Going into an interview can be one of the more stressful events that you have to endure during the job search process.  During an interview a potential employer can throw anything at you as far as questions are concerned and you should be prepared.

We have already talked about the process of preparing for an interview multiple times on this blog but it is a good time to explain what you should do if you encounter hard interview questions that you did not expect.

I am going to walk you through a few examples of hard interview questions.  It is not so important to focus on the question or the answer, instead you need to spend time on the process.  Employers most of the time do not care if you come up with the right answer they care about the process that you go through.  In the real world you will have a team around you that will help you when you cannot find the right answer but they want to make sure that you go down the right path when you approach a problem.

Hard Interview Questions 101

Riddles:

If you are looking to interview for a creative position where you are going to be expected to have to think very differently about problems such as a marketing position or a position where you have to solve a lot of problems expect some sort of riddle during the interview.

My favorite riddle to have people walk through is the Light Bulb Riddle:

Imagine that there are 2 rooms, one of the rooms has 3 light bulbs and the other has 3 switches.  Your goal: to figure out which switch goes to which light bulb.

Specifics: The 2 rooms are separate; once you go inside one room you cannot not see other. The room with the 3 switches has 1 switch connected to 1 light bulb in the other room. There are no tricks to the wiring; each individual switch goes to exactly 1 light bulb, and vice versa. You are allowed to go into the room with the 3 light bulbs as often and for as long as you like, but you cannot damage anything or look at the wiring.  In the room with the 3 switches, you can flip the switches on and off as often and for as long as you like, but as soon as you leave that room, you cannot return. You can then go back to the other room, but then you have to give your answer at that point.

The wording for this his riddle was paraphrased from http://users.ameritech.net/iamperfect/ridlightbulb.htm.  This riddle is great because it forces you to take into consideration a variety of different factors.  It will show the employer that you can understand a problem when it is presented to you and you can walk through the steps to solve a problem.

Oh and by the way… to figure it out: Turn on one light switch for 10 minutes and then turn it off and turn on another light switch.  Walk into the room with the lights and the one that is on is the one you just turned on.  Feel the other bulbs to see which one is warm.  The one that is cold is the switch that you did not touch.

Cases:

Cases present an array of hard interview questions.  One of the most important things to remember with cases is that you once again don’t need to come up with the correct answer, although it does help, but it is more important that you can defend your position.

It is unrealistic to think that a person is going to be able to be handed a real world problem and come up with a solution directly after.  You want to once again come up with a process.

This is NOT a good time to sit silently in your chair as you run things through in your head.  You want to involve the person that is giving the interview in your thought process.  They are looking to see how you go about the problem.  Ask them questions, get clarification, and use the interviewer as a RESOURCE.  You want to prove to them that you are a team player and that you know the right questions to ask.

Cases can be challenging.  The best piece of advice I can give you is the following: THINK FIRST.  So many people get tripped up in their mind to think that if they come up with the answer fastest that they will win something.  No in fact you will most likely lose.

You want to think first.  Voicing your gut reaction is alright but you need to have logic to back you up before you wager on your final answer.

Opinions:

The last set of hard interview questions that I come across regularly is when people are asked for their opinion on something.  Now at first glance you are probably thinking, “Opinions? I have tons of those!” Reality is that a lot of people I interview on a regular basis don’t have an opinion.  If you don’t have an opinion about the industry that you are working in, then you have effectively shown me that you must not care.

Now it may not be the right conclusion to come to but it is the first thing that comes to mind.  With that being said this is not the place to be overbearing.  You want to voice that yes, you are concerned and that you have thought about something but having a radical opinion or one that you don’t think would go over well you need to execute caution when bringing it up.

You don’t want to sound spineless but you don’t want to come across as a dictator.  You have to judge the situation and you also need to do some character assessment on your end to figure out if your opinion will raise conflict later on with the job.

