Interviews are nerve racking experiences. Many of us naturally revert into the age old “fight or flight” mentality, which can emerge when we’re experiencing an “unknown” such as an interview with people we’ve never met. Try to recognise and accept that this is a natural physiological response – remembering that the vast majority of candidates will be equally as nervous (if not more) – then do your best to counter the symptoms of stress. Try to keep calm, take deep breaths and don’t be afraid to ask for thinking time or clarification.

Practical tip: if you are offered a glass of water at the start of an interview, say yes! When nervous, I tend to become overly polite, which has led to me declining a glass of water at the outset of interviews in the past (purely as a knee jerk reaction). However, taking a sip of water can enable you to pause, calm your nerves, and take a second to think through your responses before speaking out loud. It’s about buying yourself some time while you wait for inspiration to strike. In addition, without water, your nerves and constant talking can lead to your mouth becoming really dry (which can sound strange), so just say “yes”!

You may be specifically tested on your composure during an interview. In one interview, I was asked who I would choose to have dinner if I could invite anyone, living or dead. I certainly hadn’t prepared for this question and it caught me of guard. But I then reminded myself that it was likely a test of composure, so I took a deep breath and said “Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones”. It wasn’t a particularly intelligent answer, but I remained composed and justified this on the basis that one evening with Mick would give me enough stories to entertain clients for the rest of my career. And I got the internship offer. It just goes to show that sometimes it’s less about the answer, and more about how you handle the situation.

I was also once asked by one firm to pitch one of their competitors, as my CV showed that I had been that competitor’s campus ambassador. I took a deep breath and gave a deadpan pitch, drawing out all the positives of that competitor’s business, then took some time to explain why my preference remained the interviewer’s firm. My answer went down well and I received an internship offer; it would probably not have gone so well had I panicked, or tried to speak negatively of that competitor instead. On that note, never speak negatively about another firm. It’s fine to draw out the elements that you prefer about a prospective employer, but if you slander one of their competitors, this could come across as unprofessional (and might lead your interviewer to assume that you’re capable of being equally as negative about their firm in other situations).

You might also be challenged – sometimes quite strongly – on your responses in an interview. When this happens, try to keep calm and don’t be afraid to disagree with your interviewers, as long as you’re sure you’re not objectively wrong and you can justify your comments! I was once asked whether I would ever accept a bribe. I said no (professional ethics are absolute!), but the interviewer kept testing whether my mind could be changed, making comments such as “but what if the client insists and it’s the only way to get a deal over the line?”. I stood my ground, as was praised in my feedback for doing so. 

In another interview, I was asked whether I should drop some of my extra-curricular activities to increase my chances of securing a 1^st class degree. Again, I said no, on the basis that the skills I have developed (and would continue to develop) as a result of my extra-curriculars were equally – if not more – valuable than gaining a 1^st. The conversation continued for quite some time, but again, I stood my ground, and this didn’t stop me securing an internship offer.

What if you can’t think of a response to a question?

You’ve prepared properly for the interview, it’s all going swimmingly and then along comes a tricky question … suddenly your mind goes completely blank. It’s happened to us all, but what you do next might determine whether it’s game over, or whether you can prove your resilience and get a bit closer to that job offer. We asked ex-City lawyer and experienced Career Consultant Claire Leslie what you should do if you can’t think of an answer during an interview. According to Claire, the first thing you need to do is to think about what kind of question you are facing. This will help you to determine how to respond.

A competency question

I once froze at interview when I was asked to talk about a time when I had worked with someone difficult. Now, I have, over the years, worked with plenty of difficult people, so why did I suddenly forget? Probably because I hadn’t seen this coming – poor planning – and because what sprang into my mind was a negative experience. I did not want to talk about this at interview. It is never good to be negative about previous employments. I did the right thing, I asked to come back to the question later, but then I let it play on my mind while I answered successive questions. It distracted me and impacted my performance. Do ask to come back to a question, but don’t then stop concentrating on everything else! As mentioned earlier in this handbook, taking the time in advance to list out and carefully consider all the experiences you have accumulated can help you to think up examples on the spot when unexpected questions come up.

A technical question

If your degree is relevant to the role for which you are applying, then you might find that you are asked technical questions. Try not to panic about questions you find difficult; the more anxious you are, the more likely it is that your mind will go blank. Take time to think. Employers will almost always be happy for you to pause; they would rather have an employee who reflects on difficult questions than one who rushes in and makes errors! 

Remember that a pause while you think will feel much longer to you than it actually is. Also remember that employers may ask questions knowing that you will likely be unable to answer them. They may simply be looking to test: (a) how well you react under pressure; (b) how well you can apply logic on the spot to reach a reasonable conclusion; and (c) the point at which you no longer have an answer (i.e. where your knowledge ends)! You might have got a lot further than other candidates before you had to admit defeat, even though it may not feel like this at the time. Try not to feel deflated or let your disappointment at not answering everything play on your mind during the rest of the interview.

An oddball question

Oddball (i.e. unexpected and seemingly random) questions are often talked about and feared. How many bricks are there in Birmingham? How many pints of milk are drunk each day in the UK? You are not expected to know the answer to these questions, just try not to freeze completely. The important thing is how you start to think and reason your way to an answer. Demonstrate that you are logical and can keep calm under pressure and you are already on the road to success. The City Career Series Consultancy Handbook explains how to answer such “brainteaser” and “market-sizing” questions in more detail.

A strengths-based question

You would have thought that a question about how you spend your spare time or what you do to relax would be very simple. However, sometimes these questions can floor you.You may be trying to think of something which you believe sounds worthwhile and impressive, when actually in truth you like going shopping with friends! It’s worth thinking about answers in advance (using the Common strengths-based questions section of this handbook for guidance), and ensuring that you have a really clear understanding of the skills for which an employer is looking. Ultimately, if the unexpected question comes up, you need to answer honestly. You’re likely to get caught out in a strengths-based interview if you lie.