What is Digg?151 Comments
- le0pard, on 10/18/2007, -2/+17810 Killer Job Interview questions and Answers
Behind every interview question there is a concern or
another question. Your job is to process the question
thinking about what the interviewer’s concern might be. In
other words, why is the interviewer asking you this
question?
Q#1 - How long have you been looking for a job? (Concern –
is there something wrong with you that other employers have
picked up?)
A#1 - “After I was laid off from my last job, I took the
opportunity to take some time out to examine my career
goals and where I was going with my life. I have just begun
my search in the last few weeks. I have a definite goal in
mind and have been selective about the positions I
consider. Your company and this position are of great
interest to me.”
Q#2 - How did you prepare for this interview? (Concern –
are you interested enough to do some research, or are you
going to “wing it”?)
A#2 - “When I found this position posted on the internet
(monster.com) I was immediately interested. I checked out
the company website and mission statement, looked at the
bios of company founders and executives, and was impressed.
Once I had the interview appointment, I talked with friends
and acquaintances in the industry. And, I’m sure I’ll find
out a lot more in today’s meetings.”
Q#3 - What is your salary expectation for this job?
(Concern – Can we afford you? Can we get you for less than
budgeted?)
A#3 - “I’ll need more information about the job and the
responsibilities involved before we can begin to discuss
salary. Can you give me an idea of the range budgeted for
this position?”
Q#4 - How do you keep current and informed about your job
and the industries that you have worked in? (Concern – Once
you get the job do you continue to learn and grow – stay
challenged and motivated?)
A#4 - “I pride myself on my ability to stay on top of what
is happening in my industry. I do a lot of reading – the
business section of the newspapers and magazines. I belong
to a couple of professional organizations and network with
colleagues at the meetings. I take classes and seminars
whenever they are of interest, or offer new information or
technology.”
Q#5 - Tell me about a time when you had to plan and
coordinate a project from start to finish. (Concern –
behavioral questions – seeking an example of specific past
behavior)
A#5 - ” I headed up a project which involved customer
service personnel and technicians. I organized a meeting to
get everyone together to brainstorm and get his or her
input. From this meeting I drew up a plan, taking the best
of the ideas. I organized teams, balancing the mixture of
technical and non-technical people. We had a deadline to
meet, so I did periodic checks with the teams. After three
weeks, we were exceeding expectations, and were able to
begin implementation of the plan. It was a great team
effort, and a big success. I was commended by management
for my leadership, but I was most proud of the team spirit
and cooperation which it took to pull it off.”
Q#6 - What kinds of people do you have difficulties
working with? (Concern – ability to be flexible and work in
a diverse environment?)
A#6 - “In my last three jobs I have worked with men and
women from very diverse backgrounds and cultures. The only
time I had difficulty was with people who were dishonest
about work issues. I worked with one woman who was taking
credit for work that her team accomplished. I had an
opportunity to talk with her one day and explained how she
was affecting the morale. She became very upset that others
saw her that way, and said she was unaware of her behavior
or the reactions of others. Her behavior changed after our
talk. What I learned from that experience is that sometimes
what we perceive about others is not always the case if we
check it out.”
Q#7 - We expect managers to work more than 8 hours a day.
Do you have a problem with that? (Concern – are you a
work-aholic or a person who requires balance?)
A#7 - “I have no problem working long hours. I have worked
12 or 14 hour days. What I have found works for me is to
work smarter, not necessarily longer. My goal is to get the
job done, whatever that takes, in the most efficient
manner.”
Q#8 - When have you been most satisfied in your career?
(Concern – what motivates you? Or demotivates you?)
A#8 - “The job before the one I am currently at, was my
most rewarding experience for me. I worked in a wonderful
team environment. There was a lot of camaraderie. I worked
with a team of four people and we did some really original
thinking. It is that kind of environment I want to be
involved in again.”
Q#9 - Why do you want this job? (Concern – are you using
the shot-gun approach to job search or do you really know
what you want?)
A#9 – “I’ve been very careful about the companies where I
have applied. When I saw the ad for this position, I knew I
found what I was looking for. What I can bring to this job
is my seven years of experience, and knowledge of the
industry, plus my ability to communicate and build customer
relationships. That, along with my flexibility and
organizational skills, makes me a perfect match for this
position. I see some challenges ahead of me here, and
that’s what I thrive on. I have what you need, and you have
what I want.”
Q#10 - We are ready to make an offer. Are you ready to
accept today? (Concern – we don’t want you to go away and
think about it and change your mind – we want you.)
A#10 - “Based on my research and the information I have
gathered during the interview process, I feel I am in a
position to consider an offer. I do, however, have a
personal policy that I give myself at least 24 hours to
make major life decisions. I could let you know by
tomorrow.”
