Difficult Interview Question Samples
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Listed below are samples of difficult interview questions, along
with examples of good and not-so-good ways of answering. When answering
such questions, make sure that your answers are honest, but reassuring.
Use tact and choose your words carefully.
Typically, it's a good idea to understate your answers to difficult
questions that attempt to draw out negatives about you. That's
because, when people hear something bad, they tend to focus on
it in a way that is out of proportion to its significance in everyday
life. Interviewers are people too.
For example, if you say that you are not always organized, your
interviewer might imagine your desk strewn with papers and missed
deadlines. But, in reality, your perception of disorganization
might look a lot like the interviewer's perception of organization.
In addition, most of the interviewer's questions could be answered
honestly in a variety of ways. Choose the version of the truth
that is most appealing and sensitive—the version that helps
support your main message.
What are your weaknesses?
Overemphasized: I am not a good manager.
Avoidance: I always get my work done on time. When other
people drop the ball, sometimes I get frustrated with them.
Effective: I prioritize continual growth and improvement.
An area on which I would like to focus is managing others who have
different expectations from me. What needs to be done in order
to complete responsibilities is intuitive for me, so I am learning
how to give better direction to others who are not self-motivated.
Why did you leave your last job?
Vague and negative: Law always interested me, and I was
looking for a new challenge. I thought it would be a good time
to go to law school. Besides, I had gotten frustrated with the
lack of support I felt at work.
Dangerous: In the end, my manager and I could not get
along. He was driving me crazy and I needed to leave.
Effective: As I succeeded in financial analysis, I became
increasingly interested in broader issues of managing money. I
wanted to understand how legal regulations and individuals' goals
affect decisions about how to manage money. When I gained entrance
to my top choice in law school, I seized the opportunity to infuse
my financial training with legal knowledge.
How do you deal with criticism?
Disrespectful: When I consider the source, I usually
realize that the person is in no position to criticize me in the
first place.
Unbelievable: Criticism does not bother me at all.
Effective: Criticism is vital to my continued growth,
and I welcome constructive criticism that helps a team operate
better or produce better results. It is important to me to understand
where my critic is coming from, so that I know how to apply the
feedback.
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