Finding confidence when the stakes are high.
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Job interviews may be on the rise for workers looking for new opportunities. Last week, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics showed the largest January-May job growth since 1939. So far this year, 1.57 million jobs have been added, and last month’s net gain of 314,000 jobs far surpasses results during the pandemic, according to CNN Business. “Overall, the labor market is exceptional and returning to a balanced, sustainable level,” Chicago Federal Reserve President Austin Goolsby said in a recent interview. Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, told CNBC, “It’s a strong labor market where the demand for higher-paying jobs is clearly the trend.” Meanwhile, there is still a persistent hurdle for any job seeker. Namely, the seven most difficult job interview questions – and how to answer them with confidence.
The first question you should answer before the job interview
Where does job interview confidence really come from?
Most lists like the one you’re about to read won’t tell you what you really need to know. But confidence—the ability to convey certainty, confidence, and conviction in an interview—is the key to your success, no matter what questions you’re asked.
If confidence matters to you, consider the difference between what you believe and what you know. When it comes to your career, what are the things you hold true? These beliefs would be a matter of opinion, such as the belief that you are a hardworking person or that you have the skills to do the job. Although these beliefs may be true, and certainly all of our beliefs appear for it to be true, think what it is that you know. The things you know are not a matter of belief, faith, preference or expectation. Things that are known exist outside the realm of opinion, hope, or geography. Things that are known are things like the fact that you received your degree from Fordham University in 2006. Or that water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit (if you’re at sea level).
When you go to a job interview, do you speak what you believe – or what you know? The answer can help you discover where the confidence comes from.
Applying what you know to be true, consider how you would approach these seven toughest job interview questions.
- Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself? This is a trick question. The real question is “how can your personality and background benefit me and this organization?” Knowing that personality can change, according Psychology Today, can help you answer this one. Quoting chapter and verse from your Meyers/Briggs or DISC profile shows that you took a test and showed some valuable self-awareness. Congratulations. Now: What is the impact of your consciousness? What did you discover on your trip? After all, if being an INFJ was all it took to get the job, you’d already have it. It’s good to show that you know yourself. It is better to show that you know how you can be useful to your employer. Connecting your life experience and personality to the job is the best.
- Where do you see yourself in five years? This is an impossible question. What are you having for lunch next Thursday? Unless you’re a caterer, it’s unknown – because we all know the future is uncertain. The fact is, when the future comes, you will know it. Detailed plans showing you know exactly what 2026 will look like are speculation at best. So how do you discover and decide over time what trajectory your career will take? How will you approach the future – without predicting it? Start with what is known: the future begins right now. Always. A future goal (such as where you would like to be in five years) brought to the present moment (right here, right now) is called value. What are your values right now and where are these values leading you? The next five years may be a mystery, but what matters to you right now is something that is known. Is a path emerging from what you value most right now?
- Why do you want this job? Every company from Denny’s to the Department of Defense hires for one thing and one thing only. From the supply closet to the C-Suite, organizations are looking solution providers. What is the solution you know you can provide? How does this position relate to your values? This question is an opportunity to talk about your commitment and express what is most important to you. How does this gig align with who you are and the solution you know you can provide?
- What is your greatest strength? Try to answer this one with the same conviction that you could describe the way gravity works or the fact that horses stand on all fours. There is no arrogance in describing what is known. And remember, false modesty is still false. As they say in Texas, “It’s not bragging if you can do it.” If you say something like “creative problem solving” – how do you know that’s you? Examples and confirmations are key in answering this question. Show, don’t tell, your greatest strength.
- What is your biggest weakness? There are great answers from Harvard Business Review, Indeed, and other resources about it. But the resource that will help you most with this question is: authenticity. Here’s your chance to be vulnerable and show your initiative. What would you do if loved your weakness? You would take care of it – either take a course to improve yourself, delegate this task to someone more qualified, or tune in to focus on other things. Fall in love with your weakness before you answer this question and your answer will show that you are taking action that aligns with your values. Start with authenticity and add action and you’re on the right track.
- What is your goal? Questions as broad as all in the open are always difficult. If an overarching grand vision for your career feels like a bridge too far, remember: You already know how to answer that. Look at your values and see if purpose begins to emerge. Be careful not to make any bold and unsupported aspiration—unless “fake it ’til you make it” is your goal in life.
- Why should I hire you? Without any intrusive thoughts, consider the service you know you can provide. Think about how you might answer this question if you weren’t thinking about you. It’s hard to do because we often fall into the misunderstanding that the job interview is about us – the person applying for the job! But it’s never about you—it’s about what you can do with, through, and for others. So without subjective mind chatter or personal opinion, what do you know to be true about the solution you offer, the contribution you make, the values you hold, and the impact you can create? Speak as if you were a scientist, describing a hypothesis and related experiment. The scientist does not feel regret, shyness or limiting beliefs about the experiment. It’s just an experiment! And here’s what is known and not a matter of faith: experiments never fail. Even if the hypothesis doesn’t work, the experiment isn’t a failure. Because a good scientist is always more informed, no matter how the experiment goes.
What is known in the job interview process
The job interview process is a series of experiments. Sharing your story may not be easy, but there is a way to make it easier. Start with what you know, focus on service, and speak from a place of conviction. Projections of the future are difficult for anyone to handle, so bring those aspirations back to the present moment. Discover your values. Start there, and you just might find you’re valued — above other applicants.
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