Tricky interview questions. Why did you quit your last job? The trickiest interview questions and how to answer them

Rabota.ru answered frequently asked questions from the “Interview is impossible” category. Now don't be afraid of anything.

Sometimes they ask such questions that they confuse you. Perhaps the most popular: “Tell me about yourself?” Instead of an effective answer, many applicants mutter hackneyed phrases in response. It becomes awkward - the interview is ruined. Rabota.ru has compiled a list of the 9 most insidious interview questions, according to applicants. And then I interrogated the recruiters why they asked them and what to answer.

— We were invited to an interview at a well-known pharmaceutical chain in Moscow. Passed all stages of interviews (five meetings, including the general director, shareholders and security service). At the final meeting with the shareholder, the question: “What is your zodiac sign?” I'm talking. To me: “No, thank you, we don’t need you.” — from the tournament of disgruntled workers “,” which is currently taking place on Rabote.ru. The question about the zodiac sign is one of the exotic ones, and if the answer to it is the main criterion for selecting personnel in a company, then it is better to politely bow out immediately. Because it’s some kind of obscurantism, not business. But the example is illustrative. Strange things are asked at interviews. And some of them, unfortunately for vulnerable candidates, are quite justified.

Questions labeled “tricky” are not offensive and have a practical meaning. Unlike the harmless ones - about education, work experience, place of residence - the insidious ones hide a catch. They are asked to look at the candidate’s reaction in an unexpected situation, to test for intelligence, resourcefulness, and fluency. Consider that these are test problems that you shouldn’t be offended by - they need to be solved.

1. Tell us about yourself?

The most “inconvenient” question, according to Rabota.ru visitors. It is believed that with its help you can find out about the candidate’s priorities in life: people first of all talk about what worries them most. Olga Bezumova, recruitment manager at the recruitment agency “,” says that the employer is primarily interested in your education and work experience and is not interested in hearing about your hobbies. Elena Volkova, head of a recruiting company, advises telling a little about everything: about education and hobbies. According to Yulia Tartakovskaya, HR manager at the group of companies, this question needs to be specified: specify what exactly to talk about, about your professional experience or something personal.

If this is your first meeting with an employer, it is advisable to keep questions about your personal life to a minimum. It is unknown how the recruiter will react to revelations about hemp farming, fighting hamsters and other skeletons in your closet.

2. What are your shortcomings?

A question of intelligence and a sense of proportion. Don't try to be witty by boldly declaring that you are lazy or prone to office romances. It’s better to joke in moderation, for example: “Sometimes I make so much money that I stop feeling the passage of time.” Or answer neutrally: “Of course, I have shortcomings, but they do not affect my work in any way,” advises Olga Bezumova. But it is better not to reveal real shortcomings under any pretext.

3. Why did you leave your previous job?

The employer wants to know what you weren’t happy with at your previous job and what you expect from your new one. The main thing: never speak badly about your former boss or colleagues - this is doubtful and ugly. Say: “There was no career advancement in sight.” You can refer to the same responsibilities and routine at the old place, to the fact that it is geographically inconvenient, the schedule did not suit you - and it is better if all this is true. Just keep in mind: when choosing one of these answers, you need to be sure that everything is in order with career growth, responsibilities, etc. in the new company. It’s better to talk about the desire to receive more last, as if by the way, saying that money is not the only reason my employment. For some reason, many employers like to think that all good employees work more for the idea.

4. What is the desired minimum and maximum salary?

In other words, can the company buy you and keep you for some time? Feel free to name an amount that is 10-15% higher than your previous salary. “The maximum is 30%,” adds Elena Volkova.

5. How long do you plan to work with us?

That is, what are your goals and motives and how sincere you are. “To answer the question, I have to work a little and understand whether I like the team, whether the tasks I have to solve are interesting, whether the atmosphere in the team is close to me. If you like everything, then our cooperation will be long and mutually beneficial,” Yulia Tartakovskaya offers an answer.

