Have a question that has been nagging you for a while now but you are too embarrassed to ask aloud? Worry not, email me your question and I shall answer!
This week, I was asked, ‘ I have a job interview coming up and how should I respond if they ask me a question that I don’t know the answer for?’
Hi ‘I-have-a-interview-coming-up-and-i-do-not-want-to-be-caught-offguard’! Thank you for writing. Ofcourse, you are no Dwight, who knows to dazzle his potential employers with three different types of resumes (professional, athletic and special skill resume, and Dwight Schrute trivia) or with adjectives corresponding to every letter of your name, so like all the non-Dwights’ of the world, you would have to go through an interview process.
While the process in itself is quite daunting with the reward of being gainfully employed ( especially in this economy), the possibility of being asked a question and not having an answer for it makes it downright anxiety inducing.So what can you do if you find yourself in such a situation?
First things first, DON’T PANIC. Now, I know it is easier said than done but try not to panic. It doesn’t mean you have lost your chance, it just means you have to work your way through this.
Second, buy yourself some time by asking them to repeat and/or rephrase the question. You could say something like- Can I have a moment to think about that. Normally they would be delighted that you have done that and you are not panicking.
So you took a moment, thought about it and still could not come up with an answer. Now whatever you do, DO NOT LIE, DO NOT MAKE IT UP. Don’t jump in at the deep end and see whether you sink or swim. Be transparent and say,’ I do not have the answer to that right now, but if I had a computer, I could look up relevant research and have an answer for it’.
You could also show how you would go looking for that answer. Remember the mathematics exam you took while at school? How you got a few points for getting the steps right even if your final answer was wrong. So show them your way of working, even if you don’t have an answer there, the fact that you know how to get the answer will still go a long way.
If they are asking you to describe a situation you have never been in, for example, if they ask you of the time you escaped from a house on fire. Explain that you have never been in such a situation and would not want to sound disingenuous but then you can focus yourself on the skills you have and explain how you would use them to escape. You could say - I must confess I have never been in such a situation, but I know I am calm during a crisis (you could even give an example of a situation you remained calm in) , and then go on to detail what you would do.
So remember, be calm, be collected, DO NOT lie and be honest when being asked a question you don’t have an answer for. Remember to be pragmatic and respectful.
Goodluck then! Break a leg!
P.S. The only thing worse than having Dwight as an interviewee is having Dwight as an interviewer. For such a situation I would suggest,put on your running shoes, lace them tight and run for your life.
You can book a 1:1 conversation with Susie or enrol in the academy to amp up your communication skills and ace your interviews. Why don’t you drop a word!