Dealing Effectively With Curve Ball Interview Questions

Being prepared is the best way to see a curve ball coming.

I’ve been on both sides of the table as an candidate and as an interviewer.  In fact, I’ve interviewed over 1500 people face to face (I think the number is closer to 1800 though).  Some people handled themselves like pros but most everyone stumbled on a few tricky questions. 

Chances are when you meet with a recruitment firm or a potential employer the only guarantee you can count on is that you will slip up.  There will be things that you should have (or have not) said.  It usually starts sinking in right after you have left the interview room – and often times the focus is on those curve balls you weren’t expecting.

There are a few curve balls out there that are fairly common.  These are questions you should be able to see a mile away.  Hopefully after reading this you will have a better idea of how to handle yourself during the interview.

Before we begin, you should spend as much time as possible researching the company and the people you are going to meet.  Use Linkedin and Facebook and see what kind person you are dealing with.  Google “tough interview questions” and read common questions and answers.

1.  Tell me about yourself.  That is one of the toughest questions I have ever encountered.  Do you talk about your personal life and who you are and what you like OR do you take the other track and talk about your professional experience?  You probably should err on the side of caution and do a little bit of both by clearly defining you response as a person and as a professional.

2. What makes you so great OR what is it about you that makes you stand out amongst your peers.  To tell the interviewer that you are hard working, loyal and punctual is the answer that “everyone” is going to give.  Set yourself apart by breaking down your 1 or 2 greatest professional achievements.  Talk about how you saved your company X amount of dollars per year OR implemented a new strategy which increased revenue by Y percent over the same period.

3.  What are your strengths and weaknesses?  The strength part is pretty easy.  It’s the weakness that I have seen even high level candidates stumble over.  The best way to handle this question is to deflect and overcome.  What do I mean by deflect and overcome?  Let the interviewer know that you consider your weaknesses as areas of improvement and then proceed to talk about what you would like to improve and HOW you are trying to do it.  Details are important.

4.  Why so many gaps in the resume?  This one is actually a straightforward question but most people will again try to stumble through it.  My advice is to be honest.  If you had to take care of a sick relative then say so.  If you were laid off and it took you time to find the right opportunity then mention it.  Starting a consulting business OR working for a friend may be valid but I suspect some people are using that as an excuse.  The point is to be honest.

5.  Situational questions are make-believe scenarios that are thrown your way to gain perspective on how you would deal with certain quirks.  This is not rocket science.  Be honest if you have never encountered this scenario and do your best to vocalize your thought process step-by-step.  It is OK to make mistakes, no one is perfect.  What employers want is someone who can think quickly on their feet and articulate themselves enough to convey abstract ideas in comprehensive terms.

6.  “What if” questions are almost like situational questions expect there is no context to the related role you are interviewing for.  A “what if” question could be related to common grievances amongst your potential co-workers and how you would handle it.  Example – What if your coworker wasn’t pulling his/her weight, how would you handle that?  A good answer is to relate it back to your own experience either at work or in your personal life.  Detail the scenario, how you dealt with it and what the outcome was.

7.  Standard curve balls aptitudes are questions that are asked of everyone regardless of roles being interviewed for.  Microsoft is famous for these types of questions such as “What is the best way to find a needle in a haystack?” or “If you had an infinite supply of water and a 5 quart and 3 quart pail, how would you measure exactly 4 quarts?”.  These are designed to filter out members of the public who have High IQ vs Average IQ.  So how do you handle these?  As best as you possibly can – dig deep and take your time to answer the questions.  I can’t help you here unfortunately.

There exist thousands of possibilities and no matter how much you prepare for an interview you will probably not nail the questions 100% of the time.  If you do then chances are you should be the person interviewing candidates to work with you.

The point of an interview is ultimately for the potential employer and your future manager to gauge the level of chemistry.  Rarely do I ever encounter a company who has hired someone solely on the basis of their interview answers.  It makes better business sense to hire someone that is capable of learning and likeable vs a guru who knows everything but also has a chip on his/her shoulder. 

Remember, be detailed, ask intelligent questions, be honest and ultimately BE YOURSELF.

This article was written by Jay Zaidi – jzaidi1@hotmail.com