When you’re interviewing for a new job, it’s only natural that you want to put your best foot forward. You try to do all the necessary legwork—from researching the company to rehearsing the “perfect” responses—so you can walk into the interview room brimming with confidence. 

However, your “perfect” interview answers may unwittingly set you up for failure. As a career coach and hiring manager with more than 15 years of experience in the career services industry, I can assure you that interviewers can usually tell when a candidate is telling them what they think they want to hear, rather than telling them something that’s truthful and genuine. 

In fact, that’s often why some employers ask bizarre interview questions. They purposely want to force a candidate “off-script” in order to get a better read on whom they’re speaking with and to determine whether or not they’ll be a good fit for the role. 

The last thing a hiring manager wants to be fed during an interview is a line. If you’re preparing for an interview, avoid using any of the answers below that are filled with nothing but hot air.

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