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One reason employers ask difficult questions is to seek out important ... Tell me about a time you overcame an obstacle.​

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During a job interview, you may be asked tough questions. Tough interview questions vary widely between industries, but there are several tough questions employers commonly use to learn more about you as a candidate.

In this article, we look at why employers ask tough questions and what they’re looking for in your answer. Then, we explore examples of tough interview questions with sample answers.

Why do employers ask tough interview questions?

Employers ask tough interview questions for several different reasons. One reason employers ask difficult questions is to seek out important information about you. For example, employers might ask you to tell them about yourself. While it is difficult to provide a brief, eloquent summary of yourself, it is helpful context for employers to understand.

Another reason employers ask difficult interview questions is to learn about your thought processes. For example, they might ask you an unexpected and abstract question like, “If you were a tree, what type of tree would you be?” The employer is not looking for a specific answer here but rather asking to see if you can think quickly and support your answer with some logic or explanation.

Lastly, employers might ask tough interview questions to gauge your experience level and comfort with difficult tasks. This is more common in technical roles like computer programming or accounting. These questions should be answered to the best of your ability. Check with friends or colleagues in your industry for examples of test questions they’ve received.