Job Interview: What questions cause you the most anxiety?

[oldman]

The last job interview I had was almost 30 years ago. They asked what my salary requirements were and I gave them a figure $6k more than what I was earning at the time. Six months later, they gave me a $4k raise from that. I'm guessing I could've asked for more during the interview.

I have changed jobs since then, but didn't really need to interview. Two of my former trainees had started their own business, and solicited me for a position. Pretty gravy.

 

[BCClone]

I was too early in my career to make that kind of bold move, but it would have been epic.
I really wanted to work there and didn't want to offend anyone on the committee.
Overall, it was a very valuable lesson for me as I have been on hiring committees for the last 4 years. I want to make sure that any candidates leave feeling that they were respected.

Respect is a big thing with me, I hope to always give it to everyone I deal with (at least until I believe they have lost it with me). Education is the one spot where it can be the most difficult and I do feel for you non-snooty college educators. As I mentioned I did lecture some courses as a fill in for a college for awhile. The staff educators hated me, they would even try to passively insult me. One would talk to about this guy who hands out too many A's and has take home tests several times. (Knowing it was me). He would try to debate specific small details of economics or things he believed about business and would scoff at my business beliefs. He would tell me how I was wrong, I would say how my statement was garnered from on the job situations that happened and then I would ask what examples he had of his approach actually working, he never had been in the field and he would suddenly have to be somewhere.

 

[runbikeswim]

What I dislike is when they have a script of questions and won't deviate at all from it.

It turns into "tell me about a time when (insert typical work situation happened) and how you dealt with it" over and over again.

A. Knew a project was not going to meet its deadline.

B. Worked with a coworker on a project that (didn't provide, disagreed with you, took credit for x,y, z).

C. Had stakeholders not budging on deliverables when you know the project wouldn't deliver desired results.

D. Worked with coworkers in other deparments who had information you relied on but prioritized their departments work first.

E. Saw a team member doing something unethical or wasting company time

F. Etc, etc, etc

It gets boring.

Same questions "on paper" at least for candidates is critical for fairness in hiring. If you get sued for discriminatory hiring, you have to produce documentation.

 

[KnappShack]

I did interview a guy once because he had "Showtime Boxing" on his resume

His job was to basically get a knocked out fighter out of the ring before the next bout started.

Wasn't a skill set I was looking for, but I gave the kid a chance

 

[FOREVERTRUE]

On not having questions for the interviewer......the one time I've seen someone hired who was like that (And I was not in favor of the choice) I've seen that lack of curiosity and belief that they already know what they need to know in their work. So now I'm super biased against people who have no questions.

That seems perfectly fine for a new hire, but what about an advancement within a company where you absolutely know what the job entails and have worked for the company for a number of years? This is where I have found myself multiple times. I usually come up with one like what kind of support will be given during the transition period or some such question, even though I am already fully aware what the answer will be, but usually I feel that makes me seem inept like I don't know what I'm getting myself into.

 

[throwittoblythe]

The last job interview I had was almost 30 years ago. They asked what my salary requirements were and I gave them a figure $6k more than what I was earning at the time. Six months later, they gave me a $4k raise from that. I'm guessing I could've asked for more during the interview.

I have changed jobs since then, but didn't really need to interview. Two of my former trainees had started their own business, and solicited me for a position. Pretty gravy.

I got very lucky in my last job interview (company before the one I work now). I asked for 15% more than I was currently making. They made me an offer that was 20% more than I was making. Plus a whole host of other benefits (bonus program, company vehicle, etc). I learned that I had vastly undersold myself and that I was getting totally screwed by my (then) current employer. At the end of the day, I was making 30-35% more in in total compensation than my previous employer.

 

[CycloneErik]

Respect is a big thing with me, I hope to always give it to everyone I deal with (at least until I believe they have lost it with me). Education is the one spot where it can be the most difficult and I do feel for you non-snooty college educators. As I mentioned I did lecture some courses as a fill in for a college for awhile. The staff educators hated me, they would even try to passively insult me. One would talk to about this guy who hands out too many A's and has take home tests several times. (Knowing it was me). He would try to debate specific small details of economics or things he believed about business and would scoff at my business beliefs. He would tell me how I was wrong, I would say how my statement was garnered from on the job situations that happened and then I would ask what examples he had of his approach actually working, he never had been in the field and he would suddenly have to be somewhere.

Terrible teachers are like that for anyone who they perceive as better or has better relations with students. They'll always roll with the lazy "oh, they're liked because they're easy" thing instead of looking in the mirror.

You could say that I don't get along with folks like that.

 

[Entropy]

Hopefully not teaching spelling.

It's no wonder my wife doesn't want to start looking for a new job after being a stay at home Mom for years. She might encounter some of you jerk interviewers. I get that many of us work in different areas and need to look for specific skill sets, but some of you seem to take your power to the extreme.

As an interviewer I have more of a conversation to see about how I will get along with this candidate. I'm not interviewing people that don't have the skill set I need, but we need to collaborate, so I'm looking for personality in the interview. Unfortunately some don't have compatible personalities, but hopefully they can land in a place that doesn't care about personality as much. I hate rejection, on either end of the interview.

