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What they are doing with these canned off the wall type questions is seeing if you can think on your feet. A creative response usually indicates a well grounded person with a sense of humor - in the workplace that translates into a person who can take a bit of criticism, and be able to adjust to sudden stressful situations with poise. You give an answer like the question is beneath you or act like it is an insult to answer something so canned and stupid, you give the impression that you are hard to work with. Deflect the question and turn it into an opportunity to tell more about your experience in awkward situations or a successful project you were involved in - and you hit a home run.
Personality tests should be outlawed... they are discriminatory and easy to fake. When I come across one on a job site or in an application process, I skip it and send a cover letter and resume instead. If they offer it with the I-9 or W2 paperwork I ask if it is important and why. I find more often than not, the strong union shops and upstart businesses use them as a reason to weed out candidates they don't like but are the best for the job... its kind of a legal dance that should never be used.
Look at the interview process as a sales opportunity and you are selling yourself to the company. Ask questions to see if you would be a good fit, stay away from wage, vacation or other benefit type questions but ask about what are the shifts/hours that people in the position work, ask about projects, goals of the department, how they view overtime and weekend work but don't hint or even suggest you can't work these. Ask about the dress code, safety gear needed, company training programs and any other tangible that would help you decide if the job is worth your time and if you can make a long term commitment to the company.
Its tough out there, don't shoot yourself in the foot by not being aware of the stupid questions the office folks ask the people who actually know what they're doing, and above all - don't sell yourself short
As Supervisor and assisstant before that, I interviewed many candidates for various positions. I was directed to ask specific questions and not to ask specific questions. Many times my interviews were on weekends when I took advantage of being alone and actually able to get work done w/o interruption. I took the candidates with me and talked while I worked, but let them know they had my full attention, and they did.
I would have been embarrassed to death to ask someone what type of animal they would most emulate! It is like a teacher from Pennsylvania told me when in FL. We were both staying at the same resort. Jeff, was on the verge of retiring and glad to be doing so after what had just started in WI, and as he predicted in Ohio as well. He said in his home state, as well as many others, the real issue with education was the "Educrats". Not the teachers but those who set the standards but have no practical experience at all. I have found that true with interviewers as well. The young people who interviewed me, I would bet dollars to donuts, they are no longer working in those positions, but have moved on. They left a trail of educated mumbo jumbo behind them, moved on to another job and maybe two by now. All for money. We have created an environment where such silly questions can be asked because no-one thinks career and longevity. They want "team players", only for convineince. When do we get to be interviewed by people who know how to do the job instead of by transient interviewers? People like me who would never ask anyone to do anything I have never done myself. Now we hear, "delegate authority" instead of "do the job you were hired to do". The new job is job jumping, and false security from overly word-wise, PC folks who don't give a hang about the person, just the paper is important. Not what you can actually do but how you can sort through people like so much recycled plastic and find the candidate who can play the game the best with you............
As for me, I want security and honesty which begets longevity. Not needles and pins.
What they are doing with these canned off the wall type questions is seeing if you can think on your feet. A creative response usually indicates a well grounded person with a sense of humor - in the workplace that translates into a person who can take a bit of criticism, and be able to adjust to sudden stressful situations with poise. You give an answer like the question is beneath you or act like it is an insult to answer something so canned and stupid, you give the impression that you are hard to work with. Deflect the question and turn it into an opportunity to tell more about your experience in awkward situations or a successful project you were involved in - and you hit a home run.
Personality tests should be outlawed... they are discriminatory and easy to fake. When I come across one on a job site or in an application process, I skip it and send a cover letter and resume instead. If they offer it with the I-9 or W2 paperwork I ask if it is important and why. I find more often than not, the strong union shops and upstart businesses use them as a reason to weed out candidates they don't like but are the best for the job... its kind of a legal dance that should never be used.
Look at the interview process as a sales opportunity and you are selling yourself to the company. Ask questions to see if you would be a good fit, stay away from wage, vacation or other benefit type questions but ask about what are the shifts/hours that people in the position work, ask about projects, goals of the department, how they view overtime and weekend work but don't hint or even suggest you can't work these. Ask about the dress code, safety gear needed, company training programs and any other tangible that would help you decide if the job is worth your time and if you can make a long term commitment to the company.
Its tough out there, don't shoot yourself in the foot by not being aware of the stupid questions the office folks ask the people who actually know what they're doing, and above all - don't sell yourself short
As Supervisor and assisstant before that, I interviewed many candidates for various positions. I was directed to ask specific questions and not to ask specific questions. Many times my interviews were on weekends when I took advantage of being alone and actually able to get work done w/o interruption. I took the candidates with me and talked while I worked, but let them know they had my full attention, and they did.
I would have been embarrassed to death to ask someone what type of animal they would most emulate! It is like a teacher from Pennsylvania told me when in FL. We were both staying at the same resort. Jeff, was on the verge of retiring and glad to be doing so after what had just started in WI, and as he predicted in Ohio as well. He said in his home state, as well as many others, the real issue with education was the "Educrats". Not the teachers but those who set the standards but have no practical experience at all. I have found that true with interviewers as well. The young people who interviewed me, I would bet dollars to donuts, they are no longer working in those positions, but have moved on. They left a trail of educated mumbo jumbo behind them, moved on to another job and maybe two by now. All for money. We have created an environment where such silly questions can be asked because no-one thinks career and longevity. They want "team players", only for convineince. When do we get to be interviewed by people who know how to do the job instead of by transient interviewers? People like me who would never ask anyone to do anything I have never done myself. Now we hear, "delegate authority" instead of "do the job you were hired to do". The new job is job jumping, and false security from overly word-wise, PC folks who don't give a hang about the person, just the paper is important. Not what you can actually do but how you can sort through people like so much recycled plastic and find the candidate who can play the game the best with you............
As for me, I want security and honesty which begets longevity. Not needles and pins.
