As you are trying to get to know the interviewee's values and personality, they too are trying to get to know the company through you. When they ask you about major frustrations of the job, they are trying to ascertain if there are challenges associated with the job. If there are, they will want to figure out if they think they have the capabilities to handle those challenges.
It is in your best interest to be straightforward with them because you want a final candidate who can excel at this position.
Points to Emphasize
Since you want to give them adequate information, there are certain values of the company you want to be sure to point out.
- Talk about what the previous position holder found difficult.
- Discuss any unique expectations for this position.
- If available, talk about classes, seminars or workshops the company hosts that help deal with challenges that this position may face.
- Keep the answer positive.
Telling them what is expected of them and tools they have at their disposal will help them get to know the company a little more.
Mistakes You Should Avoid
There are certain ways you should not answer this question.
- Try not to make it sound like this position is more negative than positive. Even if there are a lot of challenges, you have to find a way to communicate that without scaring off potential candidates.
- Be careful not to alienate the candidate. Let them know they have the support of the company if they were to get the job.
- If applicable, do not forget to talk about difficulties you know they have the skillset for.
- Do not talk poorly about the management or any supervisors this position would report to.
Related Content
By keeping your answer positive, you will make the interviewee feel like they have the skillset to overcome the challenges you laid out before them.
Sample Answer
Here is an example of a great answer to this question:
The previous employee in this position found that there were a lot communication duties. They struggled with being the mediator between customers and some of the other employees. However, from what you've told me it seems like this would not be a struggle for you. There are of course other aspects that may frustrate you. There are time constraints on some of the projects. This is a very team-oriented position, so you have to be aware of that too. There is nothing frustrating about this job that can't be addressed in one of the workshops the company holds.
Be straightforward about what may frustrate them about this position.
