4 Deceptive Interview Questions and How to best answer them

If mind reading was a thing, we'll be acing interviews (and everything else in life) but sadly, it isn't and it can be nerve wrecking in interviews. To make it worse, interviewers and employers love using these common questions which can be deceptively tricky and even lead to some blank moments (and no one wants that!). So here's some common deceptive interview questions and the best way to answer them. We do encourage making these your own and adding your personality and flair to it! Stand out from the crowd and get ready to master those interviews!

1. Tell me about yourself.

So simple and innocent, yet so many people fail to prepare for it. Some even just talk about their hobbies or pastimes, which is fine but not what the purpose of the meeting is for. Here's the catch, don't give your complete employment or personal history here. Give a pitch! A concise and compelling pitch which shows why you're the best fit for the job. Talk a little about your current role such as a big accomplishment and some responsibilities, and give some background on how you got there and experience.

2. Why do you want to work at this company?

Stay away from generic answers! Here's your moment to stand out and show that you did your research and know exactly who you're employers are. Stalking (the company, not the interviewers) is encouraged here, so check their social media pages out, especially their LinkedIn. Read up their articles and figure out what they're passionate about. Find out what their employees think and enjoy about their company too if you can. Whichever topic you choose, make sure to be specific and show how your passions align with theirs.

3. What do you consider to be your weaknessess?

Aside from identifying any red flags, your interviewer is trying to determine if your self-aware and honest. Saying you don't meet deadlines or "Nothing", are not options, but striking a balance by thinking of something you struggle with and you're working to improve is. Maybe you're not strong at public speaking, but you've started to volunteer at chairing meetings to help you get comfortable when addressing crowds.

4. Tell me about a challenge or conflict you've faced and how you dealt with it.

No one likes conflict, but saying you've never dealt with it is not an option. In any setting with people, they'll be opposing thoughts and voices and we deal with it in our lives (professionally). Be honest about a difficult situation (even if it's not work related), but without going into the kind of detail you'd share when venting to a friend. Stay calm and professional as you tell your story and spend time talking more about the resolution more thna the conflict. Mentioning what you may do differently next time will also show you're open to learning from tough experiences.