How to Answer 3 Tricky Questions in a Job Interview

Interviews can be intimidating. Especially if you get asked questions that are really difficult to answer. Some questions can be very direct, and most of the time employers are looking for a specific answer. If you don’t answer the question in the way they want you to, chances are the employer will pass you up. Which begs the question - what is the right thing to say? How do you answer the most difficult questions in an interview without sitting there for five minutes trying to come up with a good answer? Here are a few tips for some of the hardest questions an employer will ask in an interview.

What are your weaknesses?

Employers really like to ask this question. They use it to gauge your personality and get insight into what you think of yourself and how you might fit in with their workplace culture. The best rule of thumb is to know the answer to the question before you arrive at the interview. Consider what your strengths and weaknesses are well before you even leave for the interview. If it helps, make a list of both. You may have one list that's longer than the other, which is just fine. If you can’t think of any weaknesses, maybe consider parts of yourself that you don’t like or wish to improve. You can consider those to be your weaknesses.

Prepare for the interview beforehand so you have something to fall back on in case of a tricky question

Now that you have at least one weakness in mind, how do you answer the question? Truthfully.
If employers are using this question to understand who you are, when you answer truthfully, they can get a good idea of who you are. That being said, you don’t want to go too in-depth with your weaknesses. Keep it straightforward but don’t tell a long story about it. It’s okay to admit your faults and acknowledge them, but turn it around to talk more about how you’re willing to improve and turn those weaknesses into strengths. The interviewers will admire that about you and take note.

What did you do when you had to work with a difficult person?

This question comes up often enough that it’s worth considering before you go into the interview. There’s always bound to be someone you don’t get along with at work - and a prospective employer wants to know what you would do if such a situation were to arise. If you tend to get hot-headed when dealing with difficult people, don’t outright say it, but be honest. Admitting your faults can be frustrating, so focus on the ways in which you worked to resolve the issues with a difficult person in the workplace, rather than how you reacted. The employer will recognize that you can handle problems well.

Be respectful, polite and eager to offer your own thoughts about how you could improve the company in your role if you were hired

On the other hand, perhaps you’ve never had worked with a difficult person before. Emphasize that you’re an easy-going person and you don’t get frustrated by others easily. But make sure to still answer the question! In the case that you do end up working with a difficult person, offer up ways you would work to resolve the problem and accomplish your work without having a breakdown. Offering up ways you worked to solve a problem and whether or not you were successful is the answer an employer is almost always looking for.

Why should we hire you?

In your head you may instantly answer: Because I want the job! or Because I’m qualified! or even Because I’m desperate!

Of course you need the job! That’s why you showed up to the interview. What the employer wants to know is why they should specifically hire you above anyone else. So this question is actually loaded with other questions you should try and answer:

• Why do you want the job?
• What sets you apart from the other candidates?
• What makes you the most qualified for the position?

If you have answers to those questions, work them into your response to the question in the interview. Really use this opportunity to highlight your skills, strengths, and experiences that make you the best person for the position. More than that, be direct. Tell the employer that you want the job and show them in your body language. Be respectful, polite and eager to offer your own thoughts about how you could benefit the company if you were hired. This will make you valuable to them.

Employers are going to ask difficult questions in your interview. Prepare for the interview beforehand so you have something to fall back on in case of a tricky question. This way you don’t get caught off-guard and you’re more than ready to give them a well-thought-out answer so you look like a great candidate for the position. The more prepared you are for the unexpected, the better chances you have of walking out of that interview confident that you have the job in the bag.