The Trick Interview Question - or is it?
Discussion
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Has anyone ever said "I'd give myself 1"?God I wish every interviewer was like you. "A time you were challenged" indeed. Jesus, what a load of old s
t.As for all this stuff about hobbies and interests and showing you have a passion for them, that's great, I've got a passion for mine, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to be passionate about a job I'm doing. It's preposterous to extrapolate passion for hobbies in to someone who will be passionate about moving numbers round spreadsheets and telling the boss he looks lovely every morning.
I have had some odd interview questions before. I have no idea why people try these wacky questions or what they hope to get out of it. "If you could be any animal, what would it be and why"? WTF? I would be a bear so I could rip your shreds for being a tt.
OP - I suspect they are asking you that as an easier opener to put you at ease. They probably said about your personal stuff because most people when you ask them to tell you about themselves in a job interview just basically read out their CV.
I manage developers and when I interview I have seen the have the required skills from their CV, I do a quick technical test to make sure their CV is bullst and they know what they are talking about, the rest is just a chat to see if they will fit in to the team.
I still find interviews useful for that. Some people will be very honest and really show you who they are. One guy I interviewed years ago spent ages going on about his current job and how he was better than everyone else and was always having to fix their code. He didn't seem anything special technically and he showed that personality wise he was going to be a disaster.
t.OP - I suspect they are asking you that as an easier opener to put you at ease. They probably said about your personal stuff because most people when you ask them to tell you about themselves in a job interview just basically read out their CV.
I manage developers and when I interview I have seen the have the required skills from their CV, I do a quick technical test to make sure their CV is bulls
t and they know what they are talking about, the rest is just a chat to see if they will fit in to the team.I still find interviews useful for that. Some people will be very honest and really show you who they are. One guy I interviewed years ago spent ages going on about his current job and how he was better than everyone else and was always having to fix their code. He didn't seem anything special technically and he showed that personality wise he was going to be a disaster.
louiebaby said:
Someone once told me that interviewers are really only looking for three things:
- Can you do the job?
- Will you do the job?
- Will you fit in with the existing team?
(Or skill-set, work ethic and how much of a tt to are.)
The balance of these things changes, so if your skill-set is hard to come by, they'll accept someone who is more of a tt, but they really are the main things.
Pretty much this.- Can you do the job?
- Will you do the job?
- Will you fit in with the existing team?
(Or skill-set, work ethic and how much of a t
t to are.)The balance of these things changes, so if your skill-set is hard to come by, they'll accept someone who is more of a t
t, but they really are the main things.I work in the oil industry in Texas.
My team are a bit Red Necky, right-wing, into guns, hunting, pro sports, BBQ, cars & motorcycles.
Certainly not that politically correct either.
Yes, it's a stereotype but there's usually reasons for that stereotype.
Even if I had a skilled candidate, completely suited to the job but they were a member of PETA, Vegan, anti gun, electric car driving etc, they really wouldn't fit in and it would cause friction.
That's all.
HD Adam said:
My team are a bit Red Necky, right-wing, into guns, hunting, pro sports, BBQ, cars & motorcycles.
Certainly not that politically correct either.
I work in the office bit, but certainly enjoy going down to the workshop for a bit now and again. The ability of some of the workers down there to get the word fCertainly not that politically correct either.
k or one of it's varieties into a sentence at least 5 times and still have it coherent always amuses me.louiebaby said:
HD Adam said:
My team are a bit Red Necky, right-wing, into guns, hunting, pro sports, BBQ, cars & motorcycles.
Certainly not that politically correct either.
I work in the office bit, but certainly enjoy going down to the workshop for a bit now and again. The ability of some of the workers down there to get the word fCertainly not that politically correct either.
k or one of it's varieties into a sentence at least 5 times and still have it coherent always amuses me.
Scabutz said:
louiebaby said:
HD Adam said:
My team are a bit Red Necky, right-wing, into guns, hunting, pro sports, BBQ, cars & motorcycles.
Certainly not that politically correct either.
I work in the office bit, but certainly enjoy going down to the workshop for a bit now and again. The ability of some of the workers down there to get the word fCertainly not that politically correct either.
k or one of it's varieties into a sentence at least 5 times and still have it coherent always amuses me.What about the age old "what's your best character trait?" or "what's your worst character trait?" - they normally only ask one.
