Woman Explains How To Answer Difficult Job Interview Questions Where Many People Fail
Applying for a job and preparing for an interview might be intimidating. However, part of that fear might come from inadequate preparation. It’s our own responsibility to work on our weaknesses and try and make them our strengths.
It’s OK if we need a little help, though. This is where the award-winning documentary director and editor Erin McGoff comes in.
The NYC-based filmmaker makes videos on TikTok ranging from “3 things you should never do when applying for a job” to “how to answer the most irritating interview question ever”, explaining the dos and don’ts candidates should be aware of.
Erin is passionate about democratizing access to career advice and being a friendly face to newcomers in the film industry, but her advice is useful to people pursuing other professions too!
More info: erinmcgoff.com | TikTok
Why should we hire you?
@erinmcgoffthere are tons of different ways to answer, but I love this formula 👌 #careertiktok #tiktoktaughtme #jobinterview #interviewtips♬ Steven Universe – L.Dre
Image credits: erinmcgoff
Don’t:
– I don’t know, you posted the ad saying you need someone and now I’m here. – not a real answer
– You should hire me for my skills, experience, and personality. – too rehearsed, vague
– I will work harder that ANYONE ELSE you’re considering. – too short, not specific
Do:
That’s a great question. As you can see on my resume I have all the hard skills you’re looking for in a candidate.
I have 10 years of editing experience, I know how to produce, and I have a degree in marketing. – hard skills
But I also have the soft skills you need for this job. I’m a team player, collaborator, clear communicator and I have a sense of humor. – soft skills
I’ve been following this company for a while now, and I know that you’ve been looking for someone who can take ownership of this role. I have ideas that I think will help this company reach its short term and long term goals. And I would love the opportunity to share them with the team! – unique value you bring
What is your greatest strength? (aka how self-aware and modest you are)
@erinmcgoffthis question is alllll about gauging your self-awareness! 💪 #careertiktok #jobinterview #tiktoktaughtme #interviewtips♬ Steven Universe – L.Dre
Image credits: erinmcgoff
Don’t:
– Ummm… I don’t know. Nothing comes to mind. – unprepared
– Well I’m really good at making money. I have a lot of money and I’ll make this company a lot of money. – cocky
– I’m really really good at what I do. When you hire me today, you won’t regret it. – vague, arrogant
Do:
I think one of my greatest strengths is my ability to focus. I’m really grateful that I’ve always had the ability to focus. – humble, prepared
And it contributes to my ability to consistently meet deadlines. – how does is manifest?
Something I’ve been told in the past is that I have a really good attitude and I inspire those around me to be more creative. – relevant, soft skills, specific
I’ve had previous managers tell me that I’m dependable. They can always count on me to get the job done right and on time. – confident
What is your greatest weakness?
@erinmcgoffReply to @ssa.brook.pascal you can name anything as long as it’s honest & you’re taking tangible steps to better yourself ❤️ #careertiktok #jobinterview #fyp♬ Steven Universe – L.Dre
Image credits: erinmcgoff
Don’t:
I work too hard, I care too much, and I sometimes am too invested in my job. – not really a weakness, try sticking to 1 thing, doesn’t talk about working to fix it
Do:
Something I’m working on right now is just my general confidence. I tend to have a lot of anxiety when it comes to public speaking or giving presentations. Honestly, even in this interview I’m feeling a little bit of anxiety.
So something that I’ve done in the past year is I’ve joined a public speaking group, where we practice speaking in front of each other. and that’s been really helping me with my confidence and with my presentation skills. – a true “weakness”, honest, authentic, quickly talks about how its being addressed, update
Things you shouldn’t say in a job interview
@erinmcgoffI could do a billion of these 🤪 #careeradvice #dontsweatit #careertiktok #tiktoktaughtme #learnontiktok #jobinterview #interviewtips♬ Coffee Music – Cafe Music BGM channel
If you’re late:
Image credits: erinmcgoff
Don’t:
Omg I am so sorry I’m late, the subway was delayed and I couldn’t find a cab lol, I’m so sweaty
Do:
Hi Jen, I am so sorry I’m late. I know being on time is important & this interview is a priority for me. This is so out of character and I thank you for waiting
Explaining a gap in your résumé:
Image credits: erinmcgoff
Don’t:
Yeah I didn’t go to college after senior year, I got really addicted to smoking weed and got super unmotivated..
