Interviews
The worst interview questions, ranked
We’ve all been there: sitting on the listening end of interview questions that make you want to bolt out of the office (or Zoom room). Rough stuff. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be prepared to answer (even if it’s through a forced smile).
Read on for how to survive (and conquer!) these interview bombshells, plus get input from talent managers about why an interviewer might ask these questions, and what they’re looking for in response.
Key takeaways
- Understand why talent managers ask these kinds of questions
- How to prepare before you interview so you can be ready to respond as your best self
- Questions you never need to answer
7. Tell us about yourself!
Why this question makes the list
A lot of conversations start this way, so this isn’t the worst of the worst interview questions. But still, because this one is so open ended, it’s hard to know what your interviewer is looking for here, i.e. How far back do they want you to start? Should you share your whole astrology chart? Tell your entire career story, starting with your very first job?
How to approach your answer
A lot of the time, hiring managers say this to break the ice, so what matters is that you feel comfortable and confident in your answer. Think of this as your elevator pitch—you might want to practice talking about yourself succinctly. Use this as an opportunity to share a little bit about yourself and help your interviewer understand what’s relevant about your career story that would fit with their job opening.
6. Why should we hire you?
Why this question makes the list
This question can feel pretty confrontational, if not downright rude. You’re trying to build a rapport with the interviewer, and they’re asking you to justify why you belong in a job you don’t even have yet!
How to approach your answer
Here’s where your elevator pitch skills come into play. Kristina Hunt, a hiring manager at Fidelity Investments says, “Write down three or four accomplishments you’re proud of which you feel like you can tie into the position you’re interviewing for. Then, practice telling a one to two minute story that highlights those accomplishments.”
It doesn’t hurt to prepare to talk about why you’re well suited for this specific role, as well. Hunt suggests you “research the company and the role. You want to try to understand what the end goal is for that particular job, and then align your goals with that—for instance if it’s a customer-service-focused role, you could say you really love helping people and that when they call with a finance question, you want to be there to help.” So, do a little homework on the job before you join the interview.
5. Can you explain this gap in your resume?
Why this question makes the list
The best thing about this question is that it inspired an epic Twitter roast of snarky replies, captured in all their glory by the Huffington Post. However, it’s not advisable to respond sarcastically to the actual interview question, so how are you supposed to answer it? Whatever you were doing with your time off, it was probably personal, not something you want to talk to a potential employer about.
How to approach your answer
When you hear this question, the first thing you should know is you’re not alone. If anything, gaps in a resume are increasingly the norm. According to Alistair Cox, CEO of Hays, a global recruitment agency, as lifespans get longer, “we will need more and more variety in our careers to help us feel happy, engaged and fulfilled throughout the decades to come. So, switching jobs more regularly, changing industries, going back to university or taking time out to travel the world will very much become the norm.” So quite literally, a gap in your resume could just mean you’re surviving and thriving.
Whatever you did with your time, what did you learn? If you were taking time to literally expand your skills by attending school or a certificate program, that’s certainly something to mention. But even if it was something more ordinary (like unemployment), you could describe something you learned about yourself during that time.
And if it’s something personal, (taking time off for an illness, to care for a relative, or to deal with some other major life event) there’s no need to go into detail: the interviewer should accept your answer and move on.
4. What’s your biggest weakness?
Why this question makes the list
This question is one of the most dreaded on the list, and deservedly so! No matter how you answer it, it feels like a gotcha, designed to trap you into saying something bad about yourself.
Do they want you to tell them about one of your strengths but pretend it’s a weakness? As in, “I work too hard” or “I’m too good at my job and I worry it makes other people feel bad about themselves”? It’s hard to put forth an answer like that and still sound (or feel) sincere.
How to approach your answer
According to Kristina Hunt, everyone knows how hard this question is, even the person asking it. In her own experience as an interviewee, Hunt says, “I’ve had cringe-worthy moments where I’ve said things like ‘I care too much’ or ‘I work too hard.’ In other words, while you’re wincing at the question, they’re probably wincing a little bit too. “To be honest, I don’t love this question. I think no matter what, if you ask this, people are probably going to tell you what they think you want to hear. But for the record, I don’t think that’s the best idea. When you try to present a strength as a weakness, it doesn’t come off that well.”
