HANDLING UNEXPECTED QUESTIONS IN AN INTERVIEW
Getting your dream job depends on how you crack the interview questions. Sometimes, interviewers put you in an odd situation by asking unexpected questions to see your reaction to it and how you handle the tough situation. Preparing for interviews is serious business. But even if you practice, you could still get a question you don’t know how to answer. A good way to handle such questions would to focus on your approach to the question rather than your actual answer.
PRACTICE BEING IN THE MOMENT
Be prepared for the unexpected. A good way to begin thinking about the questions interviewer may ask. As you are preparing for the interview, research and think about the people who will be interviewing you. You can ask your friend to ask some unexpected questions so you can rehearse how you might handle it.
STAY CALM AND TAKE YOUR TIME
The questions may stump you, but try not to get confused and flustered. Be calm and confident in front of interviewers even if you don’t feel that way. Take a deep breath, maintain eye contact with your interviewer and deliver you response.
Take your time to process and consider the nature of the unexpected question before responding. Take a bit time to gather your thoughts and make sure you don’t blurt out anything that gives away that you are completely stumped.
REASON OUT LOUD
If you are completely confused by the question, ask some clarifying question to follow up. This helps to not only provide you with the clarity you need but also buy you more time to formulate a suitable response. Interviewers ask such questions, because they want to assess, your ability to think logically. So while it may seem confusing, but remember that these type of questions have typically no right answers. So focus on the structure of you thought process rather than your answer.
BE HONEST
You might be in a situation where you have to be honest. So, when you get a tough or unexpected question then simply mention you are not familiar with this concept but you want to learn. Organizations want to hire people who are authentic and engaged and really are true collaborators.
Above everything, learn from all your interview experiences. And remember that regardless of what question you get, focus on what the hiring manager is really want from the question. You may not be able to answer all the actual question asked, but if you are able to figure out what the hiring manager is looking for, you have already done well.
