One of the biggest fears people have when it comes to job interviews is being forced to give answers to a battery of uncomfortable questions. That’s a perfectly natural concern – you never want to give answers that will cause you to be disqualified for the job. But there’s a way to avoid that. There are tough job interview questions you need to ask that can change both the nature and the outcome of the exchange between you and the interviewer.

Don’t be afraid to go on the offensive and ask tough job interview questions

The best way to handle any job interview is by taking control of it yourself. That means instead of being the interviewee, you become the interviewer. This isn’t as difficult as it sounds either. Most human resources people are not all that good at conducting deep interviews. And most managers do it only reluctantly. After all, it’s generally not a major part of their jobs and many never master it.

You can take advantage of those interviewer weaknesses by taking over the interview and asking most of the questions. This can seem aggressive on the surface, but in reality you may be making the interviewer’s job easier. In fact, it can make you the best interview they’ve had all month.

Asking questions is also the best way to avoid having to answer tough questions yourself. Have a list of questions that will be sufficient to fill an hour long interview, and the interviewer may even forget to ask you any serious questions.

And if they do ask questions that are getting a little tough, you can pull out one of your questions and use it to redirect the flow.

Asking the right questions will demonstrate your knowledge of the job

One of the qualities they’ll be considering is the job candidate’s ability to handle questions under fire. If you prove that you’re capable of handling such an exchange, you’ll also improve your candidacy – even if they didn‘t get a chance to ask you many questions. All they’ll take away is that you kept them actively engaged for the entire interview, and that will make you look strong.

In your list of questions you’ll want to include several that will confirm your understanding of the position. In order to come up with these questions, you’ll have to do some research on the company, on the industry, and on the specific position you’re applying for. You’ll want to ask in-depth questions that will show that you know what you’re talking about – even though you’re framing it in the form of a series of questions.

Most people can tell whether or not you know what you’re talking about simply by the questions you ask! Intelligent questions indicate an intelligent applicant. Your specific questions should show that you are that kind of candidate they want to hire. If you can ask enough of these questions, and in sufficient depth, the interviewer may come away completely convinced of your abilities even though you never actually answered many questions.

Questions you don’t want to ask

If you are going to ask intelligent questions, you must consciously stay away from frivolous ones. The worst kind of questions you can ask in a job interview are the ones about benefits, such as paid time off or the company’s pension plan. Those are dust collector questions that can give your interviewer the impression that you are only interested in a paycheck.

Keep the questions you ask relevant to the job at hand, and save the lighter stuff for later, like when an offer is made.

Bring a list of all-purpose tough questions

We already discussed having job-related questions, but there are some general questions you can and should ask that will further help you to control the interview. Here are a few you should ask.

Why did the last person in this job leave? One of the reasons that you want to ask tough questions is to determine if you even want the job. This is one of the best questions to ask in that direction. You want to know if that person was either fired or quit on their own. In either case, you want to know what the reason was. If the interviewer avoids the question, or gives a weak answer, it could be a tip off to you that there are problems that they don’t want to discuss. This is also an excellent question to pull out at any time during the interview that you’re feeling a little off-balance.

What are the biggest challenges the company (or department) face? Listen carefully to the answer to this question. This will not only tell you what kind of problems you may be stepping into, but it will also give you some idea as to how well the company’s handling it. This is an excellent time to demonstrate your abilities by making some suggestions as to what might be done to deal with those challenges. This single question opens up a whole new exchange of questions and answers that will give you the chance to further demonstrate your abilities.

What is the rate of employee turnover? This is excellent question to ask in an uncomfortable moment. If the answer to this question is anything less than positive, your interviewer will probably be on the defensive. This is another chance for you to see if you really want the job. Too much turnover is never good no matter what the circumstances. It could indicate either you will be a short-timer, or that you’ll be working in a department filled with workers who are essentially no better than temporary.

How is the company dealing with Industry Problem X? Not only do all companies have problems, but so do entire industries. This question will accomplish two things: it will give you a chance demonstrate your knowledge of the problem, and give you insight as to how the employer is approaching it. You may find that your solutions and their’s are not compatible. Interview over!

Describe the best job that could be done in this position. This is a loaded question, and that’s precisely why you need to ask it. You’re asking the interviewer to describe the perfect person for this job, and this will reveal plenty. You can tell for example, if the employer is looking to hire a person who will do the job of two or three people. You can even tell if the job is even doable. Based on their answers, you may decide it’s just not the right job for you. Or the response may give you a chance to highlight a skill that you have that will fit perfectly in the position.
 

If you’ve never asked these types of questions on a job interview it can be a bit of an adjustment. But it’s a necessary step nonetheless. Tough questions indicate your knowledge of the industry, and your ability to do the job. They also give the interviewer a sense of comfort with your ability. And they always come in handy to get you out of a tight spot with a tough set of questions.
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Try it on the next interview and see if you get better results.

What is your style in a job interview? Do you concentrate on answering questions, or do you try to take control of the interview?

( Photo from Flickr by bpsusf )

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