6. Tell us about your achievements?

Testing self-esteem and prudence. Tell us that you increased sales, successfully implemented a project, improved your skills, and received a gold cup. The main thing is not to overdo it. Of course, not everyone can boast of super-achievement. If what is written above is not about you, say that in your previous place you mastered a new one computer program, increased the level foreign language, or maybe they established peace and tranquility in a rowdy office - that’s not bad either.

7. How do you cope with the enormous workload?

Yeah, most likely you are being prepared for overtime. Ask a counter question: “Is processing possible? How many hours? How many times a month? If everything suits you, confidently say that you are ready for “colossal production loads.”

8. What do you know about our company?

The question is insidious only for the lazy. You need to know a minimum about the company. At least check out her website. And in order not to confuse one company with another, do not go to more than 2 interviews a day.

9. Why do you want to work with us?

Usually this is a continuation of the question “about our company” - an attempt to completely confuse the candidate and extract some kind of information from him. secret reason employment. It’s better to keep silent about money at first. Start from afar - flatter a little: the company has been on the market for many years, and this indicates stability (this is exactly what you need), the company is a revolutionary in the market (this is exactly what you need), it is interesting to work in such and such an area, you are satisfied with the position, responsibilities , the office location is convenient and the like.

Finally, let’s sweeten the pill for novice job seekers. Most interviews are conducted by line managers, your future bosses. “And they are often no recruiters. They ask some tricky question, and then, without hearing the answer, they move on to another topic. Such managers simply “float” because they think: they need to ask something smart, but they don’t know what exactly and how to analyze the answer. They ask in order to ask at least something,” said one HR director friend of mine. Therefore, during an interview, sometimes what is more important is not the content of the answer to a tricky question, but its presentation. Yes, show off. Be calm, answer confidently, pronounce words clearly, ask counter questions. There is nothing to be afraid of, you are the best, and this is another meeting with a person, an ordinary person.

Ekaterina Kozhevatova

So, you have been invited for an interview. Do you really want to work in this position and are very afraid of not passing the selection? Then you need to gather all your willpower and prepare for the conversation: think about your clothing style and rehearse your speech, taking into account likely questions.

11 basic interview questions and smart answers to them can be found here. How to answer difficult and non-standard questions to please the employer? What questions the recruiter will ask depends on what position the employee is being hired for, however, as a rule, there is a standard set of questions that are asked to all applicants, which will be discussed below.

Before conducting an interview, the employer usually asks the applicant to fill out a special questionnaire, a sample of which can be viewed.

IN lately Situational questions are very popular, when the employer describes the situation and asks the applicant to choose the correct behavior in this situation.

11 main interview questions with answers

1. How to answer the question - Tell us about yourself at the interview.

When answering this question and other questions from the interviewer, remain calm and speak in a confident tone. Tell us what will be important for the employer to hear: place of study and specialty, work experience, knowledge and skills, interest in this particular work and personal qualities - resistance to stress, learning ability, hard work. This point is discussed in more detail in, where an approximate story of the applicant about himself is given, as well as recommendations on how best to answer.

2. What to answer at an interview to the question - Why did you quit?

When answering the question why you left your previous job, do not talk about conflicts at your previous job and do not speak badly about your boss or colleagues. You may be suspected of conflict and inability to work in a team. It is better to remember the positive moments from past experience, and name the reason for leaving as the desire to fully realize your abilities, the desire to improve your professional level and pay.

3. How to answer the question - Why do you want to work for us?

Start with the positive aspects of the company's work - stability and a professional, well-coordinated team, interest in the field of activity, and then add what attracts you to the position and work schedule, proximity to home, decent wages.

4. Why do you think you are suitable for this position?

How to answer the question - why should we hire you? Here you must prove very clearly and convincingly that you are the best specialist in this field. Tell us about the work of the company and the industry in which you are going to work, do not hesitate to praise yourself, tell us about your achievements.

