How to Answer Cliche Job Interview Questions

You might hear the noise on a regular basis: the sounds of job seekers' eyeballs rolling in their sockets as they endure yet another cliché interview question.

You know the cliché questions. You've had hiring managers ask them. In fact, some of them have probably been asked since the very first job interview. They're pedestrian and, because they're asked so frequently, also mind numbing. As such, your answers to cliché interview questions may also wind up being cliché.

The answers you give to cliché interview questions may not land you the job, but they can definitely eliminate you from contention. Here are the most frequent cliché questions you'll be asked, what they really mean and how to answer them:

What's your biggest weakness?
What they mean: Are you savvy enough to make yourself look good?
How to answer: When they ask this granddaddy-of-them-all cliché interview question, give them what they want. A cliché answer is, "I'm too much of a perfectionist but I've been trying to be easier on myself." Don't mention a "real" negative, but rather a positive (e.g. perfectionism, single-mindedness focus, how you tend to work long hours, etc.). Hiring managers don't want to hear about your "real" negatives (e.g. smoking, inability to concentrate, etc.).

What's your biggest strength?
What they mean: Do you know the most important aspect of the job you're interviewing for?
How to answer: Long before you're asked this cliché question, your research should uncover the core functions of the job (not just what was stated in the job posting). Concentrate on the most important function of the job, tie in some of the other responsibilities and illustrate it with a bit from your experience. For example, you might say, "I'm a whiz at repairing office equipment, but I can also detect problems before they occur. In fact, upper management often loaned me out to help clients as an act of corporate good will."

How do you handle conflict?
What they mean: What's your boiling point?
How to answer: A cliché question? You bet! Only answer with a business (not personal) related conflict. Then provide a detail or two on how you resolved it and the positive outcome. A great way to answer this cliché interview question is, "I developed a widget-manufacturing efficiency and my manager developed another. Both were at opposite ends of the spectrum. Then I decided to look for commonalities in our proposed processes and found we weren't that far apart. It was easy to compromise on the rest. As a result, the process became even more efficient than either of our plans would have been on their own."

What's your favorite color?
What they mean: We're going to probe you psychologically.
How to answer: Red. It's the color of passion. And you're passionate about your profession.

Why aren't you at your last job?
What they mean: If you're so good, then why aren't you still employed?
How to answer: If you were laid of due to a merger, use the English euphemism, "I was made redundant." If you were downsized, say that you were downsized. Never, NEVER say that you were fired, terminated, snubbed, iced or canned. A simple, effective answer to this cliché question is to say, "My employer and I came to a mutual understanding that our goals were not mutually compatible. As a result, we mutually decided to part ways."

Why are looking for a different job?
What they mean: Why are so unhappy with your current job that you're looking elsewhere?
How to answer: "I've accomplished everything that I can in my current position, and, with no room for advancement, I decided to seek out new challenges and opportunities." That's a great first half of an answer to this cliché question. But stopping there might lead the interviewer to believe you'll do the same thing later on if s/he hires you. Continue your cliché answer with, "In truth, though, I'm looking for a dynamic company, like yours, which will offer continuous challenges."

Have You ever been fired?
What they mean: What do we need to be aware of?
How to answer: Some companies won't hire you if the answer is "no." Hiring managers at these companies tend to believe that if you haven't been fired, then you weren't trying hard enough. If you answer "yes," then offer very little background (e.g. "Haven't we all? But then, not all jobs are for all people," or "Sure! But I learned a lot from the experience").

Where do see yourself in 10 years?
What they mean: Have you made a plan for yourself? And if so, are your plans compatible with this company?
How to answer: Answer this cliché interview question by combining your core skills with the core functions of the position for which you're interviewing - then travel into the future. For instance, if you have a journalism degree, but are interviewing for a sales job, you might say, "I love the written word and have a knack for sales. At some point, I see myself running a free weekly publication that generates revenue through advertising."

What cliché interview questions have you been asked? How did you answer them? Share them in the comments.

IN A NUTSHELL: Knowing why hiring managers ask cliché interview questions will help you answer them better.