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How to answer Elon Musk’s favorite job interview question

The biggest question for a job hunter is ‘what interview questions will I be asked?’

The worlds richest person, Elon Musk, shared one of his hiring tactics during his talk at the World Government Summit in 2017.

In this speech, the Tesla CEO, explained how he always asks this one question during a job interview.

Unfortunately for Musk, sharing job interview questions prior to the job interview allows candidates to create high marking answers.

But the worlds most successful businessman uses his secret interview questions to detect deceit.

What Musk look’s for in a potential employee is  “evidence of exceptional ability.” “If there’s a track record of exceptional achievement, then it’s likely that that will continue into the future,” Says Musk.

The question Musk uses is a behavioral interview question. Behavioral interview questions ask questions based on past behaviors. Promoters of this recruitment process believe that a zebra cant change it stripes – how an employee has previously behaved indicates their future job performance.

What interview question does Musk ask to challenge applicants?

“Tell me about some of the most difficult problems you worked on and how you solved them.”

The question seems pretty straight forward. So why is it so special?

This question can help interviewers spot liars. Part of the interview process is checking the accuracy of an applicants claims on their application form. If a career professional claims they can do X, the interviewers job is to clarify if the statement is true.

Musk explains his reasoning during an interview with Auto Bild “And of course you want to make sure if there was some significant accomplishment, were they really responsible, or was someone else more responsible?

To score high on this job interview question applicants need to give detailed answers “Usually, someone who really had to struggle with a problem, they really understand [the details], and they don’t forget.”

Detailed answers also have a high word per answer ratio which research show’s increase the scores given by an employer.

How to answer the ‘tell me about some of the most difficult problems you worked on and how you solved them?’ interview question.

The ideal answer is part of a 4 point structure process:

  1. Problem and the negative effect
  2. Creative problem solving
  3. Steps taken
  4. Positive outcome

Problem and the negative effect

Example answers are in essence a story telling technique.

Stories work best when they are emotional, and people are more emotional when listening to stories that they resonate with.

With this in mind, the interviewee should, initially, start their story by evoking pain. Charity adverts do this all the time. The advert starts with a film about someone suffering, the audience observing the suffering feel the pain they are seeing.

It’s the same within a job interview. Instead of just stating the problem, as most candidates do, give detail – this was what Musk encourages during job interviews.

Explain the projected outcome if the situation got out of hand. If no-one dealt with the problem or found a workable solution, what would the negative outcome be?

Ideally, the real-life story will have an emotional effect on the employer, especially if the situation is industry-related – the employer may have also been threatened by a similar situation.

Creative problem solving

Most interviewees, during the answering of behavioral interview questions, skip the creative problem-solving process required to take action. Techniques like the STAR model miss out on this fundamental part of an interview answer.

An applicant’s level of knowledge and expertise can shine out here, as an explanation of the employee’s thought process is being explained. By dissecting why one solution was discussed and dismissed over another, shows a level of competencies, as the applicant shows they didn’t need to learn from a mistake as their current level of understanding was enough to make an informed professional decision.

This is why Musk explained that: “Usually, someone who really had to struggle with a problem, they really understand [the details], and they don’t forget.”

Steps taken

The crux of the interview answer is to showcase the applicants ability to take action.

Here, without adding irrelevant detail or steps, explain the actions the interviewee took to solve the problem being discussed. Ideally, split this into 3 parts “to solve the issue I did A, B and C…”

Positive outcome

Returning to the charity advert example, the steps they want the customer to take is, often, to give a donation. The advert ends showing a positive outcome; the once suffering individual is now happily living a positive life – the customers feel good.

It’s the same in the interview; you explain the suffering of the situation, the required actions, and end with a positive solution.

During the job interview answer, state the outcome the company received from the actions the applicant took. Like the charity advert or like the end of a good story, this should evoke a positive feeling. In fact, if your solution to a problem was unexpected or creative this whole process can create the feeling of desire, increasing the applicant’s chances of landing a job offer.

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Successful Language for a Job Interview

The focus on job interview language is underrated.

