Acing the Interview: Best Responses to Key Questions

The moment has come--the dreaded question that could be your make or break moment in the interview. What can you do? Politicians navigate these moments seamlessly. They talk their way around questions to provide answers that they'd prefer the populace to know about them and their policies. Because on the grand scale, it doesn't really matter who Donald Trump's inner superhero is, or what animal you would be.

Savvy interviewees don't allow themselves to be trapped by a question that could leave a bad impression, especially as a first impression. So how can you apply this in your job search? To walk out of your next interview with head held high, you must first realize that not every question should be answered at face value.

Tell me about yourself:

Too much information is… well… too much information. You want to give the interviewer insight into yourself without boring them and yourself into a snooze under the details of date and time of birth, etc., or pour out every potentially unsavory moment of your life.

So how do you address this question with a pointed response that gives them the info they want and makes you look like the capable, efficient employee that you will be? (Note: This should, after all, be your goal with every answer). Give them a tailored, one-minute elevator pitch about the jobs you've held that relate to the position, and your accomplishments within those jobs. What areas have you pursued in your career and what have you accomplished? Does this potential job build on your expertise? Or will it challenge you to apply your specific skill set in new, challenging ways while honing new skills?

What are your weaknesses?

Employers aren't looking for perfection. They won't believe you if you claim it anyway. But what they do want is to see if you can be honest and even admit to the unsavory about yourself. But don't state your weaknesses as an end in itself. The best employees are those who see problems, and work to change them. So give them a weakness, and show how you're taking practical steps to overcome. This shows them that you are an honest, imperfect, proactive, problem-solving candidate who will not let flaws and problems beat them down.

Tell me about the gaps in your resume:

When a potential employer asks about the things that aren't on your resume, you should be prepared with the right answer. This is not the moment to go into detail about your personal life and problems unless your gap was a particularly noble endeavor like constructing houses in a third world country. Otherwise, instead of focusing on periods of unemployment, focus on the skills and knowledge you honed during that time, and how that makes you an ideal candidate. The gap isn't important. What you gained from it is everything.

Remember, interviews are a time for an honest, 2-way conversation to determine the best fit for both of you. Don't get stuck in a question quagmire that swallow you alive. Avoid talking yourself into a corner by getting beyond face value to hear what your interviewer is "really asking".