The 6 crappiest interview questions

UnixGuy

The 6 Crappiest Interview Questions - The Oatmeal

can you relate to this ?

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mikedisd2

I was asked the first 3x questions yesterday at a first round interview. I was trying not to choke on my own false sense of enthusiasm for the company.

Real Answers
5 years time? I'll definitely be working somewhere else by then.
Why do I want work here? It's job where I fit the criteria and it fits my salary range.
What's your greatest weakness? No one thing stands out above all else. And I don't think about my weaknesses, I concentrate on self improvement in whatever I'm working on.

earweed

I've been asked all but the manhole cover question before.

Hypntick

earweed wrote: »

I've been asked all but the manhole cover question before.

Same here. I love the author's response to them as well, it's pretty much how most people feel about those questions I would think. Always enjoy The Oatmeal as a way to brighten my day.

skyline

Made me laugh, nice way to start a friday morning

Xcluziv

skyline wrote: »

Made me laugh, nice way to start a friday morning

Right! Those answers were hilarious but true.

Concurring with mikedisd2, all those questions I was asked in my interview for my current job. After a few interviews those questions can become pretty mundane. Its like, slicing your wrist......slow death

I want to

when I hear some of these...literally

cyberguypr

Goos stuff. Hard to pick a favorite.

BroadcastStorm

I rofl so hard haha, thanks for posting this, my last interviewer asked all of the questions above, except the manhole :P haha...

My favorite was "Tell me about yourself"

keenon

i saw this a few weeks ago and had a great laugh as i have been asked these questions

networker050184

earweed wrote: »

I've been asked all but the manhole cover question before.

Same here. It sounds like your basic HR phone screen before you get to the real interview.

Andy Griffin

UnixGuy wrote: »

The 6 Crappiest Interview Questions - The Oatmeal

can you relate to this ?

Like many who have responded, I have been asked all but the manhole question. Another question I hate that is not listed is "Tell me about a time you went beyond your job description to help a customer or coworker." Apparently, most interviewers read the same book.

mikedisd2

Andy Griffin wrote: »

Another question I hate that is not listed is "Tell me about a time you went beyond your job description to help a customer or coworker."

This is an awful question. To go beyond your job description is to go out of the scope for what you were employed for. One's job description is there to protect everyone involved; going beyond it could hold me liable if things went wrong. We have ITIL for a reason and to me, occasionally bending the rules isn't something I would boast about to a potential employer. But HR schmucks like to fill in forms so I would make something up.

Andy Griffin

mikedisd2 wrote: »

This is an awful question. To go beyond your job description is to go out of the scope for what you were employed for. One's job description is there to protect everyone involved; going beyond it could hold me liable if things went wrong. We have ITIL for a reason and to me, occasionally bending the rules isn't something I would boast about to a potential employer. But HR schmucks like to fill in forms so I would make something up.

I agree that it is an awful question. I am sure that the spirit of the question is to reflect an applicant's willingness to do more than the bare minimum amount required, but your point about potential liability is something I hadn't considered. The question is even worse than I thought.

Plantwiz

earweed wrote: »

I've been asked all but the manhole cover question before.

Yes me too, but this one is easy and really shuts people up when they get the answer. I guess the places where I've been asked that one were expecting..."uh..gee, I don't know...is it because people are round"...really, If I ever face any of these questions in my future, I'm pulling the Ben Afflac "Good Will Hunting" answers out.

westward

Regarding the man-hole question. They will say the answer is because a circle is the only shape that can't fall into itself. Meaning you can't drop it down the hole.

The truth is that there's a recess in the manhole itself, which would protect any shape - not just a circle - from falling in.

The REAL answer is - because a circle is a wheel and it's easier for someone to roll the manhole cover across the street and onto the hole - those things weigh a lot!

mikedisd2

westward wrote: »

The truth is that there's a recess in the manhole itself, which would protect any shape - not just a circle - from falling in.

The REAL answer is - because a circle is a wheel and it's easier for someone to roll the manhole cover across the street and onto the hole - those things weigh a lot!

I'm also told that a cylinder is the strongest structure. I reckon I would be more concerned about hitting my head in a square manhole as well.

Trifidw

There is actually a skill to answering these questions "can you bull**** your way through some hoops". It is a bit of a double edged sword for the employer as it can and will be used against them but can be very useful for using on your customers to let them down gently.

za3bour

I just hate this question "where do you see your self in 10 years"

westward

za3bour wrote: »

I just hate this question "where do you see your self in 10 years"

My smart ass answer:

"In the mirror, the same place I see myself now."

za3bour

westward wrote: »

My smart ass answer:

"In the mirror, the same place I see myself now."

that would be a good answer

Andy Griffin

westward wrote: »

My smart ass answer:

"In the mirror, the same place I see myself now."

Reminds me of the Family Guy classic response by Peter at an interview. I won't post it here, but true FG fans know what I'm talking about.

jovan88

Andy Griffin wrote: »

Reminds me of the Family Guy classic response by Peter at an interview. I won't post it here, but true FG fans know what I'm talking about.

hahahah (don't say doing your wife... don't say doing your wife...)

JDMurray

If a more mature interviewee, such as myself, were asked these questions, I would assume the interviewer was inexperience and was just asking practice questions to gain experience in conducting interviews.

That being said, I remember several interview situations where "Operation PeePee Storm" would have come in very handy--on both sides of the desk.

UnixGuy

check this out guys, written by the same guy

Mingle2 - Top 10 Ways for a Geek to Impress a Girl

dynamik

The Oatmeal rules. I was surprised everyone was taking that comic so seriously. There's no reason not to read all of these: Comics - The Oatmeal

UnixGuy

dynamik wrote: »

The Oatmeal rules. I was surprised everyone was taking that comic so seriously. There's no reason not to read all of these: Comics - The Oatmeal

yess !! I've read all his stuff, check his FB page :

The Oatmeal | Facebook

JDMurray

Eh, I'm more of a Penny Arcade reader--especially when they feature Dead Space.

Heero

JDMurray wrote: »

Eh, I'm more of a Penny Arcade reader--especially when they feature Dead Space.

Just recently finished both of the dead space games. I cracked up on the comic where issac stomps the dead person to find four dollars in his ribcage:D

JDMurray

Heero wrote: »

Just recently finished both of the dead space games. I cracked up on the comic where issac stomps the dead person to find four dollars in his ribcage:D

Play it on the Easy setting to get more $$$ per corpse stomp.

I'm really excited about DS2, but it's difficult for me to find enough leisure time just to finish DS1. I actually built myself a new gaming computer for Xmas because DS1 was killing my old one.