Do:
In 2018, I had some things transpire in my personal life that made me have to step back from work for a little bit. But I’m happy to be feeling 100% again and excited to tackle my next challenge!
If they ask you a question that you are unprepared for:
Image credits: erinmcgoff
Don’t:
Ummm, gimme a second… I did not… I did not think you were gonna ask me this question…
Do:
Hmm, that’s a great question! Would you mind if I took a moment to think about my answer and we could come back to it?
Why do you want to work here?
@erinmcgoffdon’t talk about yourself—talk about the company! 🙊 #jobinterview #careertiktok #producer #internship #filmschool♬ She Share Story (for Vlog) – 山口夕依
Image credits: erinmcgoff
Don’t:
I guess I just always wanted to be a producer. Ever since I was young I’ve always been obsessed with working like behind the scenes, working on commercials with different brands. You guys have won so many different awards, I just think it would be so awesome to work for you – self-centered, unspecific, unspecific, sounds naïve, too many fillers
Do:
There’s so many reasons. First of all, I’ve been following years and I’m just a huge fan of the work you put out. I particularly love this campaign for 2019, and also this campaign from earlier this year. I love how creative, yet accessible it was, I bet that was very successful for your client. I’ve also spoken to a few people who work here, and I feel as though I’d fit in with the culture really well. I also really resonate with the company’s mission to create top working content. And from my past experiences, I think I have the perfect skill set to fulfill the duties of this job. – humble flattery, show you did research, specific, flex connections you have, talk like you already work there, talk about past experience and how that led you here.
@erinmcgofffollow this formula to nail this question 💥💥💥 #jobinterview #careertiktok #lifehack #filmschool #fyp♬ Steven Universe – L.Dre
Tell me about yourself
Image credits: erinmcgoff
Don’t:
Umm.. OK well I.. I’m from X and my dad always wanted me to go to business school, even though I really wanted to go to film school, which was annoying. So.. I ended up going to X university because my dad said he’d pay for it, so I went and I was in the sorority and that was really fun, so yeah.. And I ended up here, so.. I hate my boss, so looking for a change – unprepared, too personal, negative, too general, mumbling
Do:
Well, I’m from X, I went to X University, and I graduated in 2017 with a major in business and a minor in media and communications. And then after college I moved to New York city, where I now work as an acquisitions manager HBO, which I totally love. But I’m looking to pivot to more of a boutique agency, where I could have a smaller team and more creative freedom – talking about past, present, and future
Things you should never do when applying for a job
@erinmcgoffIf you think your resume/cl don’t have typos, go check again! 🥲 #careeradvice #careertiktok #interviewtips #learnontiktok #resume #edutok♬ Oh No – Kreepa
Image credits: erinmcgoff
Send your resume as anything but a .pdf
Never send your resume as anything but a .pdf unless they state otherwise. No word documents, no screenshots, no illustrator files
Image credits: erinmcgoff
Not follow up
Always follow up after a job interview. It doesn’t have to be immediately, but also not too late. Typically 3 days – 2 weeks is the sweet spot
Image credits: erinmcgoff
Have typos
So many people have typos on their resumes, and its little things you may not notice, but unfortunately it can make or break your application
Here’s what people have been saying about Erin’s TikToks
125Kviews
Share on Facebook
I thought I would read this and it would be a typical dumb TikTok thing, it's actually some pretty good advice, which they should teach in school. During the time when I was doing hiring at my previous job I'd shoot down people for having poor answers. But, also, consider that Bored Panda noted a while ago that using TikTok is a bad thing, since you're giving all your information to China. Yet, we keep getting TikTok posts.
I actually stumbled across her videos last week just in time for an upcoming job interview, she has a lot more helpful tips on TikTok then what's being shown on here. I know for me personally, my anxiety completely takes over during job interviews and I am not able to articulate myself very well but I was able to utilize some of her tips and I actually landed the job - so thank you !
Please please listen to the typos thing! It’s so important. If you can’t be bothered to make sure everything is correct on your resume, how can I expect you to pay attention to what you’re doing at work? I just turned down numerous candidates for an admin position because of resume mistakes.
