Stay Cool on the Hot Seat: 2 Tough Interview Questions
April 30, 2008 (10:00AM) by Rick Saia, CPRW
Certain interview questions are enough to unnerve the most prepared job candidate. Two that come to mind are: "What do you think is your greatest weakness?" and "What do you like least about your current (or most recent) job?" They may seem like ridiculous questions, but you have to answer them because being evasive could cost you a chance at landing a great career opportunity.
So, let's take a look at each question, the motivation behind it, and the best (and worst) ways to answer:
What do you think is your greatest weakness?
WHY THEY ASK: The hiring manager (a) wants to see how well you know yourself, (b) is looking for signs of how you perform under pressure, or (c) both.
HOW NOT TO ANSWER: Don't say anything that could eliminate you from consideration for the job, especially if the weakness is tied to a critical quality that the hiring manager needs in the position they're hiring for. For instance, "I'm slow in adapting to change" is not a wise answer, especially in a work environment in which change is par for the course.
RIGHT WAY: According to my colleague Michael Neece (creator and president of Interview Mastery), the best way to answer this question is to address a skill that you just learned and want to learn more about, or a skill you want to develop. Then, describe what you're doing about that skill and link it with a need at the hiring manager's company. For example:
"I'm not as strong as I'd like to be on the ins and outs of social media, so I'm spending about three hours a week blogging on topics I'm interested in, and reading some perspectives on the business-to-business value of social media. I think I can bring that knowledge here and offer ideas on how to use social media as a customer relationship tool. Would you like me to elaborate on that?"
This may get the hiring manager to ask more questions since you've provided an open invitation.
What did you like least about your most recent (or current) job?
MOTIVATION: The hiring manager wants to find out (a) if there's something you didn't like in the past that is also part of the job you're interviewing for, or (b) if you actually say something negative about your most recent employer. Hiring managers tend to assume that if you badmouth a past employer, you'll badmouth them, too, if you leave in a year or two.
HOW NOT TO ANSWER: Don't vent or focus on the negative with brutally "honest" answers such as "My boss was a jerk," or "The company culture was too politically correct," or "They just weren't giving me the opportunity to take my career to the next level." The hiring manager may get the impression that you have problems with authority, don't fit in with your coworkers, or were passed over for promotions because of personality or performance issues.
RIGHT WAY: Keep the emphasis on the positive, even though there are sure to be things you weren't happy about. For example:
"Gee, that's a tough question to answer. I've had lots of opportunity at ABC Company and I work with some outstanding people. I guess if I had to pick one thing, it would be the occasional meeting that goes an hour longer than normal, but that didn't happen all that often, maybe every other month. I like to get stuff done and work with people and that extra hour could have enabled me to get back to a client quicker to help solve a problem."
No workplace is perfect, and chances are you've experienced frustration in each job you've held. But this answer shows the emphasis the interviewee places on being productive and adding value for the employer.
Do you have any suggestions on how to handle tough interview questions? Share your views.
I remember one of my first interviews out of college. I had never been on a formal interview before, so I researched the most-asked interview questions beforehand and wrote down my answers to practice. As soon as the hiring manager sat down to conduct the interview, I could tell he was a) uninterested in me as a candidate, or b) not interested in conducting the interview at all. He asked me basic questions, one after another, shotgun-style. "What's your greatest strength? What's your greatest weakness? Do you work well in groups? Have you had conflicts with coworkers before? How did you handle that?" I felt like I was under a spotlight and he was ready to put me in cuffs and send me off to mingle with inmates if I didn't answer correctly. It's now ingrained as the worst interview I ever had, and I still get frustrated when I think about it. Suggestion for a future post (or posts): Identify more of the most-used interview questions and pick them apart like you did here. Very helpful! Hi Aiden! Thanks very much for your perspective. If the hiring manager didn't appear to be too interested in you or the interview, he doesn't sound like the kind of guy you'd want to work for. Thanks also for the ideas. We appreciate the fodder! Best,
Rick Hi Rick, OK, I have some legitimate reasons to leave my current job, including a downturn in the industry we serve. Additionally, I am not getting the opportunity to move my career to the next level at my company. So, my question is, how often will it be percieved they I was passed over for promotions because of personality or performance issues. I thought that not getting the chance to move up was an acceptable reason to provide to an interviewer. Your help and insight on this "challenging" interview question is appreciated. Ann W. Thanks for your response Ann. It seems you have a negative feeling toward your current employer regarding your upward mobility. The key to any “negative” when you’re seeking a new job is to turn it into a “positive.” If you’re asked why you haven’t been able to move up at your current job, try something like this during an interview: “I feel it’s time to pursue other opportunities elsewhere. I know I can do x and y for your company in this job. At the same time, this job would be better for my career goals than if I were to stay at my current job.” This response keeps the conversation on the positive while stressing first what YOU can do for THEM, followed by how you believe you and the job would be a good match. Now, this assumes that you’re interviewing for the right position at a company that you would like to work for, and you know the company, at least through pre-interview research. A lot depends on HOW you say there’s no chance to move up. It’s one thing to say, “the positions that I would logically move up to are competently filled already, so I don’t see a lot of opportunity for me to advance in the foreseeable future, especially with the downturn in the industry.” It’s another thing entirely to say, “I’ve been there five years and they’ve promoted two people who came on board later than I did, which is totally unfair.” The first explanaiton sounds logical; the second raises red flags about WHY you were passed over. One more point: If you’re trying to leave an industry that’s on a downward slope, the hiring manager may well be aware of that. But be sure you have the skills that you can transfer easily to another industry. Taking a hard look at what you can do and what you have accomplished can build a strong case. Good luck, and I hope things work out well!
- Rick okay Rick-
My Husband and I have owned and operated several of our own business's in the past 15+ years Most recently being in a very successful Design and Build Company unfortunately the market has taken a down turn for us and we are now in a different part of the country then where people know us- Our problem is how do we convince employers that we are valuable but NOT too Expensive? We don't have degrees in school but have Masters in Self employment.
Are you suggesting that we dont rely on electronic postings and seek them out in person?
thanks- M
Thanks for your question. As I see it, the question focuses more on how to market yourselves and where to look. On marketing yourselves: Stress your experience as business owners and what you accomplished. How quickly did you grow your businesses? What strategies did you employ to attract and retain customers? How did you grow your share of the market or markets? If you have a solid history of business-based accomplishments for over 15 years, that should negate any concerns an employer might have about your not having college degrees. If I were you, apply for a job even if the employer "requires" a college education. Your business background just might win the day for you. Before you target positions you'd like to apply for, search the Web (start with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) for salary information for the positions within your geographic area, along with general requirements to perform the jobs. Finally, any way you can find a potential job - be it through electronic postings, cold calling, or even networking - is all fair game. If you're in an area where people don't know you all that well, get out there and meet some people. You never know if you'll find out about an open job by way of a casual conversation. Best of luck!
~ Rick
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