Most difficult questions asked in an interview?

What are some of the most difficult questions asked in an interview?

Tough interview questions are supposed to challenge job candidates and make them think on their feet. But you can be prepared ahead of time.

I've compiled 10 tough interview questions — and how to answer them.

1. In a news story about your life, what would the headline be?

The interviewer wants to gain insight into your general attitude and outlook on life, be clear and to the point, summarizing key highlights in one short sentence. The most important thing to focus on is ensuring your answer portrays a positive side of you. Future employers aren’t keen on negative staff.

2. What colour is your brain?

Colours are commonly linked to describing a person’s mood, the interviewee is trying to gage how you work and whether your personality would fit in well with their working environment.

There are some dependable colours that represent positive attributes, but always stay loyal to who you are. If you are a passionate person, for example red, then be honest by saying that, always making sure that whatever colour you pick is described with positive undertones throughout.

3. What fruit would you be?

The interviewer may be trying to understand how creative the candidate is with this seemingly strange question.

'Would you choose a traditional trustworthy option, such as the humble apple? Or maybe show your travelling prowess by saying a durian fruit. It provides the interviewer with an insight into your levels of creativity.

Depending on the role you are going for this will affect your answer. If you are applying for creative designer role, the more unusual the fruit, and reason why you chose it, the better. If it’s an accountancy role, maybe you should go with a safer option. The important thing is that you are able to say why so that your personality shines through – that’s what the interviewer will be looking for.

4. What if you work here for five years and don't get promoted? Many of our employees don't. Won't you find it frustrating?

I consider myself ambitious, but I'm also practical. As long as I am continuing to learn and grow within my position, I'll be a happy camper. Different companies promote people at different rates, and I'm pretty confident that working for you will keep me motivated and mentally stimulated for several years to come.

5. What is your biggest weakness that's really a weakness, and not a secret strength?

I am extremely impatient. I expect my employees to prove themselves on the very first assignment. If they fail, my tendency is to stop delegating to them and start doing everything myself.

To compensate for my own weakness, however, I have started to really prep my people on exactly what will be expected of them.

6. You have changed careers before.Why should I let you experiment on my nickel?

As a career-changer, I believe that I'm a better employee because I've gained a lot of diverse skills from moving around. These skills help me solve problems creatively.

7. If you knew that things at your company were rocky, why didn't you get out of the company sooner?

I was working so hard to keep my job while everyone around me was being cut that I didn't have any time left over to look for another job. With all of the mergers that have been happening in our field, layoffs are a way of life. At least I gave it my best shot!

8. From your resume, it looks like you were fired twice. How did that make you feel?

After I recovered from the shock both times, it made me feel stronger. It's true that I was fired twice, but I managed to bounce back both times and land jobs that gave me more responsibility, paid me more money, and were at better firms.

The morale here is very high. I've been exposed to the "seamy underbelly" of this business, but I'm still passionate about working in it.

9. Are you telling me that, now that you're forty-something, you would be willing to start at an entry-level position just to get your foot in the door here?

Sometimes you need to take a step backward to move your career forward. Starting in an entry-level role would allow me to learn your business from the ground up.

The career that I've been in is so different than yours that I would love the opportunity to start over again in your field. The salary cut will be well worth it.

10. What if you worked with someone who managed to 'take credit' for all your great ideas. How would you handle it?

First, I would try to credit her publicly with the ideas that were hers. Sometimes, by being generous with credit, it spurs the other person to "return the favor."

If that doesn't solve it, I'd try to work out an arrangement where we each agreed to present the ideas that were our own to our bosses. If that doesn't work, I would openly discuss the situation with her.

However, if the person taking credit for my ideas was my boss, I would tread cautiously. To some extent, I believe that my job

Some To Do's:

• If you don’t understand a question, rephrase it by saying, 'Do you mean …?' or ask for more detail. This will put you on the same page as the hiring manager and enable you to provide a targeted response.
• Don’t let nerves get the better of you
• Don’t assume the worst
• You may meet with many interviewers at a company, some less prepared and experienced than others. Be patient with each successive meeting, even when the same questions are being asked multiple times. Your calm demeanor will count in your favour in the final selection.