Answering Tough Interview Questions

There is no doubt that one of the most difficult aspects of interviewing for a new job is answering the tough questions. And while we KNOW that they are coming, it is still a challenge to deal with it one-on-one.

So what can you do?

1. Ask yourself the tough questions. Begin by asking yourself the tough questions. The MSN Careers site has a great list of 10 questions along with recommendations as to how you can best answer them.

2. Rehearse. Write out the tough questions and then have a friend sit down and rehearse them with you. Try some role-play. And the important part? Keep going over them until you feel comfortable with the answer. I don’t mean five or six times. I mean 10 or 20 times.

3. Ask your friends. Talk to your closest friends and trusted colleagues. Ask them to honestly tell you where your strengths lie. Use this as an answer - “I was speaking with a colleague the other day, and she suggested that …”.

4. Take notes. Remember, an interview is about finding a good fit. That means that you need to feel that the potential employer is a good fit for you, your skills and your aspirations. So take notes into the interview with you. Refer back to them.

5. Remember your blog. If you have a blog (and you should - after all blogs are the new CVs), go back through it and read it. Get to know it from a reader’s point of view. After all, a smart recruiter will have researched you and found your blog before an interview. They will be expecting consistency.