Does it seem as though some job interview questions are designed to trip you up?

It should, because they are. Here are 10 of the trickiest tricky questions you might be asked at a job interview, with ideas on how to handle them:

[See the best careers for 2010.]

1. “Tell me about yourself.”

• DO: Talk about the ways that what you know and what you can do are perfectly suited to this job.
• DON’T: Tell the interviewer your life story.

2. “Tell me something bad you’ve heard about our company.”

• DO: You wouldn’t apply for a job at a company you disapproved of, would you? So you should be able to honestly answer that you haven’t heard anything negative about this place.
• DON’T: Repeat gossip you might have heard.

[See how to ace the phone interview.]

3. “Why should I hire you?”

• DO: Impress your interviewer with how much you know about the company’s requirements and then describe how you are the best person to meet those requirements.
• DON’T: Get tripped up by a lack of prior research.

4. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

• DO: Talk about how your specific abilities, training, and experience will enable you to smoothly integrate with this company.
• DON’T: Say that you have no idea.

5. “How would you react if I told you your interview so far was terrible?”

• DO: Recognize that this is a test to see if you get flustered. Say, mildly, that you would ask for reasons why.
• DON’T: Freak out. Remember, the interviewer said “if.”

[See how to keep your thank-you note out of the trash.]

6. “What’s the last book you read?”

• DO: Mention a book that reflects well on you. Choose something by a reputable author that your interviewer has probably heard of.
• DON’T: Name a book you haven’t actually read.

7. “Can you work under pressure?”

• DO: Say that of course you can, and then relate a brief story about a time you did.
• DON’T: Just say, “Yes I can.” Provide a specific example.

8. “Who’s your hero?”

• DO: Name a person who has inspired you and then describe specifically how this inspiration relates to your work.
• DON’T: Get caught off-guard by what should really be a softball question. Come prepared with a good answer.

9. “Have you ever considered starting your own business?”

• DO: Talk about how you are happiest and do your best work in a company that is amazingly similar to the one you’re applying at.
• DON’T: Go on and on about how you’d love to be your own boss one day.

10. “If you won the lottery, would you still work?”

• DO: Be honest and say you’d be thrilled to win the lottery; then add that even if you did you’d still seek out satisfying work, because work is what makes people happy.
• DON’T: Say that you’d never work again (too honest) or that you’d just work for free (too BS-y).

[Video: How to Ace the Interview.]

Bottom line: It pays to think through in advance how you would handle some of the more common trick questions. In general, remember never to badmouth or blame others, especially past employers. Be careful not to betray your nervousness with jittery body language. Don’t lie or babble, or show frustration, impatience, disappointment, or anger.

The most important thing to remember is that hiring managers who ask these questions are far more interested in how you answer than what you answer. They just want to see how well you think on your feet. So even if a question completely flummoxes you, keep your cool, smile, and look ‘em in the eye.

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Related Articles

• Best Job Interview Answers (vasilestoica.wordpress.com)
• The 6 Stupidest Job Interview Questions (neatorama.com)
• How to Know if a Job Interview Went Well (brighthub.com)
• Successful Responses to Job Interview Questions (brighthub.com)
• The 10 Most Common Job Interview Questions (money.usnews.com)
• Common Second Round Job Interview Questions (brighthub.com)
• Job interview questions you’ll probably be asked (bizjournals.com)
• Top 6 Questions Asked In a Job Interview (socyberty.com)

What better way to shine at job interviews, or in staff meetings, or at business luncheons than to express yourself clearly, confidently, coherently, and concisely? Speaking makes you visible. Speaking makes you memorable. Speaking can even make you look smarter than you really are. Consider joining Toastmasters or any group in which you can develop some speaking skills.

See more on public speaking.

Everybody wants the perfect job. But if your criteria are too high, or if you’re being too demanding, you may well remain unemployed. Nobody wants to be told to compromise, but the fact is that much of life involves just that, at least temporarily. Analyze your wants and needs. Which are must-haves? Which are negotiable? Which can be put on hold?

See more on why you’re not getting hired.

Stake out some Internet real estate to serve as a “landing page.” This can be a blog, a website, or your LinkedIn profile. Why do you need a landing page? So people (i.e., potential employers) who are interested can easily find out more about you.

See more on using social media.

Employers are more likely to hire happy-looking people than unhappy-looking ones. It’s human nature. So, in line at the job fair, in the ladies’ room before an interview, in the lobby afterward, you gotta smile. Not a big ol’ fake smile. Your smile needs to come from a genuine place. You get there by knowing your worth, having a Plan B, and remembering that hard times do not last.

See more on being a stand-out candidate.

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See more on how the job hunt has changed.

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Explain (in your cover letter, while networking, at the beginning of interviews) why you are pursuing this particular job. Hiring managers get nervous if your last job was as senior vice president and here you are applying for a project manager position. It will help if you emphasize skills and deemphasize titles in your cover letter, on your resume, and at the interview.

See more on being overqualified.

Don’t order the most expensive thing. Don’t order the cheapest thing. Don’t order anything that is ostentatiously huge or smelly or crunchy. Instead, order a smallish dish that you can easily and gracefully eat with a knife and fork. (Avoid spaghetti, spareribs, fried chicken, tacos, lobster, and big fat sloppy sandwiches.) Order quickly and with no fuss or interrogation of the server. Do not make an issue of your food allergies, your weight, or your likes and dislikes.

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Phone interviews are not the same as in-person interviews. Smile while you speak. It may feel silly, but smiling shows up in your voice. Stand up. It removes pressure from your diaphragm and gives your voice more resonance. Tape your resume on the wall so you can consult it without having to look down, which can muffle your voice.

See more on acing the phone interview.

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See more on making your own luck.

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See more on volunteering.

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See more on what to do when you’re out of work.

Three out of four hiring managers say they prefer chronological resumes. They’re used to seeing them formatted like this. They like to see a nice, neat career progression, preferably headed “upward.” They are still really hung up on gaps in work history. And, let’s face it, they feel—perhaps justifiably—that job seekers who go the functional route are trying to hide something.

See more on resumes.

Unfortunately, lasting impressions are formed within 90 seconds of first meeting. Avoid gum chewing, hair twirling, slouching, knee jiggling, finger drumming, yawning, sighing, sniffling, nail-biting, or checking your cellphone.

See more on how to be annoying.

Find healthy ways to vent the hopelessness, anger, and depression. Don’t let it all just fester inside. Get it out through exercise, therapy, meditation, prayer—whatever works. Even when you’re not leaving the house (to go to a job interview or network), get dressed as if you were. Shower, shave, coif, and put on a decent outfit. You’ll feel better, promise.

See more on staying positive.

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See more on staying positive.

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See more on what to ignore.

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