14 Challenging Job Interview Questions With Answers - CareerAlley

14 Challenging Job Interview Questions With Answers - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Practice makes perfect, and that includes job interviews. How many times have you been asked that tough question and didnt have a good answer? Weve included some typical (and sometimes challenging)interview questions along with some suggested answers. Whilespecific answers are impossible to provide, the responses provided below should help you in crafting your own responses. When in doubt, practice answering these sample interview questions with friends or relatives. 1. Tell me about yourself This is the dreaded, classic, open-ended interview question and likely to be among the first. The interviewer wants to knowinformation that is pertinent to the opportunity. Focus on what youcan bring to the job. Its your chance to introduce your qualifications, good work habits, etc. Keep it mostly work and career-related. source 2. What do you know about our company? This is where doing your homework (see 8 Resources to Help Find the Right Company for Your Next Job). Ensure youve done your research on the company and industry before the interview. Hiring managers not only want to know that you are qualified for the job, they want to know that you know their company and want to work there. 3. Why do you want to leave your current job? The first rule of thumb is to be nice and to not speak poorly of your current company, coworkers or managers. Focus on answers that speak to looking for new opportunities, looking to learn more about the industry, looking for more responsibilities. source 4. Why do you want to work for us? Similar to question number 2 above, your research on the company should help. If you know someone who works (or has worked) at the company, leverage their insight and experience. Leverage your LinkedIn connections to get some data or use sites such as Glassdoor.com. 5. What are your strengths? Now is not the time to be shy. While you dont want to spend 15 minutes talking about your strengths, you do want to focus on those strengths that make you an excellent candidate for the job. Keeping that in mind, you know what question probably comes next. 6. What are your weaknesses? Everybody has weaknesses, and you really dont want to spend too much time on this one and you definitely want to keep it work related. Along with a minor weakness or two, try to point out a couple of weaknesses that the interviewer might see as strengths, such as sometimes being a little too meticulous about the quality of your work or wanting to please everyone. Do not useI work too hard. For every weakness, offer a strength that compensates for it. Photo by Evan Dennis on Unsplash 7. Why should wehire you? Point out your positive attributes related to the job, your related work experience and specific job/industry related skills. Include any accomplishments from your current or prior employer(s). 8. What motivates you and makes you want to work hard? Motivating factors can be self-serving, such as I want to become the best at this. Hiring managers arelooking for answers that demonstrate characteristics you possess that will help them decide if youre going to be a good fit for the organization such as whether or notyou a team player, do your values align with the job and the company. Most importantly, can they work with you. Focus more on achievement and the satisfaction you derive from it. 9. How do you handle pressure and stress? Another challenging question. Everybody feels stress, but the degree and how people handle it varies. Saying that you whine to your shrink, kick your dog or slam down a fifth of Jack Daniels are not good answers. Projecting your stress into positive activities is the way to go, such as exercising, relaxing with a good book, socializing with friends or turning stress into productive energy. 10. Explain how you overcame a major obstacle or challenge. This is an opportunity for you to communicate your problem-solving and critical thinking abilities. The interviewer is likely looking for a particular example of your problem-solving skills and the pride you show for solving it. Explain what you accomplished and how you did it. The hiring manageris interested in learning how you approach a challenge. Your thought process and problem-solving skills are key parts of your answer. Emphasize the outcome and what you learned from your experiences. 11. Where do you see yourself five (ten or fifteen) years from now? This question is older than time and I sometimes find it hard to believe that interviewers still ask this (but many do). You should have a career plan and you can use this opportunity to explain your career-advancement goals and how they alignwith the job for which you are interviewing. Mention that youd like to earn a senior or management position with additional responsibilities. The first thing to be aware of is that often its not your lack of ability that leads you to defeat its your nerves and mindset in how you approach the interview. Tweet This 12. What type of work environment do you like best? Again, having done research on the company will help quite a bit here. Much of your answer depends on the type of job. For example, if the job requires independent research (so you are sometimes working on your own), you should alsoindicate that you enjoy being a team player when needed, but also enjoy working independently. Mentionthat youre a strong team playerand work well within a collaborative environment. 13. Why do you want this job? Focus on what originally attracted you to the opportunity. Avoid the obvious and meaningless, such as, I need a job. Stress that (based on your research) this is a great company (give reasons why).Describe what you think the (positive) challenges of the role will be and why that appeals to you. Find a unique angle to relate. How will you stand out from the many qualified candidates? What will you bring to the table that no one else will? livecareer.com 14. What qualifies you for this job? Speak tothoseskills, experience, and education that specifically align with the role and industry.Explain why your achievements and experience are a great fit, give specific examples. Emphasize that you will bring fresh ideas to the role, you adapt quickly. Mention that you are dependable, goal-oriented and that youwork well in teams. While you can only be so prepared for the unexpected question, the most powerful tool you can have and use in your interviewis your skills and your experience. Prior to the interview, spend time thinking about all of the challenges and successes youve had in your career. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to nail the interview and get hired. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. 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