What's your best/ favorite interview questions. Looking for some insightful ideas.
Thanks,
John
How big is a two by four?
A friend who hires carpenters says he gets the most surprising answers to the question. He says everyone says they are a great employee, shows up on time, never sick so he throws a few questions at them that they should know if they are really a carpenter.
The answer is 1-1/2"x3-1/2".
"Where do you want to be in five/ten/fifteen years?"
Followed by "What are you doing to get there?"
What are your salary requirements?
What is your primary responsibility to this company?
If you were given a choice, what would you most likely prefer - office or field work?
If answer is both, then ask...
What percentage would you place for each?
What color was Grant's Old Gray Mare.........
I was also asked while attending OCS... Was Hitler a good leader?
I think all questions pertaining to a career in surveying should relate to just that..
If the potential employee has no experience, judge by character..
Just my opinion.
i was actually asked "what would be the disadvantage of working here?"
What the...?
In 1973 drove 5hrs to interview for a survey job that paid $800/mo. After most of a day of evaluation and interviews I was made an offer by the head of the department and his statement was "I will put you to work monday if you will accept $350/mo for the position".
🙁
I have no fuggin' clue.
I had an offer of less than I was making then (about 12 years ago).
???
Why are you wasting my time?
This after two interviews and a breakfast meeting where they delivered their "offer."
I was not happy. More or less politely told them to take their offer and shove it up...
What are you most proud of in your career?
followed by
What are you least proud of in your career?
Things I want to ask but can't
Are you on probation?
Do you have a girl pregnant?
Do you use drugs? (We screen for this though)
Who do you hang out with?
What time do you go to bed?
Were you ever in prison? If so, for what?
How opposed are you to good hygiene?
99% of the time, one of the above is answered within the first days of working after they are hired. Sometimes, people have too much baggage and it would be nice to know ahead of time.
Funny, did something similar a few weeks back. I interviewed for a PC position, and by the end of the interview they were talking about using me for QC and chief of parties, at a salaried position.
BTDT, got the t-shirt, thanks but no thanks.
> In 1973 drove 5hrs to interview for a survey job that paid $800/mo. After most of a day of evaluation and interviews I was made an offer by the head of the department and his statement was "I will put you to work monday if you will accept $350/mo for the position".
> 🙁
What was he going to do with the other $450? Sounds like a thief to me. 73 wasn't that tough.:-(
> Things I want to ask but can't
>
>
> Are you on probation?
> Do you have a girl pregnant?
> Do you use drugs? (We screen for this though)
> Who do you hang out with?
> What time do you go to bed?
> Were you ever in prison? If so, for what?
> How opposed are you to good hygiene?
>
> 99% of the time, one of the above is answered within the first days of working after they are hired. Sometimes, people have too much baggage and it would be nice to know ahead of time.
Kris,
A $40-$50 background check will answer the probation and prison questions. Personally, I can tell the prison question if they have been in within 10 years, without seeing the prison tats. 😛
"If you were an animal, what animal would you be? Why?"
The 'why' is the most interesting part. I have heard some weird answers why.
I hate HR inspired questions.
Just ask questions about the danged job.
I've never been too organized and official about interviews with new hires. I'm nervous, they're nervous, neither one of us is anything like the person we'll be working together with. Everybody seems to want to come off as some ideal person that they're not, including me. Not that I've hired anybody for the last year or so but when I have, I try to keep it kind of casual so I can get an idea what the person is really like along with some actual questions about work history and experience, salary expectations, goals and stuff.
I've sat on both sides of the table in a goobermint setting several times each. There isn't anything magical about it. Since I already have a job I'm trying to figure out if I want to work for these people. Since they need someone they are trying to figure out if I can fit in.
I have a co-worker that was on the interview panel the last time I got hired. The joke is they had a guy on the panel that looked exactly like him but it wasn't him. I said that's kind of like false advertising, I had no idea you were like this 🙂
Thanks Frank for the great link! I'll keep those in mind as well as the rest of the suggestions within. You guys are awesome!