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Be prepared for tough job interview questions
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Ida Astute/ABC News
Tough questions are part of any interview process. Whether you are a job hunter, the President of the United States, or a Media Mogul. I was reminded of this as I watched Tyra Banks being interviewed by Nightline's Cynthia McFadden. It was a flattering piece that focused on Tyra's rise from a humble background to the status of a Media Baroness. Overall, Tyra gave a strong interview, given the nature of the forum. (Don't try this at home, folks!) Yet, there was one moment where she faltered.
Cynthia McFadden asked Tyra about negative comments made by past judges of America's Next Top Model. Tyra smiled and remained relatively calm during this line of questioning - on which her publicist tried, unsuccessfully, to pull the plug. Yet, despite her smiling facade, she was physically tense when asked a series of uncomfortable questions. When McFadden continued to push, Tyra became defensive. What can you learn from Tyra's brush with a tough interview question?
While some tough questions take us off guard, others we can see coming a mile away. How we approach those questions will make the difference in our success. We all have questions that we'd rather not be asked during an interview. Issues we'd rather avoid. Memories we'd rather forget. Questions for which we simply don't have an answer. Have you ever been stomped by one of these uncomfortable questions or objections:
- Why did you leave your last job?
- You don’t have much experience in this industry.
- Can you explain why you’ve had several jobs in the past five years?
- There is 2-year gap in your employment history. What did you do during that time?
- How did you get along with your last boss?
If you were stomped by one of these questions, chances are you anticipated the uncomfortable question. Most of the job hunters I've worked with admit they expected a specific tough question. Yet their approach amounted to crossing their fingers and hoping the interview fairy would work things out. If you anticipate tough questions or objections on your next interview, try this approach: Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
Anticipate Objections
Carefully study your resume. Review your skills, education and experience. What obvious questions arise?
- Are there gaps in your employment history?
- Have you made frequent job changes?
- Were you terminated for cause by a past employer?
- How do your skills, experience, and education compare to the job ad or job description?
- Is there an objection that has frequently arisen in past interviews?
Consider the perceived weakness from the viewpoint of the employer. The stakes are high for the interviewer. A poor candidate selection is costly to an employer. Therefore, it is the interviewer’s duty to reduce the risk by carefully screening out potential problem employees. Rather than being offended by this, it is your job to convince the employer that you are the best choice, despite any initial objections.
Use the information collected to develop solid responses that will allay the interviewer’s fears and give you an additional opportunity to share your strengths and qualifications. This requires foresight and preparation. In the next article, we'll examine a simple method for turning a tough question into an opportunity to showcase your career assets.
PS: Get my two cents on how Tyra should have responded to her tough interview question here.
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