5. How should you answer a question about shortcomings at an interview?

The question of shortcomings is quite a tricky one. It’s not worth posting your disadvantages as best you can. Name such “disadvantages” that look more like advantages. For example: I’m picky about my work, I don’t know how to distance myself from work. And it’s best to say neutrally: I, like everyone else, have shortcomings, but they do not in any way affect my professional qualities.

6 secrets for a successful interview

6. What strengths do you have?

• communication skills;
• learning ability;
• punctuality;
• diligence.

These are standard examples of advantages that are included in almost every application; they do not carry any special significance for the employer, and do not distinguish the applicant from others in any way.

It is better to talk at an interview about professional advantages that will be useful and interesting to the employer:

• I have experience in negotiations at various levels;
• easily conclude important agreements and contracts;
• I can organize my work day rationally, etc.

Such answers will attract attention and stand out among other answers.

7. What salary do you expect?

The services of a good specialist cannot be cheap. There is an option - name an amount higher than the average salary, or focus on the salary you received at your previous job and inflate it by 10 -15%. Stick to the golden mean, otherwise they may think that either you bad specialist, or too ambitious.

8. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?

Persistent and purposeful people set long-term goals, plan their personal and career growth. If you haven't thought about this question yet, do so before your interview. Focus on your desire to work in the same company, but during this time climb the career ladder.

Do not hide your previous place of work, be prepared to give phone numbers former colleagues and managers. If you hesitate or avoid answering this question altogether, the employer may assume that you want to avoid negative feedback.

10. Are you ready for professional workload?

The employer can hint at overtime in this way. In this case, ask how often they are possible: how many times a month or for how many hours. If you are ready for such conditions, then confirm your readiness for stress.

11. Do you have any additional questions?

It's time to find out the details of your future work: starting from the schedule and social networks. package, to the requirements for company employees. A person who does not ask questions after an interview shows disinterest. So there must be questions, and it is best to think through them in advance.

Examples of excellent, good and bad answers to interview questions:

Video - awkward interview questions

An HR manager asking difficult questions does not intend to scare or offend you. It is important for him to know how suitable you are for the position.

What does "tricky" mean?

A tricky interview question confuses, makes you think, and provokes.

“Do you prefer to do the work you love for less pay, or do what you don’t like for more money?”

Any answer can always be used against you:

“I prefer to do what I like. – Is money so unimportant to you? But what about the need to feed the family? You have two children!”

“I like getting good money. “Did I understand correctly: if our competitors offer a higher salary, then you will immediately go to them?”

In order to solve a tricky problem, you must learn to combine contradictions, extract the positive from the negative, and avoid extremes.

“Getting good money at a job you love is every person’s dream. I believe that it is feasible. I love my profession and am constantly improving in it. Compared to my first salary, my income has increased fivefold. Your company has a stable position in the market, good development prospects, including for employees. I want to work for you. I hope you will appreciate my contribution."

How to avoid getting into trouble: be responsible

Do you want to learn how to structure answers to tricky questions at interviews? Start with a sober, calm assessment of your experience.

1. “Why did you leave your previous job?”/ “Tell me about your former boss”

Do not blame the ex-manager and the team - this is an unconditional taboo. Don't cite "no growth prospects" because the real reason They can always check.

Did you quit because of a conflict? Try to frame this as a learning experience for yourself and an advantage for the company.

“I became a good specialist, but I overestimated my strength. Each of us was right in our own way, we saw different prospects for business promotion. I should have been more flexible and loyal. “I worked carefully on myself, stopped expecting everything at once, and became more restrained in my assessments.”

Do tricky interview questions make you uncomfortable?

Everyone knows: for one beaten one they give ten unbeaten ones. A good HR person will prefer to hire a person who knows how to competently criticize himself and others. One of the trickiest questions in a job interview is to name your shortcomings. former boss. Present them as advantages:

• “An authoritarian character helped him manage the enterprise flawlessly.”
• “She was not a brilliant leader, but she impeccably carried out orders from above and competently carried out the company’s policies.”/li>

“Why do they intend to work with us?”/ “Which wages do you want?

