21 Hack Job Interview Questions Meant to Trick You and How to Ace Them

Have you ever been to a job interview where you feel as if the interviewer is trying to trick you? If so, it’s not your imagination.

Many job interviewers intentionally ask difficult questions to try and trick you into giving the wrong answer. For this reason, it’s essential to practice these questions ahead of time. By having the right answer, you can distance yourself from your competitors and increase your chances of landing your dream job.

Below, we’ll take a look at twenty-one of the trickiest job interview questions and how you can answer them.

1.      If you saw a child fall in the street, what would you do?

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was asked this question when he first applied to the company in the early 1990s. He didn’t give the correct answer to this tricky question—and that’s precisely why it’s stuck with him all these years.

When Nadella was asked this question, cell phones hadn’t yet been invented—though perhaps this didn’t keep him from answering the question incorrectly. At the time, Nadella said that he would run and find help, but the correct answer was to stay behind and comfort the child.

The goal of the question was to find out if Nadella had the right empathy level to work for the company. Be careful not to come across as cold in an interview. Though Nadella eventually got the job, you may not be so lucky.

2.      What are your weaknesses?

Your interviewer knows that you’re not perfect, and they don’t expect you to be. Even knowing this; however, it can be awkward opening up about your flaws in front of others—especially those who are interviewing you for a new job.

The key to answering this question is, to be honest, but crafty. Here, you’ll want to avoid hitting the interviewer with your fatal flaws and instead focus on smaller issues that can have benefits. For example, you may say that you get too focused on work—a weakness, yes, but not one that should keep you from getting the job. By showing your willingness to acknowledge your flaws, you can increase your chances of landing the job.

3.      Where do you see yourself in five years?

Employers don’t like hiring employees who are going to leave them soon; this can be a tricky question to answer if you’re applying for a position that’s below your qualifications.

Even if you don’t have plans on sticking around, make sure that you hint that you’re there for the long run. However, do so in a way that suggests you would like to rise in the company. For instance, even if you’re applying for an entry-level position, you can say that you hope to be a manager in five years.

4.      What’s your dream job?

This question can be similarly difficult to answer. What do you do if your dream job isn’t one that you’re applying to get?

Again, here you’ll want to express your intention of moving up through the company to get the job you want. Include ways that the position you’re applying for can help you get there to increase your chances of securing the position.

5.      Are you applying for similar jobs?

Employers want to know if you’re interested in the job to which you have applied. If not, there is a likelihood that you could leave soon. Also, because your role will probably involve training, this can prove quite costly.

Still, you don’t want them to know your job searching habits. For this reason, you may choose to inform them that you’re on the market for jobs in this field and elaborate on why their company is a good fit. Avoid going into specifics about other companies.

6.      If we call your references, what will they say about you?

Answering this can be difficult. On the one hand, you want to make sure that you leave a good impression, and on the other, you don’t want to come across as braggadocios. Perhaps the best—and only—way to do this is, to be honest.

In doing so, do your best to provide a balanced view of yourself by highlighting a significant plus and a small downside.

7.      Can you tell me more about yourself?

This question tricks many potential employees. Though it may seem as if your interviewer is interested in knowing more about you personally, you’ll want to limit your response to things that are relevant to the job.

Doing this will show your interviewer that you know how to respond when faced with an unexpected situation and that you’re not an open book when it comes to details.

8.      Why are you leaving your current job?

Be extremely careful with how you answer this question. Sometimes the truth isn’t always the best answer here—at least not in its most direct form.

You don’t want it to appear as though there’s any bad blood between you and your current employer—even if there is. For this reason, you may choose to limit your response to something like, “I feel as though I’ve explored my potential with my current employer and am willing to face new challenges.” A statement like this will paint you as an eager go-getter instead of someone bitter over work conditions.

9.      What are three things you didn’t like about your former job/employer?

The same principle applies here. You don’t want to make it seem as if you’re the type to speak ill of your employer when things go sour, so make sure to keep your comments strictly professional. You may say, for example, that you wanted more opportunities for growth or that you wanted a more team-oriented environment.

10.  What’s your proudest career accomplishment?

This question is tricky for several reasons. First, you’ll want to make sure that you don’t get carried away when answering—even if you do get pretty excited; this will show your interviewer that you have self-control and restraint.

Additionally, you’ll need to balance this with providing as much context as possible. You don’t want to make yourself sound limited to the types of projects you’re describing, so be careful to say how your work impacted the company at large.

11.  Which company would you work for if you could choose any?

This question would be relatively easy to answer if you were applying to work at your dream company—but chances are, you’re not.

Does this mean that you should lie to get the job?

