After interviewing thousands of engineers over my 20+ year career in IT, I’ve noticed that 80-90% of candidates fall short when answering this common question: “What do you dislike about your job?“
Initially, most engineers handle the question nicely—until they complain. They’ll vent about previous managers, coworkers, lack of processes, or how their ideas were never understood.
They might even describe how “rubbish” everything was.
Even today, I still hear candidates lamenting how others didn’t “get it” or claiming the team would’ve fallen apart if it weren’t for them.
This type of response reflects more frustration than professionalism and shows little self-awareness.
But here’s the thing—what the interviewer is trying to gauge with this question isn’t how bad your last job was. They want to see how you handle challenges, deal with uncertainty, manage repetitive tasks, collaborate with others, and, most importantly, what you do to improve difficult situations.
We all know work can sometimes be monotonous, unfair, or tedious. But you still have to get the job done. If you hate creating reports, did you automate them once you understood the process?
If processes didn’t exist, did you help implement them? If your boss always seemed stressed, did you prepare yourself first or just brush it off?
This seemingly simple question can unravel into a much deeper conversation.
It could take up an entire interview. Picture a technical scenario—maybe a coding exercise or a system design challenge—that’s so tedious you almost have to justify every decision. The real test here is your patience and the strategies you use to navigate such a situation and turn it around.
Frankly, this beats some cliché brainteasers like “How do you get three lambs and a fox across a river?” which, in my opinion, test memorization more than critical thinking. I’d much rather see candidates tackle real-world problems—fixing bugs, collaborating on tickets, or pair programming on actual projects.
So, how should you answer this question?
It’s one of those “common” interview questions that hiring managers use to gauge candidates or fill in gaps when unsure what else to ask. But don’t underestimate its importance—being prepared for it is essential.
Here’s how to get it right
First, forget about memorizing scripted answers. Instead, reflect on your experiences. Keep your CV handy as a reference because it’s your roadmap to the conversation. Remember, these common questions aren’t meant to be answered directly. They’re designed to see how well you’ve done your homework and if you can think critically on your feet.
When asked, “What do you dislike about your job?”—pause. Realize it’s not about your previous employer, team, or any external factors. It’s about you. How do you respond when faced with something you don’t like or when you need to do a task you dread?
What steps do you take to find solutions? Acknowledge the challenge, but always end with how you resolved it.
That’s what employers want: problem solvers, not more problems.
And in today’s job market, there’s no excuse to be unprepared for this type of question. If you only look at your CV every 10 years or when you’re desperate for a job, you’ve already fallen behind.
Here’s the twist: the best answer to “What do you dislike about your job?” might be, “Why would I dislike my job if this is what I truly love to do?”
Think about pro athletes—they wake up early, endure pain, and push themselves to the limit, all in the pursuit of excellence.
No matter how mundane, every task I do at work is part of my journey to be the best at what I do.
And honestly, if you can answer that way, with genuine passion and purpose, you might skip right to the technical interview.
Good luck.