In the main, career professionals to prepare for a job interview will direct their time and energy on predicting the job interview questions. This is very wise, and valuable, as research suggests that knowing the job criteria, and therefore having a good idea of what questions will be asked, is one of the key elements for a successful interview outcome.

In fact, there are 3 rules for a successful job interview;

  • Identifying the job criteria
  • Being a self-promoter
  • Communicating with confidence

With a list of questions most applicants, prior to the interview, will create a number of scenarios to use as examples during the interview. Again good practice.

But, what most candidates fail to do is to reflect on the language they can utilise to highlight a high level of knowledge and experience.

In addition, language helps to build rapport, frames what information is taken in and creates emotion.

Career professionals understand how individual words, phrases and sentences influence and persuade, in short successful interviewees are skilled communicators.

Words that influence

How a sentence is phrased influences how an employer views an applicant.

Generally speaking applicants with a track record of interview failures use weak-sounding phrases. On the surface, the chosen words seem suitable for the interview question, but each sentence has an emotional attachment. At a basic level, the emotional equals desire or unsuitability.

Imagine, an employer asks a question to better understand the candidate’s related experience. 3 interviewees answer with 3 separate replies:

  • I am experienced in (job role)…
  • With 15 years of industry experience as a (job role)…
  • An industry professional with over 15 years experience specialising as a (job role)

Each answer states the same message – experience in (job role) but the structure of each answer creates a different image of the applicant – the level of expertise they possess.

This is because individual words have different emotional attachments. Fine, good, excellent, excel, all have a similar meaning but feel different.

The take away here is to choose words and the interview answer formula that allows an employer to view your skill set and experience in the best light.

Don’t be disingenuous

Rule 2 for a successful job interview outcome is being a self-promoter.

Much research shows how self-promoting in a job interview will increase the allocated scores for each job interview answer, as the ‘promotion’ easily allows an employer to cross reference the data within the job interview answer against the criteria for the advertised position.

Self-promotion doesn’t have to be an exaggeration,

In fact, stay away from comments that, on the surface, sound like a positive interview answer, but in fact are disingenuous.

Questions that ask about mistakes, failures or work ethic are designed to understand a candidate’s attitude in the workplace; how they deal with failures and mistakes.

Saying:

  • ‘I have never made a mistake’
  • ‘I always put 110% into every task I undertake’
  • ‘I am the best at everything’

sounds weak and stupid. Employers would prefer to hear the ‘mistake’ and what this error taught you.

When self-promoting, talk up your strengths and successes, ensuring the answer clearly states actions you took in team projects, while staying away from throwaway comments such as the 3 examples above.

Never apologise

Decisive interviewees come across as confident and hirable.

Opening an interview question with a ‘confidence statement’ reassures the hiring manager that the candidate has the required skill/experience being discussed as part of the interview question.

A confidence statement is an opening line that confirms you have/know the required criteria:

  • In all my roles I (add criteria IE worked as part of a team)…
  • This was a common situation in my last role…
  • This is a passion of mine…
  • X situation is something I have experience in throughout my whole career…
  • I’m very experienced in this, an example of this would be…

Rule 3 for a successful job interview is confident communication. Removing filler words and hesitations, along with a good pace allow the communication to be understood by the employer.

Nervous, fast-talkers, often fail interviews, not because they don’t meet the required job criteria but due to the speed of their communication – the employer doesn’t have time to analyse everything that has been said in such a short timeframe.

A common interview slip up is the ‘apology’ Nervous interviewees will sometimes apologies when they need to clarify the desired answer – ‘Sorry I don’t know what you mean’

Apology statements sound weak.

When asked a generic interview question never presume to know what the employer is trying to gauge from the interview question, instead ask for specifics; ‘would you like to know about X or Y?’ or even ask the employer to repeat the interview question – but do this assertively.

Increase duration, increase scores

There is a distinct link between the number of words per reply and high scoring interview answers.

The more an applicant talks, especially when using varied language, the more likely they are to mention the required criteria to hit a high scoring answer.

High scoring answers aren’t based on duration alone, as the topic being discussed has to be relevant to the job role.