“Attention to detials” is one of my favorite typos.
Load More Replies...
these kinds of posts where you just take screenshots of a tiktok videos are so annoying!
I'm a hiring manager, done hundreds of interviews. This is all pretty good advice. Typo? Forget it. I had a lady who said she couldn't remember any mistakes she had ever made. Forget it. How about a person who didn't know anything about my company? Not hired. We want real people, admit your flaws, tell us what you're good at, and let some personality shine through for God's sake. Trembling terrified doesn't get hired; macho tough doesn't get hired. We want skills and we want real people who can get through an interview without looking like they're about to either throw up or start arguing. I hire based on having the skills I need plus sincerity... It's easy to tell if someone is sincere in their interview.
You know what I appreciate in an interview? Someone being themselves! That starts with leaving these awful questions out of the game. Have a real conversation and you learn so much more. Be interested in that person, let them tell their story and see if that matches what you need. Don't make people nervous, be better than that. So if you've done hundreds of interview and are still using these questions, then I side eye the s**t out of your skills.
Load More Replies...
TL;DR; give complete non answers and pleasant lies that fit the specific job you're interviewing for.
Is PDF really the standard for resumes nowadays? I’m asking because it’s been a while since I’ve been actively in the job market and I don’t remember this being the case before
It's been the case for many, many years. Not everyone knew that though. Unless you specifically want the person to be able to edit the doc, always, but ALWAYS, send PDFs. That goes for far more than resumes.
Load More Replies...
Since becoming self employed, i see job interviews as admission of failure in life, and you now need to turn yourself into a slave that will make someone else rich via your hard work.
I do a lot of hiring and she's right on most points. The one thing I would suggest is don't whip up anxiety as your greatest weakness.
When I conduct interviews, I only care about what you know about the job, your ability to do the job, your ability & desire to learn more about the job, your ability to communicate, and if you're lying to me about ANYTHING. Fyi, giving rehearsed answers makes you sound like a used car salesman, which is NOT an impression you want to make. Know your stuff, give clear & concise answers and you never have to memorize anything.
Whenever I interview someone for a position, I don't do the normal "interview questions" at all. I talk about the job, what it involves, and ask what experience they've had doing those specific things. I ask about what problems they might have with what they might be doing. I give them a tour and explain the job, and ask if they have questions. I certainly don't ask the "If you were (a can of soup, a superhero, a garden gnome) ..." sort of questions.
If I were interviewing I think that had I heard the word "really" on more time I would want to tear my hair out. Being late: "Being on time is important."Yes. It is. "This interview is a priority." In which case be prepared for this very thing by arriving early and if it's so early you need to go get a coffee to wait around, fine. But being late is never a good start with me. If you are going to make a general comment about a past project of the company, look out. I will get specific about it. Tell me 2 specific things that impressed you about the project. Please don't "feel". Please "think". Feelings deal with emotions. Telling me what you "think" indicates to me someone who is not timid about be decisive. "I feel that I would contribute......" vs "I think that I would contribute.....". For me there is a difference. Most important of all, she did not address anything for the recent graduates who need to get experience but won't get hired until they have some. What for them?
The real question, that I have grown into over the years: "why should I work to you, rather then ask your company to go f$%k off?" And no. I do not work for anyone I do not like on a personal level
Is it just me, or is this slide-the-puzzle-piece thing TikTok does a MAJOR annoyance?
I'm irritated when random people post their opinions as profession advise... but as a hiring manger I do agree with basically everything she said.
But 'random people' can tell you a lot about what has and hasn't worked in interviews. It isn't a lot of secret stuff that only hiring managers know. As a manager it sounds like you don't have a very high opinion about random people. Bet you weren't always on that pedestal.
Load More Replies...
nothing here that doesn't reek of bullshit. it's just showing what flavor of bullshit they are likely to be appealed by vs, one they won't
I thought I would read this and it would be a typical dumb TikTok thing, it's actually some pretty good advice, which they should teach in school. During the time when I was doing hiring at my previous job I'd shoot down people for having poor answers. But, also, consider that Bored Panda noted a while ago that using TikTok is a bad thing, since you're giving all your information to China. Yet, we keep getting TikTok posts.
