The ONLY Answer to the Hardest Inteview Question
Author: Michael Laurance

What is the weirdest question you have ever been asked in a job interview? I have heard some really wild questions!

What is the toughest question?

Do you realize that in many cases, the question that the interviewer is asking you is not the question you are really answering?

Hear me out on this one.

In many cases, interviewers ask candidates like you questions. Obvious questions. Questions like, “Tell me about a time when…” or “What is your greatest accomplishment?” or “How many years of …?”.

And in most of those instances the interviewer is looking for much more than your straightforward answer. They are looking for insights into who you are, how you relate to others, how much do you know about a specific topic, and how much you know about yourself.

Usually the really tough questions revolve around money, leaving a particular job, or what my clients used to view as the toughest,


“What is your greatest weakness?”


They used to view that one as the toughest, until we worked together to understand what this question is really about, and the one and only way to answer it.

This is the classic misleading question. Everyone dreads it. And in the end there is nothing to fear. I’ll show you how to answer this question by highlighting your strengths, initiative and confidence. This question gives you a chance to shine if you know the right technique!

So, let’s dig a little deeper.

What do you think this question is really designed to find? The traditional response is something like, “I’m not really good at technical stuff” or “I’m not detail oriented.” The natural response to this question is to talk about what you are not. That is the fastest way to the “do not hire” heap.

The real reason interviewers use this question is to gauge how honest you are with yourself and others. It is not to find a reason to disqualify you for a job because you are not perfect. None of us are perfect. Can you accept that about yourself? Can you be honest with others that there are things you have not yet mastered?

In reality, the interviewer is looking for a response along the lines of:
• Here is an area that I am not an expert in;
• Here is what I am doing about it;
• AND, here is a strength I can leverage to assist me in this area until I build sufficient skill in this area.

So, the only great response looks something like this:

“Mary, that is a great question! As you know, I have worked in Finance and Accounting for the past 10 years. I have really focused on Finance positions, so my experience in Accounting is mainly in 3 of those 10 years. I have recognized this as a growth area for me, and I am enrolled at Night College University taking 2 classes in Accounting theory and application. I am a really fast learner, and as I continue to build my knowledge and experience base, I can leverage the team-working skills I have developed over the years to build solid relationships with others to help should the need arise.”

Let’s review what happened here. You were asked the difficult question about what you are weak in. Rather than the pat answer of “I am lousy at …”, the successful candidate turns the question in the one they really want to answer, one that puts them head and shoulders above the crowd vying for this fantastic opportunity.

They make the opportunity to demonstrate their go-getter nature (I am taking classes on my time!), highlight valuable additional skills (“fast learner” and “relationship skills”), and confidence that they can handle anything that comes their way!

See the difference? Again, the successful candidate has turned the tide from “what is wrong with you?” to “what is right with you?”.

Which person would you rather hire? I can tell you that it is a pretty easy choice!



Michael Laurance is the founder and Chairman of CareerMakeoverSecrets.com, the Internet’s #1 site for people wanting to earn 0,000 per year and more. A highly successful entrepreneur, Michael is also a Vice President with a Fortune 20 Company where he has honed his career coaching skills by reviewing over 25,000 resumes, conducting 5,000 interviews, and extending 1,000 job offers. His select clientele include Lawyers, Executives, Senior Managers and Entrepreneurs all across North America. Visit CareerMakeoverSecrets.com to sign up for incredibly valuable (and free!) insights on how to conduct a successful career search, formulate your career strategy, write spell binding resumes, ace interviews, and negotiate like a pro. CareerMakeoverSecrets.com is the perfect destination if you need a new career, a new strategy, or just a little confidence boost.








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Michael Laurance is recognized as the leading expert on career planning, searches, and success coaching. As an Executive for Fortune 20 Companies, he is highly regarded for his abilities in the areas of recognizing, recruiting, and developing high performing talent. Michael leverages an amazing set of credentials and successes for his exclusive clientele including:

• 25,000 resumes personally reviewed, 5,000 interviews conducted, 1,000 job offers extended;
• Formulating focused career goals and detailed plans for their realization;
• Crafting attention grabbing “ad copy” that resonates with hiring executives;
• Interview coaching in the language that hiring executives speak;
• Developing and executing “win/win” negotiation strategies;
• An MBA from a top 20 School;
• Graduating from West Point, embodying “Duty, Honor, Country”; and
• Complete Integrity, Discretion, and Confidentiality.

Visit http://careermakeoversecrets.com to sign up for an incredible free course on writing an incredible résumé.

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