Job Interview: What questions cause you the most anxiety?

[Farnsworth]

I like this question as an interviewer.
It lets me know how much the prospect has thought about the position or if they are just going through the motions.
If we listed every thing that we do in the job advertisement, it would essentially be unreadable. Also, cultures vary from institution to institution, so it helps us answer those types of questions.

I always have different genres of questions prepped before I come in because you know they are asking this. My problem is I always tend to weave them into the interview, so don't have much left at the end. However my interviews tend to go long as it turns into a real conversation where we are both feeling each other out, so its ok. Also doing this makes them skip the bs questions like "where do you see youself in 5 years" because you are so job skill and opportunity focused.

I got turned down for my first real job ever recently, only based on the fact I had applied before, was offered, but declined as I had 2 other offers that week as well and one was substantially better (financial only turns out, not fulfilling). They wouldn't even email me telling me they knowy skills and want to go in a "different direction". I loled.

 

[Farnsworth]

big companies do. I interviewed for 5 jobs recently and the big companies still use this to limit exposure in potential legal stuff I think.

I've found the opposite when applying for positions of a particular skill. Since moving to DSM I've met with 7 places, 5 of them being huge DSM players, and never been asked the cliché questions.

 

[Mr Janny]

I honestly love to ask it because its fun to hear responses. For me, if Im interviewing you, your resume has already sold you. Interviews for me are to verify if your personality would fit with our work environment. You would have to have a pretty ****** answer to get disqualified based on an answer to nay questions we ask (although its happened).

This.
Interview is all about seeing how a candidate reacts. Half the time the answer doesn't even matter. It's more about the way they answer. Can they think on their feet? Does the answer seem canned or rehearsed?

That being said, I've heard some really bad answers.
For example, HR makes us ask certain questions. One is about being late/absent. "How many times in the last 6 months have you been late or absent without letting your employer know?" It's a stupid question, because there's no way that anyone should ever answer it wrong. There's no way for me to know if they're lying to me on that question. Just say, "none. I always call my supervisor if I'm going to be late/absent." And most people answer exactly that way.

I had a guy, though, who couldn't help himself. "Probably 6 or 7 times in the last 6 months." I thought he maybe misunderstood and tried to give him an out. "So, you called your supervisor and let them know?" But, he wouldn't budge. "Nope, I just wasn't feeling it. When I came back in, I let them know it was a personal day. How much vacation do you start with here?"

He did not get the job.

 

[Farnsworth]

What I dislike is when they have a script of questions and won't deviate at all from it.

It turns into "tell me about a time when (insert typical work situation happened) and how you dealt with it" over and over again.

A. Knew a project was not going to meet its deadline.

B. Worked with a coworker on a project that (didn't provide, disagreed with you, took credit for x,y, z).

C. Had stakeholders not budging on deliverables when you know the project wouldn't deliver desired results.

D. Worked with coworkers in other deparments who had information you relied on but prioritized their departments work first.

E. Saw a team member doing something unethical or wasting company time

F. Etc, etc, etc

It gets boring.

 

[KnappShack]

This.
Interview is all about seeing how a candidate reacts. Half the time the answer doesn't even matter. It's more about the way they answer. Can they think on their feet? Does the answer seem canned or rehearsed?

That being said, I've heard some really bad answers.
For example, HR makes us ask certain questions. One is about being late/absent. "How many times in the last 6 months have you been late or absent without letting your employer know?" It's a stupid question, because there's no way that anyone should ever answer it wrong. There's no way for me to know if they're lying to me on that question. Just say, "none. I always call my supervisor if I'm going to be late/absent." And most people answer exactly that way.

I had a guy, though, who couldn't help himself. "Probably 6 or 7 times in the last 6 months." I thought he maybe misunderstood and tried to give him an out. "So, you called your supervisor and let them know?" But, he wouldn't budge. "Nope, I just wasn't feeling it. When I came back in, I let them know it was a personal day. How much vacation do you start with here?"

He did not get the job.

Some of the answers I've gotten from candidates. I just put my pen down and watch them dig a hole.

