Good Interview Questions

[Flashpoint]

I do a lot of hiring at work, and I am always on the lookout for good interview questions. Many people do prep work prior to an interview, so usually I am looking for something "off the beaten path" where I can get a real answer instead of something memorized from a book, or off the internet. Everyone knows to prepare for "Tell me 3 things you liked about your last job" etc.

With that in mind, I would welcome any contributions for good interview questions.

Some of my favorite challenging questions are:



"If your last boss could change one thing about you - what would it be?"

"Describe a situation where you were unfairly criticized."

"How do you handle failures or weaknesses in others?"

"Would you like your boss's job?"


As far as answers go - Personally, I usually like it when the person takes a few moments to think about it before answering (instead of just blurting out the first thing that comes to mind), and when they are honest and sincere in their reply. It goes a lot farther in my mind than trying to tell me what I want to hear.

(BTW - my last boss would want to change my workaholic ways, and my dedication to perfectionism.

That or the drinking at work...)

[V]

(BTW - my last boss would want to change my workaholic ways, and my dedication to perfectionism.

My boss actually does want me to change my workaholic ways. He says I'm going to burn myself out. He's probably right.

Anyways, my toughest question I've ever been asked is this:

"If you are in a canoe over the deepest part of the ocean and you were to drop a bowling ball over the edge, how long would it take for the ball to hit the ocean floor".

The answer the boss is looking for isn't "I dunno" or a blatant guess. He wants to see an educated guess based on a couple of assumptions. I was nowhere near the right answer, but I did exactly what he wanted to see, and he's told me that this question was one of the biggest reasons I got the job, since there seemed to be so little to differentiate between each of us.

[4X4]

I'd probably tell the interviewer that I wasn't stupid enough to take a canoe out into the ocean. Now a kayak... No no... Where would I keep the bowling ball?

[V]

And then your interviewer would think you were incapable of answering a simple question, however stupid it might be.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Dominicwasalreadytaken

And then your interviewer would think you were incapable of answering a simple question, however stupid it might be.

Well I guess I'd just have to smack him with my canoe paddle.

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by Dominicwasalreadytaken

"If you are in a canoe over the deepest part of the ocean and you were to drop a bowling ball over the edge, how long would it take for the ball to hit the ocean floor".

I would start by joking that 'Well, I'll assume the bowling ball is like me and doesn't crack under pressure".

[JiriHrdina]

One of my favourites was "Why do you want to work for this company specifically?"

If you don't have a good answer to that one you're pretty much done.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

depends on the job, but if you have to do public service, or retail/sales

"How are M&M's made? If you don't know, make something up"

[Shazam]

I highly suggest using behavioural-descriptive interview questions. Most of the questions you've listed are hypotheticals - and those are really really easy for someone to fake an answer to. And of course, you then get the worst kind of employee - the ones that have no problem lying to you, and can lie on the spot. Nothing like bringing sociopaths aboard.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

as Shazam said ask behavioural questions as opposed to hypothetical questions.

On the other side of the coin, if you're asked a hypothetical question, answer with past experiance.

I like the bowling ball question better than the M&M's one.

[Flames in 07]

Here's one if you are looking for analytical skills:

Tell me if you would prefer, not prefer or be indifferent to the following

Either earning your salary or a 50% chance at double your salary.

The answer has to do with decreasing marginal return, that is to say people find the first dollar (or first ten thousand dollars or whatever) the most important, each 10k thereafter is of less importance, IE most important to have shelter and water, after than it gets less important.

[T I M]

Originally Posted by Dominicwasalreadytaken

"If you are in a canoe over the deepest part of the ocean and you were to drop a bowling ball over the edge, how long would it take for the ball to hit the ocean floor"

As long as the bowling balls isn't one of the heavier ones it should float. So the answer would be that it would never hit the ocean floor. Which as I see it, would be the only logical answer if no depth, or any other variables were given. Maybe I'm missing something. Not a fan of that question, although if someone did say "I dunno" you could kick them out the door.

