“I don’t know”. Nobody likes saying it, especially during an interview. Fortunately, there a few ways you can approach a question you may not know the answer to right away. Today we offer a few tips to help you tackle the tough questions you might face in an interview.
Take a Second
Interviewers ask questions all day and they know that they ask questions that can challenge you. It is their job after all. That being said, they also understand that a well thought out answer doesn’t come out of nowhere. If you find yourself stumped, acknowledge the question then take a few seconds to think about your response before actually giving it. Your interviewer cares about the content of your answer, not necessarily how long it took you to say it.
Think Out Loud
Another possible option is to think aloud rather than internally. This avenue is taken by people who may take longer to formulate an answer and who get uncomfortable by longer periods of silence. There is nothing wrong with talking yourself through the question, in fact, interviewers actually enjoy it. It gives them insight into how you solve problems and your ability to handle a stressful situation.
Have a Plan-B
When many of us face challenges we often look for a second option, and the same could be said for interview questions. If you ever face a question you don’t know the answer to it’s ok to own up to that fact, as long as you follow it up with an expression of your enthusiasm to actively learn more about the topic. Keep in mind that you don’t want to shrug off every question and then say you could learn it on the job. This should really only be used if you have absolutely no idea how to answer the question.
Redirect to a Topic You Know
Most people feel uncomfortable talking about things they aren’t familiar with, so talk about something you ARE comfortable with. Now, you can’t just start talking about anything you want to. You need to make sure it relates to the topic at hand. Say you got asked a question about sales, but you’ve only ever worked cashier positions. You can spin your answer to include your customer service and people skills to give real world examples to support your potential as a sales candidate.
Piece it Together
Some may call this tactic “winging it”, but it’s a bit more complicated than that. You never want to just throw out some wild guess. However, it may be an effective option to make an educated guess based on your previous experience and knowledge of the topic. You’ll need to think on your feet and be conversationally agile. It can come naturally to some people but for others it takes a bit more work to perfect. However, if you can build up this skill it again shows the interviewer your problem solving skills as well as your ability to adapt and overcome challenges.
–Tyler Geeve, Staff Source Marketing/Recruiting Assistant