There is no need to flatter and invent. It’s better to carefully study the company’s website, read reviews about it, and try to make inquiries from friends. Go to trading floor, at the reception, note the style of communication between employees.

How to confidently answer tricky questions about salary during an interview? First ask about job responsibilities, think about what you can do and what you need to learn.

“What would you do if you hit the jackpot?”

“I will give away 10 million dollars to children with cancer” sounds nice, but... false. HR managers - good psychologists who have a great understanding of human nature. Give them a little surprise.

“Oh yeah, that's really cool! You can stop working, buy yourself a house on the islands and put the rest on a deposit, but... It’s still better to invest it in business. Open your store, pay for good education. Part for a deposit, part for charity. I will relax in the Maldives and continue to work. I’m not used to idleness, and I also really value the experience I’ve gained.”

Naturalness is the key to success

The fear of tricky interview questions forces many to memorize the “correct” answers. This is a big mistake. In a real interview, you will get stressed when the conversation doesn't go as planned.

Some try to answer as quickly as possible, fearing that the employer will regard delay or embarrassment as an attempt to lie. Show real emotions, don't be a robot. If something confused you or made you think, then honestly admit:

“Wow, unexpected question! You need to think, I don’t like to jump to conclusions / make hasty decisions.”

Avoid the role of the defendant in the dialogue. Something alarming? Don't be afraid to clarify. This will show your interest in your work and your level of self-respect.

A qualified person is able to identify the applicant’s skills during a short interview and decide whether he is worthy of the position and whether he can cope with the job. In other words, the specialist strives to force the applicant to reveal his abilities. To do this, tricky questions are often used. Learn to recognize them, formulate a correct, polite and comprehensive answer, and also show yourself in better light during an interview, you can use the following tips.

Preliminary preparation for the interview

Tricky questions when applying for a job can spoil even the most savvy and educated specialist in their field, because they are ambiguous by nature. They can be interpreted in several ways, often in completely opposite ways. The solution to this problem can be initial preparation for the interview and formulation of answers that are general and vague in essence, but definitely reasonable and correct.

The applicant must structure his answer so that general provisions did not raise doubts, discussions, or objections.

For example, a good answer to the question “How will you be useful to the company” can be a phrase in which the applicant talks about the prospect of using his accumulated experience for the benefit of the company. Such a response will emphasize the desire to learn, act in the interests of the organization, and the desire for professional growth.

It is better to practice having a conversation with an HR specialist with close people, but you can also do it in front of a mirror. This is necessary to build a successful behavioral strategy during an interview.

Psychologists also recommend observing for some time your own behavior, postures taken at home, in other places, in tense situations or when a person is interested in something. Observations should be analyzed and those poses and movements that demonstrate self-confidence, enthusiasm, and desire for success should be highlighted. Among these poses are a straight back, relaxed and backward-directed shoulders, and the back of the head, the hand supporting the chin.

The feigned self-confidence will be revealed by a tense jawline, pursed lips or eyebrows drawn together to the bridge of the nose. By training in front of a mirror, you should get rid of these signs.

During a conversation, it is advisable not to cross your arms, but you can hold the elbow of the other with one palm. The tilt of the head matters, but only if it is not too strong and does not change too often. You can talk about personal things - hobbies, family, tilting your head to the right, and about professional interests, tilting your head to the left.

It is undesirable to cross your legs or swing your leg. It is also undesirable to change position many times in a row in a short period of time - this is how a person demonstrates to the interviewer his nervousness.

To avoid problems with a suit, it is advisable to choose one that the applicant has already worn once. Familiar clothes will help you feel more confident, which will definitely affect your behavior.

The meaning of tricky questions

Tricky interview questions are typical for many recruiters. They are simple and uncomplicated only at first glance, but in fact they are aimed at obtaining the information that the candidate is trying to hide. An overly impulsive gesture, a laugh, or an attempt to hide his gaze is a signal that the applicant is nervous or does not answer too honestly. Inconvenient questions brought to clean water the one to whom they were asked, unless, of course, the subject was ready for them.

