Brentastic Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 So, we've all been through the process. I like to pride myself on being prepared for the 'tough' questions and I have a list of questions that are somewhat common (below). But I was hoping my huddle brethren could add some questions to the mix. I know there are a lot of business owners, managers and supervisors out there so your input is much appreciated. Give me questions, ideas, comments etc... that aren't included below: * Tell me about yourself * How you can add value to the mission/goals of xyz company * What is something you can improve upon * How would your co-workers describe you * Why did you leave last company * Why do you want to work for xyz company? * What made you choose xyz company? * Give an example of situation where you had a conflict w/ an employee or supervisor? What was your action and what was the result * What are you strenghts and weaknesses? * Why should we hire you over next candidate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS Miscreant Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 * Give an example of situation where you had a conflict w/ an employee or supervisor? What was your action and what was the result The "new age" interview style is often much more specific than this. Ex. A fellow employee has done something that you believe to be unethical that resulted in a fiscal benefit to the organization... My favorite actual interview question of all time is: If you could kill someone and by doing so you know you would in turn save a number of other people from death would you do it? More of a behavioral profile thing of course. Looking for responses like: Immediate yes or no. Who would I have to kill? Who are the people I would be saving? Would I get away with it? Would it be considered legal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brentastic Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 The "new age" interview style is often much more specific than this. Ex. A fellow employee has done something that you believe to be unethical that resulted in a fiscal benefit to the organization... My favorite actual interview question of all time is: If you could kill someone and by doing so you know you would in turn save a number of other people from death would you do it? More of a behavioral profile thing of course. Looking for responses like: Immediate yes or no. Who would I have to kill? Who are the people I would be saving? Would I get away with it? Would it be considered legal? Interesting, thanks for the input. Regarding the first question (unethical employee) - I wonder what the employer is looking for with that? I mean the obvious answer is bring it to the attention of a supervisor etc... but, if it's a benefit to the company, maybe they want you to keep quiet? I'd say in an interview, I'm always myself (answer honestly etc...) - but if a question like that arose, I just want to answer whichever way will get me the job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muck Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I interviewed a kid that just graduated from college today. He said he wanted to work in investments. I asked him stuff like: "What is the functional difference between a bond and a loan?" "What is the profit of a trade where you buy the stock for 100, spend 2 on a put and sell the stock for 150?" "What is the loss of a trade where you buy the stock for 100, spend 2 on a put with a 95 strike; the stock goes to 80. What is your P/L?" ...he went 0-3... I like asking questions that cause someone to do basic math in their head and/or crazy sort of questions like "how many 55 gallon trash cans do you have to stack on top of one another in order to get a stack as tall as this building?" just to see how they mentally work through a problem. The kid I interviewed last week was great. I'm hoping to have him in as an intern. We'll see... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 (edited) when times were better and I went on an interview, I would treat it as ME interviewing THEM. I found it gave an air of confidence.Being in the .why do I want to work for you" a stronger dynamic then "why should we hire you?" Edited May 28, 2009 by Pope Flick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo mama Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 (edited) I interviewed a kid that just graduated from college today. He said he wanted to work in investments. I asked him stuff like: "What is the functional difference between a bond and a loan?" "What is the profit of a trade where you buy the stock for 100, spend 2 on a put and sell the stock for 150?" "What is the loss of a trade where you buy the stock for 100, spend 2 on a put with a 95 strike; the stock goes to 80. What is your P/L?" ...he went 0-3... I like asking questions that cause someone to do basic math in their head and/or crazy sort of questions like "how many 55 gallon trash cans do you have to stack on top of one another in order to get a stack as tall as this building?" just to see how they mentally work through a problem. The kid I interviewed last week was great. I'm hoping to have him in as an intern. We'll see... Similar story. I recently interviewed 12 law students to fill 2 law clerk positions. And that was after culling the applicants down from 27, which was already a pretty select group to begin with. I absolutely tortured those kids with math questions, surprise legal issue spotting exercises, original writing sample requests, and tested their ability to interpret and describe a complex multi-step transaction based on a power point presentation handout. The fact of the matter was that I was less concerned with getting the "right" answer and more concerned with observing how people operated when it was go-time. I found out a lot of extremely useful things (good and bad) and, thus far, I've been thrilled with the candidates we selected. Edited May 28, 2009 by yo mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wolf Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 A lot of what I look for (have hired two new people in the past two months) is passion, energy, and the ability to work well within the team. I have to see those three things when interviewing. Also, I seek examples (in in a candidate's answers) of their being a leader. Doesn't matter where: in a sorority, at school, in a