There is no way you can accurately predict the questions
that will be asked in an interview, but you can be ready
and prepared by thinking about the factors that might
concern an interviewer or employer before the interview. - Sangatious, on 10/10/2007, -4/+92It should read: How to answer questions like a robot
- inactive, on 10/10/2007, -5/+52"Take off your clothes and lie on the desk"
"That's not a question"
"Do you want this job or not? Happy?" - dave122, on 10/10/2007, -1/+41Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Celebrating the 5th year anniversary of you asking me this question. - DevinOlsen, on 10/10/2007, -0/+32Q#2 - How did you prepare for this interview? (Concern –
are you interested enough to do some research, or are you
going to “wing it”?)
A#2 - "I found an article on Digg..." - inactive, on 10/10/2007, -1/+32Did you enjoy seeing how the fry cooker worked?
I kid I kid. I would think that this only works well in entry level jobs or jobs requiring little professional experience. If you're expected to know your *****, those jobs where 5+ years of experience are required, I don't know if this strategy will work all that well..unless of course you have big boobs. - Fedaykin311, on 10/10/2007, -1/+31Q#7 - We expect managers to work more than 8 hours a day.
Do you have a problem with that? (Concern – are you a
work-aholic or a person who requires balance?)
They give the wrong answer to this question. The real answer is
"I have no problem with that assuming I am fairly compensated for my overtime". If they say "no overtime is paid" then the correct reply is "Thank you for you time ladies and gentlemen, this is not the right job for me."
Companies LOVE to abuse overtime laws with salaried employees. - STx1900, on 10/10/2007, -1/+25The answers to these questions reek of canned *****.
- TroubleInMind, on 10/10/2007, -0/+22Oh man, don't get me started on this crap. If you want a good job, or to hire a good employee, reach out to your personal network for referrals. Otherwise, you will end up giving ***** lying ***** answers to ***** lying ***** questions, as cited in the OP.
- Dangerman, on 10/10/2007, -1/+21You should have explained to them that the proper procedure for an interview involved an oral examination... boom chicka wow wow
- clownguyx, on 10/10/2007, -2/+22No kidding. I have had the best results when I just talk to them like a normal person and let them get a feel for my personality. If I were hiring someone I would be concerned about how the interact with people above all else. If they know the basics of the job they are applying for, you can train them on the details later. You can't really train people skills as easily.
- manicallday, on 10/10/2007, -0/+19I had an interview with Siemens which was hilarious. Although the two girls that were hiring me were hot, one of them sporting the best tongue ring that I've ever seen, they had zero interviewing skills. They literally used questions from a magazine to interview me. How did I know? Because they pulled out the magazine, right in front of me, and read from it. The cute part was they even took turns reading.
- SpacemanSpiff, on 10/10/2007, -1/+17The answer to the salary question (below) is actually a pretty good one.
Q#3 - What is your salary expectation for this job?
(Concern – Can we afford you? Can we get you for less than
budgeted?)
A#3 - “I’ll need more information about the job and the
responsibilities involved before we can begin to discuss
salary. Can you give me an idea of the range budgeted for
this position?” - ashchristopher, on 10/10/2007, -3/+19This article is nice and all, but what employers ask questions like these?
The interviews I have been on don't rely on these cut and dry questions. They want to know who you really are, not how well you have prepared stock answers to these questions.
Also, do you want to work for a place that lacks so much creativity that they are going to ask questions like this? Or would you be more interested in a company where the interviewer is legitimately interesting in learning about you, and determining if you would be a fit for the job. - chrisc262, on 10/10/2007, -2/+17Q#7 - We expect managers to work more than 8 hours a day.
Do you have a problem with that? (Concern – are you a
work-aholic or a person who requires balance?)
A#7 8 hours a day? you'll be lucky if i stay for 5!! - NinjaBoy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+14Sitting in your seat, ***** your wife.
- dylanmat, on 10/10/2007, -3/+17I like to ask: "What happened to the Snowdens of yesteryear?"
- Wogger, on 10/10/2007, -1/+13Is it just me, or does the logo look a little phallic?
- ahawks, on 10/10/2007, -0/+12I'm doing this not as a grammar nazi, but as a professional courtesy.
Make sure when you ask your interviewees to *write* code, you don't spell it r-i-g-h-t. - lujoko, on 10/10/2007, -0/+11Totally agree, I have used A#3 before. When they answered well above what I was expecting, I definitely was glad I did so. Someone wise once told me 'whoever mentions money first loses.' Or at least, 'states a number.'
- CraigJ, on 10/10/2007, -2/+13Q#7 - We expect managers to work more than 8 hours a day.
So is it cool if I get all my work done in 6 hours and play Doom for the other 4? - britblogger, on 10/10/2007, -0/+11I am recruiter in New York City, and I think I got as far as reading through #4. The questions are a good starting ground for an interviewer, but the answers sound scripted and afford a coldness in personal response - and certainly lack a personal and emotional retort - which is what nails a good interview.