Not necessarily—but you don’t want to address the question head-on. Instead, you’ll want to redirect and talk about how the company fits your ideals. This will, of course, require you to do some outside research beforehand, but you should be prepared to do this anyway.

12.  Are there any reasons why people don’t like to work with you?

Again, this is another situation where you don’t want to spill all of your dirty secrets. At the same time, however, you’re not going to want to lie, either.

For this reason, make sure that you choose a habit that you’re working to improve. For example, you may say something like, “I tend to try to take on too much responsibility in group projects, but I’ve been working on being a better teammate.” By acknowledging your flaws and expressing that you’re working on them, you’ll look like a stronger candidate.

13.  What would your former/current boss say about you?

Here, you’ll once again want to strike a balance between praising yourself and highlighting your flaws. To do this, make sure that you’re choosing a great benefit that you have while only mentioning minor flaws.

For example, you may say, “My current boss often praises me for having high production levels, though he’s not exactly thrilled that I can run a bit late in the mornings. He’ll probably tell you that I’ve gotten a lot better on that over the last few months.”

14.  Have you ever violated company policies?

Companies don’t want employees who violate rules—even those who think they are doing so for a good reason.

The good news is that you’ve likely never broken your company’s policies—and if you have, they’re so small that you don’t want to mention them. Instead, reaffirm your commitment to following the rules.

15.  Does your boss know you’re here now?

Answering this can be quite tricky. Are you taking time off work to go to this interview? If so, that might not reflect well on you if your interviewer finds out. They’ll want to make sure that they’ve got someone who is dedicated to their job, and going to an interview during your shift isn’t the best way to showcase that.

Instead of admitting that you’re job hunting on the clock, inform your interviewer that you’re allotted personal time and that your employer doesn’t question your whereabouts during your time off.

16.  What’s your favorite hobby?

Though this can seem like an oddly personal question, interviewers ask it for a reason. They want to make sure that you’re the type of person they want to hire—and your hobbies can say a lot about you.

For this reason, make sure that you’re answering with hobbies that are relevant to your job. For instance, if you’re applying to be a web designer, you may say that designing your sites or working as a freelancer are great hobbies of yours.

17.  Would you answer a call from work while on vacation?

For most people, the answer to this question is a resounding no. That being said, you don’t want your interviewer to feel that you’re not dedicated to the job.

It can be difficult deciding how best to answer this question. Because of this, consider being honest—but in a way that doesn’t make you look lazy.

For instance, you might tell them that your time off is meant to prevent burnouts and to increase your productivity while at work. Because of this, you wouldn’t want to diminish this by working while on vacation. However, you understand how important work is, so you’ll make plans to have your work taken care of—and have a backup in place—in case of an emergency while you’re gone.

18.  Why don’t you have a job now?

If you’re currently out of a job, it can be difficult explaining this to your interviewers. Gaps in your employment record don’t look good, so you’ll want to make sure that you have an answer prepared.

You may wish to note anything that you’ve been doing that’s relevant to your position during this time. For example, if you’re looking to be a copywriter and you’ve done some freelancing work, make sure you bring this up. Take the focus off the lack of a job and put it on how you’ve been building your skills.

19.  What has been your most positive and negative management experience?

Always give a positive response. The objective of this question is to find out if you will respond negatively. Take the high road; only share your positive management experiences. Never speak negatively about a former manager or employer.

20.  Describe yourself with one word.

Keep your one-word descriptor relevant to the job. For example, if you know the company needs a reliable copyeditor, make sure that you focus on your reliability—and that you have examples to prove it.

21.  What are your strengths?

Finally, you’ll want to make sure that you’re answering this question with care. Be careful not to sound as if you’re full of yourself—but do answer confidently. What’s more, be sure that your strengths are relevant to the position you’re applying for. To use our copyeditor example, you could say that your strengths include proofreading, communicating, and analyzing, for instance.

The Bottom Line

Acing your next interview doesn’t have to be difficult. By keeping these twenty-one trick questions in mind, you can be ready for just about anything your potential new employer throws at you.

By using this guide and doing some research on the company, you can better prepare yourself for your upcoming interview.

Robert Moment is The Get Hired Expert who specializes in teaching recent college grads and experienced professionals how to interview using skills and strategies to stand out, get hired, and make more money in today’s highly competitive job market. Robert is the author of “Starting a New Job: Career Planning and Job Promotion tactics for Motivated New Employees” and “How to Ace an Interview: Job Interview Preparation, Interview Questions and Answers YOU Need to Stand Out and Get Hired.” Join our growing community Starting a New Job Group on LinkedIn for ideas, strategies, and support to succeed in your first year of employment and beyond. Visit www.HowtoAceanInterview.com and sign-up for the FREE 5 Day E-Course titled, How to Ace an Interview.