Answering the Trickiest Interview Questions With Confidence

Job seekers often point to the interview as the most anxiety-inducing part of the hiring process. The hardest part of an interview is when an interviewer turns to tricky questions that are designed to get an honest and thorough response. You can review the three trickiest interview questions listed below to learn how to handle them before you walk into your next interview.

Why Should I Hire You?

This dreaded question is often reserved for the end of the interview. You already feel like you nailed the interview, but the hiring manager comes back with this curveball. The goal here is to demonstrate how your experience and skills allow you to benefit the business. Answering it correctly requires you to do your homework about both the position and the employer. Review the job description and the associated listing to figure out what the company needs. You can then pick out your professional experiences and skills that match up with these needs.

Why do you have a gap in your work history?

If you have been out of the job market for a long time, interviewers are sure to ask about your gap in work history. Explaining yourself can be daunting, but the goal is to prove that you have been a productive member of society while you were out of the workforce. Listing volunteer work is one way to explain your gap in employment. If you took time off to take care of family members, it is acceptable to mention this during the interview. You are not required to provide details, but conveying the fact that you were caring for others will help employers understand why you were not working for another company.

Can you tell me a little about yourself?

This tends to be a confusing questions for interviewees. Are you supposed to talk about your personal life? Should you stick only to work information? Is this the time to list your professional strengths and weaknesses? Getting a handle on this question before you enter the interview room is a must.

To successfully answer this tricky question, start with a very brief overview of your early life. Place a focus on events that influenced your decision to enter the field. You can then move on to discuss your academic achievements and professional experience. Place an emphasis on work experience that is relevant to the position for which you are interviewing.