Since we’ve been on the subject of surprises, have you ever been caught off guard by an interview question? “What’s the last book you read?’ or “Describe yourself in one word,” or maybe “Do you consider yourself lucky?”
These can feel like gotcha questions, but I promise they have real reasons! Interviewers aren’t in the habit of catching people out, since that wastes their time as well. If you give yourself a moment, you’ll probably be able to come up with a solid theory of why. For instance, the one-word self-descriptor question may be to assess how quickly candidates think on their feet, or how they frame their successes.
Either way, when you have a sense of why they’re asking you these strange things, you can probably formulate an answer.
A good strategy to keep you feeling prepared for an interview is to list your strengths for yourself, with some evidence backing each up: I know I am a strategic thinker because I foresaw an issue with a workplace policy we were just about to adopt, so we were able to address it and avoid complications later on. (Be more specific than that, but avoid revealing anything sensitive or proprietary, of course.) You don’t need to create an exhaustive list, but think of a few high points that are informative and that you feel confident about.
Also be clear about why you’ve applied for this particular role at this particular employer. That added clarity will help you frame your answers in a context that’s likely to appeal to them.
Finally, and please pardon the obviousness of this item, know yourself. This is related to identifying your strengths, but it’s also unique in that it will sometimes lead you to answers about your leadership style, how you deal with change, what color Crayon you’d be, your personal definition of success, what annoys you, and all the other weird little questions an employer might be wondering.
The main thing is not to panic. Take a breath. Think through the question, make an educated guess about what’s really behind it, and back your answer up as much as you can.