I actually stumbled across her videos last week just in time for an upcoming job interview, she has a lot more helpful tips on TikTok then what's being shown on here. I know for me personally, my anxiety completely takes over during job interviews and I am not able to articulate myself very well but I was able to utilize some of her tips and I actually landed the job - so thank you !
Please please listen to the typos thing! It’s so important. If you can’t be bothered to make sure everything is correct on your resume, how can I expect you to pay attention to what you’re doing at work? I just turned down numerous candidates for an admin position because of resume mistakes.
“Attention to detials” is one of my favorite typos.
Load More Replies... these kinds of posts where you just take screenshots of a tiktok videos are so annoying!
I'm a hiring manager, done hundreds of interviews. This is all pretty good advice. Typo? Forget it. I had a lady who said she couldn't remember any mistakes she had ever made. Forget it. How about a person who didn't know anything about my company? Not hired. We want real people, admit your flaws, tell us what you're good at, and let some personality shine through for God's sake. Trembling terrified doesn't get hired; macho tough doesn't get hired. We want skills and we want real people who can get through an interview without looking like they're about to either throw up or start arguing. I hire based on having the skills I need plus sincerity... It's easy to tell if someone is sincere in their interview.
You know what I appreciate in an interview? Someone being themselves! That starts with leaving these awful questions out of the game. Have a real conversation and you learn so much more. Be interested in that person, let them tell their story and see if that matches what you need. Don't make people nervous, be better than that. So if you've done hundreds of interview and are still using these questions, then I side eye the s**t out of your skills.
Load More Replies... TL;DR; give complete non answers and pleasant lies that fit the specific job you're interviewing for.
Is PDF really the standard for resumes nowadays? I’m asking because it’s been a while since I’ve been actively in the job market and I don’t remember this being the case before
It's been the case for many, many years. Not everyone knew that though. Unless you specifically want the person to be able to edit the doc, always, but ALWAYS, send PDFs. That goes for far more than resumes.
Load More Replies... Since becoming self employed, i see job interviews as admission of failure in life, and you now need to turn yourself into a slave that will make someone else rich via your hard work.
I do a lot of hiring and she's right on most points. The one thing I would suggest is don't whip up anxiety as your greatest weakness.
When I conduct interviews, I only care about what you know about the job, your ability to do the job, your ability & desire to learn more about the job, your ability to communicate, and if you're lying to me about ANYTHING. Fyi, giving rehearsed answers makes you sound like a used car salesman, which is NOT an impression you want to make. Know your stuff, give clear & concise answers and you never have to memorize anything.
Whenever I interview someone for a position, I don't do the normal "interview questions" at all. I talk about the job, what it involves, and ask what experience they've had doing those specific things. I ask about what problems they might have with what they might be doing. I give them a tour and explain the job, and ask if they have questions. I certainly don't ask the "If you were (a can of soup, a superhero, a garden gnome) ..." sort of questions.
If I were interviewing I think that had I heard the word "really" on more time I would want to tear my hair out. Being late: "Being on time is important."Yes. It is. "This interview is a priority." In which case be prepared for this very thing by arriving early and if it's so early you need to go get a coffee to wait around, fine. But being late is never a good start with me. If you are going to make a general comment about a past project of the company, look out. I will get specific about it. Tell me 2 specific things that impressed you about the project. Please don't "feel". Please "think". Feelings deal with emotions. Telling me what you "think" indicates to me someone who is not timid about be decisive. "I feel that I would contribute......" vs "I think that I would contribute.....". For me there is a difference. Most important of all, she did not address anything for the recent graduates who need to get experience but won't get hired until they have some. What for them?
The real question, that I have grown into over the years: "why should I work to you, rather then ask your company to go f$%k off?" And no. I do not work for anyone I do not like on a personal level
Is it just me, or is this slide-the-puzzle-piece thing TikTok does a MAJOR annoyance?
I'm irritated when random people post their opinions as profession advise... but as a hiring manger I do agree with basically everything she said.
But 'random people' can tell you a lot about what has and hasn't worked in interviews. It isn't a lot of secret stuff that only hiring managers know. As a manager it sounds like you don't have a very high opinion about random people. Bet you weren't always on that pedestal.
Load More Replies... nothing here that doesn't reek of bullshit. it's just showing what flavor of bullshit they are likely to be appealed by vs, one they won't
184
35