Job interviews can be tough. If you are lucky enough to even land an interview, the hardest part is still ahead of you, unfortunately. Aside from needing to learn the art of the “humblebrag” in an interview setting; extolling all of your strengths while sidestepping weaknesses, you will likely have to answer tough interview questions. As with anything, however, the best advice is to be honest.
Tough Question #1: Why are You Looking for a New Role?
The “why are you looking for a job” question is probably one of the most common questions in any interview. Aside from the obvious answers, like looking for your first job out of school or back from a career break, this question can be tricky. If you are looking for a new job due to negative experiences at your current or previous role(s); tread carefully. The last thing you should do is completely bash your employer, even if you want to. That is professionalism 101.
Instead, keep the conversation positive, even if more negative drivers impact your decision making. Saying things like “I want to gain new experiences” or “I’m looking to utilize my skillset” are safe bets, but there are other options. If your current employer has recently changed (a new manager or organizational structure, mission, etc.), you can always mention that. This is usually a safe bet and an innocuous enough answer to satisfy the interviewer(s). Or, if you want to keep it future-forward, talk about who you are interviewing with. Is there mission great and something you can get behind? Or maybe it is the audience or service they cater towards. Whatever it is, find that thing that made you look for a new role and latch on to it.
Tough Question #2: Have You Ever Been Fired?
May be the toughest question of all is: “have you ever been fired?” Aside from the strong social stigma of being fired, this may resurface up negative memories, feelings, or emotions. Keep your cool and be honest. Honestly, that is the best path forward.
First, regroup. Once you feel comfortable, answer the question truthfully and keep it short. Do not dwell on the termination. Instead, describe it: what were the circumstances, how have you learn from it, and what you do currently to ensure that never happens again. This is not your opportunity to relitigate the termination, wrongful or not. Rather, this question is about how you have learned from your experiences.
You can of course poke holes in the system of a previous employer, but do not go overboard on that, either – it could look like you are trying to pass the blame. Instead, what other factors were there? Did you have the skillset for the role, or it was not advertised correctly? Maybe you needed additional training and your employer refused to provide it. Again, whatever the situation, truthfully answer the question, describe how you learned from it, and move on.
Tough Question #3: A Time You Failed
Similar to being asked “have you ever been fired,” a question about past failures is bound to come up at an interview. Again, answer truthfully. The “STAR” method may serve you well here. Describe the situation, explain the task, examine your action(s), and illustrate the result. If you failed, why? Did you succeeded, why? If improvement’s could be made, how? Answer these tough interview questions, and do not be ashamed of the answer. Again, the interviewer is determining if you can learn, which is always a positive.
How to Answer Tough Questions: Practice
You know that at least one of these question will come up in your next interview. So what is the best advice to prepare for them? Practice! There’s no rule saying you can’t plan your answers ahead of time. Sure, you may need to adjust at a moment’s notice, but your baseline will improve your chances of success. Have you ever noticed that “PR” is in the word “practice?” Use it to your advantage as you prepare to answer tough interview questions!
