4

How should you handle a question in an interview for a PhD program when you don't know the answer ?

Should you try to just say something even if this is wrong or just tell the interviewer that you don't know the answer?

Improve this question
6
  • 10
    Honesty talks, BS walks.
    – Daniel R. Collins
    Jan 30, 2016 at 20:20
  • 1
    I refer you to the canonical text by Harry G. Frankfurt, professor emeritus of philosophy at Princeton University: amazon.com/On-Bullshit-Harry-G-Frankfurt/dp/0691122946
    – Daniel R. Collins
    Jan 30, 2016 at 20:25
  • 3
    What kind of question are we talking about here? It makes a huge difference.
    – Federico Poloni
    Jan 30, 2016 at 22:07
  • 2
    "I don"t know."
    – JeffE
    Jan 31, 2016 at 1:41
  • 2
    Look like you care, look like you feel you ought to know, look like you want to work it out straight away and will do in front of them immediately given half the chance. And don't forget to mention any closely related things you do know the answer to.
    – Simd
    Jan 31, 2016 at 9:38

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
17

In most cases, the interviewer does not care about the "answer", but rather about how you answer. I would answer honestly with something like "I do not know, would you like me to try and work it out?"

Improve this answer
4
  • 1
    I am not sure that the interviewer won't care about the answer, but this is still probably the optimal strategy.
    – Bitwise
    Jan 30, 2016 at 20:53
  • 1
    @Bitwise it would be very strange for the interviewer to not already know the answer to a technical question (unless of course it is truly impossible to answer).
    – StrongBad
    Jan 30, 2016 at 21:10
  • 7
    Perhaps I misunderstood - I agree that the interviewer would usually know the answer. I meant that the interviewer will care whether the candidate does or does not know that answer. However, I can also imagine scenarios in which the interviewer actually does not know the answer - for example if asking about the candidate's past research.
    – Bitwise
    Jan 30, 2016 at 21:19
  • Yup. The idea is to find out whether you're curious and whether you are capable of learning. If you don't know outright, if they can lead a little bit and you can eventually figure it out, that's really good.
    – la femme cosmique
    Jan 30, 2016 at 22:39
2

Honesty would be the best and tactical strategy. No one is expected to know everything. An ideal panel would only be interested in how much you know and how much of that pertains to your candidate position as a PhD scholar.

The time given for you in the interview process is gold -- you must try to expose your potential as much as you are able to within the period. If you spend too much time in an a question you cannot make out the answer, then you are probably losing time to express the answers for the future questions you might know. Hence it would be better to admit that you do not know the answer and try if you are confident (as suggested by @StringBad) or move to the next possible question if not.

Improve this answer
2

I don't recommend lying but there is a saying "Nice guys always finish last". It's sad but true that the modern world values bravado over honestly and sensitivity.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .