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Tips on how to be at your best while handling tough questions at an Interview

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  6. Tips on how to be at your best while handling tough questions at an Interview

published June 16, 2008

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( 22 votes, average: 3.9 out of 5)
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<<One of the best ways to prepare for an upcoming interview in which there might be tough questions to answer is to research as much as possible. Find out in advance all of the information possible about the firm you are interviewing with and the types of clients it represents. This might also be a good way to decide if the firm is really a good fit for you if you are offered a position. If you go to an interview well prepared, then you'll naturally be a little more confident when asked the difficult questions.

Some difficult questions that interviewers grapple with are:
  • Tell me a little about yourself.
  • What are your weaknesses?
  • How do you deal with criticism?
  • Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
  • How do you deal with authority?
  • What do you think of your previous manager/boss?
  • Do you consider yourself a risk-taker?
Tell me a little about yourself.


Always be prepared for this question. Your answer should be short and to the point. You don't want to ramble on. You can also ask the interviewer to be more precise: "Any area you'd prefer to know about? My education? My experience?" The secret to responding successfully to this free-form question is to focus on your attributes. List five strengths you have that are pertinent to the job (experiences, traits, skills, etc.). Try to think about what you want the interviewer to know about you.

What are your weaknesses?

Instead of focusing on something negative, try to talk about something you're good at but could possibly get better at doing. For instance, if you're currently a manager, you might say, "What needs to be done in order to complete responsibilities comes naturally to me, so I'm learning how to give better direction to others who are not as self-motivated." This is better than saying that you're not a good manager or that you get frustrated when others slack off.

How do you deal with criticism?

Again, you want to stay positive in your responses at all times. You could point to the fact that criticism can be vital to continued growth and say that you welcome criticism that helps an individual or team operate better or produce better results.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Instead of saying that you'd like to be sailing on your yacht in the Caribbean (which might be true), you want to talk about how you will have been able to refine your current skills to broaden the strategic direction of whatever firm you're with. Stress the fact that you'll continue contributing your abilities in a challenging and rewarding way for the betterment of the organization you're working for.

How do you deal with authority?

Although it is important to question authority from time to time, the thought you want to convey here is respect. As an employee, you want to respect your boss not only by following his or her guidance but also by seeking his or her guidance from time to time. In a work environment it's important that the boss knows that you support him or her and that there is mutual respect for one another.

What do you think of your previous manager/boss?

Even if you think that your previous boss or manager was lacking in some areas, or just downright ineffective, you want to focus on any of his or her attributes that show a positive side to your feelings toward him or her. Talk about what your previous manager was good at (good technical skills, agreeable to employees, etc.) and then mention what you wish he or she had been better at (more supportive, more of a leader, etc.). Bad-mouthing a previous boss or job will only put you in a bad light in the eyes of a new employer.

Do you consider yourself a risk-taker?

This is kind of a tricky question, because if you say no, they may take it as lack of ambition on your part, and if you say yes, they may consider you reckless in your decisions or unstable. You can expound on a business venture (such as launching your own Internet company, starting a small business, etc.) that you once invested in and, even if it wasn't successful, enumerate all of the ideas you got from the experience and all that you learned from it. We all learn from our mistakes, and taking calculated risks can sometimes lead to great achievements.

When answering these sensitive questions, try to make sure that your answers are honest and well thought out. Prepare a script with these questions and practice with someone if you have to. Use tact and choose your words carefully so that you show respect for other people in your responses as you expand on the scope of your work experience. And remember: most of the interviewer's questions could be answered honestly in a variety of ways. You want to choose the version of the truth that is most appealing and sensitive — the version that helps support your main message and puts you in the most favorable light.

See the following articles for more information:

 
  1. Legal Jobs
  2. Legal Articles
  3. Legal Staff
  4. Interview Resources for Legal Staff
  5. Legal Staff Interview Questions
  6. Tips on how to be at your best while handling tough questions at an Interview

published June 16, 2008

( 22 votes, average: 3.9 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.

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