Interview questions

Post by **TOONGA** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 9:09 am

We have all had them those irritating interview questions ... my least favourites are

why do you want to work for this company? ( summons up images of the 80's with the Russians and Americans at war)

What are your strengths and weaknesses? (summons up a psycologist in a hospital in a cheap suit asking how does that make you feel?)

anyone else

TOONGA

alang · Post by **alang** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:02 am

The one i got most often was you have more qualifications then i do.

guess who didn't get the job

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:56 am

what a hard question you ask - my last job interview was 1986!

FROG · Post by **FROG** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 10:23 pm

Trying to fill in the gaps where I'd answered "travelled around Australia taking in various jobs along the way ... 1989-1995 " ïn my application

Johnny T · Post by **Johnny T** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 9:30 am

My personal favorite is when I go to my interview is "well the building industry isn't as good as it use to be so I can't promise a job" (and yes this happens a lot to me as I'm an Architectural Drafter) I would like to ask them why did they ask me to come in for the interview lol

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 7:10 pm

"Tell us a bit about yourself" - and not sound like I'm "obsessed" with subarus/4wd'n etc
I also hate that strengths and weaknesses one.
Hypotheticals - I got them a lot since I was applying for an Outdoor Ed teaching position. And they weren't ever how I'd run a session/group on a trip.
I got caught out with my 2nd last interview, already nervous as all hell, they don't ask me about hypotheticals, they asked me for examples of my experience in a given situation. Yeah that's wasn't good. Probably didn't help it was an all girl's school - but it was one of those jobs that you don't see very often - Pure OE leading groups and teaching the how to's of OE etc. But missed it!

I also hate doing my hair for an interview - or in general! Come to think of it I need a cut this weekend...

I do enjoy suiting up for the event though. It's also painful writing an application with all the KSCs, customised CV and personalised (to the job advert) cover letter only then to get a letter in the mail that you didn't get an interview - or worse still you have to ring them to find out what the go is. 15 to 18 pages (average) of work "wasted"

But now I don't have to worry about that anymore!

Cheers

Bennie

subybrumby · Post by **subybrumby** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 7:35 pm

Good topic...I sat on a panel of three recently and when we asked our question, old mate brought out a notebook and read from all his notes he had prepared..all the workplace health and safety stuff and equal employment, discrimination etc. Thought that was a bit cheeky. I also heard from a guy on the panel, that one applicant actually stopped an interview and asked for a coffee break. ?????

purp · Post by **purp** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 7:55 pm

I also hate the strengths and weaknesses questions.

"Well, I guess my biggest weakness is that I am so good that I make others look bad in comparison?"

MTB92 · Post by **MTB92** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 8:43 pm

This is pretty relevant for me at the moment

. The other day i got "describe a time you had to change yourself as a result of a conflict to resolve the situation". trying to come up with a graceful solution for that one on the spot was interesting...

95Liberty · Post by **95Liberty** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 9:06 pm

MTB92 wrote:This is pretty relevant for me at the moment . The other day i got "describe a time you had to change yourself as a result of a conflict to resolve the situation". trying to come up with a graceful solution for that one on the spot was interesting...

How would you answer that one? I don't know if I could answer that on the spot.

95Liberty · Post by **95Liberty** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 9:16 pm

I hate some of the online applications that are too rigid and wont let you submit it if one small detail is incomplete. I also hate filling out work history sometimes because my resume is a little complicated since I have worked many Casual jobs through work agencies and a few seasonal jobs and then have to answer why I left that job.

pezimm · Post by **pezimm** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 9:42 pm

With all these interview questions, the best advice I can give is for any of these situation type questions (for example, when they ask you: "tell me about a time you had to manage a crisis", when you reply, make sure you follow the STAR logic.

So, S for Situation, describing what the situation was
T for target, so state what the desired outcome was
A for actions, where you tell exactly what you did
and R for results, or what was achieved in that case...

As long as you do that for these type of questions, you should be fine!

Pedro.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 9:57 pm

why you left ? You were a contractor or project manager, task completed, time and ready to move on, demonstrates you can do same when time comes for them to pee you off, you'll go without a fight

Post by **TOONGA** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:39 am

I found this page it has the most asked interview questions and the best? answers

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interview ... wquest.htm

TOONGA

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 4:38 am

**** working...............alcohol induced answer from Thailand.