It’s a simple fact of life that at some point, someone is going to ask you a question that you simply don’t want to answer. Whether it’s a job interviewer, an in-law, or a random stranger who doesn’t know where to draw the line, there are a few things as frustrating as dealing with someone who feels entitled to knowing the details of your personal business. To help you change the subject as painlessly as possible, we asked the experts for their genius tricks. After you read these, you’ll be able to deflect like Muhammad Ali! And for more ways to improve your social graces, check out the 23 Old-Fashioned Etiquette Rules That Still Apply.
1. Enlist the help of a friend.
Sometimes, you just know someone is going to ask you an unwanted question. For instance, maybe you’re going to a family dinner with your grandfather, who always has to inquire about your love life. If you can anticipate that nosy question in advance, ask another family member to charmingly intercept it, suggests Katherine Blaisdell, public speaking coach and founder of Divine Communications. A sibling could easily step in and say something like, “Oh Grandpa, don’t make her answer that!”
2. Prepare a canned answer in advance.
If you’re going into a planned meeting, such as a job interview or a performance review, you can prepare answers to any unwanted questions you know are headed your way. Blaisdell calls this “visualizing your free throws” so you can reserve energy for the truly surprising questions.
“Let’s say you’re going into an interview and [you know they will] ask about your managerial experience and you don’t have much,” she says. “You can use their question as the topic of your answer or just a pivot point. Say, ‘I’m so glad you asked! One of the reasons I’m looking for new opportunities is that I anticipate much growth opportunity for managing teams, and that’s work I really enjoy and do well.” They key is planning your segue in advance. And for more perfect job interview responses, check out this guide on How to Ace Every Common Job Interview Question.
3. Use a “bridge” response to change the subject.
One great way to avoid answering a personal question is to use a bridge response. “When you bridge you move a question away from a point of vulnerability or awkwardness and toward an area that is likely to provide a positive outcome for you,” says Trish McDermott, a public relations expert and co-founder of Panic Media Training.
For example, rather than answering a personal question about your religion, change the subject to a celebrity who recently underwent a public religious conversion. Or, if you really don’t care to discuss your views on healthcare with Aunt Margaret, talk about a headline-grabbing (and non-controversial) news story that’s tangentially related.
According to McDermott, your classic bridge phrases are going to be “I don’t know about that, but here’s something interesting…” and “I can’t tell you that for sure, but here’s something I do know…”
4. Restate—and reframe—the question.
McDermott categorizes this strategy as bridging too. Here are your key phrases: “I think what you’re really trying to ask me is…” and “I think what you’re really trying to get at is….” For example, if Aunt Margaret asks when you’re going to finally get promoted, you can respond with something like, “I think what you’re really trying to ask me is how I’m enjoying this exciting time in my career,” and go on from there.
5. Excuse yourself from an uncomfortable conversation.
If you’re in a group conversation at a party and the chit-chat starts veering into territory you’d rather not discuss, make an excuse to leave. Telling everyone you’ve got to use the restroom is a lot easier than using some other social jiu-jitsu technique to dodge an unwanted line of questioning.
6. Be straightforward about your discomfort.
No matter who’s asking what, remember this: You have every right to respond to an awkward question by telling the person they’ve made you uncomfortable. “Be direct and then pivot,” says Blaisdell. It’s always within your rights to respond to an unwanted question with something like, “It’s kind of emotionally fraught, so I’d rather not talk about it. But I’d love to hear about your new [project/job/baby/house]!” See, that wasn’t so hard!
7. Deflect with a joke.
“Humor is the best deflection tip I can offer,” says public relations specialist Sherry Gavanditti. For example, an intrusive “How much money do you make?” can be waved off with a simple joke, like, “Not enough!” Most people will realize they’ve overstepped and change the subject.
8. Answer ambiguously.
The easiest way to dodge an unwanted question is to leave some wriggle room in your answer. If someone asks why you haven’t quit your miserable job yet to look for a new one, a simple “Who knows? I’ve still gotta pay the bills in the meantime!” will do. To, “When are you going to graduate?” respond with a vague, “I’m not sure, I guess we’ll see!”
9. Offer advice instead of an answer.
For example, if someone asks about your recent weight loss and you don’t want to get into the gritty details, simply share a tip about your favorite trainer in town and offer to put the person in touch with them. Or, rather than answering an invasive question about your recent breakup, tell the group about a book recommendation that helped you heal after the separation.
10. Shame the asker (just a little).
If a question is truly nosy, you can subtly shame the asker for being overly curious. Do it in a joking way to keep things light. Something like, “Wow, you’re quite the curious one, aren’t you?” or “Whoa, I think that’s a bit heavy for a party” will shut things down pretty quickly.
11. Deflect the question back to the asker with a compliment.
Compliments are a great way to deflect and defuse an awkward situation. If someone comments on your weight loss or gain in a way that makes you uncomfortable, for example, you could compliment their own appearance. Or, if someone asks you the inevitable “When are you getting married?” or “When are you having kids?” you can change the subject by complimenting the asker’s beautiful wedding a few years ago or saying something nice about their child’s latest accomplishment. Distraction is key!
12. Ask a question of your own.
People ask awkward questions for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, they might have malicious intent. But many times, they simply don’t realize they’re crossing a line. Give the person you’re talking to the benefit of the doubt and politely deflect the unwanted question with a question of your own. If they ask about your relationship status, try something like, “Are you worried that I’m lonely?” To a question about your dissertation or job search, you can say, “Are you concerned about my financial status?”
13. Ask for advice.
A simple way to avoid answering an unwanted question is to put the onus back on the other person. One way you can do this is to ask for advice on the subject they’re asking about. For example, if a married person asks you why you’re not engaged to your partner yet, you can ask them for their tips on making a relationship work long-term. If someone asks you personal questions about your children or parenting, ask them for tips on how they raised their own kids effectively.
14. Turn the tables.
Hey, in love, war, and nosy questions, turnabout is fair game! Push back against an invasive question by asking the same thing of the asker. This will buy you time and usually gets you off the hook, as the asker has to decide whether they really want to be discussing this topic at all. If they ask about your relationship, evade the question by asking about theirs. If they ask about your frustrating boss at work, ask them how their own job is going.
15. Create a distraction.
Creating a distraction can be an easy way to avoid an awkward question at a family event. Nobody wants to watch you struggle to answer nosy questions, but everyone might want some dessert, to pop in a movie, or to start a game of football. Especially in a crowd, it’s easy to pretend you didn’t hear the asker’s question and turn to another family member to start a new activity.
16. Address a related, but safer, personal topic.
If you play a bit of a sidestepping game, you can move the conversation straight into safer territory. When you’re asked about your finances, for example, shift into a story about how you recently started crafting a more effective budget. Instead of answering questions about why you were recently laid off, talk about your new job or how you’re approaching your job hunt. Act as if you’re addressing exactly what they asked, and the questioner will probably drop it.
17. Respond to a specific question with a general answer.
For example, if someone asks you about your personal political views around a controversial subject, talk about how frustrated you are with the political climate in general, or mention how great it would be if everyone could come together to have a productive dialogue. In particular, if you shift the tone from negative to positive, the nosy questioner will have to be the downer if they want to bring the conversation back to the original question—and most people don’t want to do that. And for more etiquette advice, check out the 20 Social Etiquette Mistakes You Should Stop Making by Age 30
