Comments on: If You Were An Animal…

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 01:26:31 +0000

Scot and David, I agree. It adds to the feeling of it being a game. Interestingly enough, some of the Human Resource professionals I network with who have found themselves on the other side of the interview desk in this economy have told me they will do things a bit differently once they are employed again. Understanding things from the job seeker’s point of view has been eye opening for them. They now realize what turns off the professionals they are most interested in attracting. Surely there are some candidates companies would never dream of asking whether or not they identified more with a bunny or deer. They know it would come off as unprofessional or juvenile. Can you imagine asking Warren Buffet or Steve Jobs that question? I can’t. So don’t ask it of anyone. No matter what it’s evaluating, it’s hard for those who take the business of interviewing seriously to take your business seriously after that.

By: David Brooks

David Brooks — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 23:50:41 +0000

Lisa, you are correct. I can see my son sitting there with the dear in the head light look at questions like that. I’ve never had any questions like that and if I did I would fire back with “what does that have to do with this position?” I consider myself a professional and to me, questions like you described borders on wasting my time. I wouldn’t be able to take the rest of the interview seriously. Okay, I will be understanding and I can see this line of questions for a creative position in advertising…….maybe. As someone that was long term unemployed I’m not interested in playing a game that an employer thinks that job seekers want to play. If employers want employees that are professional then they should present their company in a professiolan manner. The old saying is true…..”first impressions are lasting impressions.”

By: Scot

Scot — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:53:00 +0000

Lisa, I concur with your assumption oblique questions may be used to gauge how quickly one can answer a truly non-interview question. I don’t think the answer matters at all. I think it is the speed with which one answers. I base my observation on two personal experiences; one, the rapidity with which the interviewer asked the next question and two the startled look I received when I said “May I think about it for a moment?”.

Oblique questions are just questions and unfortunately part of the interview game some employers feel job seekers must play. I believe it directly reflects on the potential employee’s new office culture.