22 Tough Job Interview Questions Answered

Tips for Work and Life with Andrew LaCivita

This week’s podcast is a blitz of tough job interview questions and answers.

There are a lot, so here’s a breakdown if you need to skip around or comeback to some to prepare for that big interview!

00:00 Welcome

00:22 If you could change anything about the job description what would it be?

02:28 What are you most proud of in your non-work life

05:44 Tell me about a time when you were criticized for poor job performance.

07:45 What did you dislike most about your most recent boss?

09:01 What does leadership mean to you? How do I answer that in a way that shows my leadership style as well as the impact

12:48 Tell me about a time why you disliked your job?

14:37 Why do want this job?

15:43 How to deal with an interviewer who insists on going through the CV chronologically and keeps asking about things less relevant to the role? (ie why did you do Y after X?

17:57 How do you motivate your team?

21:26 What changes do you think you will need to make? What will you miss? (re: moving from a leadership role to an independent contributor role)

23:50 How many people have you managed ??? Interviewer looking for 100+ direct reports

26:55 Tell us of a time you were asked to do something unethical.

28:55 Briefly describe your educational & professional experience? Should I follow same format as "Tell me about yourself" .This is the first opening question for a school district management position.

33:18 Have you ever been terminated from a position?

34:53 Have you been given a choice of termination or voluntarily quit? Why?

35:57 How would you deal with criticism/ negative feedback? (NEGATIVE)

37:33 Planning to move closer to home in another state at the end of the year. How do I answer questions about wanting to have a longer transition than two weeks?

39:06 What brands do you think are succeeding in the industry and why? (Question from interviewer. I’ve gotten this question twice and it seems like people want to know competitor knowledge OR my thinking on the brands that I think are making an impact). How do you best prepare for these types of questions that would help me stand out.

41:56 I was asked the number of copiers in the US if a new product. Actual numbers, and he kept interrupting me while trying to answer. Pretty sure he was stress testing me. Any advice on those situations?

43:27 How to answer a technical question during the interview if you don’t know the answer

45:11 I just had someone on a phone interview tell me why other applicants haven't been interested in the position!

45:42 On that work life balance point: can you tell them that in an interview as answer to why us? heard work life balance?

If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings:

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--Andy