The Most Tricky Job Interview Questions and the Best Answers

When it comes to job interviews preparation is the key. One of the most important things to prepare for is tough job interview questions and the potential answers you might give.

Use these examples of tricky job interview questions to prepare for your next job interview. Above all, make sure that you don’t over-prepare and end up sounding like a scripted robot. The key is to get the answers prepared mentally in a brief outline.

“What kind of salary are you looking for?”

Although this is often one of the last questions you might be asked, you need to treat this one with utmost care. If you don’t know what sort of salary is reasonable for the position, then you will have to ask the employer what their range is and then simply work from there. Do not start negotiating off the back of this question…wait until you are actually offered the position first, before you make any salary negotiations!

Remember, the salary you can command is directly related to your suitability and skills for the job.

“Are you a team player?”

If you’ve worked with colleagues in the past, then you are indeed a team player. The employer will gladly (and often expect) some real life examples. Use your job interview preparation to think of a few.

However, do not rule out the possibility of working alone. The idea is to come across as flexible and adaptive as possible. In other words, do not say that you only work well in a team, as this might hinder your chances if the job also requires solitary work.

“What is your greatest strength?”

This is your chance to shine, your greatest window to impress the employer above all else. However, don’t get carried away and go overboard here, as you might come off as a little phoney.

Try to be concise and list a handful of your strengths such as:

– Ability to work well under pressure
– Ability to train other people
– Problem solving skills
– Positive attitude
– Organizational skills
– Ability to communicate effectively with coworkers

The way to make this answer really pack a punch is to provide examples. Remember not to ramble on too much, but simply give a brief example for each strength.

Of course, the more you are able to align and tie in your strengths with that particular job position the better, which is explained in much more detail in in this guide.

Did you know that the number of unemployed job seekers in the UK is rising, and in the US the unemployment rate has recently risen to over 5%?

This means that you now face even tougher competition for your dream job and more brutal hiring managers who cannot afford to hire anyone less than a perfect match for the job.

Job Interview Tips – 5 Essentials to Do the Day Before the Interview

Job interviews can make you anxious! Following these 5 essential job interview tips the day before the interview will increase both your confidence and your chances of success.

Directions, Map, Contacts

Prepare the day before to make sure you get to your interview on time. Find out exactly where you have to go and who you must ask for once you are there. Get good directions, look on the map and make sure you know the best route. Work out how long it will take you, allow for traffic and parking time. Have the full name and position of the person you will be seeing and a contact number in case you need to call. Put all this information into an interview folder to take with you.

Prepare your Portfolio

Another job interview tip is to get all your documentation together the day before. Make a couple of copies of your resume and a list of your references including name, position and contact numbers. Include copies of any written references you want to give the interviewer. You may want to include work samples that are relevant to the position. Put all these into a neat, simple portfolio to give to the interviewer. Have a notebook and pen ready to jot down details during the interview.

Review your Resume

Go through your resume the day before to re-familiarize yourself with the information the interviewer has about you. Be aware of any red flags such as gaps in employment that you will need to address during the interview.

Practice your Answers and Questions

A couple of days before the interview you will have prepared answers to common job interview questions such as “What are your strengths?”, “Why are you the right candidate for this job?”, “Tell me about yourself?”. Go through these answers and practice saying them out loud. You also should have prepared about five appropriate questions to ask the interviewer about the job, the company and the management, such as, “Please describe the company’s management style and the sort of employee who fits in well with it?” Go through these questions and include them in your interview folder.

Dress for Success

Find out the expected dress code for the job interview. You can call the company and speak to Human Resources or even Reception. It is usually advisable to dress more formally for the interview than the actual position requires- this shows respect for the interview process. Select the appropriate clothes the day before and make sure they are clean and pressed. Shoes should be polished. Decide on any accessories you want to wear. Lay your interview clothes out ready for the next day. This saves rushing around just before the interview and getting into a spin!

5 simple job interview tips that will make the difference between feeling prepared and confident or anxious and flustered about your job interview!

