Handling Awkward Interview Questions
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Interviews can be nerve-wracking enough without the added pressure of dealing with inappropriate questions. So what should you do? Let’s examine what’s happening and possible ways to deal with it.

Recent events such as the killing of Osama bin Laden loom large throughout the media. President Barack Obama’s leadership against terrorism, his decision to approve the mission, the political ramifications of the mission and myriad side issues play out in the press. It’s virtually impossible not to have heard of the death, but also to have some opinion on it.

Should your views on those topics or any other issue in the news be fair game? In a word, no. But that doesn’t prevent the question from being asked. I’ll give employers the benefit of the doubt. I’m assuming they’re not asking these questions to unnerve you. I suspect they’re asking what they perceive to be an innocent question. Small talk, you might say.

As children we’re told to answer questions when asked. As we age, we realize we don’t have to fully answer every question, but how?

Because it’s considered rude to answer a question with a question, try first cushioning your answer by saying, “It’s certainly a topic in the news and one where people have differing opinions.” Then follow up with a question of your own. “What do you think about it?”

In this way you’re acknowledging the question’s relevance given the level of media coverage. You’re also indicating that there are varied views on the topic. But you’ve danced around the question by asking what the employer thinks.

It’s not in your best interests to make the employer feel bad about asking the question. So a “no comment” response, while it truly isn’t any of his business, doesn’t help you.

If the employer persists in asking, smile, then default to a version of, “I can appreciate your question. I understand there’s a diversity of opinion on things like this. It’s my preference to separate work life from my personal views on such things. I’m sorry.”

The way you handle potentially awkward questions provides an employer with a glimpse as to how you’ll react in pressure situations. Handle them deftly and you’ll demonstrate your coolness under pressure. Good luck!