How to answer these 5 tricky questions during a job interview

To get a job, you cannot avoid the traditional face-to-face or telephone interview. During the recruitment interview, certain questions are unavoidable and some of them are tricky questions that do not necessarily have a direct link with the position or the company, but which allow the recruiter to know more about yourself.

Good preparation is therefore essential to approach them without stress and without making mistakes. Here are 5 tricky questions and the best way to approach them.

Tell me about a time you failed.

Make sure you pick a real, actual failure you can speak honestly about, tell your story without blaming other people-you have to show that you take full responsibility for the failure and do not blame your colleagues to clear yourself from your responsibilities.

Do not forget to share what you have learned. It is OK to make mistakes, everyone fails at some point, but it is important to show that you have learned from the situation and what steps you have taken to prevent it from happening again. After all, employers are looking for people who are self-aware, able to accept feedback and willing to improve.

How do you deal with pressure?

Questions on stress tolerance are very common, especially for executive roles, and yet many candidates answer them wrong. Here the recruiter is looking for information on how well you can handle stress and how you deal with it, while at the same time pointing out that the position has stressful periods.

Are you the kind of person who uses stress positively? You can say with conviction that you usually do your best work when you are under pressure with tight deadlines. Add to this an example of a situation that happened in your life or previous job to illustrate. Alternatively, you can demonstrate your stress management through elements from outside the office that are related to good stress management, such as a sport that you practice to unwind or an artistic activity that you find relaxing.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

It is a real trick question - you have to appear ambitious, but also down-to-earth, humble, and consistent in what you say. You should not let the recruiter think that this job is just a step to better rebound elsewhere. The best thing to do is to think realistically about what the job could do for you. What if the job is not necessarily a smooth journey to your goals? You can say that you are not quite sure what the future holds, but that you believe this experience will play an important role in helping you make that decision.

What are your strategies for keeping work-life balance?

This question is essential to show that you value your own mental health and will take care of yourself.

Share a hobby that you enjoy outside of work, perhaps a sport that allows you to relax, meditation that helps you to de-stress or painting to develop your creativity that will have the advantage of making you appear as an interested and active person who occupies their time with exciting activities

What should I know that is not on your resume?

It is a good sign if a recruiter is interested in more than what is on your CV. It most probably means that they have reviewed your CV, think you might be suitable for the job and want to know more about you. Here you can venture to talk about what really interests you outside the work context. If your hobby is drinking lager for breakfast, forget it. But if you have a degree to be a ski instructor, are training for a marathon or have been a finalist in an international piano competition, this is a good time to show that you can get involved in something you are passionate about.