\u200bNavigating an interview can feel like walking through a house full of booby traps. Everywhere you look, there\u2019s danger to avoid. One single mistake, and you\u2019re done for.<\/p>\n
But here\u2019s the thing: most of that is actually in your head. While interviews are definitely stressful, the hiring manager hasn\u2019t designed some diabolical test in the hopes you\u2019ll magnificently fail. They want you to be successful. If you are, the hunt for their next hire is over.<\/p>\n
These five interview questions, in particular, feel like traps to candidates\u2014but aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n
This question always feels like a trap. You can\u2019t refuse to answer the question (that wouldn\u2019t help your shot of getting the job), but you don\u2019t want to give the interviewer a reason not to hire you.<\/p>\n
Many candidates end up with an answer that splits the difference, meaning it\u2019s both flattering and appropriate. Think, \u201cI\u2019m a major perfectionist,\u201d or \u201cI have trouble shutting off when I go home at night.\u201d<\/p>\n
The problem: Hiring managers have heard these answers trotted out tens of hundreds of times, and they\u2019re tired of them. Not only do you sound inauthentic, you also place yourself with almost every other interviewee before you.<\/p>\n
And this might surprise you, but you\u2019re not being trapped. Some weaknesses will make you incredibly unhappy in the role. Others won\u2019t be issues at all. It depends on the workplace culture, job responsibilities, team, metrics, and more. If you don\u2019t give an honest answer, the interviewer won\u2019t know whether you\u2019re a good fit.<\/p>\n
So first explain what\u2019s really holding you back, then explain how you\u2019re addressing it. For instance, you might say, \u201cI love to start projects; I have lots of ideas, and I\u2019m really enthusiastic to try them. But I have a much harder time finishing. Once a few months have gone by, I\u2019m not excited about the project anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
You\u2019d add, \u201cTo combat that, I\u2019ve started being more selective about what I take on. That ensures that I focus on work I\u2019ll be jazzed by the entire way through. I\u2019ve also begun sharing my progress on the company blog, which gives me public accountability. Even better, people come up to me and ask questions, which is a ton of fun and keeps me engaged.\u201d<\/p>\n
People are usually stumped by this one because they assume the \u201cright\u201d role model is:<\/p>\n
A) Their parent
B) The company founder
C) The company CEO (if she\u2019s a different person)
D) A \u201cserious\u201d figure, like Gandhi or Mother Teresa<\/p>\n
However, those assumptions aren\u2019t correct. Hiring managers ask these to discover your values and goals. Someone who looks up to a marathon runner is probably different than a person who admires a writer.<\/p>\n
Again, the key is to be honest. You might not want to reveal your deep love for Kim Kardashian, but you can definitely opt for a more obscure person.<\/p>\n
Perhaps your role model is your middle school librarian, because she was always so patient and kind to everyone. That\u2019s the perfect answer; it\u2019s unique to you, it reveals your character, and most importantly, it\u2019s true.<\/p>\n
Or maybe your role model is the guy who traveled to every country in the world, because you think that\u2019s an amazing objective and you admire the courage, fortitude, and creativity it required for him to meet it. That\u2019s also the perfect answer, for the exact same reasons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u200bNavigating an interview can feel like walking through a house full of booby traps. Everywhere you look, there\u2019s danger …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":541,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-consultant"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n