Options
Job interview questions that took you by surprise
![[Deleted User]](https://w6.vanillicon.com/v2/69fbee854ece1a13fa0c2b04fafb7f99.svg)
[Deleted User]
Posts: 995 Forum Member
✭✭
Just recently I had an interview for a full-time at the place where I already work part time. In the interview I was asked "describe a time when you've had to pass a message?"
That may sound like I'm being thick but at the time it completely took me by surprise and I ended up saying something ridiculous. I said that I did overtime on a weekend and all the weekend staff were lazy so I grassed them up, was given power, passed a message to them and took control. Of course it was all lies but strangely I got a highish mark for it and was one of the only two left in the job race.
That may sound like I'm being thick but at the time it completely took me by surprise and I ended up saying something ridiculous. I said that I did overtime on a weekend and all the weekend staff were lazy so I grassed them up, was given power, passed a message to them and took control. Of course it was all lies but strangely I got a highish mark for it and was one of the only two left in the job race.
0
Comments
I said "top bird"
I think they meant trustworthy, etc
Weird. How can you not be sure? Either they thought I was a liar, in which case why invite me to the interview? Or they believed I was a graduate, in which case what's the point of that question?
Are you sure you've got a degree?
Well, now as you ask, do you know I can't be sure.
Weirdos.
'I see you share your birthday with someone famous. Give us 3 examples of how you and he compare'.
Don't think so, I think he was just being asked in conversation but still shouldn't have been mentioned.
I thought it normal for a first post graduate job to have to provide a copy of the degree certificate.
You'd be surprised at how much that comes up. It's even been on the Apprentice.
It's not allowed, but the worst they get is a slap on the wrists. There's no real punishment for it.
On my first day in the job my manager asked me the same question, I knew what the answer was this time:D
http://www.fwb.co.uk/pipeline-fittings/pipeline-consumables/jointing-compound/400grm-foliac-manganese.-30042-jointing-compound-steam-seal-
Pretty sure he was actually born in the summer anyways ;-)
Ha, fair point, but not sure they'd have let me off with saying the dates of the Lord's birth have not been proven.
I was half tempted to go with some Humphrey Bogart similarities (everyone knows one celeb born on their birthday right?) but Jeses was actually the easier option!
You sure about that now?
I'd say you're right there.
But that interview was when I was going on for thirty five and my cv showed my work history since university. All of the positions I'd held were highly technical so maybe they thought the whole cv was a work of fiction.
It took me aback, anyway. Seemed to me to be an odd thing to ask someone of my age, going for the job I was going for. Sort of like asking someone who had just graduated from university if they were sure they'd passed their GCSEs.
Surely this is just small talk before the interview. I always make the candidate at ease and ask them how their journey was or something topical that is going on in the world. Normal conversation can sometimes just flow to if they are married or have kids.
It was after the "interview" questions.
Might be a standard question but it took me by surprise. I risked either seriously underselling the job and undermining it, or overselling myself and looking like I was only using the job as a stopgap.
Turns out I was only £2,000 away from what they were offering, though I think the question was designed to see how cheap they could get me.
Yes but technically companies are not meant to ask anything that could be seem as discriminatory either way. I even had employment law training on this a few years back just so that we didn't ask anything that could come back at the company when we interviewed people! This could include age, sexuality, or whether on not they are married or have kids/ plan to have them etc.
Sure it could all be entirely innocent and something people ask in social situations too, but in an interview, it's not advisable or deemed 'appropriate' really, even if it may be no big deal to either party.
I wouldn't say that was really out there. I've been asked similar before.
I don't think I've ever had to show my degree certificate to anyone. In fact, I haven't a clue where it is.
I once got to the final round interview where I was done to the last 4. I was asked "If we don't give you the job which candidate should we hire instead?"
Does the north south divide still exist in the wokplace these days?