Answering Questions without preparation

Yes, I really struggle. In situations where I know I will be asked questions I spend ages beforehand trying to prepare for the unexpected by thinking of everything I could possibly be asked. 

That sounds insane now that I've written it down!

But it feels intensely important to know what to say because in live situations I don't. 

This has been a huge problem in interview situations, job interviews but not just that, any situation that requires me to explain myself. 

On the rare situations when I socialise - although I don't actually do this, I attend and hate every second and am only there because I can't get out of it... 

But on those rare occasions, I have memorized a few things to say so that I can 'join in' and not stand out as not like others, since that never leads to anywhere good.

I find job interviews impossible. I have been discounted from so many because I haven't been able to answer example questions, you know - give us an example of how you've done x, or tell us about a time when... 

Of course you can't adequately prepare for the unknown because there are too many variables. But it doesn't stop me trying. I recently attended a job interview, the first for several years. I became so stressed and obsessed about unknown interview questions that I became quite ill, which I was surprised by. 

So yes, I don't cope well with unexpected questions, or the anticipation of them! 

Yes, I really struggle. In situations where I know I will be asked questions I spend ages beforehand trying to prepare for the unexpected by thinking of everything I could possibly be asked. 

That sounds insane now that I've written it down!

But it feels intensely important to know what to say because in live situations I don't. 

This has been a huge problem in interview situations, job interviews but not just that, any situation that requires me to explain myself. 

On the rare situations when I socialise - although I don't actually do this, I attend and hate every second and am only there because I can't get out of it... 

But on those rare occasions, I have memorized a few things to say so that I can 'join in' and not stand out as not like others, since that never leads to anywhere good.

I find job interviews impossible. I have been discounted from so many because I haven't been able to answer example questions, you know - give us an example of how you've done x, or tell us about a time when... 

Of course you can't adequately prepare for the unknown because there are too many variables. But it doesn't stop me trying. I recently attended a job interview, the first for several years. I became so stressed and obsessed about unknown interview questions that I became quite ill, which I was surprised by. 

So yes, I don't cope well with unexpected questions, or the anticipation of them! 

• Yes your example of give us an example of is the type of thing I find hard.  There is probably an example but I couldn't think of it at the time. I was once asked what is your greatest achievement and thought I can't remember doing anything particularly noteworthy, so the example I gave was something from a hobby. I didn't get that job.