Some questions in interviews are designed to shake you a bit.
Not in a bad way — but they’re meant to pull you out of your script.
Like:
- “What would you do if the team suddenly lost its manager?”
- “How would you approach scaling this product to a new market?”
- “What would you change about how we do things?”
These are “wider scope” questions.
They’re not about what you’ve done.
They’re about how you think.
Why They Matter
Hiring managers already know you can tick the boxes.
What they don’t know is how you operate when there’s no clear path.
These questions test your thinking, leadership instincts, and ability to deal with ambiguity.
They also give insight into your curiosity, strategic sense, and confidence.
The Trap Most Candidates Fall Into
They go one of two ways:
- They ramble.
They start talking without knowing where they’re going. - They freeze.
Because they feel they’re not “senior enough” to answer this kind of question.
Here’s the thing — you don’t need to be a CEO to have opinions.
You just need to stay calm, ask the right questions, and think it through out loud.
A Simple Way to Approach It
Here’s a quick framework you can use when faced with a wider-scope question:
- Clarify the intent.
It’s okay to take a second and say:
“Just so I understand — are you asking how I’d approach this as part of the team, or if I were in a leadership role?” - Break it down.
Big questions become manageable when you split them into parts.
For example:
“To approach scaling this product, I’d start by looking at three things: market fit, internal capacity, and risks.” - Show your process.
Don’t rush to give “the right answer.”
What matters is how you think. Walk them through your reasoning step by step. - Stay humble.
Say what you know — and acknowledge what you’d want to explore further.
“I’d need more context to decide, but based on what I know…”
This shows confidence and self-awareness.
Final Thoughts
Wider-scope questions are not about being perfect.
They’re about being thoughtful, structured, and real.
You’re not just answering. You’re showing what it would feel like to work with you on something tough.
So next time a big open-ended question comes your way, take a breath.
Slow down.
Then think out loud — with intent.
The French Recruiter 