What is the hardest

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what is the hardest interview question you’ve ever been asked? DH is a teacher and losing his position at the end of the year.Two other positions that he REALLY wants have opened up and he qualifies for them, so we’ve sent off his resume and we’re waiting…

in the meantime, i’ve printed ‘popular’ interview questions for him to ponder and practice answering. but we’re wondering, (and if there are any BOSSES out there, please respond too)…what was the hardest interview question you’ve encountered?

i would love as many responses as possible so DH can look them over. and any hints to your answers would be great too. thanks!!
 
twk001 said:
what is the hardest interview question you’ve ever been asked? DH is a teacher and losing his position at the end of the year.Two other positions that he REALLY wants have opened up and he qualifies for them, so we’ve sent off his resume and we’re waiting…

in the meantime, i’ve printed ‘popular’ interview questions for him to ponder and practice answering. but we’re wondering, (and if there are any BOSSES out there, please respond too)…what was the hardest interview question you’ve encountered?

i would love as many responses as possible so DH can look them over. and any hints to your answers would be great too. thanks!!
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For the record, I’m a teacher too.

The toughest interview question I’ve ever encountered?

I had a principal who was interviewing me in a normal manner. Then without warning she started “role-playing” with me, pretending to be a parent who was upset that she had not been kept well-informed about her child’s failing grades. That really threw me for a loop!
 
I’m also a teacher. Here’s some of the ones I stumbled over in interviews:
  • How would you feel if your students hated you?
  • Tell us about a time you had a problem with a fellow teacher, and what you did about it.
  • I also had a role-playing incident regarding an irate parent.
  • At my first interview they handed me a piece of music (not in English or Spanish) and asked me to sight-read it and then describe how I would teach it to my students, and in what context I would present it in a lesson. :eek: (I got that job, but that question nearly sent me over the edge!)
God bless you and your husband. May Our Lord send you exactly where He wants you and where you will grow closer to Him!

Gertie
 
Well my best to you and your husband.

I’ve always liked to zone in on an uncomfortable question to ask and then see how the interviewee handled it. I didn’t really care what they said as much as how they said it.
For example, if the thing that was glaring on his resume was that he got a “D” on a particular college Statistics course, i would ask him/her why.

If the candidate said something like, “You know, I really regret that. It was my sophomore year, and i was spending too much time with friends and i neglected my studies. But I was appalled and embarrassed that i got that “D”. I spent the rest of college making sure i didn’t do that again. It was a lesson that I’m probably better off having learned despite the impact it had on my GPA”.

That kind of answer would make me respect the candidate. However, if he/she said “My professor really had it out for me - i’m not sure why. He was rewarding people in the class for things that weren’t related to the class - and then he would take it out on others”. Well, i would have a hard time with a defensive answer.

But I found an interesting article last year in the Wall Street Journal about the “creative” questions that are being asked at high tech companies these days. It likely won’t apply to your husband, but you said you wanted to be prepared. here is a link:

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204552304577112522982505222.html

good luck!
 
“Tell me a little about yourself.”

I never knew what they wanted me to say/not say. I had a hard time not babbling on about my interests, family, etc.

🤷
 
The classic, “What is your biggest weakness?”

I’ve read that you’re supposed to select something but put a positive spin on it. Never liked that question!

Good luck to you both during this stressful time!
 
CopyKat said:
The classic, “What is your biggest weakness?”

I’ve read that you’re supposed to select something but put a positive spin on it. Never liked that question!

Good luck to you both during this stressful time!
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:rotfl: I always answer; “I tend to work too hard and put too much time in at work.” 🙂
 
DCNBILL said:
:rotfl: I always answer; “I tend to work too hard and put too much time in at work.” 🙂
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the second one of DChockie84’s links dealt with this question and here was the answer provided:
  1. What’s your biggest weakness?
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If you’re completely honest, you may be kicking yourself in the butt. If you say you don’t have one, you’re obviously lying. This is a horrible question and one that politicians have become masters at answering. They say things like “I’m perhaps too committed to my work and don’t spend enough time with my family.” Oh, there’s a fireable offense. I’ve even heard “I think I’m too good at my job, it can often make people jealous.” Please, let’s keep our feet on the ground. If you’re asked this question, give a small, work-related flaw that you’re working hard to improve. Example: “I’ve been told I occasionally focus on details and miss the bigger picture, so I’ve been spending time laying out the complete project every day to see my overall progress.”
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DCNBILL said:
:rotfl: I always answer; “I tend to work too hard and put too much time in at work.” 🙂
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I know at least one large corporation that wouldn’t hire you. No workaholics wanted. It’s all about “work/life balance” these days. Doesn’t mean the ones they hired years ago aren’t still there, hiding in the shadows, sneaking in on weekends, just that the new hires shouldn’t say they sacrifice the rest of their lives for the company.
 
shainski said:
the second one of DChockie84’s links dealt with this question and here was the answer provided:
Click to expand...
*12. What’s your biggest weakness?

