#  > Faadoo Engineers Zone - For Students in Engineering Colleges >  > Communication Skills for Engineers/ Personality Development zone/ Interviews Tips & Tricks >  >  Job interviews: Answer 10 tricky questions

## Manoj

*Job interviews: Answer 10 tricky questions*


THE formula for success in job interviews is not written in stone,  especially when it comes to tricky questions. For instance if you are  being interviewed for a sales position, a potential employer may ask  you, What would you do if a clients hinted at kickbacks? 
 How would you respond? Will you appear shocked or deliver your answer  with poise? Here are some suggestions on how to answer 10 such  questions. Being prepared will give an edge, and not to mention, boost  your confidence. 



*1. Tell us about a difficult relationship in your personal life you have had to cope with?* 
 Dont go into too many details about what happened, when and where.  Dont condemn the other person or defend yourself. Talk about what you  had learnt from the experience. 

*2. Your boss-to-be is short-tempered, impatient and abrasive. Can you work with someone, of such a temperament?* 
 Working with a short-tempered and very abrasive boss is not easy.  Stating that you can effectively work under each and every person, in  any and every situation will make you seem over-confident, and  unrealistic. Do you get upset if youre shouted or screamed at? Does it  leave you de-motivated or disillusioned for long? If your answer to the  latter question is in the negative, let the panel know that unpleasant  experiences dont weigh you down for too long. 

*3. Since you are in sales, some clients may hint at getting  kick-backs. How will you handle such situations, since as a policy we  dont offer bribes?* 
 When asked awkward questions like this, it helps if you plead ignorance.  It may be also a test to check your views on bribes. They may ask if  you have bribed anyone or what you would do, if you witnessed a  government employee accepting a bribe. Tell them your personal  experiences or views. Companies always respect individuals who are  truthful and who possess a clear (not rigid) opinion on most matters. 

*4. Why have you fared averagely in Academics?* 
 Many interviewers pay importance to what you have scored in your board  examinations. If you had fared averagely and are asked to explain the  reason, theres not much you can do. It would help if you honestly admit  that you have only yourself to blame (if that is really the case) and  in future you will be clear about your priorities and work hard to  achieve your goals. 

*5. Our industry requires a lot of social interaction with clients -  over drinks and at parties. Are you comfortable with smoking and  drinking?* 
 Smoking isnt cool. And many corporate head-honchos are teetotallers. It  may be okay to say that you are uncomfortable around smokers and dont  enjoy social drinking. And do you really need to explain why you would  not like to smoke or drink? No, its a personal choice.
 If youre applying for a job in an advertising or marketing consulting  firm you may be asked if youre okay with working on a tobacco or liquor  account. If you feel you can never perform your job well, if the job  involves promoting these products, then mention that you want to work on  brands, which you are passionate about, and since you are convinced  that tobacco or alcohol is injurious to health you may not be the best  person to work on an account that involves actively promoting related  brands. 

*6. Since you are a lady, and most of our clients are males, it is  highly likely that some clients will try to be over-friendly. How will  you handle such situations?* 
 Will you be upset by such behaviour? If youre confident that you can  deal with such clients, only then tell the interviewers how you think  you can be professional, yet not interact with clients who youre  uncomfortable with. Honesty is the best policy. 

*7. Tell us about your weaknesses?* 
 What do you say besides the stereotyed good weaknesses  impatience,  over-enthusiasm? All of us have weaknesses, but do we need to mention  all? And do you weaknesses surface all the time, or on occasions? For  instance, while talking about your own traits such as a short temper or  abrasiveness you can indicate that you display such traits or behaviour  at some times only.
 If your weakness is lack of time management, you could say that you are  working on it and hope to overcome it over a period of time. Think about  this and answer accordingly. 

*8. You will be replacing a person who we are letting go of. In the  few weeks that you spend with him, you have to learn as much about his  job so that you can continue doing his work effectively. Do you feel you  are okay with this arrangement?* 
 Not an easy situation to be in. While you can try your best to learn as  much as you can, what will you do in case your predecessor does not  cooperate and tell you all that you need to know? You could point out  that you may need your organisations support, cooperation and  intervention, if need be, in such a circumstance. 

*9. What if we hired you for one job profile and then change it within weeks?* 
 Your response will depend on your future plans. If youre interested in a  sales job, because you want to pursue a career in marketing, then youd  obviously not want to work in finance or accounts. However, if youre  unsure which area interests you, and would like to learn about the  different functions in an organisation, this might be a good opportunity  to explore. You should preferably talk about why you prefer some roles  or jobs. At the same time try to avoid talking about why you dont like  particular roles. 

*10. What salary do you expect? What if we told you we cannot pay you for the first three months?* 
 State that since it is the start of your career, learning and experience  are more important than salary. If youre still asked to quote a  specific amount give them a general indication on what you would like to  earn. Dont over-quote. If a company states that for whatever reason  they wont pay a salary for the first few months, make sure they are not  one of those outfits, which exploit those who need work experience. If  the organisation offers a good learning environment, tell them youre  joining the organisation for the valuable experience and youre  confident youll soon receive a salary commensurate with your  performance.     

*Cardinal rules* 
 1.  Arrive preferably 15 minutes early, so you can relax, freshen up 
  2. Gauge the company dress code, dress appropriately 
  3.  No unclean hair, sweaty visage or dirty hands with pen marks 
  4.  Keep two copies of your rsum, handy 
  5.  Carry a notepad and pen 
  6. Be poised, confident, but not too relaxed or over-confident. 
  7.  If youre unsure about an answer and need time to think, request the  interviewer if you can take a minute to think and respond 
  8.  Be patient, be courteous 
  9.  Never interrupt even if the interviewer is stating a wrong fact. Let  him complete the sentence and then respond. Words like please and  thank you also go a long way 
  10.  If there are two or more interviewers, make eye contact with all..





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## bishtmaster

Hi Manoj

Well I can say this is a handful article. This will really help the students in tackling the interviews. This is Good example of SWOT(Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threats) analysis. Thumbs up for such a useful tips.

_________________________
Air Conditioning   Units

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## vikashooda

Hey Manoj,

Nice article....

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## sciengprof

Hi Manoj,this article is excellent and thought provoking.It tells us what to say and what not to say.I really found it to be interesting because you did not give ready made answers instead you gave us a tip to tell our own answer.

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