“Tell us, what’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?” Whoever thinks that this question hasn’t been used in an interview is wrong. Senior managers aren’t any exception to this rule – they apply to positions with lots of responsibility, and they’re also interrogated at great lengths. The HR manager that sits across from you and quizzes you most likely wants to find out as much as possible about your skills, your leadership abilities, and your personal and professional values. The candidate that panics under this pressure and begins to tell ridiculous stories about their barbecue last summer has already lost any chance at securing a spot.
We’ll show you 4 trick interview questions that you may encounter in a job interview, and how your hiring manager will interpret your answers. Today you can learn how to stay calm and poised under pressure, and convey that you’re the perfect candidate for the senior management position.
1. How important is salary?
With this question, the hiring manager wants to figure out what kind of of professional ambitions you’re working towards – then he can recognize if a leadership role is a good fit for you. Even HR managers think in stereotypes, and believe that leaders strive towards a certain financial status. The answer to this question is an indicator of your professional self confidence. Are you willing to take a lower salary, even if you know you’re worth more?
Anyone who claims that salary isn’t an important factor might have to defend himself against a follow-up question: why even bother applying for a paid job? Or even worse, you may wind up settling for a lower salary.
Answer with a happy medium: money is important to you, but it doesn’t rule your life. Stay poised and explain that you believe a decent salary is a recognition of the quality of your skills and services. In addition, there’s an incentive here – who isn’t motivated, knowing that there’s a large paycheck waiting for them at the end of the month?
2. How do you handle criticism?
If you try to claim that you adore criticism, or praise the “greater value of constructive criticism,” no one will buy it. In fact, it’s expected that senior managers can lead a team effectively and successfully, so that there’s no need for criticism. This question tries to catch you offguard and tests whether you’re ready to accept other perspectives and ideas.
Say calmly what you think: namely, that no one is excited about criticism. But show the hiring manager your willingness to accept justified criticism and work to implement it. People who aren’t ready to accept the critiques and ideas of others, are not prepared to step into a leadership position.
3. What are three positive character traits that you lack?
Allow yourself time to think before answering, to show that you’re carefully considering the question. It’s a good idea to prepare for this question in advance and pick out a few aspects of your personality that may stand in your way, professionally speaking. Are you lacking spontaneity? Flexibility? Perhaps you’re not very well organized? You want to deliver ideal results, and be prepared for every eventuality?
Then perhaps it’s a challenge for you to deal with short-term plan changes. Just recognize that you are aware of your weaknesses, and indicate that you’re open to working on these traits.
4. When is the last time you broke a rule, and why?
This is a seemingly provocative question that aims to make you sweat. When an HR manager approaches this topic, he wants to find out if you’re capable of weighing a decision and independently handling situation-specific rules. Are you compliant? Do you follow rules blindly, or do you have the capacity to judge situations correctly and make wise decisions?
Make sure to display your argument in a structured manner. What reasons did you have to make that decision, and what did your company or team ultimately learn from this incident? If you can convince an HR manager of your answer, they can assess your potential as a leader.
Do you feel prepared for your next interview? We hope so. Now you know which trick interview questions a personnel manager may use to evaluate your potential for a leadership position. You, too, can stay confident and calm during your interview and amaze the hiring manager with your skills! We wish you success with the next step in your career.
