If you’ve been in the workplace for a long time, there may be a few skeletons in the closet or past experiences that you don’t like talking about. Whether a termination, a gap in your work history, or a company that you used to work for that ended up with a bad reputation, I believe there are universal principles that can help you answer interview questions during your next job interview regarding unpleasant topics from your work history with confidence and conviction.

Interview Tip 1: Practice, Practice, Practice… did I mention practice?

In any debate, one of the main things you’ll notice is how well-rehearsed debaters can be when answering certain questions. Their answers are crafted precisely to the questions at hand, and anytime tough topics came up, their detailed responses are at the ready.

As a job seeker, you should take that same approach of having your answers and specific examples at the ready. You even get the benefit of not needing to deliver those answers in a public forum.

You can’t predict what a hiring manager might include as part of their job interview questions. You can, however, identify the topics that make your heart rate go up when they’re mentioned. If a certain topic stands between you and providing for your family, you should have an answer that is well rehearsed and ready for the occasion. Don’t leave those answers to chance. Know what you plan to say and practice saying it before the question ever comes up. Practice in front of a mirror (or record yourself on video) to ensure your tone of voice and facial expressions represent you well.

Interview Tip 2: Keep Answers Clear and Concise

The temptation in these situations is to talk too much. Resist the urge. You want to tell the interviewer about the situation in the most clear and concise way possible.

One of the best answers I’ve ever gotten to a tricky question came from a candidate who had been terminated from their last job for cause. I asked what happened, and they said, “I was terminated from that role. We were in the middle of a major renovation that had required a series of late nights, and I was falling behind on some of my tasks. I approved an invoice for payment without verifying that the work was complete, and when it came to light that the work hadn’t been completed, I was terminated. I remain on great terms with my manager, and he’s one of my references.” The candidate went on to give me a one sentence statement on what they learned.

They weren’t evasive, they didn’t dance around the issue, they didn’t ramble on. Instead, they accepted responsibility, had self-awareness, and told me what they learned. And through it all, they never said a bad word about the company that fired them.

You want to ensure that your answer is long enough to satisfy the hiring manager’s curiosity and not provoke them to ask follow up questions, but short enough not to overshare or damage your prospect of being hired.

Interview Tip 3: Be Honest

No matter how difficult the situation, don’t lie. The lies always come out. I’ve had employees that we’ve had to terminate because they lied during the interview process.

I recently had a candidate with something in their resume that didn’t make sense. The candidate spun the most elaborate tale to cover it up. Needless to say, the story wasn’t believable, and the candidate was eventually forced to admit they made the whole thing up. Now, not only did they not get the job, but they’ve damaged their reputation with that company as well as with the recruiters on our team.

Always remember that hiring managers might use backdoor references or other strategies to ensure that you are who you say you are. Your professional reputation will be more important over the course of your career and life than whether you get a position today. Whatever you do, do it with integrity.

Answering tough interview questions may not be easy, but if you are honest, clear, concise, and well-rehearsed, you can get through the interview and find your way to an offer! One of the many advantages of working with the talent recruiters at Goodwin Recruiting is we provide prep sessions before the interview to set you up for success! Whether you’re looking to improve your interview skills, talk through your career goals, or review common interview questions – reach out to me today.