Weird interview questions - Page 3

Raiderz4Life · 05-22-2012, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wogitalia

Never really understood the "conflict" question. Just seems like an incredibly weighted question to me.

If you admit to having conflicts then you fail. If you don't have conflicts then you didn't answer the question and you fail. It's the interview equivalent of would you rather be shot or stabbed.

Being an umpire would be a great result if that question came up though due to the nature of the job, but in most work environments, if you have conflict you did something wrong.

Not quite true...there are plenty of jobs where you will have conflict without it having been a mistake on your part.

wogitalia · 05-23-2012, 12:02 AM

I guess it depends on what you work in... as an office type you really shouldn't have conflict unless you've done something wrong though.

That was where both umpiring and bar work are handy for dealing with that question because in my office environment I don't have any conflict and I don't plan on having any.

Rob S · 05-23-2012, 05:57 AM

Not really. You can make conflict be whatever the hell you want. For instance, in an office setting: you and a partner disagree on the direction of a project and worked to a resolution through compromise.

Conflict doesn't mean a shouting match/fist fight.....it's just a disagreement.

hockey619 · 05-23-2012, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelersfan43

my sisteerr just had a job interview, for a hotel desk job mind you, and she was asked a werid/unanswerable question. It was " you are in seattle, you have a cup of coffee and a ruler, how do you figure out how tall the space needle is?"

put the cup on the edge of a table and squat next to it. It has to be the edge of the table assuming youre at ground level looking up toward the needle. 'zoom' in and out (move your head toward and away from the cup) until it appears to be the same size as the needle. mark your position on the ground/table.

how far is the base of the cup from your mark (A)? how far is the top of the cup (B)? How tall is the cup (C)? That would give you three sides to a small triangle, which you could use to get the three angles.

The angles would be the same on the big triangle (marked point to needle base to needle top and back) that you matched up with your cup. All you have to do is get the distance you are from the base of the building to have a side and three angles (you only need two). then its just cos sin and tan math stuff.

all that is a much bigger pain in the *** then just asking someone if they know how tall it is.

Brothgar · 05-23-2012, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TitleTown088

There is a man who walks home from work everyday goes to his apartment building and gets off the elevator at the 13 floor and walks to his apartment on the 26th floor. There is somthing abnormal about this man that forces him to to this? What is it?

He's also British because american buildings don't have a 13th floor.

CJSchneider · 05-23-2012, 08:25 AM

The weirdest question I have ever been asked on an interview was "If you could be any kind of tree, what kind would you be?"

ImBrotherCain · 05-23-2012, 08:27 AM

Mine was what is your favorite animal and why (beyond the typical answers got better marks)?

Rob S · 05-23-2012, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImBrotherCain

Mine was what is your favorite animal and why (beyond the typical answers got better marks)?

They don't give a **** about the animal you choose. It is all in the rationalization of your choice and the ability to tie that back to the specific job you are interviewing for.

ImBrotherCain · 05-23-2012, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob S

They don't give a **** about the animal you choose. It is all in the rationalization of your choice and the ability to tie that back to the specific job you are interviewing for.

Oh I know. That was just the oddest question that I have been asked.

Rob S · 05-23-2012, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImBrotherCain

Oh I know. That was just the oddest question that I have been asked.

Okay, I though you were asking a question when you said that beyond the typical answers got higher marks.

jrdrylie · 05-23-2012, 08:41 AM

I also hate the question "How do you maintain a quality work-life balance?" I've never had a problem with that so there is nothing I do to maintain a quality balance, it just happens naturally. But you can't say that in an interview.

ImBrotherCain · 05-23-2012, 08:41 AM

Naw isn't it if you use () in a sentence you must be before the punctuation? I could be wrong.

wogitalia · 05-23-2012, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrdrylie

I also hate the question "How do you maintain a quality work-life balance?" I've never had a problem with that so there is nothing I do to maintain a quality balance, it just happens naturally. But you can't say that in an interview.

And you certainly can't say the real reasons that you do it, like getting to work when your contract states and leaving when it ends or going out and slaying dragons on the weekend.

So many of the questions you get the initial response is just wtf...