Let’s start with the questions. We have all seen lists of the dumbest interview questions people have ever been asked. The odd thing is that the question that most struck me as unnecessary wasn’t asked of me early in my career, but later when I progressed to the senior management level. It wasn’t asked because there was nothing in my background to discuss.
The question is, “Do you think you can do this job?” Being the person I am, of course the first answer that sprang to my mind was “No, I thought I’d take this opportunity to do some community outreach and meet all the local recruiters during my lunch breaks.” I didn’t say that aloud. Instead, I answered the question with the list of challenges I knew the company was facing and how I had successfully addressed similar issues in the past. We interviewees always have to smile and endure, because to do anything else might risk the interview.
Other things I’ve endured on the interviews I have gone on:
- It’s my lunch and I’m hungry too. During one interview, the recruiter ate lunch in front of me in her office. It was early in my career and I had read books and article after article of how interviewers asked puzzling questions and put candidates into odd circumstances to gain insights to the candidates. I desperately tried to decipher how my decision to join in or not would provide insight on my ability to do the job. I decided to pass.
- Agent Smith, I presume? One recruiter wore his sunglasses the entire interview, from the time he greeted me in the lobby until the time he walked me back out. No, we were not outside. Yes, we were in his office. No, he did not give me a reason why. I understand things happen, and perhaps he had prescription sunglasses, but at least say why you as an interviewer are doing something out of the norm. Again, I was left wondering if it was some weird form of test, or if I had just met Agent Smith from the Matrix movie.
- She must have had a few drinks before our interview. This recruiter kept telling me, as she slurred her words, that they were looking for a “people person” who could help their employees with their problems. I was thinking throughout the interview: “I cannot provide the help you need.”
- I can see you’re busy. Another recruiter took calls during the entire interview. I couldn’t help but hear his half of the conversation since I was right in front of him, but nothing sounded urgent. This was the first time I ever cut the interview off myself. There was such a lack of common courtesy that I said, “I can tell you are busy, so let’s reschedule.” He didn’t call me and I wouldn’t have gone back anyway.
- Whose interview is this anyway? During another interview, I was asked almost no questions in an hour long interview. This was one of the oddest of all interviews, and when I got called back for a second interview because I was “such a good fit” I wondered how they made that assessment.
- The point of this interview was to do what exactly? I know that it is popular, or was popular, to ask those “brain teasers” but this hour long interview was completely filled with questions like, “How much would it cost to manufacture this chair?” and “How many ping pong balls would it take to fill a 747?” and “Would the plane still be able to take off?” and “What cartoon was your favorite as a child and why?” Now I understand that the purpose of these questions is to see if I have strong problem solving skills, good reasoning ability, and can handle pressure, but what made this a bad experience was two-fold. First, while I was easily able to articulate how I would come up with the answer, if perhaps I had the volume of a ping pong ball and the volume of a 747, the final answer was obviously a guess; however, the tone and manner in which I was given the obviously right answer from the interviewer was literally and intentionally to make me feel stupid. The answers came with, “As you should have been able to determine…” and “Clearly, the answer would be…” What was going through my mind? “Clearly you don’t understand how you are supposed to utilize these questions, but rather just jumped on an interviewing trend.” Second, there were no questions on my work experience, and no questions around how I would solve any of the problems I would encounter in this position, which was in H.R. So if the point of this interview was to ensure that I never wanted to work for this firm – it was definitely a success.
- And that matters exactly how? In many interviews I was asked questions about my personal life. Am I married? What does my husband do for a living? Do I have kids? How do I spend my weekends? Amazing thing is, it happens a lot, and typically more often the higher up you interview in the organization. These questions however provide me insight to the company. Why doesn’t someone interviewing know they shouldn’t ask these questions, or worse do they just not care that they are putting the company at risk?
What’s the point? You all interview candidates now or will someday, so here is my advice:
- Respect the interviewee. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect. Their time is just as valuable as yours. Further, you never know when or how you will run into this person again. I cannot tell you how many times I have had an interviewer end up applying for a job with my company (and yes, because there is a thing called karma, it was the brainteaser recruiter!) What do you think happens to those resumes that came from people with whom I had awful interview experiences? I don’t bother. I don’t want them representing me or my company.
- Don’t talk – listen. This is a not a time for you to showcase. You are on a mission to determine whether this person will be successful in this job. How can you do that if you are talking the entire time?
- Have a conversation. Don’t machine gun questions out. How can you gain real insights to people if you are just jumping from one question right to the next? The best insights come from an exchange, going back and forth.
- Make the interviewee comfortable in the conversation. People who are uncomfortable will be on the defensive and guarded. How can you get to the real answers if you can’t get past the standard rehearsed answers?
- Don’t ask the “standard” interview questions unless you just want to see if someone has done their homework and prepared. Although anyone unprepared for “what is your greatest strength” would not be hired I suppose. Remember that you are not trying to determine how well the person interviews, you are trying to determine whether someone can do the job.
- Stick with work related questions. Do you want to know how the person will do the job? The best predictor is how they have done in similar jobs or faced similar challenges in the past.
- Use scenarios, but make them real. Share some of the challenges they would face, and see how they would address them. Does that solution fit with your business? For example, you set up a scenario where you have an underperforming work force, and ask the candidate how they would address that challenge. There are many viable solutions to this problem, but two potential solutions are:
- Set very specific goals and objectives and if people can’t perform, hold them accountable and performance manage unsuccessful performers out.
- Determine the skill sets that the company needs to improve performance and create development programs to teach people the skills they are missing. Reward only those whose skills improve. Others who cannot should be reassigned to positions where they are successful or, as we like to say in the restaurant business should be “promoted to guest.”
Two “correct answers” but one will fit your company culture better.
- Balance the questions out to get a complete perspective on the candidate. One or two brainteasers are probably fine if they help determine skills needed. An interview full of them only provides insight on a limited set of skills, and a well-rounded candidate, like a well-rounded interview is more successful.
- Remember that you are being interviewed too. You are not only representing the company and providing the interviewee insight to what is considered successful in the company, but you are also trying to get candidates excited about continuing to dedicate their time with your company to continue the interview process.
Last, stay away from my least favorite question: “Do you think you can do the job?” If they applied, the obvious answer is yes. And really that is for YOU as they interviewer to determine. After all, that is the whole point of the interview.
By the way – the answer to the ping pong questions are 28 million and no the plane would not be able to take off because you filled the gas tanks with ping pong balls. I got the second part right but was way off on the number of ping pong balls. But if I ever get it again – I’m ready!
What is the worst interview question you’ve had to endure? 
