Difficult Interview Questions

Here’s a top list of difficult interview questions along with advice for answering them and sample answers. With many job interview questions there are no right and wrong answers just do your research and stay calm and present yourself well. Selling yourself is basically what a job interview is all about. When reading this article try to read the difficult interview questions which are in bold then answer them in your head before reading the sample answers and tips. This will give you an idea of how ready you are to go and get that new job. If you have an  job interview coming up soon then “Good Luck”.

What are your strong points?
    This is a popular question at job interviews, before you go for the interview make sure that you consider what strengths will be beneficial to the position advertised.

What are your weak points?
    This is the standard follow up question to the strengths one. Try to answer this question without actually giving any weaknesses away. One suggested answer would be “I can be a bit of a workaholic”.

Do you read much? Followed by what was the last book you read?
    This simple question is often used and it is easy to answer as long as you are prepared. Be careful though because it will most likely be followed up by asking you what the book was.

Do you mind traveling a lot?
    Avoid just saying no. Open up a discussion by saying “I like traveling, it’s part of the job and i’m used to it.” You could mention that while you travel on planes or trains that you usually continue to work by using your laptop and reply to emails etc.”

Does your wife, husband or partner mind you being away?
    Explain that your partner, husband, or wife is quite happy to support you and your career decisions. If it means that you will be away from home for periods of time then that’s fine. Make sure you get the message across that you and your partner have discussed this issue and there will be no surprises further down the line.

What do you look for in a job?
    Do your research on the particular job type that you have applied for and you should be fine with question. Basically your list of things that you look for in a job should be the same as the list of things the job type applied for has to offer.

What appeals to you about this job?
    In your answer refer to the company’s reputation and good working practices, that’s assuming they have them. Try not to repeat your answer to question six as the two questions are very similar.

Could you tell me why you think you are the right person for this job?
    Be honest and above everything else remember to sell yourself. Try not to re-list your strengths if you have already been asked the strengths question. If you haven’t been asked the strengths question then you can list them now if you like.

Do you take work home? Daily, weekly or monthly?
    Answer yes to this but don’t leave it there, say that you are happy to take work home if necessary but you try to get the work done at work whenever possible.

Do you have any money making activities outside your main job?
    Answer no to this question, even if you do have other activities outside of work, as long as they will not interfere with the position you are applying for then there is no reason to disclose the facts in the interview.

What action would you take if you disagreed with the decision of a manager?
    Try not to get hung up on this question. Someone who does not disagree from time to time can be seen as weak, whether the disagreement is with a manager or not. Say that you will make your point heard but ultimately the manager would have the final say.

You seem to have moved jobs a lot, can you explain the reasons why please?
    Explain that you have changed jobs either because you felt you had reached the highest point that you could within a particular company or you wanted to seek new challenges and gain varied experiences by working in new environments. There are no right or wrong answers for these questions, all you need to do is be honest. Don't forget that if you have given referees that they can be contacted and they may include the reason you left their company in there references.

Why did they select you for redundancy?
    You must say that you were never selected, state that the position you were employed in was no longer a required function within the business.

May we contact your referees?
    If you are currently unemployed then usually there will be no problem in the interviewer contacting your references. I’m assuming that you have selected referees that will say good things about you, if not then what were you thinking? If  you are currently employed and one of your references is your current boss then make sure they are aware of this. You do not want your boss finding out from someone else that you are thinking of leaving. It is best to ask that the potential new employer only asks for references at the very last stages of the recruitment process.

Where do you hope to be in three years time?
    The biggest mistake you could make here is to say “sitting in your chair”, this sounds over confident and could been perceived as threatening to the interviewer. The correct answer to this question is specific to the job you have applied for. If you have plans and want to work up the ladder then tell them this.

Were you happy in your last job?
    Always say yes, the question isn’t asked because they actually care. The question is there to make sure you are applying for the job because you want it and not because you couldn’t stand or had problems in your last one.

What was the main weakness of your last boss?
    Keep your answer short and sweet and if you did have problems with your last boss make sure you don’t use this as an opportunity to rant about it. Whatever you do try your best not to describe the type of person that’s sat right in front of you!

Hopefully you made it to the end of this difficult interview questions list and are now feeling much more confident about attending a job interview. Remember practice and research is they key, the more you do of this the easier these difficult interview questions will become. Thanks for reading and good luck in your job interviews.

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