach and founder of Resume Writers’ Ink.
But they’re not just about exposing your flaws, said Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant.”
“Their real agenda is for your answers to ultimately paint a picture that you are the perfect fit for the job — not just on paper, but from an overall trust standpoint,” Taylor said.
Here are 21 common examples of tricky job interview questions, complete with advice on how to ace each one:
Can you tell me about yourself?
Why do they ask this? They ask to determine how the candidates see themselves as it pertains to the position and how confidently they can communicate their skills. “The employer wants to hear that the candidate did their homework,” Nicolai said. “If this opening answer is weak, it can send the remainder of the interview into a tailspin or cut the interview short.”
What makes it tricky? It can tempt you to talk about your personal life — which you shouldn’t! “Most candidates are not versed in seeing this as a trick question, so they may answer by speaking from a personal perspective: ‘I have three kids, I’m married, etc,’” Nicolai said.
What response are they looking for? A focused answer conveying your value to the organization and department. “The employer wants to hear about your achievements, broken down into two or three succinct bullet answers that will set the tone of the interview,” Nicolai said.
Try this, from Nicolai: “I am known for turning around poor performance teams as a result of my innate skills in analyzing problems and seeing solutions very quickly.”
This statement tells the interviewer that the candidate has analytical skills, problem-solving ability, and leadership ability that enables them to turn around business performance.
How would you describe yourself in one word?
Why do they ask this? Through that one word, Taylor said employers will be able to assess your personality type, how confident you are in your self-perception, and whether your work style is a good fit for the job.
What makes it tricky? This question can be a challenge, particularly early on in the interview, because you don’t really know what personality type the manager is seeking. “There is a fine line between sounding self-congratulatory versus confident, and humble versus timid,” Taylor said. “And people are multifaceted, so putting a short label on oneself can seem nearly impossible.”
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