It is not uncommon for employers to ask you tricky questions that are meant to trip you up and cause you to reveal information that you might not have planned to share with them. By asking these questions, employers try to break your carefully constructed image and get a glimpse of the real you, so that they can determine if you would be a good fit for the job in the long term. 

In this article, we take a look at five trick questions that your employer might ask you and the answers to the same. 

  1. Tell Us about a Time When You Had to Apologize to Someone

This question is asked to find out if you have the humility to accept when you are wrong, acknowledge the mistakes you make, and learn from them. At the same time, if you come across as someone who is overly apologetic, the employer might think that you can be easily pushed around. 

So, be forthright and tell them about the time when you made a mistake, how you rectified it, how you learned from it, and how you are proud of the fact that you have not made the same mistake again. 

  1. How Does This Job Compare to Others That You Are Applying For? 

This is another way of asking you if you are applying for other jobs. If you say ‘no’, your employer might think that you are being dishonest. If you talk favorably about other positions that you have applied for, your employer might think that you are unattainable. 

Therefore, your best bet is to say that you have applied for several positions but not decided as to which position would be ideally suited for your next career move. 

  1. Why Do You Want to Leave Your Current Job and Work For Us? 

This question is asked to find out if you have a genuine reason for leaving your current job and if you really want the position that you have applied for. If you badmouth your current employer – even if you have reasons to do so – it will definitely affect your chances of getting hired by your prospective employer. 

Your answer should be two-fold – how your current position does not allow you to use your skills and knowledge to the fullest extent possible and why you think the position you have applied for might allow you to do it. 

  1. Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?

Employers tend to invest a great deal of time and resources in training their employees. They might not be inclined to do so if they believe that you might not stick around for a long time. So, your answer to this question should highlight your commitment to grow as a professional in your chosen field and become an expert at what you do. 

There is, however, no need to explicitly mention that you want to stay at the same job or company, as the employer might think that you are being disingenuous or trying to pander to them. 

  1. What Would You Do If Your Best Friend at Work Stole Something?

This question is designed to test your mettle as a person and as an employee. The ideal answer is – if your friend stole a pen or a paperclip, you will not make a big deal out of it. You will advise your friend not to do it again and that will be the end of it. 

If, on the other hand, your friend stole something important or valuable, you will have no choice but to inform your employer. The answer proves that you are willing to be loyal to your friend as long as it does not require you to be disloyal to your employer.