Summary

Hard interview questions are unavoidable. You have to work through them and treat them like you are talking to your best friend.  Each company will have different expectations as far as an interview is concerned.  You would be surprised at how much good a little bit of research can do before the interview.  For larger companies it is likely that other people have talked about the interview process online publicly.  Research it so the hard interview questions don’t take you by surprise.

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Being interviewed is a critical aspect of the hiring process. You have already made it past the resume overview and now it is time for you to have what might be the only face-to-face interaction with your potential employer before they decide to hire you or not. It is essential that you put your best foot forward and allow the interviewer to get to know the person they’d be working with. They learned about your accomplishments from your resume; now show them your personality and how you handle yourself in a professional environment.

Here are 43 items to help you through the interviewing process.

18 things to do before an interview:

1. Get a good night sleep the night before. You’ll look better and feel better, allowing yourself to make the best first impression.
2. Do your research. Know the company that you are interviewing with so you can answer their questions well and in the right context. It will also show that you are truly interested in the company.
3. Eat a good breakfast. You’ll be more alert and focused.
4. Prepare questions beforehand. Know the answers to basic questions that they will most likely ask you. Also come up with a few questions about the company or position you are applying for to show that you’re interested.
5. Make a few copies of your resume and put them somewhere where you won’t forget to bring them.
6. Search the web. It is likely someone else has interviewed with the company, so search the web and see what others are saying about it.
7. Make sure your clothes are clean and wrinkle-free.
8. Know who will be interviewing you, and learn a bit about their background.
9. Know your strengths and put together a list of them.
10. Prepare a solid list of references that you can give your interviewer on the spot.
11. Brush your teeth.
12. Put on deodorant.
13. Pre-write your thank you notes so you can drop them off right afterwards.
14. Know how to answer the question, “What will you add to the company by joining it?”
15. Carry a tissue or handkerchief in your pocket to dry your hands in case you are nervous before you go in.
16. Turn off your cell phone.
17. Prepare for the different types of interviews: behavior, experiential, or combination.
18. Have a story from each place you’ve already worked at that exemplifies one of your strengths. For every strength or skill, you should have a story about how you successfully used it. You will make a far better impression if you can back up your dry list of previous employment with interesting stories that show what you gained from each experience.

11 items to do during an interview

1. Answer the question that was asked.
2. Shake the interviewers hand.
3. Let the interviewer show your chair – now is the time to be submissive, so as to not offend the interviewer.
4. Say “Yes,” not “Yeah.”
5. Take a second before answering a question to show you are putting some thought into your answer.
6. Take notes.
7. Let your achievements speak for you.
8. Ask questions, including asking for a full description of the type of work that you will be doing.
9. Keep eye contact.
10. Be yourself.
11. Start with conversation topics that you are comfortable with. This will allow you to direct the interview to a certain degree and present yourself in a positive light.

11 items not to do during an interview

1. Don’t talk too quickly.
2. Don’t digress from your points. Answer questions directly.
3. Don’t use slang.
4. Don’t use words you don’t know the meaning of.
5. Don’t be arrogant.
6. Don’t talk about your personal life.
7. Don’t give the employer any reason to think you will not perform well.
8. Don’t act nervous. You probably will be, but it is best if you take a few seconds and clear your mind; your answers will be less jumbled. If you find yourself getting really nervous, excuse yourself and go to the bathroom to get some air. Don’t take too long but it is better to collect your thoughts than to plow ahead when you can’t focus.
9. Don’t fidget. This might be something you have to practice but it is worth it.
10. Don’t get defensive. The interviewer will be asking technical questions. Everyone has their weak spots and that is okay – work with it and practice for it.
11. Don’t bring coffee. Sipping a drink is a sign of disrespect during an interview.

What to do after the interview

1. Drop off your thank you note. Always, always thank your interviewer after you’ve left. Email them after you drop off your note. The more contact you have, the more you remain in their minds over the other applicants. It shows you’re thoughtful, motivated, and that you care.
2. Create a list of items that you did well and that you would like to improve on.
3. Follow up appropriately. Sometimes the interviewer will tell you when they will notify you; other times it will be your responsibility to make the follow up.

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