Job interview: mastering difficult questions

In short: Challenging questions keep coming up in job interviews, for example about weaknesses, salary expectations or gaps in a CV. Good preparation takes the edge off these questions.

In more detail: Many difficult questions aim less at a “correct” answer than at how someone reacts under pressure.

In detail

• Weakness question: Name an honest but not self-sabotaging weakness and describe how you deal with it.
• Salary expectation: State a pre-researched salary range instead of dodging the question (gehaltsverhandlung-strategien-und-tipps).
• Gaps in the CV: Explain openly and factually, without justifying or apologising excessively.
• Reason for leaving: Stay factual, even if the previous job or boss was unpleasant.
• Stress questions: Deliberately provocative questions often serve to observe the reaction, not to assess content.
• Asking counter-questions: Shows genuine interest and gives time to think.
• Practice: Mock interviews with friends or in front of a mirror build confidence (pruefungsstress-bewaeltigen).