Bad answers to difficult job interview questions
An interview is all about how effectively you are able to handle the pressure and come out with flying colors. No matter how long the interview session might be, you should never lose your composure and start making mistakes such as giving bad answers to the questions asked by the interviewer. This will show that you are incapable of handling pressure and you can be easily made to lose your calm. Always think twice before you answer any question in an interview because some of the questions might be a double edged sword. So go through the answers in your mind for a second or two before your mouth starts spitting things out you will soon regret. Let us look at some of the bad answers that candidates tend to give when attending an interview so that you can make yourself familiar with the correct way of answering them.
1. “Why should we hire you?”
If you say “I don’t know” or “I feel I would make a suitable candidate” without dwelling in the specifics or details, you can kick yourself in the back for making such a lousy and foolish mistake. Never give vague answers which can annoy the interviewer and make him or her feel as if they would like to smack you in the head. Because it is such an important question, you should try your best to sell yourself to the company and let them know what the qualities are that you possess so that you are indeed the perfect individual for the job.
2. “What were your responsibilities at your previous company?”
Never think that you are smart and answer this question with “I already included my previous work details in my resume”. Though you might have included the details in your resume, the interviewer would expect to hear the details from your own mouth in order to verify whether you are providing the right details and not exaggerating anything. Keep your answer simple and just stick to what you have mentioned in your resume so that you do not raise any eyebrows by saying something contradictory to what is mentioned in your resume.
3. “What is your biggest strength?”
“I am the best at what I do” is not the best way to answer this question and when the interviewer asks this question you should automatically come to the conclusion that he or she is expecting specifics from you and not a single line or single word answer from you which can seem disrespectful. You should answer this question in such a way that the interviewer would be tempted to employ you straightaway without any hesitation. At least you should sow the thought that you would make an ideal employee for the job role in the mind of the interviewer. Hence, be specific and explain about the strengths which you have that will help you perform well in the job that you are applying to.
4. “What is your biggest weakness?”
Everybody has a weakness and there is no denying that. So when the interviewer asks you to share the weaknesses that you have, you should not blindly say that “I am perfect and I don’t have any weaknesses”. By saying such an answer, you are proving that you are ready to lie in order to get the job. At the same time, you should also not mention your weaknesses that can create doubt in the mind of the interviewer about your commitment to the job and your ability to carry out the tasks associated with your job. Mention weaknesses that can be sort of ‘overlooked’ in a corporate scenario or does not interfere with your job role.
5. “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”
Everybody hates this question. But the sad fact is that no interview is complete without it. So you should do your best to answer this. Never say “I haven’t thought about it” or “hopefully working for you”. All these answers show that you have come unprepared for the interview and there is no way that you will get through the interview and get selected by giving such inexplicit answers. So prepare a mental note of how you are going to answer this question. Give realistic goals and targets of all the things that you are going to achieve in 5 years and the position in which you would like to see yourself in after achieving all the goals and targets that you have set for yourself.
