Job interviews can be tricky. After all, you want to put your best foot forward and leave a good impression. But there’s so much to remember. You must choose an appropriate outfit, practice positive body language, and prepare some common interview questions beforehand.
While some high-tech companies such as Google or Tesla will hit you with wacky queries such as, “Why are manhole covers round?” or, “Can you recite your resume by heart?”, most companies stick to standard questions.
And let’s be honest, those interview questions are the worst. Not only are they overused, but they also often stifle creativity and don’t give the interviewee the chance to think on their feet or flex their improvisation skills.
Here’s our list of the worst interview questions and how to respond.
What’s your biggest weakness?
Talk about a cliché question. When answering this particular query, you don’t want to oversell yourself and say that you’re a perfectionist or that you work too hard. No interviewer wants to hear that.
Instead, show that you’re a real person with flaws. For example, “My biggest weakness is public speaking.” Then, say how you are already trying to overcome this obstacle, “In my last role, I had to chair a weekly meeting. At first, this was a challenge, but over time I got a lot better at it”.
Tell us about yourself
The problem with this question is that it is too open-ended, and everyone answers it in the exact same way. Usually, the interviewee will simply rhyme off their resume and education history (which is all information that the interviewer already knows).
The best way to answer this question is by focusing on your skills. For example, talk about how creative you are and then relate it back to your past roles, “I consider myself a very creative person. In my previous roles, I have shown this by….” working in an example where you solved an issue with innovative thinking.
Why should I hire you?
Because I want a job! Honestly, this question just makes us cringe. Obviously, the company should hire you because you’re qualified and willing to work for them, but you can’t exactly say that in a job interview.
Instead, try to find the company’s pain points. They may need a website revamp, or you’ve noticed their SEO needs attention. Then, tell them how you can help them achieve their goals and improve their outcomes. After that, they will be excited to hire you.
Now that you know how to tackle the worst interview questions, here’s a quick look at some of the top jobs on the Fossbytes Job Board.
Machine Learning Engineer, Apple, Austin
Do you want to move to the fastest-growing tech hub in America? There’s no denying that Austin is a great place for tech workers in 2022. Right now, Apple’s Strategic Data Solutions (SDS) team is looking for a talented Machine Learning Engineer who is passionate about crafting, implementing, and operating analytical solutions.
The right candidate will need practical experience with algorithms for classification, regression, clustering, and anomaly detection, as well as working knowledge of relational databases. You can check out the whole list of requirements here.
Senior Software Development Engineer, Audible, Newark
If you have a Bachelor’s in computer science, two or more years software development experience, and at least one year of experience contributing to the architecture and design of systems, then this Senior Software Development Engineer position could be the role for you.
Audible is hiring a senior software development engineer to join their Newark office. The role comes with lots of great benefits, such as tuition reimbursement, life and disability insurance, and even an onsite fitness center. Find out more on the Fossbytes Job Board.
Thrive Intern, Software Engineer, Duolingo, Pittsburgh
Did you know that Duolingo is the most popular language-learning application in the world? In fact, the platform has over 500 million learners. So, this Thrive Internship could be the perfect gig for you if you want to kickstart your tech career.
The Duolingo Thrive program is a ten-week summer training program that provides second-year students from groups historically underrepresented in tech with the opportunity to develop their software engineering skills as well as experience what it’s like to work at Duolingo. Find out more here.
By Pippa Hardy