club, work, home...doesn't matter. I want people I know can lead, because for me to climb the ladder, I have to always be grooming replacements. As you mentioned in an earlier post, stay true to yourself, be honest, and exhibit some energy and some passion. Provide examples of how well you work as a member of a team. I can teach a person just about anything except how to be energetic, passionate, and work as a team mate. Good luck!! I am sure you'll do a great job, given the preparation you ae putting in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 One you should definitely answer with a firm NO. Are you the guy that wears a beard made of yarn while drinking wine and noodling mindlessly on the innernets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonorator Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 if an interviewer asked me about killing someone i'd walk out ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Along Muck's line of thought... Based on word of mouth, I know this one gets asked a bit : What is the difference between gross and net margin? Be able to calculate each. I hear some places are giving word problems involving budgets. Something like: You have X amount of dollars and can spend it on a variety of projects / areas - where do you allocate the resources? This one is usually looking for a logical thought process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Along Muck's line of thought... Based on word of mouth, I know this one gets asked a bit : What is the difference between gross and net margin? Be able to calculate each. I hear some places are giving word problems involving budgets. Something like: You have X amount of dollars and can spend it on a variety of projects / areas - where do you allocate the resources? This one is usually looking for a logical thought process. is 80% on entertainment a good answer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I interviewed a kid that just graduated from college today. He said he wanted to work in investments. I asked him stuff like: "What is the functional difference between a bond and a loan?" "What is the profit of a trade where you buy the stock for 100, spend 2 on a put and sell the stock for 150?" "What is the loss of a trade where you buy the stock for 100, spend 2 on a put with a 95 strike; the stock goes to 80. What is your P/L?" ...he went 0-3... I like asking questions that cause someone to do basic math in their head and/or crazy sort of questions like "how many 55 gallon trash cans do you have to stack on top of one another in order to get a stack as tall as this building?" just to see how they mentally work through a problem. The kid I interviewed last week was great. I'm hoping to have him in as an intern. We'll see... i was asked to add fractions in my interview. hadnt used fractions since 4th grade, wasnt pretty. but they still hired me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I haven't been on a job interview in over 20 years. I would be so unprepared. I'd rather answer real question about net and gross than the BS psychological questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I like to ask tougher questions to the nicer looking female applicants. I like to watch them squirm in their seats, and if I'm fortunate, I can hear their nylons rub together as they shift anxiously from one postion to another. Often, if its a truly lucky day, they will lean forward in thought, and I can get some solid cleavage shots, and perhaps even a quick glance at the top of a black lace bra. Understanding the applicants hidden talents is the most valauble part of finding good employees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brentastic Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 (edited) I interviewed a kid that just graduated from college today. He said he wanted to work in investments. I asked him stuff like: "What is the functional difference between a bond and a loan?" "What is the profit of a trade where you buy the stock for 100, spend 2 on a put and sell the stock for 150?" "What is the loss of a trade where you buy the stock for 100, spend 2 on a put with a 95 strike; the stock goes to 80. What is your P/L?" ...he went 0-3... I like asking questions that cause someone to do basic math in their head and/or crazy sort of questions like "how many 55 gallon trash cans do you have to stack on top of one another in order to get a stack as tall as this building?" just to see how they mentally work through a problem. The kid I interviewed last week was great. I'm hoping to have him in as an intern. We'll see... I love getting tested and asked math questions as an interviewee because I am a good test taker and I love doing math. I can only hope they test me. When I got hired as a trader (back in 2003) - they gave me a math test with like 50 questions and I had like 12 minutes to answer them all. The boss told me, you get one point for any correct answer and one point deduction for every wrong answer. I ended up answering every question without guessing which I was happy with. After I got the job, he confessed that he was really only concerned with people finishing the test and how many they got right or wrong didn't really matter that much. Since we were going to be day traders, he wanted to see how much risk we were willing to take. I found out that I only got 2 wrong though I've already considered just telling my interviewer that they should just give me some real work scenarios that I can work through - I'm confident in my ability and I think that would be a more accurate indicator for them as well. Edited May 28, 2009 by Brentastic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Every job candidate (for any industry) should be asked, "What is your post count at the Huddle?". Not sure what would consitute a good or a bad answer though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Every job candidate (for any industry) should be asked, "What is your post count at the Huddle?". Not sure what would consitute a good or a bad answer though. a high number would be bad, no? means your not working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 It's important to know about the company you're interviewing with. Read articles as well as the web page. Also, make sure that you read the job description and that you can recall 4-5 anecdotes about your experience that relates to this