Instead, approach the question more as “what areas of improvement are you working on?” and come prepared with an answer that’s genuine. For instance, if you say “I’m not the most organized person,” you could describe how you’ve adjusted to handle it: “I’ve learned to use these techniques and tools to keep me organized.” That way, you conclude your answer by talking about something that is one of your strengths.
Do they want you to tell them about one of your strengths but pretend it’s a weakness?
3. Where do you see yourself in five years?
Why this question makes the list
If this question sounds familiar, you’re right; it’s often parodied as the classic uncomfortable interview moment. It often comes from a good place; your interviewer wants to know how you think about the arc of your career. However, if you’re just starting out or trying to gain experience in a new field, you just might not know your plan—and that’s OK.
How to approach your answer
If five years feels too specific, try pivoting to explain your overall career goals, and how this job in particular supports them. It’s also fair to ask a follow-up question yourself about the growth opportunities that come along with the role—perhaps you still want to be at this company in 5 years, if the job has the potential for you to learn, gain more responsibility and thrive.
2. Can you give me an example of a time you failed?
Why this question makes the list
Just like “what’s your biggest weakness?” this question feels hard to answer without getting tricked into saying something bad about yourself, or else, giving an insincere answer to make yourself look good. Plus, not only is your interviewer asking you to reveal something unflattering about yourself, but they want specifics with an example! It’s hard enough to open up to your therapist about your failures; now you’re supposed to tell a total stranger whose actual job it is to judge you? Yikes.
How to approach your answer
This question is based in the reality that, a lot of the time in so, so many workplace scenarios, things don’t go according to plan. In other words: when something goes wrong, how will you handle it? When an interviewer asks this, they’re often evaluating your ability to think creatively and react in the moment, plus they want to know how you respond to stress. Fidelity’s Kristina Hunt says, “The failure question is actually a huge opportunity to show how you can either learn from your failure or how you dealt with it to turn around a difficult situation. The failure part isn’t what the interviewer is looking for, [the question is] about whether you have a mindset of learning, and your mindset around how you corrected it. It’s more about attitude.”
1. Are you planning on having kids?
Why this question makes the list
“Are you married?” “Do you go to church on Sundays?” “How old are you?” “Have you ever been arrested?” — all inappropriate questions, and all illegal! That’s why this question takes the crown as the worst interview question of the bunch.
Age, sexual orientation, religion, citizenship: none of your potential employer’s business, according to the law, (and, probably, to you). However, just knowing you don’t have to answer the question isn’t enough to dispel the awkwardness if an interviewer actually asks. You could level up the awkwardness and end the interview. But are there other options?
How to approach your answer
The first step toward dealing with illegal questions is to know what they are. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, there are a number of laws in place that limit what applicants can be asked during the hiring process. You’ll also want to familiarize yourself with protections in your state too.
If you do end up being asked something illegal, you have a few options. The first is to ask about the relevance of the question for the position. If the interviewer made an honest mistake, they will probably just redirect. The second is to sidestep it. For instance, if they ask about your religion, you could say “I don’t have any personal commitments that would interfere with my ability to do this job.” And lastly, if it feels safe and inoffensive to you, you can just answer the question.
Know that you’re also within your right to simply refuse to answer. And if you feel like they’re pushing it, or if you feel uncomfortable, you can always end the interview. Trust your gut if something feels off. There’s a lot of other jobs (and job interviews!) out there.
Remember, we’re all human
An important thing to remember while interviewing is: although it’s good to expect professionalism and an engaging conversation for all parties involved, remember that we’re all human. Your interview may be an hour that’s wedged into someone’s very busy schedule, and they might not always bring their top game, even though you’re bringing yours.
Be prepared to answer all questions—even the not-so-great ones. You’ll be in a better position to represent yourself and your experience, and your level-headedness can set yourself apart from the rest of the folks who are interviewing.
