Are things really this bad?

[Roger]

Admittedly the last time I had to go through the whole 6 interview process was back in 2006, my current job I was able to get through a network contact so the process was significantly streamlined. But are things really that bad out there that companies can screw around asking silly questions like these?

 

http://www.glassdoor.com/Top-25-Oddball-In...-LST_KQ0,34.htm

 

God help these fools if the labor market ever becomes scarce.

[robcat2075]

Fortunately those are probably the 25 dumbest questions rather than the 25 most common questions.

 

 

Glad I don't have to go interview, none-the-less.

 

 

There was a job that appeared on LinkedIn a while back that asked "Have you ever used an alias?" and I was tempted to apply just to write in "Suleiman the Magnificent"

[Wildsided]

I would never get hired if I was asked these questions. The temptation to be a wise-ass would be overwhelming.

[Roger]

I seriously think that if I was asked something like this my response would be along the lines of "I know the economy is bad, but clearly we are not operating from a position of mutual respect. Thanks, but no."

[NancyGormezano]

Hoooo hoooo! I loved those questions! I would have great fun with them!

 

These were supposed to be the questions that could reveal your personality, temperment, flexibility, as well as skills. There were plenty of other questions that addressed the mundane, normal, practical day-to-day tasks (if you read the extended questions).

 

Creative "respectful wise-ass" is what they were looking for on these. Also, they were looking to see how blue-sky, out-of-the-box you could be, as well as resourceful (with limited resources), and what kind of NEW problem solving skills you have (depending on the position). Some were investigating how broad-based was your knowledge set.

 

Some questions were designed to see if you could have fun and be fun to work with (team player), as well as fit into their current culture.

 

If you don't fit into their type of culture, or add something new to their pot that they feel is missing, then that's not the job for you and no one would be happy.

[Simon Edmondson]

A friend was head of course in an Art dept and asked me to assist in preparing her students for application interviews at University level by conducting mock interviews and reviewing them and their work. One of the questions she wanted me to ask was

 

"If you were a cookie or biscuit, what flavour would you be and why" ?

 

Its a bit like the section in "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" where the character teaching rhetoric, sets a question and his students are completely nonplussed by it and wrestle with it until, there is a moment of breakthrough and they can proceed. The equivalent of a Zen Koan perhaps ? ( the famous 'One hand clapping', for example ). I read an article about advertising a few years back and the questions asked of applicants. My personal fave was "How do you explain toast to a Martian" ? to which the best reply was something like "£%& *^ $ £££ &*(^)%$!"

 

Simon