INTERVIEW QUESTIONS DESIGNED TO DESTROY YOU!
Just as there is an endless variety of interview styles, so is there an endless number of questions that you may be asked during an interview. There is absolutely no way to know what questions you will be asked on any given interview. You should have a number of answers developed in advance. You would then use the answers that best fit the situation.
Several days before every press conference, President Bush’s staff compiles a list of every conceivable question that might be asked. They then formulate a well-worded response to each one. The President studies the answers carefully, committing the content and sometimes the exact language to memory. He knows that he must not be caught by surprise. He must appear knowledgeable and concerned about all issues. He must disarm hostile reporters with his confidence and preparation. He knows that the second he starts to answer questions off the top of his head, he is in big trouble.
Most job seekers make two devastating mistakes when they are being questioned in an interview. First, they fail to listen to the question. They proceed to annoy the interviewer either by answering a question that was not asked, or by giving out a lot of superfluous information.
Secondly, and more important, they attempt to answer questions with virtually no preparation. The glibbest person on earth, even the most skilled debater, cannot answer questions off the cuff, without damaging his or her chances of success. ITT’s Harold Geneen tells job hunters, “I’m not asking questions, I’m waiting for answers”. You can have these answers if you take the time to anticipate the questions and prepare your responses.
Styles change and the interview questions may change for each candidate for the same job. To be best prepared for an interview, learn as much as you can about the company, the open position and most important, know yourself.
Do not be afraid to say that you have never been asked a question like that before. Ask if you can think about it for a minute or so, in order to organize your thoughts. The interviewer will respect your honesty and your habit of thinking before you speak.
Remember that surprise questions have no one “right” answer. These questions are open-ended and are designed to show how fast you think, how well you handle pressure, and how concise and articulate you are.
A technique interviewers also use is silence. To elaborate, you have finished your answer and are awaiting the next question and suddenly find that instead of another question, there is silence. You may start to feel uncomfortable. The interviewer must want you to elaborate. To fill the void, you begin babbling an unprepared spiel. Although it may seem difficult, you should simply smile and remain silent yourself. Answer a question to the best of your ability and then relax. Interviewers often use this silence to see if you can handle stress and still maintain poise.
What follows is a number of questions that various surveys have indicated are asked most often, regardless of the job classification. Study them carefully, develop strong responses, and your candidacy will receive prime consideration.
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