Unscripted interview questions and how to master them

07.07.25
Experts2Care

UNSCRIPTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND HOW TO MASTER THEM

Navigating job interviews can be daunting, especially in today’s recruitment landscape.

Hiring managers are becoming adept in seeking out those ‘what they want to hear’ responses and identifying lack of authenticity in pre-rehearsed answers. Interviewers are increasingly using more unscripted and creative interview formats to seek out more genuine and natural problem-solving skills.

With adaptability ranked as one of the top required skills in today’s workforce, candidates will need to ‘think on their feet’ to demonstrate critical thinking and emotional intelligence.

 

EXAMPLES OF UNSCRIPTED QUESTIONS

  • How do you handle working with difficult people?
  • How do you respond to criticism?
  • What are you passionate about?
  • Describe a time you failed and what you learned?
  • How do you define success?

 

HOW TO MASTER THEM?

  • Compose yourself, take a moment to organise your thoughts
  • Understand the intent. Is the interviewer looking to see how you manage under pressure? are they testing your problem-solving skills? Are they gauging cultural fit?
  • Have a ‘bank’ of 5 real-life moments that can be used as a basis to highlight leadership, progression and skills.
  • Use the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result) https://experts2care.com/blog/using-the-star-method-to-answer-interview-questions/ method to formulate these situations into answers. This story formula this can be adapted for a variety of unscripted questions.
  • Make it ‘real’. If it’s not a scenario you have faced or you are unsure of what the interviewer is asking, clarify or reframe the question.

 

SUMMARY

The key to interview success are responses that provide a genuine and authentic insight using familiar scenarios.

Experts2care are a specialist recruitment company supporting leaders in care home management to secure the best next step career moves and the best talent for their organisations.

If you are looking to expand your team or for a career move, and you are a leader in the care home sector then please get in touch to see how we can help. Contact Sophie Reeves (sophie@experts2care.com) at Experts2care www.experts2care.com