I always blow the same question during interviews. Dammit.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
21

I’m so glad I work in an industry where we don’t get asked those kinds of questions. :smiley: So I barely remember what I used to do when I did have to run the stupid questions gamut. From what I recall…

There’s no right or wrong answer to them, they just want to see if/how much you get rattled. Are you falsely modest in your answer? Are you over the top conceited? Do you hem and haw and fall apart into a pool of goo from sheer nervousness?

I can’t tell you what to say, but the ones that work best are to pick two or three, that really do fit you, but still don’t allow them to put you on the spot and then, if you can, sort of turn it around on them.

I wish I could tell you what that is, but it’s going to be different for every person. Just keep in mind, it’s NOT the answer, it’s how you handle the question that they’re looking for. (unless of course your answer is something like "well, that’s why I came to the Jr. HS for work, I’m hoping to have a willing corral of fillies in no time! It’ll be a great sideline :D).

There are some books out there for just this sort of thing…and they do help, but take them with a grain of salt, you don’t want to be some smarmy over-rehearsed TOO smooth guy either.

Oh yeah, interview with really crappy places you don’t want to work, but which you know do these stupid “themed” interviews, it’ll give you lots of practice.

Best of luck!

22

So sorry to hear it, Uru.

23

Sorry, Uru.

A guy that used to work for me had a great answer to that question. “I have a great smile.” Not only was he hired on the spot, but the guy who hired him talked about it all the time.

I think it was Maryann Williamson who said that the point is not to show off your skills, but to get them to like you. Looking back at past jobs I’ve gotten, that seems to be true.

24

I always have good luck at the Elvis themed ones. YMMV.

25

You need to hire me because I wouldn’t frickin’ be here if I didn’t need the paycheck.

In five years, I see myself independently wealthy from a timely lottery win.
Yeah, no wonder I’m in grad school. :smiley:

26

There is a New Yorker article somewhere by Malcolm Gladwell on on job interviews. The main idea of the article was that most employers approach interviews like they approach romantic dates. They don’t have any specific answers or skills that they are looking for in response to each question. They just look to see if the answer has a certain spark too it.

In other words, your answer has to sweep them off their feet. It’s very much like a romance, except most people like to pretend it isn’t.