TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.spherioncareerblog.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/2080
Capture Real-World Career Insight & Advice That Will Prep You for The Big Time
Presented by Spherion
Ask Seymour
Get your career-related questions answered.
Post a question
My Campus Chronicles
Our college blog dedicated to helping students prepare for life outside of college.
Questionable Job Interview Questions
Have you ever had a job interview, and were asked questions that seemed out of left field? For example, if you could be a household appliance, what would you be and why?
This type of question would throw nearly everyone a curveball, and might make you question the point of being asked these types of questions. The way to handle this situation is to stop and think about the hidden meanings behind these questions. In the interviewer's mind, a household appliance may symbolize the type of culture or work style the company possesses. Perhaps it's how the interviewer gains insight into your personality.
Whatever the reason, take time to carefully answer the question knowing that the interviewer has his/her own reasons for asking it.
But what about questions that make you feel uncomfortable? Interviewers delving into your personal life can clearly cross the line. One article even discusses the illegalities of interviewers asking these types of personal questions.
Should you encounter this in an interview, don't be afraid to tell the interviewer that you feel that information is personal and you are not comfortable providing the information during an interview, or to your employer.
Try to stay polite with your answer, but be firm. If the interviewer continues to ask inappropriate questions and continues to make you feel uncomfortable, you might consider telling the interviewer that as a result of the line of questions, you are uncomfortable and believe that this company is not the right fit for you. Thank the interviewer, and then excuse yourself from the situation.
Don't worry about burning a bridge by not completing the interview. More than likely, this is not a company you want to work for anyway.
What about our readers? What was the strangest or most offensive question you have ever been asked during an interview?
Posted by Brent Short on February 13, 2008 at 11:03 AM
E-mail This | Add to del.icio.us | Digg It | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink
Send to a Friend
Authors
Seymour's INSIDER
Sign up to receive the monthly Seymour's INSIDER CareerReport and/or JobReport, along with other industry newsletters and job-seeker articles.
Categories
- 50+ Careers (33)
- Accounting & Finance Careers (14)
- Ask Seymour (48)
- Career Advice (154)
- Emerging Careers (10)
- Hot Topics (234)
- Job Search Guidance (90)
- Life In The Cubicle (27)
- My Temporary Life (8)
- Press Releases (3)
- Recruiter Q&A (1)
- Success on the Job (125)
- Tech Careers (21)
- Temp Work (12)
- Work/Life Balance (40)
My Temp Life
The nightmarish temp job ... we've all had them. Now you can relive every awkward, cringing moment with My Temporary Life, Spherion's original Web series based upon YOUR worst temping stories.
Recent Comments
Archive
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
Social Networks
Feed Central
About Spherion
Spherion is an employer of choice to 300,000 individuals. We've been finding rewarding career opportunities and job experiences that prove a great match for individuals' skills and expertise for 60+ years.
Let Spherion connect you to a career opportunity that will ensure your continued success! Connect now
Comments
I can remember my first job interview. One of the interviewers asked me if I was willing to lost weight if given the job. I could not hide my embarassment. I weighed just 70kg then.
Posted by Yeremi Akpan on February 20, 2008 6:43 AM
In almost 25 years of professional experience I thought I had heard most of the off the wall questions that interviewers come up with but I was wrong.
One of my favorite questions was asked of me in an interview. The question was if you were a dog what kind of dog would you say you are and why.
For the life of me I could not think of a bread of dog that would keep me safe. If I said Pit Bull I may be considered too aggressive or if a said say a Poodle I might not be considered for the management opportunity so I in my infinite wisdom chose not to give a breed at all but rather a class of dog.
I said well if I where a dog I would be a cuddly lap dog. This was not what they expected at all. I could tell by the raised eyebrows.
Why a lap dog you ask? Well a good lap dog is like a good employee.
I would be glad to see you at work every day. I would forgive you on Tuesday when you had a bad day on Monday. I would protect you from the bad guys, even when you did not know they where bad guys. I would be so well liked that every one would want to pet me and make me happy, so I would be able to easily form relationships with them and get things done. Not to mention that when the time comes and it always does that I have to reach out and bite them they are going to say "Owe he bit me" and are not going to forget to do what I want next time....
Well I am proud to say that it worked. I got the job and to this day the hiring offical, whom later became a good friend, still calls me the Lap Dog.
The point of the question, he tells me, is to see how I thought on my feet in a stressful situation with no preperation. You know like in real life when customers ask you off the wall questions.
If you are in the process of developing and managing a career, I encourage you to read the excellent articles on this site and to also visit my BLOG @ www.thecareercoach.biz for more of my 25 years worth of insights into the world of technical career paths.
TheCareerCoach@charter.net
www.TheCareerCoach.biz
Posted by The Career Coach on March 4, 2008 12:31 PM