Common interview trick questions (that you may not realize are tricks)

If you’re asking these questions in hiring interviews, you may not realize you’re falling into the trap of asking trick questions that don’t serve your process. The problem with asking tricky interview questions is that rather than getting honest answers from the candidate, you might put them on the defensive because they know that you’re looking for a correct answer to these questions. This results in you getting carefully thought out, perhaps partially untrue responses and an incorrect picture of your pool of candidates.

Let’s look at some common interview trick questions, along with their purpose.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

Nearly every job interview starts with this question, which means candidates are bracing themselves for it and are likely to provide well-rehearsed answers. Even though you’re asking the question to get an idea of who they are outside of their resume, asking interviewees to open up about themselves in such a broad sense is often ineffective.

The trick is that you’re hoping to see them be self-confident and well-spoken, but candidates might come off as awkward because they aren’t comfortable boasting about themselves or their accomplishments.

What are some of your strengths?

We’ve all been to an interview where someone asked us for a list of our strengths, but this trick question is also rather unhelpful in the grand scheme of the hiring process. You likely have a list of skills you’re hoping the candidate matches when they list their strengths; but again, the interviewee knows you’re looking for a “correct” answer and will tailor their response to the job posting.

They know what you want to hear, but you’ll have no idea if they actually value or even possess the skills you’re looking for.

What would you say is your greatest weakness?

This is one of the most infamous trick questions an interviewer can ask. It’s a trick because you’re hoping to see the candidate be honest and forthcoming about something they aren’t particularly strong at, but if they’re too honest, they may not appear qualified for the role. You’re putting them in an awkward bind where they have to fabricate a surface-level weakness that satisfies your question without costing them the job.

Many interviewees will also fall into the trope of giving answers like, “I work too hard” or “I care too much,” which could be true but come off as extremely fake.

Why do you want to work here?

Though many employers ask this question hoping to find out what attracted the candidate to the role, it can come off as harsh and impersonal. Candidates will likely regurgitate the requirements outlined in the job posting, or they may give you a generic response about their career goals.

Why do you want to leave your current company?

Chances are you’re asking this tricky question to see if the candidate has a pattern of termination or losing interest in a role quickly. However, it’s also possible that they have a legitimate reason for leaving that might not sound great to a prospective employer; perhaps their manager was challenging to work for, they experienced harassment in the workplace, or they’ve experienced a loss recently and are in need of change. Consider whether the answer to this question is a true reflection of how the employee would perform at your company.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

This is a classic way to end an interview, but because it’s such a commonly asked question, candidates are prepared for it. You’ll get a polished answer that they know you want to hear; you’re seeking an indication of ambition but not so much ambition that they state they want to become an entrepreneur. This question is challenging for interviewees because they might think you want to hear them say they’ll be at your company in five years or still in this role, but saying so might also make it seem like they aren’t looking to grow.

It’s another question you should avoid if you’re hoping to get genuine responses out of your prospective employees.

Are bad interview questions costing you good candidates?

If you’re guilty of implementing many of these trick interview questions in the past, you may have lost out on some quality candidates who couldn’t navigate the minefield these questions create. Here’s why sticking to tricky interview questions could be detrimental to your hiring process:

• Your questions are predictable, allowing interviewees to prepare answers that aren’t genuine.
• Your questions have a correct answer that you’re hoping to hear, limiting how truthful candidates can be.
• Interviewees are aware they’re being tested, rather than feeling like they can relax and have a conversation.
• You may not be seeing the true personality of the candidate because their guard is up due to the nature of the questions.
• The answers to these questions are typically not indicative of how well a person could perform the job you’re hoping to fill.

By sticking to these classic and somewhat tricky questions, you could be limiting the talent you’re bringing into your small business. Next time you’re hiring, try swapping these out for some new questions that will help you get to know a candidate better, ensure genuine responses and put them at ease with a more conversational tone.

