"On the other side of the desk, hiring managers spend countless long hours inteviewing candidate after candidate," says Joyce Lain Kennedy, a nationally syndicated careers columnist and author of Job Interviews for Dummies. " A tricky question may be used as a time management tool to quickly eliminate a less qualified candidate."
Kenney says that even if job hunters have rehearsed anticipated topics, an unexpected question may jar loose an authentic answer that exposes hidden problems. She outlines the top 10 most common questions designed to trick you.
- Why have you been out of work so long, and how many others were laid off? This question may also be followed by the more direct, "Why were you laid off?" Kennedy says it is an attempt to figure out if there is something wrong with you that your former company or that other potential employers have already discovered.
- If employed, how do you manage time for interviews? "The real question is whether you are lying to and short-changing your current employer while looking for other work," says Kennedy. The interviewer may wonder: If you 're cheating on your current boss, why wouldn't you later cheat on me?
- How did you prepare for this interview? The intention of this question is to decipher how much you really care about the job or if you're simply going through the motions or winging it.
- Do you know anyone who works for us? This one really is a tricky question, says Kennedy, because most interviewees expect that knowing someone on the inside is always a good thing. "Nothing beats having a friend deliver your resume to a hiring manager, but that transaction presumes the friend is well thought of in the company," she says. Because the interviewer will likely associate the friend's characteristics and reputation with your merits, she recommends only mentioning someone by name if you're certain of their positive standing in the organization.
- Where would you really like to work? "The real agenda for this question is assurance that you aren't applying to every job opening in sight," says Kennedy.
- What bugs you about coworkers or bosses? Don't fall into this trap. Kennedy says you always want to present yourself as optimistic and action-oriented, and hiring managers may use this question to tease out whether you'll have trouble working with others or could drag down workplace morale and productivity.
- Can you describe how you solved a work or school problem? Kennedy says that, really, no one should be too taken aback by this, as it's one of the most basic interview questions and should always be anticipated.
- Can you describe a work or school instance in which you messed up? This one is a minefield. "One question within the question is whether you learn from your mistakes or keep repeating the same error," says Kennedy. Similarly, the interviewer may be trying to glean whether you're too self-important or not self-aware enough to take responsibility for your failings.
- How does this position compare with others you're applying for? "The intent is to gather intel on the competitive job market or get a handle on what it will take to bring you on board," says Kennedy.
- If you won the lottery, would you still work? It's another opportunity to underscore your motivation and work ethic. Kennedy advises acknowledging that you' d be thrilled to win the lottery but would still look for meaningful work because meeting challenges and achieving make you happy.
Information provided by Forbes.com and written by Jenna Goudrea. To see article in full.
