The 5 tricky questions you'll be asked in a job interview
Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 5:34 am
What HR staff want to know : They want to know if you're a good fit for the position. It's also a great time to connect with the company and project your level of motivation for the vacancy.
Response strategy : You must express the 3 fundamental pillars that identify you as the best candidate:
Your experience related to the position.
The sincere motivation you show towards that vacancy.
The skills you have to develop it with ease.
Example : I'm interested in this position because I have experience in Digital Marketing. In my previous job, I was responsible for planning, managing, and launching marketing campaigns. It's also a position I'm interested in and enjoy every step of the way, as I consider myself creative and analytical. From what I've seen on your website, your customer satisfaction is high, so I'd love to be part of a team like this, where great marketing strategies are created.
2. Describe a difficult situation you have experienced in a position similar to this one.
What HR staff want to know : They want to know your conflict resolution skills when faced with a problematic situation.
Response Strategy : This is your time to shine. Choose a situation about a day-to-day problem in the job that most closely resembles the one you bolivia mobile database are applying for and follow this simple response pattern:
Explain the situation to help the interviewer locate it.
Explain what you did to resolve that situation.
Detail how it was resolved.
To emerge as the star candidate, you'll need to choose a situation where your performance would be crucial to resolving the conflict, and where HR staff can positively assess your work skills.
Example : I was working at an advertising agency when a manager asked us to release a campaign earlier than agreed. I organized my team and divided up the tasks to be more efficient, so the campaign could be released as quickly as possible. After many hours of continuous work, reviews, extra meetings, and team cohesion, everything was delivered on time, and the client was very satisfied.
3. Where do you see yourself in 2 years?
What HR staff want to find out : They generally want to know if you're stable in your work life and your level of commitment to the position, since hiring a new employee involves an investment in training, time, and money. Therefore, they look for candidates who are willing to stay.
Response strategy : I advise you to always provide answers related to your job; they're not asking you about your personal life. This is one of the questions many candidates fail to answer. You should show self-confidence, so a good response strategy is to mention that you see yourself taking on new responsibilities. There's no right or wrong answer, but you should be honest and realistic.
Example : I'm very motivated by this position because, in two years, I'll surely have more knowledge of the field, and it's something I know I could only achieve through my experience with you. In two years, I see myself taking on new responsibilities and even leading projects.
4. Explain to me the reason for ending your last experience.
What HR staff wants to find out : They want to investigate your level of sincerity. You won't have time to explain the situation in detail, so don't mention circumstances that could lead to negative aspects, such as a conflictive personality or poor job performance.
Response strategy : Honesty comes first; if you lie, HR staff will pick up on it. So you need to play this card very well. If you find yourself in a situation where the contract ended because it had a specific term, the best-case scenario is to present it as is. On the other hand, if something shady happened with a boss or colleague, be careful! They're also testing your level of discretion. Never speak negatively about previous bosses and colleagues.
Response strategy : You must express the 3 fundamental pillars that identify you as the best candidate:
Your experience related to the position.
The sincere motivation you show towards that vacancy.
The skills you have to develop it with ease.
Example : I'm interested in this position because I have experience in Digital Marketing. In my previous job, I was responsible for planning, managing, and launching marketing campaigns. It's also a position I'm interested in and enjoy every step of the way, as I consider myself creative and analytical. From what I've seen on your website, your customer satisfaction is high, so I'd love to be part of a team like this, where great marketing strategies are created.
2. Describe a difficult situation you have experienced in a position similar to this one.
What HR staff want to know : They want to know your conflict resolution skills when faced with a problematic situation.
Response Strategy : This is your time to shine. Choose a situation about a day-to-day problem in the job that most closely resembles the one you bolivia mobile database are applying for and follow this simple response pattern:
Explain the situation to help the interviewer locate it.
Explain what you did to resolve that situation.
Detail how it was resolved.
To emerge as the star candidate, you'll need to choose a situation where your performance would be crucial to resolving the conflict, and where HR staff can positively assess your work skills.
Example : I was working at an advertising agency when a manager asked us to release a campaign earlier than agreed. I organized my team and divided up the tasks to be more efficient, so the campaign could be released as quickly as possible. After many hours of continuous work, reviews, extra meetings, and team cohesion, everything was delivered on time, and the client was very satisfied.
3. Where do you see yourself in 2 years?
What HR staff want to find out : They generally want to know if you're stable in your work life and your level of commitment to the position, since hiring a new employee involves an investment in training, time, and money. Therefore, they look for candidates who are willing to stay.
Response strategy : I advise you to always provide answers related to your job; they're not asking you about your personal life. This is one of the questions many candidates fail to answer. You should show self-confidence, so a good response strategy is to mention that you see yourself taking on new responsibilities. There's no right or wrong answer, but you should be honest and realistic.
Example : I'm very motivated by this position because, in two years, I'll surely have more knowledge of the field, and it's something I know I could only achieve through my experience with you. In two years, I see myself taking on new responsibilities and even leading projects.
4. Explain to me the reason for ending your last experience.
What HR staff wants to find out : They want to investigate your level of sincerity. You won't have time to explain the situation in detail, so don't mention circumstances that could lead to negative aspects, such as a conflictive personality or poor job performance.
Response strategy : Honesty comes first; if you lie, HR staff will pick up on it. So you need to play this card very well. If you find yourself in a situation where the contract ended because it had a specific term, the best-case scenario is to present it as is. On the other hand, if something shady happened with a boss or colleague, be careful! They're also testing your level of discretion. Never speak negatively about previous bosses and colleagues.