job. I've been interviewing for the past few weeks, and you wouldn't believe some of the stuff I've heard. "Man I really should have been more prepared for this interview". Yeah. You're right. "Why do you want this job?" "I'm tired of sitting at a desk all day" "This is a 100% desk job." "That's ok too." sigh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Great interview joke from Bill Hicks If they ask you where you see yourself in 5 years tell them you will be celebrating the 5th anniversary of them asking you that question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I haven't been on a job interview in over 20 years. I would be so unprepared. I'd rather answer real question about net and gross than the BS psychological questions. interviews I think I finally passed that 1 interview as they were asking a lot more technical questions to see if I knew how to do the job rather than the typical abstract questions normally asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outshined Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Questions I have been asked and questions I have asked.... 1. Tell me about a time when you were understaffed at work. What actions did you take to ensure that safety was not compromised Answer: 2. Describe a situation in which you needed to brainstorm differing/conflicting ideas with others in order to help accomplish work goals. Answer: 3. Sometimes it can be difficult and frustrating to obtain information from other people in order to solve a problem or achieve goals. Please describe a situation you’ve had like this. What did you do? Answer: 4. Working with others usually involves some give-and-take. Describe a time when you worked out an agreement with a peer or a team member. What did you do? Answer: 5. When working on a repetitive task, it’s easy to lose concentration and miss important details that could cause problems later. Give me an example of a time when this happened to you? Answer: 6. Describe a time when you identified an error/problem/defect that had escaped others’ attention. What did you do? What happened? Answer: 7. Describe a time when your quick response to a problem or situation made a difference. What happened? Answer: 8. Describe the most complex problem you’ve recently been asked to solve. What did you do? What alternatives did you consider? Answer: 9. Sometimes we have to make decisions very quickly. Tell me about a time when you made a decision too quickly. What happened? Answer: 10. People in a conflict sometimes can’t separate issues from personalities. Tell me about a time when personal issues (yours or someone else’s) got in the way of resolving a conflict. Answer: 11. Tell me about a time when you faced conflicting priorities. How did you determine the top priority? Answer: 12. What have you done to make your department/group/team more efficient or organized? Give me an example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brentastic Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 It's important to know about the company you're interviewing with. Read articles as well as the web page.Also, make sure that you read the job description and that you can recall 4-5 anecdotes about your experience that relates to this job. I've been interviewing for the past few weeks, and you wouldn't believe some of the stuff I've heard. "Man I really should have been more prepared for this interview". Yeah. You're right. "Why do you want this job?" "I'm tired of sitting at a desk all day" "This is a 100% desk job." "That's ok too." sigh Wow, you've got some great candidates I pride myself in over-preparedness. During my phone interview, I busted out their mission statement and some data from their financial statements. I plan on studying for about 4 hours tonight in preparation. Thanks for your input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brentastic Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 Great interview joke from Bill Hicks If they ask you where you see yourself in 5 years tell them you will be celebrating the 5th anniversary of them asking you that question. That's funny sh1t!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 are people that interview a different species than the rest of us??? what the hell is with some of these questions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brentastic Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 Questions I have been asked and questions I have asked.... 1. Tell me about a time when you were understaffed at work. What actions did you take to ensure that safety was not compromised Answer: 2. Describe a situation in which you needed to brainstorm differing/conflicting ideas with others in order to help accomplish work goals. Answer: 3. Sometimes it can be difficult and frustrating to obtain information from other people in order to solve a problem or achieve goals. Please describe a situation you’ve had like this. What did you do? Answer: 4. Working with others usually involves some give-and-take. Describe a time when you worked out an agreement with a peer or a team member. What did you do? Answer: 5. When working on a repetitive task, it’s easy to lose concentration and miss important details that could cause problems later. Give me an example of a time when this happened to you? Answer: 6. Describe a time when you identified an error/problem/defect that had escaped others’ attention. What did you do? What happened? Answer: 7. Describe a time when your quick response to a problem or situation made a difference. What happened? Answer: 8. Describe the most complex problem you’ve recently been asked to solve. What did you do? What alternatives did you consider? Answer: 9. Sometimes we have to make decisions very quickly. Tell me about a time when you made a decision too quickly. What happened? Answer: 10. People in a conflict sometimes can’t separate issues from personalities. Tell me about a time when personal issues (yours or someone else’s) got in the way of resolving a conflict. Answer: 11. Tell me about a time when you faced conflicting priorities. How did you determine the top priority? Answer: 12. What have you done to make your department/group/team more efficient or organized? Give me an example. There are some good ones in there - thanks for your input Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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