One favorite was a person who interviewed pretty well in the office. I was walking her to the door and lobbed a last minute question about her expectations from a manager

Curse words. Slamming her employer (automatic DQ in my book) and generally talked to me like we were sitting at the bar.

To all you kids out there. The interview is only over when you're in the car heading home.

 

[KnappShack]

What I dislike is when they have a script of questions and won't deviate at all from it.

It turns into "tell me about a time when (insert typical work situation happened) and how you dealt with it" over and over again.

A. Knew a project was not going to meet its deadline.

B. Worked with a coworker on a project that (didn't provide, disagreed with you, took credit for x,y, z).

C. Had stakeholders not budging on deliverables when you know the project wouldn't deliver desired results.

D. Worked with coworkers in other deparments who had information you relied on but prioritized their departments work first.

E. Saw a team member doing something unethical or wasting company time

F. Etc, etc, etc

It gets boring.

How about the interviewer who doesn't shut up? They take all of the air out of the room and don't allow the candidate to sell their skills.

Listen. Pivot. Learn.

 

[Mr Janny]

What I dislike is when they have a script of questions and won't deviate at all from it.

It turns into "tell me about a time when (insert typical work situation happened) and how you dealt with it" over and over again.

A. Knew a project was not going to meet its deadline.

B. Worked with a coworker on a project that (didn't provide, disagreed with you, took credit for x,y, z).

C. Had stakeholders not budging on deliverables when you know the project wouldn't deliver desired results.

D. Worked with coworkers in other deparments who had information you relied on but prioritized their departments work first.

E. Saw a team member doing something unethical or wasting company time

F. Etc, etc, etc

It gets boring.

It totally does, but HR departments pay big bucks to third party vendors to come up with those questions. Lots of times if a place makes you do some kind of pre-employment assessment, how you answer will determine which canned questions you get during the interview. There's money to be made selling Interview content creation software to companies.

Where I work, we get the canned questions, that we have to ask, but luckily aren't limited to just those. My goal in an interview is to just get the candidate talking conversationally.

I interviewed a guy who was working for Best Buy in their geek squad, doing field work. I started asking him about the weirdest calls he'd ever gone out on. He opened right up and we had a conversation about it. We ended up laughing a ton at some of the stuff he'd encountered. I found out more about him from that conversation than any of the other questions that were asked.

 

[Mr Janny]

Some of the answers I've gotten from candidates. I just put my pen down and watch them dig a hole.

One favorite was a person who interviewed pretty well in the office. I was walking her to the door and lobbed a last minute question about her expectations from a manager

Curse words. Slamming her employer (automatic DQ in my book) and generally talked to me like we were sitting at the bar.

To all you kids out there. The interview is only over when you're in the car heading home.

I like to hear a candidate use the word "We" when talking about his/her current job. "WE were working on a project..." "WE always had trouble with X..."
To me, it's a tell that they're willing to buy in at their job, and be part of a team;

I know some other interviewers hate it, and would rather the candidate say "I" "I did this." or "I have these skills." And don't get me wrong, that's important, too. I just think if someone sees themselves as a part of their job, that bodes well for their attitude.

 

[Farnsworth]

How about the interviewer who doesn't shut up? They take all of the air out of the room and don't allow the candidate to sell their skills.

Listen. Pivot. Learn.

Very true. Works bother ways too. The couple of jobs where I've had to interview people, I couldn't stand the ones that drone on and on and then side track to unrelated things.

Like ChuckD said, you basically know their skillset from the resume, looking more for personality and professionalism.

 

[tm3308]

I like to hear a candidate use the word "We" when talking about his/her current job. "WE were working on a project..." "WE always had trouble with X..."
To me, it's a tell that they're willing to buy in at their job, and be part of a team;

I know some other interviewers hate it, and would rather the candidate say "I" "I did this." or "I have these skills." And don't get me wrong, that's important, too. I just think if someone sees themselves as a part of their job, that bodes well for their attitude.