If the applicant has already lied once during an interview and the interviewer has doubts, an incorrect answer to a tricky question will only aggravate the inconsistency. It is not recommended to tell lies during an interview.

Also, the employer, based on the applicant’s answers, draws conclusions about how serious he is in his intention to work in this particular company, whether he changes his mind too often, whether he is a team player or prefers to work independently. Based on the applicant's reaction to the question, the employer also sees aspirations and urges that often even the candidate himself does not notice.

Tricky questions are also aimed at testing a candidate's morality. The employer wants to know whether the applicant is not neglecting the truth in order to appear innocent in sensitive situations (relating, for example, to a previous workplace), and how far the applicant is able to go if the prospect of foul play arises.

A candidate's motivation and character can also be seen through answers to tricky questions. From the information he provides, you can understand how he treats difficulties - whether he gives up or solves them, whether he likes to learn new things or prefers typical and outdated methods of overcoming difficulties.

Tricky interview questions and good answers to them

What tricky questions can be asked during an interview? Here are some examples:

How to talk about your failures if such a question was asked

Tricky job interview questions usually end with the question “Tell me about work situation when you failed." In this way, the employer finds out those stress factors that could potentially break the applicant. The catch with this question is that it can radically change the already formed positive impression of the employee and the vacancy will be lost.

It is better to think over the answer to it in advance and rehearse it several times at home, observing the pace of speech and the timbre of your voice. You should speak in a calm voice, slowly, and clearly pronounce the words. This way, even a rehearsed speech can sound natural. The wording should be brief but succinct, imply a story about the shortcomings (but without fanaticism) that prevented you from completing the task, and remind the interviewer of the positive aspects.

You can add to this short monologue a few sentences about aspirations from a professional point of view. Not only failures in the past have meaning, but also the relationship to future work. We should talk about the desire to grow above ourselves.

An applicant who honestly describes the situation from different points of view runs less of a risk of seeming like a limited, uptight, and defeated person.

The hiring manager will want to hire an enthusiastic person who can articulate his thoughts and desires, knows how to achieve goals, but remembers his failures and is able to talk about them.

Summarizing the above, we can conclude that only preparation for tricky questions that may be asked during an interview will allow the applicant to demonstrate himself in a favorable light. It is also important to rehearse answers, control your emotions and free yourself from bad behavioral habits.

Today, when some employers test their potential employees with a lie detector, and others scour social networks in search of compromising photos, politically incorrect statuses or check-ins in hot places, it is not surprising that even at a seemingly ordinary interview, questions are becoming more and more sophisticated.

We asked six recruiting professionals working for companies in different industries to share their meanest, most pressing questions and give them the answers they want to hear.

1. “If you were a dinosaur, what kind would you be?”

Rob McInnes, Essential Recruitment

"This question weeds out candidates who can't think outside the box," says McInnes. The key is imaginative thinking. Before the interview, think about what qualities the ideal candidate for this position should demonstrate. “Remember the five main traits and apply them to answer the questions.” You may be asked what kind of car you would be, a politician, a world celebrity, or an extinct reptile, hoping that your answer will reveal your essence.

If the answer is too simple, it suggests that you seem to be unable to work under stressful conditions: “If you choose a tyrannosaurus, you most likely just said the first thing that came to your mind because you became withdrawn and lost the ability to think freely. Brontosaurus will indicate passivity, which is not suitable for positions where you need to be able to make quick decisions. Best choice- Velociraptor: They were strategists and team players with effective communication (don't forget to explain this). Such qualities are needed in any job.” The main thing is not to be too clever: the recruit may not know that the Sisyasaurus is rare species feathered dinosaurs, not your social media nickname.

2. “How would you describe yourself?”

Ricky Inoue, Morgan McKinley

"In fact, this is free theme, where everyone can choose where to turn the story. This is exactly what I need - I look at how the applicant feels in a situation where everything depends on him,” says Inoue. Avoid platitudes like “I believe communication is important at work” and instead use facts - for example, tell how you once got someone to completely change their point of view during a meeting. If you describe yourself as someone who gets things done, remember how many successful deals you have closed.