Ha! Clearly I need to watch my grammar.

Personality is big in education fields as collaboration is a common component. It's surprising to me the number of highly educated individuals there are out there who can't relate to people.

 

[SouthJerseyCy]

I honestly love to ask it because its fun to hear responses. For me, if Im interviewing you, your resume has already sold you. Interviews for me are to verify if your personality would fit with our work environment. You would have to have a pretty ****** answer to get disqualified based on an answer to nay questions we ask (although its happened).

I'm the same, but burn587's answer would be close to disqualifying for me. You really can't think of ANYTHING you need to work on? You could always take the easy route and say more knowledge. This job is new to you right, and you don't have any inner knowledge of their workings. You could say staying on top of new technology, or industry trends. Make something up, but to say you're not aware of any weaknesses tells me you're not very self-aware.

ps - for what it's worth, I always ask it as 'what's something you could improve upon?' rather than greatest weakness.

 

[runbikeswim]

I ask the weakness question, but in a different way. I ask "tell me what former supervisors have identified as areas of improvement" to see if someone can be straightforward, honest, and sincere. A canned or practiced answer is fine if it is truthful and sincere. If someone deflects the question, it speaks volumes. I'm looking for rockstars, and I pay for it. Successful people are not afraid to admit what they need to work on.

I also ask verifier questions to see if they give similar answers.

Interviewing is a science. Staffing a team is an art.

My best advice tips for anyone interviewing, for Gods sake read the job description before the interview. Practice interviewing with at least 2 people. If trying to go to the Executive level, hire a coach to help you hone your messaging because it's hard summarizing truly successful careers.

 

[diaclone]

I try to turn an interview into me interviewing the organization. Since I do consulting, that works for me. Sometimes I find that that the interviewer actually begins to try to sell the org to me. That helps me see if that org is where I want to be.

To the OP - those are difficult question, especially the weaknesses one. I rarely asked those questions when I did interviewing.

When answering the weakness one, answer it by turning it into a strength somehow, e.g., what you are specifically doing to strengthen the weakness.

 

[Mr Janny]

Is he still there?

Potentially. I'm not there anymore

 

[Cyched]

This is also a reminder on the managerial side to be inquisitive if someone or multiple people are leaving. People don’t put themselves through another job search and interview process unless they’re truly unsatisfied and looking for a change.

 

[HGoat1]

The salary requirement question is the one I dislike the most. I usually state what I currently make and say I'd like a raise from that. I don't want to disqualify myself from the position, but its ard to know what to ask for as there is not a lot of data on salaries in my niche field.

 

[HGoat1]

I also dislike interviews where the interviewer has a number of cookie-cutter questions from HR that they have to ask. I try to prepare a number of questions for my interviewers so that I can get a better idea of what the job will entail, and so I can turn the interview more conversational. And as an interviewer, I certainly appreciate the same from candidates.

 

[BCClone]

The salary requirement question is the one I dislike the most. I usually state what I currently make and say I'd like a raise from that. I don't want to disqualify myself from the position, but its ard to know what to ask for as there is not a lot of data on salaries in my niche field.

Salary question has never really bothered me. I’m now self employed. Was dealing with a CEO of a company for some nonprofit work we were both involved with, I used to work in his profession. This 5 minute financial meeting turned into an hour and a half discussion of my history (after I left I realized it was an impromptu interview).

He asked me at one time, what would it take to get me back working in that environment. I just arrogantly said, you can’t afford me. He laughed and said seriously, have you thought about that. I threw this number out of I won’t even talk to someone without this as a start number knowing it was around his salary. He was stunned and then left that area. Interviews are fun when you don’t care.

 

[LincolnWay187]

For the what are your weaknesses I just give an example of how it used to be some technical tool I learned,but then say I took the initiative to learn it and it's now a stenghth

 

[Cycsk]

"If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?"

Has anyone ever actually be asked that?

 

[BCClone]

For weakness, definitely tell them how you are worked to correct it. Like, I used to let co-workers and bosses push me around and not stick up for myself as much, but I feel I'm on the right track. My last boss tried to order me around and the next day, for some odd reason, jumped out his office window 6 floors to his death. He must have been conflicted when I suggested how what he did bothered me. BTW, he is a current reference that I have so, he may not be a good one to call.

 

[cowgirl836]

That seems perfectly fine for a new hire, but what about an advancement within a company where you absolutely know what the job entails and have worked for the company for a number of years? This is where I have found myself multiple times. I usually come up with one like what kind of support will be given during the transition period or some such question, even though I am already fully aware what the answer will be, but usually I feel that makes me seem inept like I don't know what I'm getting myself into.

That would make it a bit harder. I've had a couple occasions where an internal candidate was looking to move around............trying to remember what they asked, don't see it in my notes. Another candidate asked about the expectations for the role within the first 6 months/what projects will be the focus, think I've also heard what type of characteristics do you think will make someone successful in this role. Depends on the level of formality around the interview process and how well you know the position.