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8 Tips for Acing a Tough Job Interview
by Alyssa Goldman
These are eight (8) curveball interview techniques you might
encounter, and the best way to ace each one.
1. Subtle Scare Tactics
It’s not just in your head: Your potential future boss did not
smile at you. And if she's using intimidation techniques in
an interview, she might wait a few beats after you answer a
question before responding to what you've said.
"These are all external distractions over which you have no
control," says Goldstein, "but what you can do is control how
you react."
First, realize that she's trying to destabilize you, likely to see
how you behave under pressure. To counteract her approach,
anchor your feet to the floor and take a deep breath before
you answer each question slowly and calmly. The goal is not
to let these scare tactics intimidate you, so beware that you're
not playing with your hair, fiddling with your jewelry or
shifting from foot to foot, all classic signs of anxiety.
Then, tune into your feelings, and ask yourself if you like the
environment or whether you could see yourself working at
the company (or for a boss who likes to keep you off-
balance). Remember, job interviews are a two-way street–-
it’s also an opportunity to see if the company and the
position would be a good fit for you.
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2. "Stress" Interviews
You’re probably thinking, “Aren’t all interviews stressful”?
But stress interviews are a different breed. They could
include an interviewer suddenly lobbing an oddball
question like, “If you were to get rid of one state in the U.S.,
which would it be and why?”
Your interviewer might also start rapid-fire questioning or
adopt an aggressive or argumentative attitude. And the
degree of stress applied will vary: A mildly stressful
question might be: “What makes you think you’re qualified
for this job when you’ve had minimal relevant experience?”
In the most extreme versions, you might have to react to a
response like: "That's the worst answer to that question any
candidate has given."
What to do? First, don’t just write off the interviewer as a
total jerk. Consider that job candidates can predict most
interview questions and have a prepared response for each
one; by resorting to bizarre questions and comments like the
above, they want to see how the "real" you react to
something.
And, perhaps more important than what you answer is the
fact that you're being assessed on your creativity, your ability
to think on your feet and your capacity for handling
criticism. Your mantra? Grace under fire.
If you find yourself in this situation, relax. Consider it a
challenge—and a chance to impress your potential
employer. If you get choked up, take a deep breath and
collect your thoughts. It’s better to have a moment of silence
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than rush into an answer. And above all, don’t become
defensive; instead, act professional. Your confidence and
composure are sure to impress.
3. The Weakness Question
“What’s your greatest weakness?” This is the classic old-
school interview question we know we'll be asked but
continue to dread. So, how do you answer it?
Don’t give the cliché answers: “I’m too much of a
perfectionist,” or “Frankly, I just work too hard.” Your
hiring manager could practically paper her office walls with
these oft-repeated replies and can see right through your
rehearsed response.
Your best bet is to be honest. The perfect compromise is to
put a positive spin on your weakness, without seeming too
perfect. "Explain your weakness and how you’ve been able
to manage it," suggests Goldstein. For example, you might
say that sometimes you tend to work too independently, so,
to correct that, you now make a point of consulting your
manager before making big decisions without input. Show
that you’re a problem solver by going through the steps
you've taken to combat this flaw. And be sure to point out
how the quality also has a positive spin: In this example,
you're a leader who likes to take ownership of projects.
One caveat: Just make sure you don’t try to explain how
you've improved on a flaw that makes you seem downright
incompetent, like trouble meeting deadlines, or a lack of
judgment that's cost your company money.
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4. The Early-Onset Salary Question
Usually the salary question comes later, but sometimes a
hiring manager will throw it at you in the first meeting. After
all, their goal is to hire the best person they can who falls
within the position's prescribed budget.
How do you keep yourself in the running if the money
question comes up early? There are two options you can try,
depending on the situation you're in: Either deflect the
question for another time, or name a number in the higher
range.
For the first option, ask if you could wait until a later date to
discuss salary. Say that you're incredibly interested in the
role, but would rather discuss compensation when you've
both determined that you’re the right candidate for the job.
However, says Goldstein, "your answer should reflect the
flow of the interview." If possible, give a figure that’s on the
higher end of your position’s stated salary range. Before you
name your price, look up standard industry rates for similar
positions.
5. "Imagine You ..." (The Hypothetical Situation)
Another hiring manager favorite? Asking an interviewee a
scenario-based question to see how they would handle a
particular situation. For example:
• How would you react if a team member was not
contributing to a project?
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• Imagine you have a deadline and you are running
out of time. What would you do?
Your technique in answering this type of question is
fourfold: First, know the job you're applying for, and the
skills that are required (or desired). Next, think of a time
when you encountered a similar situation, even if not exactly
the same one being set up for you. Then, calmly walk your
interviewer through how you handled the situation, and what
your thinking was.
For example, in response to the first question above, you
may try a reply like this:
"Unfortunately, I have been in this situation before, and it
was detrimental to the whole team. First, I would try honest
communication. What I've found is that the more you ignore
the problem, the worse it can get. Speaking with the
employee in a nonconfrontational way is the best approach.
Often the reason a team member isn't contributing comes
down to not understanding the work or what's expected of
them. That way, I am at least able to find out the cause of the
problem and work toward a solution."
That way you're exhibiting both your prior experience and
your problem-solving skills.
6. Seemingly Innocuous Inquiries About Your Personal
Life
“What are your hobbies?” It’s a seemingly innocent question
that allows insight into your personality and can help
determine if you’re company material. For instance, if you
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and the interviewee both enjoy table tennis or mountain
climbing, that’s a common interest that can make you stand
out.
Just don’t be too enthusiastic. We know of a candidate who
was passed over for a job because he seemed more excited
about his side job than about the job he was interviewing for.
If you’re a mom, you may not have the luxury of “me time.”
You might be tempted to gush about your kids, but resist the
urge. "Leave your personal life out of your answer," says
Goldstein. Legally, employers are not supposed to
discriminate against you if you do have a spouse or children.
However, that doesn’t mean they won’t.
If asked what you like to do in your free time, do feel free to
mention a hobby that is entirely separate from work, but
shows your creativity (like photography) or persistence (like
running marathons).
7. “Do You Have Any Questions for Me?”
Always, always have questions for your interviewer. And
yes, you will be judged on the amount of research you've
done about them and the company, as well as your
thoughtfulness. A few good rules of thumb: Research your
interviewer, and the jobs they've held in the past. At a bare
minimum, read up on any recent press releases the company
has written or new products they've launched. Then, stay
present and engaged throughout the interview so you have
relevant questions to ask at the end.
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There are also some greatest-hits questions to bring. Ask

about the biggest challenges the company is currently facing,
Goldstein says. Their response will give you a sense of how
you could be part of the solution.

Other insightful questions include: “What do you consider

the best and worst features of this job?” and “How do you
imagine that this role will evolve over time?” Stay away
from questions that involve compensation, the time frame of
the interview process, and other applicants who may have
applied.

8. Speed Interviewing

A short interview does not signify a bad interview. Recently,

for example, Pizza Hut was conducting 140-second job
interviews!

But why do quick interviews seem to be more common? It

could be that employers are really busy and don’t have the
luxury of chatting for an hour, Goldstein says.

Reference
Goldham, A., (2013, April 24). 8 tips for acing a tough job
interview. Forbes.com. Retrieved from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2013/04/24/8-
tips-for-acing-a-tough-job-interview/#6c7b1c67676a

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