Don’t Know the Answer? Don’t Panic.

by Feb 26, 2018

You’re interviewing for a job, and all of the sudden the unthinkable happens. Despite all of your hard work and preparation, the hiring manager throws you for a loop and asks a question you don’t know the answer to. Suddenly the interview you thought was going so well has come to a hard stop.

Uh oh.

So what is there to do? There’s nothing you can do to change the fact that you don’t know the answer, at least not in this moment. But you don’t want to just say “I don’t know” either.

Be honest and tell them how you would find out the answer.

Erin Berkery-Rovner

In her article about this very situation, Berkery-Rovner has a few suggestions on how to do just this. She gives a step-by-step process to get your mind back in the game, and give a decent answer to the hiring manager as well.

Berkery-Rover suggests taking the following four steps:

  1. Make sure you understand what they’re saying. Repeat it back.
  2. Talk through the options
  3. Pitch a solution
  4. Bring it all back to your strengths

Hiring managers aren’t just asking to see if you “know” the answer- they’re also testing to see if your critical thinking and problem solving skills are sharp enough to figure it out in the moment. Using this step-by-step process will show the hiring manager that even if you’re presented with a problem you don’t know the answer to, you have the know-how to think your way through it.

 

Image retrieved from Pixabay under the public domain.

Rethinking Motivators May be the Key to Hiring Top Notch Job Seekers

Motivation for job seekers today is very different from the incentives that drove them in the past. Or, at least the order of what seems to be most important to them now compared to years ago. Renowned American psychologist Abraham Maslow, back in 1943, put to paper...

Contemporaries Inclusive and Diverse Workforce is the Secret to Our Success

The Greater Boston area and beyond is filled with many talented individuals who sometimes just need a foot through the door to launch their career and be given a chance to prove themselves. Since opening in 1998, Contemporaries, Inc. has provided that opportunity to...

Thank You Boston Candidates and Clients for 25 Great Years!

Many new exciting and interesting happenings occurred in 1998. Bill Clinton was President, while Newt Gingrich was the Speaker of the House. It was a time when the blockbuster hit, Titanic, dominated the Oscars as well as movie theaters and became the first picture to...

Contemporaries Named One of Best Staffing Agencies in Boston for 2023

Boston_ Ringing in the New Year is not just a one-day celebration. It also is a time to think about making future changes for the better, personally and professionally. If you are a business owner or decision maker in search of top talent, or a job seeker looking for...

All Staffing Firms Are Not the Same When it Comes to Placements

The standards for staffing agencies, when selecting a candidate for a specific position, may differ slightly, to drastically, depending on the types of job, the client, the length of assignment, as well as how the Recruiter is compensated. Traditionally, a firm may...

What Staffing Agencies Look for in Candidates

Do you want to know the secrets to making a great impression on a staffing agency Recruiter? Here are a couple of tips as well as insight on what Recruiters are looking for. First, they want the type of candidate who will take their job search activities seriously and...

Employers Have Choices Too! Part Three of Three Part Series

As we mentioned in the previous two parts of this series, employers certainly have choices when it comes to utilizing the services of a qualified staffing firm to accommodate their specific employment needs. Whether you require a temporary contract employee or the...

Employers Have Choices Too! Part Two of Three Part Series

Staffing choices can have massive ramifications to a public or private organization. Hiring the wrong individual may cost a company millions while making a great hire could lead to a vast increase in profits as well as other invaluable benefits such as positive brand...

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share this post with your friends!