When you’ve spent hours researching a company, reading up on their products, learning who the big players are, and seem to do everything right, it can be incredibly frustrating to encounter interview questions that send you floundering.

What to do? You aren’t the first, nor will you be the last, to be frustrated by interview questions. However, the only way to salvage a positive outcome is to prepare for the unexpected.

The first thing to understand is that interview questions are a two-way process. In the best of circumstances, this should be a productive conversation. Good interview questions allow the interviewer and you to mutually assess whether you are a good fit for the company. But sometimes interviewers simply aren’t good at interviewing. Sometimes the interview questions they ask are designed to see how you think and test how you work under pressure. It’s nerve-wracking even for the most experienced job seekers.

Below I’ve provided five common interview questions and statements, with suggestions on how to answer them:

1. “We think you’ll be bored here.”

When you hear this one, the interviewer is impressed with your skill set but feels you are overqualified. They don’t want to bring on someone who is so senior they will leave within a year for more challenging roles.

So, if you’re truly interested in the role and company, you have to show that you’re willing to give a smaller organization a shot and are truly interested in helping them, not just climbing the ladder. Give an example of how you have made the most of your roles in the past, specifically the ones you may have been “over-qualified” for. If you’ve had other roles for a long time, mention the tenure you’ve had in other roles, and how you are looking for a long term home in this company too. You can also offer your references as a show of good faith and how history can repeat itself at this company.

2. “How would you describe yourself in one word?”

This question is likely being asked as a psychological assessment: the interviewer is trying to determine your personality type, your level of confidence, and whether your work style is a good fit for the job. This question can be a challenge, particularly early on in the interview, because you don’t really know what personality type the manager is seeking. Therefore it’s best to stay conservative and fit the word to the job type. If you’re applying for a job in finance, traditionally a conservative field, don’t use “artist” to describe yourself.

Hiring managers today are seeking team players that are calm under pressure, energetic, enthusiastic, honest, reliable, and dedicated. Turn this question into an opportunity to describe your best attributes that match the job.

3. “How does this position compare to others you are applying for?”

This one is pretty easy to figure out: The hiring manager wants to know how active you are in your job search. He or she wants to determine your loyalty and how honest you are.

If you say, “I’ve only applied to this job,” it might be seen as a red flag. Very few job applicants only apply to the one single job, so they may assume you’re being dishonest. But if you tell them about other positions you’re pursuing, and speak of them in glowing terms, the interviewer may conclude that you’ll take a job at one of those companies instead, and won’t want to waste time that could be spent interviewing more committed candidates. At the same time, you don’t want to badmouth other companies, either.

To answer this, you can say “There are several organizations where I’m interviewing. That said I haven’t decided on the best fit for my next career move.” This is to the point, honest, and neither endorses a specific company nor dismisses the fact that you’re considering multiple opportunities.

4. “Why do you want to work here?”

Interviewers ask this because they want to know what drives you the most, how well you’ve researched them, and how much you want the job. You need to be careful here – be honest, but don’t badmouth your current employer or bring personal issues up. That’s completely inappropriate – and can make you look petty, unprofessional, and desperate.

Instead, the hiring manager wants to know that you’ve taken the time to research the company and understand the industry. Interviewers also need to be convinced that you actually want this job (and not just any job); that you have a can-do attitude; that you are high energy; that you can make a significant contribution; that you understand their mission and goals; and that you want to be part of that mission.

A good way to answer this question is to mention the company philosophy and values, major projects, and how you envision yourself making a difference.

5. “Why do you want to leave your current job?”

If your career history has any gaps or positions that don’t add to your overall progression, the interviewer will be looking for your explanation for patterns or anything negative, especially if your positions are many or short-term. The hiring manager is trying to determine if you currently have or had issues working with others, if you get bored quickly in a job (see question 1), or other red flags.

While nobody likes talking about a job they dislike and why, you must answer diplomatically without throwing any people or employers under the bus. If you don’t do this, your answer could create further questions and doubts, or kill your chances of getting the job entirely. You need to show you’re seeking a more challenging position that is a better fit for your current skill set.