When, ideally relaxed, and chatty, an applicant will often use several examples, quote industry-related models, while structuring the answer with an opening, body and summary. Some applicants, skilled at answering tricky interview questions, will also discuss the pros and cons of sector models showing a high level of understanding, therefore a high level of industry knowledge.

Embedding varied language, including positive emotional words, into a long interview answer results in keeping the employer engaged and interested.

Furthermore, highly confident applicants will create a conversation embedding their own questions into the interview answer. This dialogue creates rapport and changes the employer’s opinion of an applicant.

Be a ‘can’ not a ‘cannot’ person

Interview language is often the frame created by a statement given.

Much research shows how using positive language increase likeability. The framing of any reply, at a basic level, creates a positive or negative emotional response.

If asked a strength-based interview question: ‘do you prefer to work within a team or on your own initiative?’ any answer should highlight your preference – you prefer to work as part of a group or as an individual.

But how the answer is framed creates a different emotional response. Some applicants will use a negative frame ;

  • ‘I’m never worked on my own…’
  • ‘You get more done working on your own, rather the relying on others..’
  • ‘Isn’t this a ‘team’ position?…’

Framing alters what information is noticed by the interviewer. A positive frame creates a positive focus, whereas any ‘negative’ framed answers can cause concern as the employer associate negatively with the applicant.

What research tells us is that the language embedded within a job interview answers influences, positively or negatively, the interviewer’s decision-making process. By making a few alterations; the framing of the reply, the removal of weak phrases, and focusing on positive words can help an applicant be viewed as hireable.

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3 Persuasion Techniques to use in a Job Interview

The goal of a job interview, from the applicansts perpsective, is to persuade the employer to hire them for the advertised position.

To be hired, each candidate will show their level of competencies through their chosen interview answer structure, with the common option being the use of an ‘example’.

At a basic level, giving examples to highlight a required skill is one method to influence the interviewer, but more cunning candidates use a number of persuasion techniques to increase the likelihood of being offered the job role.

Interview persuasion techniques isn’t a type of ‘dark art,’ instead, psychologists have completed experiments to understand why some career professionals are more successful in a job interview then others?

Some people have a natural ability to influence; their persona, communication style and their interview answer(s) convince employers that they are a sure-bet.

Using evidence based-research, we have created a list of simple techniques that can be used to persuade the employer.

Message Framing Theory

The frame of the job interview answer changes a persons viewpoint.

Framing is persuasive as it influences how the mind sorts and organises information. The world is interpreted, differently for each individual person, depending on their own filters created through their own experiences, beliefs and values.

Meaning, two people seeing the same thing can attach different meanings to it. In the job interview, a late applicant, due to a faulty car can be viewed by one employer as ‘lazy’ – lateness = laziness, or by a second interviewer as ‘unlucky’ as they also have ‘car troubles’ so have empathy with the applicant.

Framing helps to influence the filters used to give meaning to things. As an example, if I was to talk about rivers and then asked about ‘banks’ the frame of the conversation would influence how the ambiguous word ‘bank’ is understood – as a riverbank.

Whereas, if I started a conversation about money and asked about banks, the meaning of the word ‘banks’ would be viewed differently to that of a riverbank.

In the job interview framing affects how an applicants answer is perceived.

A glass half full or half empty has the same quantity of water, but one frame is perceived to be negative and the other positive.

In fact, the way the glass is framed has an emotional response to a person hearing the chosen statement.

Imagine being in a job interview and after explaining that you worked for X organisation, the employer responds by asking ‘You worked at X? Isn’t everyone lazy over there?”

This negative stereotype creates an emotional association between you and the employers opinion of the ‘lazy’ organisation.

In this example, a ‘re-frame’ is required to break the association and to create a new, positive, emotional response “Yes, they are, that’s why I am applying for a position here, your reputation tells me that you appreciate hard work, good ethics and quality – the 3 things I personally value.”

The use of positive emotional words, compared with negative ones, throughout the job interview, can instill a positive image of an applicant, just as the glass half full metaphor feels more optimistic.

Research shows how the more positive words used during a job interview correlates directly with high scoring answers.

