How not to answer the question in an interview, the one interviewers hasn't asked you? [closed]

manpreet Best Answer 3 years ago

I always prepare for an interviews and before going to an interview I try to prepare most of the questions">questions that are going to be asked.

It helps me many time but also creates a problem for me. Some time interviewer ask something else in an interview and I just try to relate the answer with my existing prepared answer for the similar question.

I know some people will say you have to listen carefully and then give answer. But for some questions">questions the time to understand motive behind the question and formulates an answer is very little. So, I subconsciously relate my answer with my prepared question.

and when I leave the interview room than just within fraction of seconds I realize that the interviewer was asking for something else.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

manpreet 3 years ago

You should always try to answer the questions that is being asked, not the question you happen to have a good answer to.

As you have experienced that isn't always easy, since it is often a high stress situation and there is limited time to think. A few strategies can help

1. It's perfectly okay to say "Great question, let me think about this for a minute"
2. It's also okay to ask clarification question: "Do you mean conflict between a client and myself or conflict within the team?"
3. Once you start answering for a bit, do a check in: "is that what you are asking for ?" "is that topic what you had in mind? "is this the type of example that you were looking for ?"
4. Don't overthink it. Just answer the question honestly to the best of your abilities. No one as the answer to all questions, so drawing a few blanks is okay.
5. If you don't know anything at all, say so right away, but add how would attack the problem if it came up: "I have no idea how this works, but here is what I would do to find out: ...."

That makes actually life for the interviewer easier too. It's not easy asking good question and it can be frustrating if you need to poke multiple times and from multiple angles to get to the core of the matter.