This is the part of the application process that drives me nuts. It's usually more of an issue for me when I'm writing a cover letter, but it can be an issue in interviews, too. Trying to find the right balance of explain why you, the individual, should stand out from the crowd without sounding arrogant is a pain in the ass.

 

[KnappShack]

Very true. Works bother ways too. The couple of jobs where I've had to interview people, I couldn't stand the ones that drone on and on and then side track to unrelated things.

Like ChuckD said, you basically know their skillset from the resume, looking more for personality and professionalism.

Totally agree. I tell people to know their story. It's your story. You wrote the resume. Be relaxed and make your point. Have a conversation.

If you are comfortable with your story then there shouldn't be any "gotcha" questions.

Also. Lay off the Axe body spray or whatever stink juice you wear to the club. It's an interview, not a date.

 

[Tailg8er]

What I dislike is when they have a script of questions and won't deviate at all from it.

It turns into "tell me about a time when (insert typical work situation happened) and how you dealt with it" over and over again.

A. Knew a project was not going to meet its deadline.

B. Worked with a coworker on a project that (didn't provide, disagreed with you, took credit for x,y, z).

C. Had stakeholders not budging on deliverables when you know the project wouldn't deliver desired results.

D. Worked with coworkers in other deparments who had information you relied on but prioritized their departments work first.

E. Saw a team member doing something unethical or wasting company time

F. Etc, etc, etc

It gets boring.

Agree, this was basically all my Wells Fargo interview was (about 2 years ago). I turned that down & ended up taking a position at a company with a Corp office made up of about 120 (much more personable interview as you'd probably expect).

Now I'm in a position that interviews people and I'm thankful we don't have any script or required HR questions. Can truly focus on getting to know the candidate and the fit.

 

[Stewo]

Do people still actually ask these questions?

As of Monday, yes they do. I was only asked greatest weakness, but I did a little bit of online reading on the best way to answer the question. I was sorry of generic and made sure to give examples of how I'm improving in that area.

 

[Althetuna]

My last interview was two part, an online questionaire and four in person interviews. One with a group of three and three interviews with a single person. The last person was my future boss.(who I knew from a previous job.)

The online questionaire started with a half hour of math and logic questions. There were way too many to answer in a 30 minute period. Therefore, I believed that was nothing more than an attempt to generate a stressful environment prior to asking the real questions which came after. Those questions were a personality assessment.

For the in person interview, the company sent me a list of questions the interviewer may ask. I'd say about half of those questions were asked.

I was pretty confident after walking out of the in person interviews. People were genuinely laughing in 2 of 4 interviews.

As for difficult questions, imo honesty is always the best policy. If they ask what your greatest weakness is, tell them BUT ALWAYS immediately follow that up with how you mitigate that weakness.

In my last interview, I was asked what were my social priorities. I told them I was pro-union. I owed a lot to the union I belonged to and turning my back on an organization that benefited me so much would be wrong. I also said that's why I would never work for their competitor because they had an anti-union reputation.

I got the job.

 

[Cyched]

I answer their question with a question as a show of power

 

[BCClone]

I answer their question with a question as a show of power

Go the jeopardy route?

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

I never understand people that are always late.

And how has this gone two pages without this?

 

[intrepid27]

I get a lot of feedback from interviewers and here's a few often heard comments:

If a candidate cannot identify a weakness in themselves it can show either arrogance or unwillingness to engage in self improvement.

Behavior based ( tell me about a time....) are designed to separate that while you may know how to do something but you have actually done it . ie. walk the walk vs talk the talk.

Lastly when I prep my candidates for an interview I encourage them to bring a minimum of 10 questions to ask the interviewer. This could be about the company, how the position is trained or evaluated, or could be about the hiring manager. It shows you are prepared and have done your research.

I've literally have had candidates lost jobs in an interview because they did not have questions to ask. Especially true if you are interviewing for a managerial, marketing, or sales role.


One last thought. Some interview questions are asked only to put pressure on a candidate and see how they respond.

 

[BCClone]

I never understand people that are always late.

And how has this gone two pages without this?

If that is your company's interview team, can you set me up an interview with the middle interviewer?

 

[stormchaser2014]

All of them.