How to deal with difficult interview questions

Got an interview and wondering how to deal with difficult interview questions?

You can prepare for a standard interview, however, the interviewer may have some unexpected and difficult interview questions for you. In the below article, we shall explore how to prepare for unusual questions which at first may come across as irrelevant to the job you are applying for.

Preparation is key

Your preparation needs to cover researching the organisation and thinking about possible questions you might be asked. If there is a presentation, you would need to create it in advance and practice the delivery in front of others. The more you can prepare in advance, the more relaxed you might feel. If you are applying for a job which you are very keen to get, you might feel more anxious. Many people find that putting their eggs in more than one basket helps. Do try to apply for more than one vacancy. This will allow you to have more options and to feel calmer. For more information on how to prepare for interviews, take a look at The Open University’s guide here.

At the start of the interview, you might be asked some general questions about your background, education, hobbies, and any other part of your CV/ cover letter. It is a good idea to read your application materials again before the interview. Your interviewer might want to assess a range of relevant skills: your computer skills, how you cope under pressure, your organisational abilities, creativity, time management, research skills and communication. At times, there might not be a black-and-white answer to the questions.

You could be asked some ‘what if’ questions such as the below:

• If you were a car, what car would you be?
• Which celebrity or high-profile person would you like to meet?
• If you were a biscuit, what biscuit would you be?
• If you could meet someone again, who would it be?

Don’t try not to second-guess what your interviewer might want to hear. Remember that there is no right or wrong answer to these hypothetical questions. Your interviewer is likely to want to test some of your skills such as how quickly you can think on your feet, how you handle unexpected situations, how well you perform under pressure and how creative is your thinking. The most important part of your response is not the type of car, the name of the celebrity or the biscuit. What they really want to hear is your rationale for selecting your option because these could give away important clues about your qualities. You need to stay calm and confident and simply let your personality shine through. When answering any of the above questions, you are given an opportunity to showcase your personality and problem-solving skills.

When providing an answer, do try to align your response to the organisation’s values. As an example, you could say: I would be a Volvo –reliable, efficient, and able to adapt to new challenges.

Could you sell this XX to me? (And gives you a pen, as an example) – this question aims to assess a range of skills from influencing and sales, your problem solving and your creativity. Again, there are no right or wrong answers. If you are applying for a business development or sales-related role, you are likely to come across this.

Although this may be one of the most difficult interview questions, do make sure that you attempt to answer it (and do not decline it). You could start with asking the ‘client’ about their needs e.g. what type of pen do you like using? What specifically do they need it for? What price range are they considering? Most people would jump in and explain the benefits and the features of the pen and why the client should buy it. However, it is good idea to start with questions so that you can tailor your response to the client’s needs.

• If I gave you £1,000 how would you double it in 24 hours?
• Someone gives you an elephant – you can’t sell it or give it away – what would you do with it?
• Is it better to do a job perfectly and be late or to a good standard and be on time?
• What would you take to a desert island with you and why?

The above questions are designed to test how resourceful you are, how well you can communicate and how quickly you can think on your feet. You need to show the interviewer a positive attitude no matter how strange any of these questions may come across to you. The interviewer tries to see your genuine reactions and thought processes as opposed to hearing some rehearsed answers. They want to see an authentic side of you.

• Could you tell me what the lie is on your CV?

This question is designed to open a conversation about ethics and how some issues have different shades of grey (and words such as ‘lie’ could be interpreted differently by different people). You could answer this question by explaining when you had a temptation to lie but did not, because you took into serious consideration the consequences.

• Are you married?
• Do you have children?

According to the gov.uk website, it is illegal to ask about so-called protected characteristics such as somebody’s marital status, whether they have children or if they plan to have some. For more information on other illegal questions, please see this website. An interview is a conversation which helps your potential employers to find out more about you. It is also an opportunity for you to learn about the organisation and see whether you would like to be part of it. Interviews are stressful experiences for most of us. Having mock practice with a friend or a colleague can be excellent as you will be able to polish your interview skills and manage your nerves better.