Job Interview Advice: Handling Embarrassing & Tough Interview Questions
An excellent Wall Street Journal job interview advice article entitled “Composure Under Interview Pressures” is definitely worthwhile reading for job candidates working on their job interview preparation.
The advice concerns what to do in various difficult interview spots, such as when you don’t know the answer or don’t really understand the question that was just asked.
Advice for Job Interview Misunderstandings
The article describes the following story:
In his memoir “Kitchen Confidential,”
New York chef Anthony Bourdain describes how he was once close to clinching a Park Avenue steakhouse job when the owner, a Scotsman with a thick brogue, asked: “What do you know about me?”
“It really threw me [because] I had answered every other question perfectly,” Mr. Bourdain recalls. But he hadn’t heard of the owner before, so he replied, “Next to nothing!”
The chef was politely escorted to the door and was halfway down the block before he realized he had misheard. The Scotsman had actually asked, “What do you know about meat?” Mr. Bourdain felt he couldn’t go back and correct himself because he had lost his momentum.
But you may be able to recover from a similar situation. Repeat a perplexing question out loud and then ask the interviewer, “Do I have this right?” suggests John Kador, author of the book, How to Ace the Brainteaser Interview
“>”How to Ace the Brainteaser Interview.”
Job Interview Advice for Questions That Just Plain Stump You
OK, Boy-Scout-like, you should always “Be Prepared” for a job interview. Do homework on the company and the job, rehearse common interview questions, maybe have a friend critique your answers, etc.
But that doesn’t mean you won’t ever encounter a question for which you are unprepared. In fact, some interviewers will deliberately try to catch you off balance with a question you are unlikely to be able to fully answer off the top of your head.
The Wall Street Journal job interview advice article has a few quick examples show that your options in such situations include asking for some time to think if it’s a problem-solving type of question or even admitting you don’t know some facts and offering to follow up post-interview after looking into the question (and doing so promptly).
Another example cited shows how even admitting
The article also offers examples of what to do when:
1. You have no idea how to answer;
2. You didn’t prepare well for the interview;
and so forth.
