Don't know how to answer a question during a job interview? Do this
PUBLISHED ONNovember 05, 2019 6:50 AMByAdora Wong
Find yourself stumped during a job interview?
Whether it’s because you didn’t prepare for it enough or that you were asked a question you didn’t quite expect, you should never say that you’re unable to answer the question.
“Remain calm while thinking about your answer. Don’t say ‘I don’t know’ or make things up on the spot,” advises Wendy Heng, associate director of sales and marketing, supply chain and procurement at Robert Walters Singapore.
She adds that you should clarify the question if you want to give it a go.
“But if you really don’t know the answer, you can be frank about your lack of experience,” she says.
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“And instead of making a blanket statement such as ‘I’m willing to learn’, tell them about how you’d approach the challenge.”
That said, you can significantly reduce your odds of being stumped during your interview with adequate preparation.
Wendy shares five tips on how you can go about doing so.
1. RESEARCH THE COMPANY AND ITS COMPETITORS
“Do thorough research on the company you’re interviewing at so you can be up-to-date with their latest happenings. You can also research their competitors to understand what differentiates them from the other businesses in the industry.”
2. THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE
“Spend some time figuring out how your skills and experience fulfills what’s required of the job. You want to make it easy for the interviewer to see how you’re a great fit for the role.”
3. HAVE YOUR ANSWERS READY
“Come up with answers to common interview questions such as ‘Why do you want to work here?’ or ‘What are your greatest strengths?’. Ask a friend to help prepare you for your interview and practise your speaking and body language.”
4. ASK QUESTIONS
“Think of interesting questions you can ask your interviewers. They will help you stand out from the other interviewees.”
5. BRING YOUR A-GAME
“It’s important to create a strong first impression, so smile confidently, shake hands firmly and make eye contact. Whatever you do, project energy, enthusiasm and interest.”
This article was first published in CLEO Singapore.