The interview answer, therefore, in the main should be frame a positive perspective, not focusing on negativity.

Encourage the employer to hire another candidate

People have a deep need to feel free to make a choice.

The interview, depending on an applicant’s interview identity, results in candidates attempting, sometimes quite obviously, to persuade the employer to hire themselves over other suitable interviewees.

Because humans value free choice, being forced, or feeling that you have no choice, creates resistance.

A review of 22000 people over 42 psychology studies found that the ‘but you are free‘ technique can increase the chances of someone saying yes by 50%.

The idea is simple, to reassure an individual that they have free choice.

In the experiments, asking for donations or take a survey, all gained an increase in participation if the ‘but you are free’ technique was used.

As an example, a charity collector may ask for a recommended donation of £5, and then add ‘but you are free to donate whatever you would like’ which would increase the donations received.

Or a surveyor would ask ‘can you complete our top-standards survey?’ and add, ‘but obviously you don’t have to feel obliged to complete it’

In the job interview framing the answer as if you will be hired for the position and then stating ‘but you are free ‘ can increase the likelihood of an employer saying yes to hiring you.

Imagine being asked ‘what can you bring to the team’ interview question.

Embedded into the interview answer can be ‘…if you hired me, but obviously you have a free choice, I would….A, B and C’

Rational Persuasion

In the main, persuasion experts talk about influencing people through the emotional part of their brain the limbic system.

But logic influences.

Presenting data, facts and using rational counter-arguments, research shows, helps to support a positive outcome in HR decision making.

The logical approach is easy to utilise within the job interview.

When asked a question many applicants revert to an example answer. The example is a powerful influencer, as storytelling talks to the emotional brain, where snap decisions are made.

The analytical process, created through the structured job interview, allows for and uses logical decision making.

Imagine, as an interviewer, you have asked a question and presumed the applicant will give another ‘example’ answer, but instead, the interviewee highlights their level of knowledge and experience by presenting evidence in terms of a target sheet, a data set, statistics or a written reference.

This proof of expertise, rather then a suggestion created within an example answer, can be more persuasive as it is harder to argue against facts then it is the possible fictional example answer.

Successful career professionals don’t simply prepare for their job interview by finding examples to the predicted job interview questions. Instead, expert interviewees focus on the frame of their answer, use purposely chosen positive words and make their persuasion feel like a free choice.

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How Varying Language Improves Interview Outcomes

The focus, in a job interview, has always been on the content of the job interview answer.

Content is important, as the description given within a job interview answer determines the score the interviewer(s) allocate to each job interview answer.

In short, an employer will cross-reference the elements discussed by the applicant to the job criteria on the interview scorecard.

Generalising, the more criteria reference within the job interview answer, the higher the score an applicant will receive.

This makes logical sense. It’s the same as scoring a boxing match; the more punches a boxer gets on an appointment the more points they receive. The best boxer, or interviewee, wins.

Research is showing how the referencing of job criteria, alone, isn’t enough to create high scoring job interview answers.

What is also key to a successful interview outcome is the language, or the varying language, used throughout the whole recruitment process.

Language creates an emotional response in others, changing how an employer views an applicant, therefore affecting the scores allocated in the job interview.

Interview language. 

Highly confident interviewees have a natural tendency to utilise strong assertive communication, whereas low confident candidates fall back on weaker language. 

‘Try,’ as an example, presumes failure, whereas ‘will’ presupposes action will be taken. This small change in language, consciously choosing an appropriate verb, creates a different reaction – how they view a candidate, from the employer.

Substitute passive words;

‘Try’ to ‘will’

‘Think’ to ‘know’ 

‘Could’ to ‘Always’

‘I believe’ to ‘I’m confident’ (or ‘convinced’)

Read the following two interview answers and compare the impression gained of the two interveiwees from the language used.

“I believe I am a good fit for the team and would always try to meet my targets. In my previous position I worked on a similar task and I always achieved my KPIs.”

“I’m convinced I am a good fit for the team and I will meet my targets. In my previous position I worked on a similar task and I always achieved my KPIs.”

Weak communication.

Other language barriers come in the form of unnecessary communication.