Best Job Interview Tips

All new job seekers have plenty of questions about the job interview. Almost intuitively they know their success or lack of it in the interview can make the difference in them getting the job. Sadly, this fear of success keeps many job seekers from doing their best. Here, are a few job interview tips to help make sure this does not happen to you:

1. Research the company. Spending some time to learn some basic facts about the company will do wonders for your confidence level. It provides you with some information you can share with your interviewer and will help to get you to start focusing on the company than rather your “fear”. This is a good proactive step in helping you look forward to further interview preparation.

2. Practice and refine your answers to interview questions. Simply thinking about and practicing interviews before the event will make the real thing much easier. As you practice answering interview questions, you will start to see where you can improve your answers and will gradually come to a point where your scripted answers will become natural. This will be a great tipping point because you will begin to actually look forward to the interview to be able to show off all you have learned and done. This will be similar to the feeling you had when you took a test where you were way over-prepared for it.

3. Dress for success and have a backup plan. This means make sure you have a good conservative suit or pants suit that will not detract from your candidacy. If you do not have a suit, go ahead and buy one as you will end up needing it for other purposes and most business professionals should have at least 2 to 3 suits anyway. Also, bring along an extra suit and clothes just in case and leave it in your car. This will give you some additional peace of mind knowing that you have a backup suit just in case your coat rips or you spill some coffee on your shirt.

4. Follow-up with the company after the interview. Send those thank you cards and follow-up with the company every 4 or 5 business days after the interview. The thank you cards can be used as an opportunity to showcase your talents one last time or help address any concerns they may have about your candidacy. Do not neglect this step as it could mean the difference in you getting to the next round or getting the boot.

10 Ways To Make Your Interviewer Love You!

1. You listen well and pay full attention

By paying full attention you show your interviewer that they matter; they are important and above all, you care and respect them!

2. You just as interested in them

Tricky in an interview as they want to know about you, but it needs to be what they see! Self-preservation and looking after yourself are the most important and primitive of behaviors – but in building great relationships, it’s vital to show the other person is the one that matters most in the moment!

3. You keep promises and do what you say you will

By answering fully, giving information they need, you are delivering what you say you will, which is a big asset for you, as long as you are completely consistent and true.

4. You are supportive of them in the conversation

By working with them to give them the information they need it will be to your advantage. This is not the time to get awkward and be difficult. Be on their side, help them to help you!

5. You share resources

Sometimes, during an interview you will sense that you know more about something than they do – and often its resources that you have and they don’t. By offering to supply these to them after the event, you will create a two-way process and that emotionally binds them to your side.

6. You aren’t judgemental, but very objective

This is a big talent, if you can do it. IT’s so easy to judge and make assumptions when you are under pressure (some people do this all the time), yet if you can suspending that sort of behavior is of value. It leads them to realize that you are generous and understanding as well as capable of making decision based on real fact and not on hearsay.

7. You talk less than you listen (see a pattern here!)

In an interview, this is pretty difficult and, of course should be. Its going to be your job to do most of the talking. Yet, there will be moments where you can listen and showing that you are doing make the interviewer-interviewee relationship much stronger. Also bear in mind that you can show this off to it’s full potential before and after the formal process.

8. You make time for them

A little like the point above – and more. Sometimes in a conversation, formal or otherwise, you can sense when someone wants to talk a little about something. Being generous enough to make that space for them, despite your own challenges on the day, is a really strong and memorable relationship builder. By asking the open questions to find out more to encourage their thinking, works well.

9. You say ‘yes’ when you can and ‘no’ when you can’t – and are honest about it

It can be easy to make the wrong call here. Interviewers recognise integrity – and a lack of it. By agreeing or disagreeing to something, when your body language, voice and general demeanour say otherwise, is a clear indication that you are not being completely honest.

10. You are encouraging, enthusiastic, supportive and challenging

During an interview you will have the opportunity to use all these – and by doing so you will be able to show yourself off for who you truly are. The real you needs to be able to demonstrate them, in your control, in your 15 minutes of fame here.

Great relationships are hard to come by – yet in us all is the potential to create unlimited numbers of wonderful allies – including those who take the time and energy to interview us.