For my very first job, I was in a conference room in a group interview at AC Spark Plug (may it rest in peace). Here I was a not-quite 18 year old high school senior and these people were looking at me; finally, one asked “If we made you a line supervisor, what would you do?” My answer was to look at him and respond politely, “That would depend on what a line supervisor actually does.” If I had any experience back then, that would have come across as pretty cocky. In reality, it was naive.
Looking at those words now, I was a heck of a consultant even back then!
I was applying for a desktop publishing job. I write different resumes for each job (not lying, but highlighting the skills I used a previous jobs that might be a good fit for the job description) and talked of all my computing and design skills.
As the interview, the interviewer said, “All this computer background is good, but we also need someone who knows how to write. How are you writing skills?”
I smiled, savoring the moment before answering:
"I have a Master’s Degree in writing; I’m a published author; and – " Reaching into my briefcase. “here’s a copy of my novel.”
Hm, I was interviewing for a job at a meat market… well actually the older form of employment agency [where we had a bank of jobs, people would come in and we would send them on interviews. If they got the job, we would get paid by either the hiring company or the person. Not a temp agency at all.] THe position was straight commission. I convinced the manager into giving me a draw against commission by asking him why he was willing to hire someone he didnt think was going to make enough placements to warrant the draw against commission of $150 a week…In the 3 months I was there I made more than enough placemets to make the drw, and commission of at least another $75 - 100 on top of that.
I liked the job but was living with a paranoid controlling abusive asshole who was figuring that I was picking up clients and screwing them on lunch.
Wile appling at the Waffle House as a cook, I asked to work 3rd shift weekends. The manager says that’s the most busy shift and did I think I could handle it? So I looked him straight in the eye "There’s only 48 seats in the store, how busy can it get?
Then he looks puzzeld and ask We only have 48 seats?
Said in the middle of the killing floor, while watching bleeding, headless corpses go past.
Got the job.
Apparently, the guy at the abattoir reckoned there were only two responses to blood and guts, you either got hungry or passed out.
I’d meant it as a literal answer to why he should hire me. I’d been out of work for a while and hadn’t eaten for 36 hours. If I didn’t get that job, my welfare payments would be cut off.
I was interviewing for a position as an assistant techncal director at a performing arts center, and since it had been drilled into my head as a kid that you always wear a suit to an interview, I had on a sharp gray suit. The position of ATD requires attire ranging from jeans and a t-shirt to grubby jeans and t-shirt, depending on the duties of the day, so I guess they hadn’t seen too many applicants dressed like I was. It came at the end of a week where I had had interviews for two other jobs, both of which had offered me the positions on the spot, so I was feeling cocky. I had aced the interviews with the tech director and production manager and now I was seeing the director of the performing arts center. I got a vibe from him that based partly on the suit and partly on the reports from the TD and PM, he liked me on the spot.
It was a little uncomfortable. We were sitting in his office in comfy leather chairs, and occasionally he would just look at me and smile for 5-10 seconds. It gave me the feeling that I was totally in the driver’s seat. Toward the end of the interview he asked me “Did you get your shoes shined for this interview?”
I replied, “No. Did you?”
He said, “Actually, I did.”
Then we stood up. I approached him with my hand out and as he shook it I said “I have several offers. I’ll call you before the end of next week with a decision.” (nobody had actually offered me the job yet)
He looked a little flabbergasted, but just sort of stammered “um- OK…”
I called 4 days later and told him I’d take the job.
Oh, does that count? I have used similar replies a ½ times. I thought this was actually an answer you were suppose to supply. It was also true when I used it.
For my current job, I mentioned I was a very strong programmer, great troubleshooter and probably knew more about their package than anyone else they could hope to interview. I treated these as honest assessments, not cockiness.
Many years ago I tried to make the jump from newspaper to public relations and was being interviewed by an ad agency in Denver. The inevitable “What are your weaknesses and how do you intend to address them?” came up.
Says I: “I have no weaknesses where this job is concerned. And if I did think I had any weaknesses, I certainly wouldn’t tell you about them and help you eliminate me from the applicant pool. Besides, people who think in negative terms don’t belong in the public relations business.”
I didn’t get the job. I like to think I was over-qualified.