90% of all interviews are down to personality fit - the 10% is the resume getting you through the door - period.
this is a terribly poor example of "killer Q&A for interviews" - unless you're interviewing for their new pet robot. or a network technician. - Nicholicious, on 10/10/2007, -1/+11These are fantastic! I just walked into an office, yelled "500 INTERNAL SERVER ERROR" and they hired me on the spot.
- canewediggit, on 10/10/2007, -1/+11best answer for the salary q - money is not my concern here. i am interested in the opportunity and what i can do to help you overcome some of the challenges you are facing. if you feel i'm the person for the job, i feel confident you will compensate me fairly for what i bring to you.
you do NOT want to discuss #s or ask about range. either way, you're boxing yourself into a corner. too high - you're out. too low- you screw yourself. when they decide to make an offer, then you discuss the money. stay focused on their problems and why you are the solution. first rule of negotiating is whomever says a number first loses.
/lesson from someone who's father has been a successful recruiter for 20+ years - Jargonaut06, on 10/10/2007, -0/+9...while at my last job...
- nunofgs, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8DUGG for the Mitch Hedberg quote.
- NinjaBoy, on 10/10/2007, -1/+9You know what they about girls with pierced tongues.
- Spektr4, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8I logged in to digg this comment. 100% agree.
- NinjaBoy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7This question really means i plan on pushing my job on to you to do. This way i can leave after 4 hours and you can just make it up for me.
- leif77, on 10/10/2007, -0/+710 > 8
- mrinternet, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7Man there are some crap answers in this story. I 48 (old fart), VP work for a 120,000 strong company, I hire personally about 20 people a year and have another 150 or so working for me. My views are based on that alone, but would not hire this person based on his answers. Look at all the negatives this person has in his answers. Desperation is all I see. I want hunger, passion, like minded ideas not desperation or negativity.
#1 After I was laid off form my last job...wrong answer starts with a negative. He has a great goal in mind, so is he going to leave to chase this goal in 6 months. Is this job just helping him pay his bills to get to that goal.
#2 Geez, this guy is f%$ing desperate to do that much research.
#3 Wrong, I want to see someone with growth or stability in mind, for their salary unless on really really big bucks previously. Salary expectation is based on currently salary and is this guy wort it or not.
#4 Wrong this person spends too much time doing the wrong things, I want someone that networks, has folks in the industry.
#5 Too granular, I headed up a project that involved getting stakeholders from different divisions together to address their different priorities. Keeping folks informed along the way using standard project management disciplines worked best. Everything else about how it went perfect, etc. is crap as it rarely does, and shows me this person only works well when things go perfect.
#6 If you imply (or say as he does here ) that you do not get along with dishonest people, who does. Not getting credit for work you do is how it goes and often (in my case) can build cred. with your boss (if he is the one getting the credit). Otherwise that is internal political crap I don't want to hear. A better answer (for a manager) is I am very hands on my projects and like to build team rapport, so I guess folks with their own agenda and less passion for the projects and the big picture are harder for me to get along with, but I even tend to get along with them. (means you get along with everyone the answer is a crap sandwich positive on the outside but a bit negative in the middle.
#7 Wrong Answer how amatureish I have worked 12-14 hour days.?? better, I don't mind working long hours when the work requires it but I naturally try to balance work and home life. (shows interest outside of work).
#8 Wrong this guy in likely not able to work alone, or be self-motivated is what that says this job where he was laid off (thanks for reminding me) shows he makes bad choices). Better answer, I like to be busy, contribute and make a difference and either as part of a team or not.
#9 Reminds me of his mistakes again, avoid using the world perfect as I then question why you are not, better to mention common work ethics, industry view on things (use something from their web site, a comment form the CEO or something), shows all that research you have done means something in this interview.
#10 Geez, this guy should work in an IHOP he does waffle on. Better might be Yes I am, but prefer to think on it just a little bit if that is ok. - theshizzler, on 10/10/2007, -1/+7I've used something similar before and it works. Plus, its great to instead put them in the awkward, squirming, "How high should I say?" state-of-mind.
- sleze, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Have you ever tried to get a job before?
- TroubleInMind, on 10/10/2007, -2/+7Brandt can't watch, or he has to pay a hundred.
- krnldmp, on 10/10/2007, -2/+7I'll bring my ratchet, and my shoes, so I have them.
- aarona, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6I used to interview people myself and I've used questions like this before - hell, they trained us to ask these kinds of questions until we got better at asking our own. You'd be surprised at how poorly people answer even simple, generic, canned questions. I always thought hiring people would be really hard, and to a certain extent it is - identifying really good people is harder than finding bad ones. But simple, easy questions are really great for separating the wheat from the chaff - finding the golden grains is the harder part.