Interview questions to ask instead

To get the most out of your interview process, you need to ask the right questions. Keep in mind that you should never ask questions that:

• Make a candidate uncomfortable
• Are discriminatory, invasive or otherwise inappropriate

It’s a good idea to inject some humor into the experience because a laugh can put the interviewee at ease and help you get better results from them. You’ll notice that some of these questions are simply more effective versions of classic trick questions. By changing how you phrase it, you can make the question more open and welcoming to the person answering it.

Start with an icebreaker

Rather than starting the interview with a traditional “tell me about yourself,” consider using quirky icebreaker questions to put the interviewee at ease. These questions are fun and unique, and they’ll tell you a bit about the person without putting them on the spot and asking them to divulge their life story in five minutes. Some fun ones you can use are:

• Are you a cat person or a dog person? Why?
• If you were a superhero, what would your power be and why?
• If you could visit any country, where would it be and why?
• You’re stranded on a desert island; what three items did you bring?
• What is your favorite TV show? Which character would you be and why?

What excites you about this position?

Similar to asking someone why they want to work with your company, this is a great alternative that’s more likely to put the candidate at ease. It asks them to explain their interest in the role in a more personal, specific way that will give you insight into what makes them tick. You’ll also gain knowledge of their goals and strengths through what they cite as the exciting aspects of the job you’re interviewing for.

Can you describe the company work environment you would thrive in?

Company culture is important to both employees and employers, so it’s worth bringing it up during the hiring process. Doing so can help you evaluate if the candidate’s attitude and values align with those of your business and existing employees. You’ll get a true sense of what this person seeks in an employer, how highly they value work-life balance and you may also gain insight into their personal life through the answer to this question.

Can you tell me about a project that you previously completed that you’re proud of?

Phrasing the question in this way helps put the employee at ease while actually asking them to tell you about their previous work experience. Through their response, you’ll understand what kind of work they previously did, so you can determine if it’s relevant to the tasks they’ll need to complete in this role. Asking what they’re most proud of also helps you assess where this individual sees value and how seriously they take their work-related tasks.

What attributes can you bring to the company that will benefit the team?

This is a spin on the “what are your strengths” question that many employers default to during the interview process. However, this take is more effective because you’re asking the candidate to reflect on their qualities and how they can benefit the company and other people around them. You’ll also gain insight into how they see themselves and what they think makes a valuable team player.

What kind of direction do you look for from a manager?

You’ll want to gauge whether your candidate is self-sufficient or requires a significant amount of handholding. Asking interviewees what kind of input they want from a manager will tell you about their level of initiative and help you assess whether they can operate independently or will need you to micromanage their daily tasks. You’ll also be able to determine whether they’ll mesh well with your management style based on their answer.

Who is one person you would never want to give me as a reference? Why?

If you’re seeking to test the honesty of an interviewee, this is a great question to ask that is also likely to take them by surprise, ensuring a genuine response. By asking them who they wouldn’t want to provide as a reference, they’ll need to divulge something potentially negative about themselves that they might not think of if you simply ask for a list of their weaknesses. If the person says, “nobody,” simply tell them to take their time and think of someone. If they’re being honest, everyone has someone they wouldn’t want to use as a reference.

This can be seen as a curveball question, which is designed to elicit a truthful, gut response because the candidate cannot prepare for it in advance. It’s a good way to end the interview, so you don’t throw them off and affect their responses to other questions because they’re still hung up on this one.

Break from tradition

Tricky interview questions are only part of what leads to a stuffy interview where candidates feel awkward and can’t behave naturally. If you truly want to put interviewees at ease, consider interviewing somewhere more casual than your office, such as a cafe or restaurant. You should also make sure you’re tailoring your questions to each candidate. Have some extra questions to ask if you feel inspired to know more about a person in a certain aspect of their experience. This will help create a natural, conversational flow to the interview that results in a better impression of how this person would fit in at your company.