I just came back from an interview this afternoon. I don't feel great about it. Generally I do great interviews. It's actually one of the few skills I have. However after moving from the US to NZ I have noticed my ability to judge how an interview has gone has plummeted. In the US I could walk out and know exactly how it went. Here, I have no idea. Anyway, since I'm in the mood I've decided to post a diary about some of my least favourite interview moments.
"What would you say is your weakness" has got to be one of the most pathetic questions in all of interviewing.
If I was completely unintelligent maybe I would start to list my complete list of problems, but most of us are fairly more suave than that. So what is the answer? The problem with this question is that no matter how you answer it, it sounds like you are lying. "My only problem is I care TOO MUCH...." What's a better answers "my problem is that I masturbate at work?". "My problem is that I can't commit to deadlines?" What a bullshit question.
I've read the recommended answers to this line of question and they're all crap. The reality is that you can either repeat back the same tired bullshit that they're expecting to hear, or you can tell them the truth. Or you can tell them tha tyou don't have any weaknesses. All of them are losing answers. In the future I've decided my response will be "That is an interesting question - What are yours?"
Second most ridiculous question is "are you willing to relocate?" Let's see, you posted a want ad for a job in the city I live in. I haven't worked a day for you - to me this is like asking someone on a first date if they want to move in together. Of course in our economy we are supposed to jump at the chance "what? uproot my family and move them to a new location to work in a situation I know nothing about?! HELL YES LINE ME UP!"
Again this is like a trap of a question, to see how committed you are. If you had gone on a first date with someone and they asked you to move across the country for them and you said yes, we would consider you a mentally ill candidate. How come this is acceptable for work?
I've been through enough interviews in my lifetime to realise that they are all the same. Very few actually manage to get anything meaningful out of you and all are all pretty much meaningless at getting whether someone will be a competent employee or not.
I don't have any answers, but just think today was a complete joke.
Edit:
There has been 1 person who has argued this question has merit, while others acknowledge it is a completely B.S. question. So What would be a better replacement. My thought is "What skills would you be looking to improve with us?"
To me this is a far more open ended question, without judgement and without the typical bullshit associated with the previous question. Thoughts - suggestions?>