5 Questions That Could Trip You Up In An Interview, And How To Answer Them
Interviews are daunting for a lot of people; you have an hour or so to convince the hiring manager that you’re the candidate they’re looking for. Now, let’s say you’ve done all the research you can possibly do on the company you’re interviewing with, and you know everything there is to know about them.
This does not guarantee that the interview is going to go well, or that you’ll get the job. Some questions you will be asked will be testing how well you’ve thought about yourself in the role and how serious you are about the company. So, here’s some of the ‘trick’ questions some people struggle to answer.
“What are your weaknesses?”
This is the big one, and it has got almost everyone stumped at some point. You may think “why would I want to tell them what’s wrong with me, they won’t hire me!”, or on the other hand, you might be thinking “I don’t have any weaknesses, I am great and would be an asset to any company”. If you’ve thought either of these things, you are wrong. Everyone has flaws, we are humans after all and funnily enough, the interviewer does know that! The interviewer is just looking to hear that you have acknowledged that there are some things that you could improve on, and are proactively doing something to improve it. An example could be “in the past I have really struggled with excel, I never really knew how to use it and I’ve always avoided it. Because of this, I’ve been teaching myself the ins and outs of it through a series of youtube videos, and now I feel completely comfortable utilising it as a tool.”
If you claim to have no weaknesses, you will probably be viewed as unrealistic and potentially dishonest or unprepared. It is important to give this question some serious thought. Most employers do not need or want candidates to be perfect, but rather, they are looking for elements of promise that will justify the hire. Showing humility whilst being confident can be an endearing quality!
“If this industry didn’t exist, what job would you work in?”
If you are genuinely focused on securing the role in that industry, you may not be considering other jobs outside of it. Hypothetically, you’re applying to roles in recruitment: if you are genuinely passionate about getting a job in recruitment, you’ll be naturally thinking “I will get into recruitment. It’s not a case of if, but when!” However, if you had to pick an alternative, make sure you pick a sales-focussed, commission-based role that has similar nature. Whatever the industry is that you’re trying to get into (or stay in), make sure your answer is a sector similar to it.
“When did you start looking for a role in this industry?”
The most important thing to do when answering this question is to be honest! Many candidates exaggerate the length of time in the hope they will be taken more seriously by the employer – if you do this, you can be easily caught out and it often backfires.
If you have been looking to get into the industry for a long time and actively applying for roles throughout this time, why are you not already working in it? Hiring managers like to see proactivity, and won’t appreciate that you’ve waited months (or years) to apply. They may percieve the period of time as an indicator that you have a lack of passion. If, on the other hand, you have only been considering the industry for a few days, then that’s fine. What matters is that you are seriously focused on securing a role in the industry and it’s not just a whim. You’ve still got to be honest about what other careers you’ve considered – or are still considering – and why the industry you’ve applied to is your preferred choice.
“What is your biggest achievement and what does it say about you?”
A very common way to answer this question is saying that you’re most proud of having completed a degree. This is completely understandable as your degree took 3 or 4 years to complete and takes a lot of perseverance and commitment. It’s not, however, going to distinguish you from the thousands of other graduates out there that could be interviewing for the same role. Your achievement needs to separate you from the rest, not show that you are merely one of the crowd. Sports and extracurricular achievements can often be good examples if they are presented in the right way. Use this as your opportunity to explain in what way your achievement warrants merit – tell the interviewer what challenges and setbacks you experienced before accomplishing the achievement.
“If you were me, what two concerns would you have about your CV?”
This is a great opportunity for you to demonstrate both your self-awareness and your determination to succeed. The interviewer will want you to be realistic and accountable when talking through the concerns, yet, able to be positive about your ability to overcome them and be successful. For example, you could talk about a potential concern over lack of relevant industry experience. To explain this, you should use examples of where you have shown the qualities that someone successful in the industry must have and therefore why, if given the chance, you will be a success. If there are gaps between employment or bad grades, justify these or say why these things have motivated you to follow the path you’re on now.
Looking for more tips and expert advice about interviewing? Check out our other posts here. If you’re looking to make a move, and are interested to hear what roles we’re currently recruiting for, whether thats in Recruitment, Sales or Office Support, get in touch with us here at 5Q Consultancy via 0203 700 8483, or emailcaitlin@5-q.co.uk. We have clients across the UK with a special focus on London and the home counties.