I used to try and twist the worst one into the cheesy "I tend to get very focused on a project, etc..." for both. never worked.
Last interview I said "I tend to leave that for other people to judge - I'm not introspective enough to recognise that, nor impartial enough!"
Gave them a smirk, and I was told unofficially at the end of the interview that I'd got the job.
I used to try and twist the worst one into the cheesy "I tend to get very focused on a project, etc..." for both. never worked.
Last interview I said "I tend to leave that for other people to judge - I'm not introspective enough to recognise that, nor impartial enough!"
Gave them a smirk, and I was told unofficially at the end of the interview that I'd got the job.
guindilias said:
What about the age old "what's your best character trait?" or "what's your worst character trait?" - they normally only ask one.
I used to try and twist the worst one into the cheesy "I tend to get very focused on a project, etc..." for both. never worked.
Last interview I said "I tend to leave that for other people to judge - I'm not introspective enough to recognise that, nor impartial enough!"
Gave them a smirk, and I was told unofficially at the end of the interview that I'd got the job.
Oh my favourite is "what animal/fruit would you be and why?"I used to try and twist the worst one into the cheesy "I tend to get very focused on a project, etc..." for both. never worked.
Last interview I said "I tend to leave that for other people to judge - I'm not introspective enough to recognise that, nor impartial enough!"
Gave them a smirk, and I was told unofficially at the end of the interview that I'd got the job.
My answer is basically "i'm not an animal/fruit, i'm an engineer, I'm not a salesman, I don't play make believe", before getting my stuff together and walking out.
limpsfield said:
lyonspride said:
Oh my favourite is "what animal/fruit would you be and why?"
My answer is basically "i'm not an animal/fruit, i'm an engineer, I'm not a salesman, I don't play make believe", before getting my stuff together and walking out.
and everyone applaudsMy answer is basically "i'm not an animal/fruit, i'm an engineer, I'm not a salesman, I don't play make believe", before getting my stuff together and walking out.
Blanchimont said:
I think a lot of the personal question type stuff is down to see whether you'll fit into the team. The first question I got asked was "you xbox or PS4?" and Can you take a joke.
First ever adult job interview I went to, and they had a couple of team members come in and ask a few questions. One lad came in and asked two things: "Do you like The Smiths?" and "Which football team do you support". I told him "No" and "Fulham", and he said, "That's fine by me, all I need to know. If you'd answered "Yes" or "Arsenal" then it'd be a no".Now that's a proper interview technique.
ElectricSoup said:
Has anyone ever said "I'd give myself 1"?
God I wish every interviewer was like you. "A time you were challenged" indeed. Jesus, what a load of old st.
As for all this stuff about hobbies and interests and showing you have a passion for them, that's great, I've got a passion for mine, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to be passionate about a job I'm doing. It's preposterous to extrapolate passion for hobbies in to someone who will be passionate about moving numbers round spreadsheets and telling the boss he looks lovely every morning.
Never had a one, had a couple of 10's one justified it, one didn'tGod I wish every interviewer was like you. "A time you were challenged" indeed. Jesus, what a load of old s
t.As for all this stuff about hobbies and interests and showing you have a passion for them, that's great, I've got a passion for mine, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to be passionate about a job I'm doing. It's preposterous to extrapolate passion for hobbies in to someone who will be passionate about moving numbers round spreadsheets and telling the boss he looks lovely every morning.
Agree the standard ones like that just tell you if they have prepared for an interview, not any actual real info
Yeah agree, again for me its more about them, we had one guy who was into his weightlifting, fine and he looked like it too, but then it transpired he'd be looking to take Fridays off to travel to comps etc, thanks but no thanks
I was told there is a right answer to the "what animal" question: apparently it's "wolf". Because it's a pack animal but can operate alone as well.
Otherwise for the "which book" one, I'd answer that I'm reading a book about body language, and see if there's much squirming immediately following.
Otherwise for the "which book" one, I'd answer that I'm reading a book about body language, and see if there's much squirming immediately following.
mr_spock said:
I was told there is a right answer to the "what animal" question: apparently it's "wolf". Because it's a pack animal but can operate alone as well.
Otherwise for the "which book" one, I'd answer that I'm reading a book about body language, and see if there's much squirming immediately following.
You're the kind of person that these sOtherwise for the "which book" one, I'd answer that I'm reading a book about body language, and see if there's much squirming immediately following.
t interviewers love 
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