- Tyr7BE, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5If you're expected to know your *****, they wouldn't be shooting the ***** with you for 45 minutes in the first place. AT least, not without following it up with a full day of grilling on technical knowledge.
- mrwiggles123, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6This guys a pimp
- 8string, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6I literally just got back from a job interview this afternoon....
I'm a java programmer and the questions were completely "here's our printout of code, please answer our questions about them." Nothing about previous projects, my work experience, etc.
In all the example code there were bugs which I was supposed to find, etc. Some of the concepts in the questions were false, ie: there was a question in which I had to find why a square wouldn't render properly on the screen. My first answer was that only a dot would be rendered on the screen because the points used in the calculation would all be identical and because x=0, y=0 is (at least in all the java I've coded, and this *was* a java job) the calculation used to return set the size of the square would have an area of 0.
"But x=0 is the *bottom* of the screen, at least in all the graphing calculators I've used" was the response.
I thought I was interviewing for a java engineer job, not a TI-85 job.
After this it was "write an algo for the fibonacci sequence on the whiteboard". Ok.
"Can you do one that's not O(n)?"
Finally, "What features would you like to see in java which aren't there?"
"Well, being able to manually alloc dealloc memory might be nice since you can't force garbage collection."
"Are you *sure* about that?"
One of the guys interviewing me didn't know this, or that Statement in java.sql is an interface, etc.
These kinds of interviews (and this one was the worst) are a lose, lose battle. If you know can't find a one line bug on a printout, you must not be a competent engineer, and if you point out the flaws in their questions, they don't like that either, but on the bright side I knew about 30 minutes in I didn't want to work with these guys.
I've been coding for 11 years and I expect to be asked highly technical questions, but only asking arcane questions, expecting folks who are on an interview to spend hours answering minutia (some of which the interviewers don't know) and focusing *only* on algorithms is silly. There's so much more to being a coder then that. - manicallday, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5A#7 8 hours? Really? What exactly do you do here again?
- divrekku, on 10/10/2007, -2/+7Dugg for the boobs comment.
We just had a woman get promoted to Director (in Finance) and she's barely 26. Methinks not. - mynameisryan, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5I dugg it so that more people would read it, use it, and then I would end up getting the job.
- Oraclese, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4I actually like this one :
Q#3 - What is your salary expectation for this job?
(Concern – Can we afford you? Can we get you for less than
budgeted?)
A#3 - “I’ll need more information about the job and the
responsibilities involved before we can begin to discuss
salary. Can you give me an idea of the range budgeted for
this position?”
I've always found salary negotiations to be a big PITA. I think it's just me, I'm not very good at how to approach the question.
I've only been out of University for a year and a half, so I don't have a whole lot of experience negotiating salary. It went pretty well for me in my current job, but I chalk that up to the fact that they wanted someone to fill the job weeks before I even came along.
Any other tips on salary negotiation? - canewediggit, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4wtf? how dare you people bury a lebowski reference.
- moviesnmore, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5I wish I could give you more diggs for this comment.
This is so true within pretty much all jobs. If you have an intelligent person that can communicate well and works well with everyone, they can be taught what is needed for that job. I've never seen a job where someone is just off and running without some training. - intense321, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4http://duggmirror.com
- squaat, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3you need to know what you are worth before you can even begin to negotiate. Knowing what you are worth also means that you know the industry. This is hard when you are fresh out of school, but I'm sure you've heard people saying stuff like, "I hear they are paying X for new grads" use that as a base line :)
- suranwrap, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3I am going to go find a cash machine
- qualish, on 10/10/2007, -4/+7You all have been answering that question wrong. First, you need to do some homework. How much did the business gross last year? Just, multiply that by 0.85 and say that is what you want.
- signal15, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4The only people that ask these questions are HR people. In my experience, any company that subjects you to an HR interview for a technical job is probably a place where you don't want to work. All of the tech companies I've been at that were great places to be NEVER did HR interviews. The place I'm at now doesn't do HR interviews for engineers either. I do the interviewing for those, and I can assure you that I do not ask these types of questions.
The two main things I look for is whether or not someone is ***** on their resume, and how personable they are. Some people just get nervous during an interview and forget things, or don't act like they normally would, but usually that is easy to pick up on. The ones who lie on their resumes are very easy to weed out, and you can usually tell how charismatic someone is even if they are nervous. I don't care if someone is a job hopper, the whole point is to get them into an environment they like and will be less likely to leave. In the 3 years I've been doing this, we've only had one person leave from our office, and it was because he didn't like to travel at all.
Personally, I think most companies go about their hiring process all wrong, and then fill their environment with so much political crap that it makes people want to quit. -
Show 51 - 100 of 149 discussions
Check out the new & improved 
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is