8 Tough Interview Questions & How to Answer Them (Best Answers!)

Do you have a job interview coming up in the next 24 hours? If the answer is yes, you must watch this video. I am going to teach you how to answer the eight toughest interview questions. And just very quickly, make sure you tell me the name of the job you are applying for in the comments section below the video so I can give you some extra tips. To help you get hired at the first attempt, I will cover three things in this video. Number one, I will tell you what the top eight toughest interview questions are. These are the questions most candidates fail on. Number two, I will give you several quick tips to help you answer each question correctly. And finally, number three, I will give you a scripted answer to write down and also show you how to answer each question in a real job interview. And by the way, if you would like me to write bespoke, top-scoring answers to the interview questions, you will have to answer for your specific job role. Click that link at any time and go through to my website, PassMyInterview.com. Tough interview question number one is, what motivates you? Tip number one, do not say you are motivated by money unless it is a commission-based sales role. Tip number two, focus your answer on being motivated by doing a great job for your employer because that gives you lots of job satisfaction. And tip number three, say you are motivated by good teamwork. Hiring managers love people who enjoy collaborating to achieve team tasks and projects. Here is a brilliant top-scoring answer to that question, what motivates you in a real job interview before I give you the script to write down. Here we go. Okay, can you now tell me what motivates you? I am motivated by three things. Number one, doing a great job for my employer because that gives me job satisfaction and secure employment. Second, I am motivated by continuous improvement and learning. I like taking on feedback, developing new skills and finding better ways of doing things. Finally, I am motivated by being part of a supportive results-focused team. I enjoy collaborating with other people, sharing ideas and working collectively towards a common goal. And here is the scripted answer for you to write down. What motivates you? I am motivated by three things. Number one, doing a great job for my employer because that gives me job satisfaction and secure employment. Second, I am motivated by continuous improvement and learning. I like taking on feedback, developing new skills and finding better ways of doing things. Finally, I am motivated by being part of a supportive results-focused team. I enjoy collaborating with other people, sharing ideas and working collectively towards a common goal. Tough interview question. Number two is, what are you looking for in your next job? Tip number one, say you are looking for three things in your next job. This shows you really know what you want. Tip number two, I recommend you say that one of those things is a positive and supportive team environment. And finally, tip number three, say that you are looking for a manager who offers feedback to help you grow and improve. Here is the perfect answer in a real job interview. And again, I will then give you the script to write down. Here we go. Richard, what are you looking for in your next job? I am seeking three things from my next job. First, a positive team environment where everyone supports each other and works hard to achieve great things. Second, I want a manager who provides direction and feedback that will empower me to continually grow and develop professionally. And finally, I am seeking a job that is varied, challenging, and where there is a clear path for career progression. Wow, that was a brilliant answer. Here is the script. What are you looking for in your next job? I am seeking three things from my next job. First, a positive team environment where everyone supports each other and works hard to achieve great things. Second, I want a manager who provides direction and feedback that will empower me to continually grow and develop professionally. And finally, I am seeking a job that is varied, challenging, and where there is a clear path for career progression. Tough interview question number three. Why do you want to leave your current job? Tip number one, do not say anything negative about your current employer. If you do, the hiring manager will think it's you who has the problem. And tip number two, say that you will leave your current employer on good terms. This will definitely impress the hiring manager. Here is the perfect answer. Why do you want to leave your current job? I want to leave my current job because I feel ready for a new challenge with a forward-thinking company where my skills, qualities, and knowledge will be put to good use. My employer has been great to work for and I will leave on good terms. However, I am now ready for the next chapter of my career, which I hope will be in this role for your company. You can see how these answers are going to get you hired. Why do you want to leave your current job? I want to leave my current job because I feel ready for a new challenge with a forward-thinking company where my skills, qualities, and knowledge will be put to good use. My employer has been great to work for and I will leave on good terms. However, I am now ready for the next chapter of my career, which I hope will be in this role for your company. Tough interview question number four. Tell me about a time you made a mistake. Tip number one, do not say We all make mistakes from time to time, but it is how you respond to mistakes that is important. And tip number two, in your answer, show how you took ownership of a mistake, put things right, and learned from the experience. Here is a brilliant example answer in a real interview. Tell me about a time you made a mistake. When I started work in my first job, I completed a training course that had an exam. Unfortunately, because I thought I knew the subject well, I didn't prepare sufficiently for the exam and I failed. I was embarrassed and disappointed that I had let myself and my team down. I apologized to my manager, explained truthfully why I had failed, and I then retook the exam, passing with 100%. I learned a lot from that experience, and since then, I have prepared fully for every situation. Tell me about a time you made a mistake. When I started work in my first job, I completed a training course that had an exam. Unfortunately, because I thought I knew the subject well, I didn't prepare sufficiently for the exam and I failed. I was embarrassed and disappointed that I had let myself and my team down. I apologized to my manager, explained truthfully why I had failed, and I then retook the exam, passing with 100%. I learned a lot from that experience, and since then, I have prepared fully for every situation. Tough interview question number five. Describe a time you worked as part of a team. Tip number one, this is called a behavioral interview question. It assesses previous good work performance, so make sure you give a specific situation where you worked