This is a general guide to how I have handled difficult interview questions.
- Don’t take it personally. Some people believe that stress interviews are helpful to see how someone deals with stress. There is no solid or conclusive research that demonstrates this. I have had people do this to me and when I have gotten the job, it has been a toxic and nonprofessional work environment. If you don’t want to work with jerks, this is a red flag that this job isn’t for you.
- Ask for clarification. At the end of every interview I always ask if there is anything that I have said or done that causes them any concern in my ability to handle this position. I am not asking if they are going to hire me. I am just asking for a chance to clarify any misconceptions they may have.
- Don’t expect people to listen. When I get questions that showed that they didn’t listen to what I said, or even read my resume I list facts that show that their misunderstanding isn’t true. If they don’t want to listen to facts, I accept that and realize that this job isn’t for me.
- Not every job is for you. You can be smart, passionate about the job, great coworker and have every quality they want and they still won’t hire you. There is a great deal of bias in hiring where people often only want to hire others like themselves. Which is fine, if they can’t appreciate you others will.
- If questions are hostile and its not a stress interview, then you have to ask yourself if this is the kind of environment you want to work in. Many times hiring managers have been hostile in one interview and encouraging in the next. If the tone of the interview changes between interviews, expect that to continue if you work there.
- If the person is sweet and nice and compliments you heavily this is also suspect. Why? I had that happen several times and the company was toxic and put their best foot forward but it wasn’t the reality of the workplace. A person just getting to know you should be professional and if their questions are soft ball or not through you have to question the competence and ability of your coworkers. Are you going to be expected to pick up others inability to do their job?
- If questions are standardized and rapid fire then they have a process and following a structured process which is great. The best companies do this. The worst companies try to wing it, and if they don’t prepare then it is usually a sign that they are not well organized.
- If the questions are confused and don’t get to the root of the matter, then this is probably just a hoop they are jumping through and have already got an internal candidate in mind. Many times I was told by a recruiter that it turns out that they told him after interviewing external candidates that they had already decided on an internal one. Very frustrating waste of time for the recruiter and me.
- If questions are about a different job, then red flag and get out quick. Many less reputable companies will say that they filled the job but that you are perfect for another job in their company. That job is always less money and more responsibility. I have never gone for an interview for one job and when presented with another job description gotten that job. Because I didn’t come to interview for that job! I didn’t want that job.
- If they want to talk about salary too early that is a red flag. If one of their first required questions on the LinkedIn form is your market rate they don’t want quality, they want cheap. Let them enjoy the destruction that a cheap person offers.