13 Entrepreneurs Share Their Favorite Job Interview Question

Professional success doesn’t come easy. If you want the best jobs, you have to answer the toughest interview questions. And can find them in the following guide from online CV builder resume.io. It includes 13 of the most challenging interview questions from highly successful business founders. More importantly, it shows you how to answer them.

Let’s start with an ‘easy’ one!

You need to be pretty smart to design electric cars or reusable space rockets. And that’s why Elon Musk tests potential employees with this post-grad level question:

“You’re standing on the surface of the Earth. You walk one mile south, one mile west, and one mile north. You end up exactly where you started. Where are you?”

If you’ve got some serious cerebral processing skills, it won’t take long to figure out the answer. 

(It’s The North Pole!)

But what do you do if your talents are in other areas, like people management? 

According to resume.io, the trick to dealing with complex questions is honesty. Admit you don’t know, then ask follow-up questions to help you understand the problem. This demonstrates humility, a willingness to learn, and an inquisitive mind. The best employers know these qualities are just as important as raw brain power.

Get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable

Self-reflection is hard. However, it’s something that many of the world’s most successful business people look for when hiring new staff.

Chad Dickerson, former Etsy CEO, slips this uncomfortable question into every interview:

“Tell me about a time you really screwed something up. How did you handle it? How did you address the mistake? 

Luis Von Ahn’s favorite interview question demands even greater levels of soul searching. The Duolingo CEO  challenges applicants by asking, “What would someone who doesn’t like you tell us about you?”

Both questions are meant to make you feel uncomfortable. They’re designed to test your self-awareness and ability to take responsibility for your development. 

Again, honesty is the best policy, But this is an interview, so make sure you reframe your ‘faults’ into positives. Explain how you identified them and what you’re doing to overcome them.

Don’t be afraid of a little boasting!

Roli Saxena prefers to give candidates a chance to shine.

“What are you better at than most other people? What’s your superpower, and how will it impact this company?” asks the Adroll President.

There’s a fine line when it comes to the art of self-promotion. Resume.io advises focusing on your strengths that relate to the role. And use real-world examples to back up your claims. Otherwise, you’ll just sound like a big head. And nobody likes those!

You can find more tips below. Use them on your next job finding mission. They’ll help you turn your current dream into that next big win.