6 Tricks to Answering Tough Interview Questions
August 31, 2018 | Career Blog
Interviews can be daunting, especially when you walk in feeling unprepared. There are few situations as awkward as being asked a question in an interview that you aren’t sure how to answer. No one likes to be left stumbling through a run on sentence with the underlying knowledge that you probably sound ridiculous.
Prepare for Your Interview Questions
One of the things you can do to prepare yourself is to consider what sort of questions you will probably be asked and an eloquent response for each of them. To help you do this, we have compiled a list of tricks that will help you to address the toughest questions that may come up in an interview.
1. Do a Quick Search for Commonly Asked Questions
There are a ton of resources online for commonly asked questions that may come up for each industry and even job specialty. We’ve put together our own interview guide here. Knowing the potential types of questions ahead of time is the first step to being prepared.
2. Ask A Friend To Help
After you have a list of possible questions that might come up in your interview, ask a friend for their opinion. It will help even more if you know someone who is working or has worked in the industry that you are applying for. Once you have your questions, ask them if they would carry out a mock interview with you to help you to get comfortable with the answers that you have planned.
3. Remember Relevant Scenarios From Past Jobs
In interviews, it is very common for them to ask you to “describe a scenario” in which you experienced a certain event in a previous job and how you handled it. This is to gauge how you tend to handle stressful situations. What do you think they would want to hear in response? Think of a few truthful scenarios that give the interviewer a clear idea of the upstanding worker that you are and can also apply to multiple situations.
4. Don’t Rush To Come Up With An Answer
If you are asked a question that you were not expecting, do not panic. Give yourself time to breathe and really think it over. To give yourself more time, you can ask them to repeat the question, and repeat the question out loud to yourself as well. If you need more clarification, ask for it. It is understandable that you want to give the best answer to them, and they want you to have a truthful response. It is okay to take your time.
5. Try Not To Run On Or Repeat Yourself
Say what you have to say and keep it simple. The more you run on, the more uncomfortable you look and your lack of confidence will be revealed. Your interviewer wants you to be sure of your answers. This confidence will allow them to see you as an individual who is ready and comfortable enough to take on the job.
6. Find Out Everything You Can About The Company
Do as much research as you can online. If you know anyone that works for the company or in the industry, find out what you can about working in the job. Choose a few things about the company that stands out to you and that would make you excited about the position. Your interviewer will, no doubt, give you an opportunity to discuss this with them, and they will be impressed by your commitment and knowledge. It will also help you to gain an understanding of the types of answers they are looking for you to give throughout the interview.
Work With A Staffing Agency
If you are nervous to interview, a staffing agency will help youth prepare in every way necessary. They work directly with the companies that they are staffing, so they know what will be expected of you and what you need in order to gain a position with them. You will not have to pay them anything, as they are working for the companies that are in need of staff.
Furthermore, staffing agencies will help you to narrow down the type of career that would best suit you and create a resume to shows your skills off in the best light.
For more information about how a staffing agency can help you succeed in an interview, contact us here.