Generic, inane questions in e.g. job interviews

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The ones that advertise they are looking for a person to fill a particular position, then when you go apply for it, they tell you they don't need anybody for that, but they do have some other unrelated postion that you would never have shown up for if that's what had been advertised.

It's happened to me many times. Sometimes it is because they actually did fill the position before I got there, but there have been quite a few times I've been lied to. I know because this is a pretty small town, and I've met the people who got the same job I applied for, who applied AFTER I did. Annoying as hell. I wish the spineless *blanks* would just come out and tell me they don't think I can do the job. Judgmental idiots. I don't apply for anything I don't KNOW I can do well.

Yup. Life got a whole lot easier for me once I figured that out. Took me a long time to learn it though, and I've never been at ease with it.

Wasn't fuses, the porch light in the presented scenario embedded in the question indicated "you come home" then "find your house is completely dark". had it been the fuses, the porch light (which doesn't turn off) would have been off, thus the question would have had to be worded "You find your house to be completely dark as you are coming home, what do you do?" The order is important, because it establishes a timeline of discovery. The fuse could not have been blown, because the porch light would have been off, thus I would discover the house being dark before coming home. So it wasn't the fuse.

I saw a scientific documentary that shown "leaders" being the persons that can lie without hesitation..

Yes, I ended up getting hired as a building automation tech within a week later, and that job was very fulfilling.

KNX?, DALI?, tho proberbly not X10

Ugh, I'm dealing with this right now, and it's a nightmare. I don't know their mind games, and when they ask those kind of questions, I know they are looking for something, but I either don't know what it is, or if I can guess, I just feel too bad about lying and I'm no good at it either. Why do they want to hire liars?

Just yesterday, one asked me what would I do if I was home at night, and I had free time? Or what is my favorite this and that? What are they really asking? What's the "right" answer? . I feel so clueless. I know I'm often not giving the "right" answers, from either their reactions or not getting called back, but do I really have to research and memorize the "right" answers, and just repeat them? Then what is the point?

Just a thought, anyone with insight into this pool BS that human resources people throw at employees? ie what is the exact thinking behind it?

-I would go to bed and sleep so I would be fresh next morning.


The favorite is always something that increases work performance, without changing anything at the workplace of course!



There doesn't seem to be a right answer. Only ones that lies with the profile of their "dream employee".

I'd love to hear if someone else had some further more scientific testing of strategies even more successful.

There are a mix of questions in all interviews.

If I had to hire someone I would want to know how motivated they were to do the job I hired them for. Did they research the company prior to the interview? Do they have an outside interest that mirrors the job? Or are they just answering the ad because they need a job and couldn't care less what it is? I would prefer the motivated applicant.

What can you offer the company? Tells you alot about a persons self analysis skills. Lots of times this question is followed by 'what are your weaknesses'. Yes, they want to know what you have to offer but the nuts and bolts of that are in your resume. They want to get a feeling about YOU, personally, not just the skill set. Are you confident? Nervous? Outgoing/withdrawn? That question is designed to provide clues to a knowledgeable recruiter about several criteria at once.

Where do you see yourself in five years? If I'm looking for someone to fill a crucial position, I do not want to have to look for and retrain that position every six months. They are looking for someone for the long haul... someone looking to make that position a career. This question rarely gets asked in a manual labor job - and if it does it may just be an inexperienced recruiter. If your main goal is to get your band signed and be on tour in five years... they know that you are committed to your outside life and may not have the focus they want for their company.

Any interviewing class will teach you that in an interview you should provide your 'best truth'. This does not mean outright lie. It may mean sugar coating the details a bit. Never try to lie about something that could easily be disproved by a background check, drug test or reference check. Telling the truth about these things probably won't get you the job but lying and getting caught is much worse. There are great coach available at your state career centers - here in PA they are Careerlink - all states have one. The classes are free. Also check in with your office of occupational rehabilitation - they also can get you the skills classes and accommodations needed to help you get work. Often they have a list of employers who work specifically with them on employ placement.

Answering interview questions is a skill all people need to learn... and it is not easy for alot of people. They are not testing your ability to answer correctly. Many interview questions are totally subjective. Interviews go best when you can step outside 'just the questions' and offer a bit of additional material relevant to what they want to know. People like confidence and outgoing personalities. If you need help in those areas - by all means - get it. If you need accommodation for a social disability by all means ask for it.

So they're looking for the direct opposite of aspies, in general.

So good to know......

Ugh. I've been having my first formal interviews lately. I'm a Senior in college, studying Electrical Engineering, and several companies have been visiting our campus lately.

"Tell me about yourself."
"Where do you see yourself in five years?"
"What do you intend to get out of a career at [X Company]?"

...Are my least favorite questions. I usually end up parroting some BS that I tried to memorize before hand.

Fortunately, During my last interview, I was able to get the interviewers talking with me my about my senior project (relevant to what they do) and my electronics hobby, eating up a LOT of time that could have been used to grill me about inter-personnel skills and other irrelevant BS, and at the same time demonstrating my obvious interest in the type of work I'd be doing.

Boy will I be relieved if I get that call everyone wants...

If only I could tell them outright, "I hate dealing with people. Sit me at a workbench and leave me alone, and I can do my job well and make you a lot of money." Wouldn't that be perfect?

I don't doubt this one bit. This is why the U.S. is circling the bowl these days.

That would be the real reason I would be applying for almost any job. I can't even imagine any job I'd want to do, with the possible exception of some sort of work from home job that involved playing video games all day or making/assembling things while I watched a tv show of my choice.

"I'm gonna call you, cause it sounds like you're planning something like that. "

Huh? If interviewer has solid ego and you go in cringeing he's not going to be impressed. Being a bit deficient when it comes to sizing up people in that respect, it's probably best to be confident; like I said, I've only been faced with a few pathetic types. Hardly a juvenile attitude...

For me I have a really good resume. So most of the interview is around that which means the interview is scripted. I have rehearsed the resume.

Below each job put accomplishments and list them. That shows you did more than just the job.

I also have used recruiters which have sent me what is basically a "To Do" list and things not to do in interviews. PM me if you are interested as I could email you them if I had your email. They teach you how to prepare for the interview. Give you a list of questions to practice - at least have a good response to them. They explain why the question is asked and why the interviewer is asking them, and what not to say. I would have never saw through these questions on my own.

I work in accounting so my interview have been around that issue. Bring samples of your work, photos, anything to sell yourself. If you got an outstanding review bring it. Letter of reference bring it. Make the interviewers job easy. They can push to hire you because they have facts and examples as you have done their work for them.

B

Which is why it is good to get some skills training and the backup of Occupational Rehabilitation...