[V]

Originally Posted by T I M

As long as the bowling balls isn't one of the heavier ones it should float. So the answer would be that it would never hit the ocean floor. Which as I see it, would be the only logical answer if no depth, or any other variables were given. Maybe I'm missing something. Not a fan of that question, although if someone did say "I dunno" you could kick them out the door.

Your answer would've been accepted, because at least you took a second to think critically about it. That's the whole idea. Don't throw out a complete guess, and don't say "I dunno". I went into some long thing about assuming the deepest part of the ocean is as deep as the tallest mountain is tall. I said that I know nothing of buoyancy, but if I were to guess, I'd have to say the total acceleration towards the sea floor would be half of gravity. And then I basically just used d=1/2at^2. I was completely off, but at least I gave it a shot. Apparently the other guys that got the question just gave the employer blank stares for a second, and then just spat out a random number.

[gottabekd]

I absolutely hate questions like the bowling ball one. I must be absolutely unhireable to some people.

Funny how I ended up working at a place that didn't ask such stupid questions, described the job to me pefectly, and asked me relevant questions to the position. And guess what? I was able to give them relevant answers, I was more comfortable, and I think I was able to better represent myself.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by gottabekd

I absolutely hate questions like the bowling ball one. I must be absolutely unhireable to some people.

Funny how I ended up working at a place that didn't ask such stupid questions, described the job to me pefectly, and asked me relevant questions to the position. And guess what? I was able to give them relevant answers, I was more comfortable, and I think I was able to better represent myself.

They aren't stupid questions, they test people's ability to think. All jobs are different, but many require you to think fast on your feet under pressure ... all the bowling ball, and marginal utility questions do is attempt to gauge your ability to solve problems quickly.

[Philly06Cup]

During an interview for a retail job, the employer asked me to try to sell him a pen. We bickered back and forth for a few minutes while I tried to convince him he need a pen, and him saying he didn't need one. I suppose he wanted to see my interaction and service skills. I didn't get the job, but it was still a fun interview

[gottabekd]

Originally Posted by Flames in 07

They aren't stupid questions, they test people's ability to think. All jobs are different, but many require you to think fast on your feet under pressure ... all the bowling ball, and marginal utility questions do is attempt to gauge your ability to solve problems quickly.

Oh I know they are used for a reason...my point is that some people, who may otherwise be good employees, hate questions like that. I overthink it...I wonder "Do they want me to stand up to them and tell them that this question has no relevance?"

It also depends on the phrasing of the bowling ball type questions. "How long..." is much different from "Take your best guess at how long...". I'll happily answer the latter.

[calf]

Originally Posted by gottabekd

Oh I know they are used for a reason...my point is that some people, who may otherwise be good employees, hate questions like that. I overthink it...I wonder "Do they want me to stand up to them and tell them that this question has no relevance?"

Except that questions like that are relevent. In many jobs, it's important to be able to problem solve, think critically and analytically, etc when new and unexpected situations arise. Those sorts of questions are very relevent for those positions.

[V]

I get blindsided in meetings all the time with problems. And "I'll get back to you" usually doesn't cut it. I'd probably say that my most important skill at my job is the ability to sound confident and provide an answer to a problem with no preparation. It doesn't have to be the right answer. I just need to be able to impress the client.

So the question was completely relevant to my job, and if one candidate isn't prepared to bull**** their way through the solution while another candidate is, guess which one comes out looking better??

[PYroMaNiaC]

Originally Posted by Dominicwasalreadytaken

I get blindsided in meetings all the time with problems. And "I'll get back to you" usually doesn't cut it. I'd probably say that my most important skill at my job is the ability to sound confident and provide an answer to a problem with no preparation. It doesn't have to be the right answer. I just need to be able to impress the client.

So the question was completely relevant to my job, and if one candidate isn't prepared to bull**** their way through the solution while another candidate is, guess which one comes out looking better??

The problem with BS is that it is usually revealed as such. I'd much rather someone answer honestly that they don't know, than to try and bluff their way through it. People who know their shortcomings are more likely to ask for help, or do research to find answers. "I'll get back to you" cuts it for me if they follow through.