We have all been there before. You are sitting in an interview for your ideal job and things are going well. Just when you begin to feel comfortable, the hiring personnel ask you one of the hardest interview questions known to man. You begin to fumble your words, sweat and all signs of being collected go out the window. Before you know it, the interviewer blurts out, “Thanks for your time and we will call you if we are interested.” All of this could have been prevented if you would have prepared yourself for common interview questions that are considered to be difficult. Let’s look at the top three tricky interview questions and how they can be answered.

1.Tell us about an experience that involved a problem with a manager or boss. What did you do or say to resolve the issues?
This is hard because no one wants to bring up problem that they encountered with their last employer to their potential employer. Interview experts suggest that you keep this answer as positive as possible. Refer to a very small issue like a miscommunication of a task and then really emphasize the personal qualities that you have which allowed you to resolve it. Include qualities like conflict resolution experience, willingness to admit to your mistakes and your team building efforts.

2.If you were hiring a person for this position what would you look for in them?
The wrong answer is to rattle off a bunch of skills that are specific to a task. For example, interviewers don’t want to hear that you would look for someone that had Microsoft Word skills, a clean criminal record and experience in sales. They want you to mention things that will help their company grow like creativity and adaptability. Employers are often looking for people that they can mold to their ways, not people that refuse to change their ways or their skills.

3.Think of a time when you were under a lot of pressure in the workplace. How did you deal with it and what were the results?
This may seem like a difficult question at first because of the way it is worded. Don’t let that fool you. This is really your time to shine. Pressure can be anything and it doesn’t have to be negative. Talk about one of your greatest achievements in the workplace and how you put pressure on yourself to be the best that you could be. Include things about the desire you have to impress your co-workers as well as your manager or boss. Elaborate on the fact that pressure is necessary for optimum outcomes. Whatever you do, don’t say that you fall apart under pressure.

These are some of the most common questions that interviewers attempt to trick job applicants with. Don’t fall into their trap. Research other trick questions and know what your response will be before the interview.