Don’t go into too detailed and confusing narrative about your life: “My paternal great-grandfather comes from the Don Cossacks, but when he was thirty years old, his forelock was pulled into a spinning wheel...”. “If you talk for more than two minutes, you'll bore the recruiter,” Inoue says. Try to write down your strengths and weaknesses on paper at home, and then all you have to do is build a coherent story based on them. Don't be afraid to admit some of your shortcomings. The ability to soberly evaluate oneself from the outside is always welcome. True, it’s better to remain silent about your weakness for “Khrenovukha”.

3. “How will you survive if you find yourself on a desert island?”

Richie Nanda, Shield Guarding Company

The key to the answer is the ability to think strategically. The main thing is to know what qualities are most important for survival. “You must be clear about what you will do with any threat that may await you on this island,” says Nanda. Remember books and films on this topic (“Robinson Crusoe”, “Cast Away”), programs from Discovery. But don't overcomplicate the answer. Survival specialist John “Lofty” Wiseman, who served in the British Special Airborne Service for 26 years, believes that only four things are enough for salvation: water, shelter, food and fire (and the same Grylls confirms this in his programs). Ask about the climate and area where the island is located before answering, and you will receive an additional plus.

4. “If you win the lottery, will you continue to work?”

Simon Dolan, SJD Accountancy

This is an ambition test that will show what you want from life - only money or money and something else. “The most common answer is: “I will do something, but most likely I won’t work like I used to,” Dolan says. “That tells me that work doesn’t interest you that much.” Don't limit yourself to this answer, try to show better that you have passion." This could be a job in charitable organization or, conversely, something exclusively selfish. If you love food, tell them you'll open a restaurant. If you love sports, say that you would like to sponsor a local team and help them become leaders. “Tying your business plans to this hypothetical pile of money will show that you are not just a dreamer, but a person who has an idea how to grow.” Dolan's favorite answer: "Actually, I'd rather make my own money."

5. “How do you act in a conflict situation?”

Norman Bearden, True North

This is a trick question - there is big difference between conflict resolution and conflict management. “You can achieve a lot more with the latter,” says Burden. Focus on this. Say it this way: sometimes conflict is simply necessary. Describe how you yourself initiated competition within a department to increase sales, or deliberately pushed different styles to win the tender. You can remember the classic “good and bad cops”, the conflict of which often helps to split the criminal in the movies.

"A good interview is all about dialogue," Burden says, so be prepared to use examples from your own life. Remember how you had to resolve disputes between friends when you were deciding how to spend your leisure time. And it is not at all necessary to say that you were going to a pub.

6. “I will ask you six questions. Answer them in any order according to importance."

Neil Owen, Robert Half Financial Services

"This diabolical technique tests not just your memory, but also how your priorities align with the company's values," Owen says. Before the interview, think about what the main problems your potential employer has (not the best image, strong competitors, etc.). “When answering questions, explain why you thought one or another was more important to the company,” Owen says. “Try to support your answers with facts, including how specifically you could help solve (or have already solved in the past) this or that problem.”

Well, now re-read these tips again and go ahead to the interview. With such an arsenal, you already have one foot on the next step of the career ladder.

Gone in denial

Specialists from the Superjob.ru portal interviewed 1,000 recruiters from different regions of Russia to find out why they refused jobs to applicants. Here are the main reasons:

31% incompetence, lack of knowledge and experience, low qualifications, lack of professionalism;
9% low motivation;
6% improper or unkempt appearance, lies and embellishment of one’s merits, inflated salary expectations;
4% lack of communication, inflated self-esteem and blatant illiteracy;
3% unreasonable ambitions or, on the contrary, lack of determination, as well as general inadequacy and self-doubt;
2% low level of intelligence, frequent job changes, inconsistency corporate culture, unconvincingness and inability to present oneself, as well as bad habits and alcoholism.