by Beverly Aarons
30. July 2009 08:30
With many employers and recruiters swamped with tons of qualified candidate resumes are becoming more discerning during interviews. Some recruiters and employers are now asking difficult questions that may cause some candidates to stumble during an interview. Let's take a look at one difficult question and discuss the best and worst responses:
Difficult Question #1: Why do you think YOU were chosen for layoffs?
This is a difficult question for anyone who as faced a layoff. It's also a question that can catch even the most prepared of us off guard. But don't let it frazzle you. The first rule to answering this question is: don't express any anger or hostility towards your former employer. That means AVOID saying:
"Well, I think it was favoritism, jealousy, nepotism etc…."
"Well, I don't think I was appreciated and I worked there for 10 years and never got a word of thanks…"
"They wanted to give my job to a younger person who will work for less…"
Don't give the above responses even if they are true.
Below are some acceptable answers to the question:
"I'm not sure, I just think they needed to cut costs and I got unlucky…"
"I don't know. Can I think about that and get back to you?"
Also avoid devaluing your work performance. Don't suggest that if you worked harder, finished that project on time, etc., that you would have avoided a layoff. Saying something like that may devalue you in the eyes of the interviewer and lessen your chances of landing the job.