If you’re completely honest, you may be kicking yourself in the butt. If you say you don’t have one, you’re obviously lying. This is a horrible question and one that politicians have become masters at answering. They say things like “I’m perhaps too committed to my work and don’t spend enough time with my family.” Oh, there’s a fireable offense. I’ve even heard “I think I’m too good at my job, it can often make people jealous.” Please, let’s keep our feet on the ground. If you’re asked this question, give a small, work-related flaw that you’re working hard to improve. Example: “I’ve been told I occasionally focus on details and miss the bigger picture, so I’ve been spending time laying out the complete project every day to see my overall progress.” *

Let’s have a little fun with this one:

“I really hate people, and do my best work alone.”

“Meetings bore the stuffing out of me and I’ve been known to shoot spitballs at others just for laughs.”

“I’ve always loved really dirty jokes.”

“I chase women.”

“I take credit for others’ work a lot, and slack off as much as possible.”

:eek:

LOL
 
CopyKat said:
The classic, “What is your biggest weakness?”

I’ve read that you’re supposed to select something but put a positive spin on it. Never liked that question!

Good luck to you both during this stressful time!
Click to expand...
I have used:

“I have been told that I’m ‘hard to read’ sometimes. People will see me with this look on my face (thinking or concentrating face) and read me as upset. Really, I’m just paying attention to…(whatever…meeting, discussion, project, etc). I am aware of this now and can work around it by offering a little more verbal feedback.”

Or some variation. It’s has worked flawlessly!! It is a real, thought out timely response to a b******* question! Makes you look like a genius!!
 
TheRealJuliane said:
Let’s have a little fun with this one:

“I really hate people, and do my best work alone.”

“Meetings bore the stuffing out of me and I’ve been known to shoot spitballs at others just for laughs.”

“I’ve always loved really dirty jokes.”

“I chase women.”

“I take credit for others’ work a lot, and slack off as much as possible.”

:eek:

LOL
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Oh, i got a couple:

I love to criticize anyone else’s brainstorming ideas, but I refuse to put my own ideas for discussion.

and

I am so insecure that I will figure out a way to get into the first minute of every conversation : “When I was at [Princeton], we used to …”

(as an aside - if anyone said “Meetings bore the stuffing out of me”, I’d probably hire them on the spot! Other than a short staff weekly meeting to make sure people are on the same page - i have found almost all meetings a waste of time. And I despise making any decisions by committee. I have rarely found a resolution come up to by a group to come close to an idea proposed by an individual.)
 
Question: "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?’

Answer: “In your position.”
 
Samson01 said:
Question: "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?’

Answer: “In your position.”
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REJECTED!

:rotfl:

You COULD perhaps get away with:

“In your position, having helped free you up to move into the next level of the organization.”
 
Hardest question I was ever asked for a job interview, which was for my current job:

“List and explain the 18 types of orders a subject can be sentenced to.”

I am of the strong belief there are not 18 types of orders. I could only come up with 12. I went back and asked my supervisor and the office manager (I was an intern at the time) and even they couldn’t come up with 18 orders.
 
Deo_Gratias42 said:
Hardest question I was ever asked for a job interview, which was for my current job:

“List and explain the 18 types of orders a subject can be sentenced to.”

I am of the strong belief there are not 18 types of orders. I could only come up with 12. I went back and asked my supervisor and the office manager (I was an intern at the time) and even they couldn’t come up with 18 orders.
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Would you mind if I ask what that means? Is this a legal thing or…?
 
THANKS everybody for the responses so far!!! DH and I are having a lot of fun and good laughs reading your responses, and printing off links.

i really feel like people here are holding us up through this, so I would like to ask you all for continued prayer. We know that we will be ok through this. good news is that his pay/benefits don’t stop until end of august…no word back from any resumes sent yet, but it’s only been a few days!
 
TheRealJuliane said:
I know at least one large corporation that wouldn’t hire you. No workaholics wanted. It’s all about “work/life balance” these days. Doesn’t mean the ones they hired years ago aren’t still there, hiding in the shadows, sneaking in on weekends, just that the new hires shouldn’t say they sacrifice the rest of their lives for the company.
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It seems that my current employer encourages one to sacrifice their life for the Boss. 👍
 
Just curious how things are going…

And still praying for you 😃

Gertie
 
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