Survive Poor Interview Questions

Job interviews are stressful enough without the added challenge of deciphering a poorly phrased, overly complex, or ambiguous question. Yet, this scenario is common and interviewers, often unintentionally, ask questions that are unclear, convoluted, or even not questions at all. Here are some thoughts on how you can navigate these.

Why Poorly Phrased Questions Happen

Hiring managers and panel members are rarely trained in effective questioning, after all they are problem running a selection off the side of their desk. Sometimes, they rely on scripts, improvise, or simply lack clarity about what they're seeking. This leads to several types of problematic questions:

Triple-barrelled or compound questions: Multiple things are asked at once, overwhelming the candidate and making it hard to know which part to answer.
Poorly structured or vague questions: These lack focus and leave too much open to interpretation.
Statements disguised as questions: Sometimes, what’s presented as a question is actually a statement or opinion, leaving you unsure how to respond.

Examples:

“Tell us about the type of deadlines you have worked towards in the last 12 months? Which of them came in under deadline and how the outcomes were implemented?” (Triple-barrelled)
“What would they say about you if I asked them and, what type of person do you work best with?” (Compound)
“Our team values innovation and flexibility.” (Statement, not a question)

I'm sure you don't wan to get it “Wrong”

The pressure to answer well is intense, and research shows that when you sense that you have given a wrong or unsatisfactory answer your performance will suffer. Your already high cognitive load increases, making it even harder to think clearly and respond effectively. This can lead to shorter, less confident answers, more speech disturbances, and a downward spiral in performance. No one wants this!

Why Interviewers Rarely Recognise Their Questions are Poor

Most interviewers will not acknowledge that their question was flawed. Instead, if you struggle or answer “incorrectly,” the blame is often placed on you, not the question. Interviewers tend to anchor on their own expectations and may not realise the ambiguity or complexity they’ve introduced. This is exacerbated by confirmation bias, where interviewers only “hear” what confirms their pre-existing view of a candidate.

Here's What to Do with Poorly Phrased or Confusing Questions

1. Pause and Breathe

Take a moment before answering. Gather your thoughts.

2. Ask for Clarification

Politely request the interviewer to repeat or rephrase the question. This buys you time and prompts them to clarify their intent.

Example: “Could you please clarify which aspect you’d like me to focus on?”

3. Break Down the Question

If faced with a multi-part question, address each component separately, or ask which part they’d like you to answer first.

Example: “Which aspect of that question would it be most valuable for me to start with? Do you want to hear about my experience meeting deadlines first, or how I implemented outcomes?”

4. Redirect to Your Strengths

If a question is especially vague or off-topic, briefly acknowledge it and pivot to relevant skills or experiences.

Example: “While I’m not sure if I’ve addressed your question exactly, let me share an example of how I handled a challenging deadline just recently…”

5. Smile

Smile and console yourself that all other interviewees will have to handle the same questions!

Hiring Managers - Test Your Questions
Poorly phrased interview questions are very common hazard, so if you have a selection coming up and will be running interviews please craft your questions early. Keep them simple with one focus. Then test them out with someone who is not connected to the role and won't have preconceived ideas of what you are trying to get at.
As always, wishing you a flourishing career.
Katherine
Need some well structured interview questions? Reach out and I can craft some specifically for your role.

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