with others to achieve a common goal. And tip number two, I recommend you use the STAR method to structure your answer. Situation, task, action, and result. Explain the situation you were in, outline the task that needed doing, give details of the action you took to complete the task, and finish your answer with the results following your actions. Here is a brilliant answer in a real interview. Describe a time you worked as part of a team. In my last role, I worked on a team whose responsibility it was to launch a new company product. Our goal was to work closely to launch the product while using effective marketing strategies. We held a team meeting where everyone contributed ideas while actively listening and taking notes. I suggested online marketing while others in the team proposed reaching out to our customer database to offer a loyalty discount and also using online influencers. After our manager agreed to our marketing strategy, we worked collaboratively to launch the product, achieving the best ever sales in the company's history. Describe a time you worked as part of a team. In my last role, I worked on a team whose responsibility it was to launch a new company product. Our goal was to work closely to launch the product while using effective marketing strategies. We held a team meeting where everyone contributed ideas while actively listening and taking notes. I suggested online marketing while others in the team proposed reaching out to our customer database to offer a loyalty discount and also using online influencers. After our manager agreed to our marketing strategy, we worked collaboratively to launch the product, achieving the best ever sales in the company's history. Top interview question number six, what do you do in your free time? Tip number one, be very careful how you answer this difficult question. Do not say you spend your time playing computer games or going out partying with your friends. Tip number two, the best type of activities and interests to include in your answer are physical fitness and going to the gym, playing team sports, self-development such as reading books and listening to podcasts, and volunteering or learning something new such as playing a musical instrument. Here is a brilliant answer in a real interview. Okay, Richard, now tell me, what do you do in your free time? I like to keep active in my free time both physically and mentally. I go to the gym several times a week and I play team sports. These activities keep me fit, energized and my concentration levels high. I also enjoy reading self-development books and listening to podcasts. I have just finished reading the book Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink. It's a fantastic read that teaches you the importance of taking accountability for everything in your life. Finally, when I am not at work, I enjoy spending quality time with my friends and family. That type of response will get you hired. Here is a script. What do you do in your free time? I like to keep active in my free time both physically and mentally. I go to the gym several times a week and I play team sports. These activities keep me fit, energized and my concentration levels high. I also enjoy reading self-development books and listening to podcasts. I have just finished reading the book Extreme Ownership by the author Jocko Willink. It's a fantastic read that teaches you the importance of taking accountability for everything that happens in your life. Finally, when I am not at work, I enjoy spending quality time with my friends and family. Tough interview question number seven is what are your salary expectations? Tip number one, you must research the salary range before your interview. You can do this on the website glassdoor.com. And tip number two, before your interview, write down two salary figures. Figure number one is the salary you will ask for in your answer. And figure number two is the absolute lowest you would be prepared to work for. Here is the perfect answer in a real interview. What are your salary expectations? I researched the salary range for this job role and industry before applying. The range is between $37,000 and $45,000. Based on my knowledge, dedication and experience, I would be comfortable with a salary of $43,000 and the opportunity to have it reviewed annually based on my contribution to the team. For $43,000, I will ensure you receive a great return. What are your salary expectations? I researched the salary range for this job role and industry before applying. The range is between $37,000 and $45,000. Based on my knowledge, dedication and experience, I would be comfortable with a salary of $43,000 and the opportunity to have it reviewed annually based on my contribution to the team. For $43,000, I will ensure you receive a great return. Tough interview question number eight. Do you have any questions for us? Tip number one, do not say you don't have any questions. This is your opportunity to further demonstrate you are the right person for the job. And tip number two, I recommend you ask three smart questions that explore more about the role and what you can do to help the company thrive. Here is a brilliant top-scoring answer in a real interview that contains three smart questions you must ask. Here we go. Okay, that's the end of your interview. Do you have any questions? Thank you very much. I have just three questions I would like to ask, please. What advice would you give to the successful candidate who wants to excel in their work for your company? My second question is, can you please tell me more about the team I would be a part of in this role and their responsibilities? And finally, is there any additional information I can read to learn more about your company while I wait to hear the result of my interview? You can see how these questions are going to impress. Here they are in my scripted answer. Do you have any questions for us? Thank you very much. I have just three questions I would like to ask, please. What advice would you give to the successful candidate who wants to excel in their work for your company? My second question is, can you please tell me more about the team I would be a part of in this role and their responsibilities? And finally, is there any additional information I can read to learn more about your company while I wait to hear the result of my interview? Okay, the next thing to do is go through to my website, PassMyInterview.com, by clicking that link in the top right-hand corner of the video and hire me to write top-scoring bespoke answers for you based on the questions you will likely have to answer in your specific job interview. Make sure you check out that link and go through to my website. I have more than 30 years experience as a hiring manager and recruitment expert. I am here to help you. Thank you very much for watching. Don't forget to subscribe, hit the like button and also connect with me on LinkedIn. I have put my LinkedIn link in the description below the video. It is always an honour and a pleasure to connect with like-minded professionals such as yourself. Thank you for watching. Have a great day.