How to Answer Interview Questions

Your objective in your interview is to give your interviewer exactly the information that he or she needs to know to make a decision to advance you to the next stage of the recruitment process. This means giving them a complete and well-rounded understanding of who you are, what you do, and what advantages you can bring to the organization. So long as you remain focused on that overall objective and keep your answers closely aligned with the information your interviewer seeks, then you are holding up your side of the interview process.

What’s the best way to stay focused? By preparing yourself in advance and staying true to the substance of the interview. In other words, the more you know going in to the interview, the more comfortable you will be answering the questions that come your way. And the more easily you will stay in touch with the information the recruiter wants – and only that information.

You will most likely face challenging or difficult questions in your interview. That’s part of the process. The interviewer is seeking in-depth information – not only about what you do, but also about how you communicate your thoughts and ideas. The best answers are always the simple ones. Keep it short and simple. Stay focused. Avoid embellishment. Try to make your answers relevant and distinctive. Remember that the more open-ended a question is, the more likely you are to stumble around for an answer. Funnel down your responses in advance.

Here’s the key idea: use every question as an opportunity to convey information that is pertinent to the job. Use “bridging” techniques to answer the questions that come your way – assuming they are legitimate questions – and then quickly relate your answer back to some component of the job and your qualifications. In this way, you’ll continually reinforce the idea that you are well-suited and capable for the job.

  • Be forward thinking. Answer questions in terms of how you intend to become the very best at what you do in order to benefit the organization and yourself.
  • Be empathetic. Answer questions in a way that is relevant, meaningful and memorable for the interviewer.
  • Use examples. Without going into lengthy stories, try to use examples from your past work history to illustrate your experiences and qualifications.
  • A good story needs no embellishment. Tell the story based on facts and results. Let the interviewer draw his or her own conclusions.
  • Sell yourself, but gently.

In terms of communication style, it is good to remember that understatement can be the most elegant form of overstatement. If you keep your answers focused on showing the interviewer that you are aiming at helping the organization to achieve its results, and that you have the experience and qualifications to reach those goals efficiently, then he or she can draw their own conclusion – hopefully a positive one – about your suitability for the job.

Keep in mind that there are certain questions that your interviewer should not ask. In some cases these are inappropriate, and in others, they are illegal. All questions should be job-related and focused on your qualifications and ability to do the job, and not about your personal life.

Employers should never ask about your race, gender, religious preference, marital status, age, disabilities, ethnic background, sexual preferences or country of origin. To make hiring decisions based on any of this information is discriminatory.

What can you do if you are asked these questions? A good idea is to try to address the focus of the question. Answer the question based on the interviewer’s intent – whether or not you are capable of doing the job. The interviewer may really be trying to find out if you are authorized to work on sensitive information that may require a security clearance or able to travel freely. So try to get underneath the question and address those needs.

The most important thing to remember about answering questions is to be open and honest. Interviewers will gather information about you from a number of sources, so any hint at deception or dishonesty can come back to harm you later.

Good luck!