Anxious applicants are known to add additional ‘weak’ words to job interview answers that simply aren’t required. Any low scoring words need to be removed from job interview answers.  

Say more with less.

When planning to give a detailed interview answer, candidate are advised to pick only strength words that will ensure they standout from the group.

Delete the following unnecessary sentences/words during a job interview;

‘In my opinion..’  

‘Did my best..’

‘Maybe..’ 

‘Only..’

‘Sorry..’

Any filler words.

Filler words.

An example of unnecessary communication is ‘filler words.’ Filler words are subconsciously used by nervous interviewees to fill the gaps between sentences while delivering an interview answer.

Common filler words are sounds ‘er’ ‘um’ ‘ah’ but can also include the words ‘so’ ‘like’ ‘well’ ‘you-know’. This constant interruption, created by filler words, distracts the employer from the value of the applicant’s interview answer, resulting in a lower-scoring outcome. 

“Um, well, yes I do have experience, but, er, like it’s relevant but…”

To reduce filler words applicants can replace the ‘filler word’ with silence in the form of a pause.

As filler words are used naturally while a candidate is thinking of what to say, the applicant during this time can count to 3 in their head to divert their attention. The focus on counting is a conscious process that removes the unconscious process of using filler words. 

Another technique, prior to the interview, is to practice the delivery of answering interview questions by making a mark for each filler word used. The process of recognising the number of filler words used, which is often more than expected, creates an awareness that helps to reduce this subconscious habit. 

High scoring language. 

Varied language is a key element to high scoring answers.

Finding new ways to say common words can create the desired variety to improve interview language. As an example, the words begin, start, commence, and initiate are all synonyms of one another.

As referenced earlier, words have different emotions attached to them. If asked about a particular skill, an interviewee might state they’re ‘good’ at the skill, but the words ‘great’, ‘excel’ or ‘highly skilled’ all answer the question positively, but each word has a different emotional association. Word choice, therefore, elicits a different emotional trigger from the interviewer. 

Pronouns, ideally, need to be mixed. Singular pronouns (I) help to reference personal actions in team activities, whereas plural pronouns, which research shows are in coloration with high scoring interview answers, are used by confident candidates to help build inclusion and rapport, as ‘we’ is viewed as being ‘friendlier’. 

Positive emotional terms, embedded throughout the job interview, again improve interview scoring as the words used have an emotional attachment and help applicants to communicate persuasively. 

Positive emotional terms:

Joy

Happy

Gratitude

Pride

Interest

Amusement

Excited

Hope

Kind

Negative emotional terms:

Fear

Sad

Angry

Disgust

Rage

Loneliness

Annoyed

Nonverbal communication.

A common misunderstanding of hiring decisions, is that the content of the interview answer is the most significant part when it comes to scoring an answer.

As we have discussed in previous articles, prejudices, unconscious bias, the interviewer’s behaviour and the applicant’s level of confidence create ‘filters’ that answers are viewed through. 

Studies show how nonverbal behaviour influences the interview. For example, research has shown that smiling increases attraction and likeability.

Confident communication, eye contact and posture also help to shape the appraisal of an applicant. 

Research into micro facial expressions shows how a fleeting expression can be read by an observer, even though the expression only lasted milliseconds. Therefore, faked happiness isn’t believed as an applicant’s microexpression, as an example, showed fear before the fake smile is applied. 

There are 7 basic human emotions; anger, contempt, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprise, each with its own unique characteristics. Each expression, which is an expression of an emotion, is involuntary and outside of the awareness of the individual. 

Facial expressions can also elicit different meanings depending on the schema of the interviewer. A smile could be seen as sarcastic or joyous. 

Generally speaking, though, the following nonverbal cues will increase rapport with an employer, improving the interview scoring:

  • Initiating interaction to show confidence.
  • Giving your full attention to the employer – being externally focused.
  • Smiling and laughing.
  • Strong eye contact.
  • Gesturing to reinforce verbal communication. 
  • Taking up space with your body as this creates authority. 
  • Confident firm handshake. 
  • Head held high shows self-assurance. 

Job Interview Advice