How to Handle Difficult Questions in a Job Interview

Every job interview will include a series of difficult questions that you will be expected to answer. Your responses to these questions will partially determine whether the interviewer feels you are a good match for the company. Therefore, it’s helpful to know how to handle difficult questions in a job interview, so you can arrive prepared. If you’d like more information on how to prepare for a job interview, Employment Solutions is here to help you through the process.

• Can you explain the gaps in work history? If there are gaps in your work history, you may be asked to account for the reason why you were unemployed. Employers tend to view frequent or long gaps in your work history as a possible indication that you are unreliable. Review your resume and recite in your mind how you will answer the question. Your answer may sound acceptable to you, but put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes and make a judgment as to whether your answer needs more detail.
• Have you ever been fired or asked to resign from a job? You may be tempted to answer, “No,” despite the fact you were terminated from a prior job. However, you should always expect the interviewer to call your past employers and ask that very same question. If you do not answer truthfully to this question and you are found to have lied, you will most certainly be passed up for the job. Be sure to provide the information requested with honesty to have the best chance of being hired.
• Have you ever been convicted of a crime? Many employers today conduct background checks on potential employees and ask this question prior ordering the report. Employers want to know that the employee they hire is trustworthy, so the basis of this question is to find out the type of crime of which you were convicted and whether you are honest about your past. If you withhold information about a criminal record, you run the risk of losing the job to another candidate solely due to dishonesty, even if the crime was a misdemeanor from 15 years ago.

Difficult questions in a job interview can be handled with ease and confidence, if you count on being asked such questions and plan ahead to provide answers that are truthful. Understand that all potential employees are asked these questions and it’s those who are straightforward and honest that are moved on to the next round of the hiring process. Call Employment Solutions today for expert career advice. Good luck!