August 11, 2011 at 9:03 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Tricky Questions
August 11, 2011 at 9:33 pm
What's an interview question that has thrown me for a loop?
"I see that you have lots of strong points. Can you give me one of your weaknesses?"
Fortunately, I had a good answer: "I am a perfectionist."
August 12, 2011 at 12:44 am
What's an interview question that has thrown me for a loop?
"Can you give me an example of when you have failed ?"
Totally unexpected - turned round with something along the lines of have never failed as such, because I proactively manage expectations and keep all interested parties up to date with an developments that may hinder / delay delivery...
August 12, 2011 at 2:09 am
during a very technical interview, i was once asked to 'name three words that describe yourself'.
perhaps because my head was in technical mode, i stuttered and fumbled and rattled off a very cheesey response.
August 12, 2011 at 2:15 am
I think because early in life I read 'Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions' by Martin John Yate - highly recommended - very little people could ask at interview would surprise me. For instance the two questions mentioned above I would pretty much regard as classic staples - my only comment on the perfectionist answer is that it may be a cliche - but is still probably the easiest way to dismiss the question. For the failure question I have tried, with some success the old 'colleague was a prick, tried to bring him on side, but he got the boot anyhow'.
August 12, 2011 at 4:27 am
One of the more fun interviews I have had:
You are standing on the bank of the Thames.
How can you find out the flow rate, assuming the internet doesn't exist?
(10 minutes later...)
Produce a number.
August 12, 2011 at 4:56 am
Rutulian (8/12/2011)
One of the more fun interviews I have had:You are standing on the bank of the Thames.
How can you find out the flow rate, assuming the internet doesn't exist?
(10 minutes later...)
Produce a number.
If they are daft enough not to specify a unit of measure or distance then you can make both up!
You'd probably get marks for inventiveness.:hehe:
August 12, 2011 at 5:01 am
If you had all the money you would ever want, what would you be doing with your life?
My gut reaction was "Vegas!", but I made up something about charity work.
August 12, 2011 at 5:07 am
Rutulian (8/12/2011)
One of the more fun interviews I have had:You are standing on the bank of the Thames.
How can you find out the flow rate, assuming the internet doesn't exist?
That's not too hard really. Basic physics. Ok, what basic physics has to do with IT is another matter
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
August 12, 2011 at 5:52 am
Revenant (8/11/2011)
What's an interview question that has thrown me for a loop?"I see that you have lots of strong points. Can you give me one of your weaknesses?"
Fortunately, I had a good answer: "I am a perfectionist."
I've used variants of that answer to good use in the past:
"I don't multitask -- I much prefer to seeing jobs through to completion."
"I don't tolerate trivial interruptions from more important work."
"I'm not very good with the rumor mill / gossip game, so I usually leave that to other people."
August 12, 2011 at 6:33 am
I find some of those trick questions suggest that you're dealing with an interviewer who likes to think he's pretty damned clever but is less adept at picking a good candidate or furthering the business. If it's an HR person, one might wonder how the company is run, if it's a department head, one might really wonder it that's an ego you want to work with.
As for the question about really obscure switch setting, I might also try to suggest that a good DBA would never change an obscure switch setting without confirming with the documentation all possible details and side effects.
...
-- FORTRAN manual for Xerox Computers --
August 12, 2011 at 7:20 am
"How do you feel about databases?"
My gut reaction was...am I supposed to love them like a brother or something? I think databases are useful tools, but how do I FEEL about them?
This was the first question in an interview for a software developer job at a place that told me "We don't have DBAs." There was nothing in the job announcement that mentioned DBA skills, yet all of the questions they asked were about database theory, i.e. "What's third normal form? <please provide 15 word sound bite answer>"
August 12, 2011 at 7:41 am
I once had an interviewer ask me whether I would be willing to submit to a psychological evaluation prior to employment.
I told him, "Well...I have no objection, but I'll have to ask the voices in my head."
(And yes, I still got an offer.)
August 12, 2011 at 7:45 am
I've never forgetten this question: "What would your enemies say about you?"
I vaguely recall my response being one of their expressing envy about my successes.
But, in hindsight, I suppose a better response should have been "Enemies? What enemies?" -- My actual reponse inferred I had enemies, I'm guessing...
August 12, 2011 at 7:50 am
GilaMonster (8/12/2011)
Rutulian (8/12/2011)
One of the more fun interviews I have had:You are standing on the bank of the Thames.
How can you find out the flow rate, assuming the internet doesn't exist?
That's not too hard really. Basic physics. Ok, what basic physics has to do with IT is another matter
I think they were mostly looking for an answer ending in 'give or take a few hundred percent as an error margin', and how you intended to measure the obvious variables given what you might have in your pockets/lying around by the riverside.
It's definitely the only time I've been able to say 'pooh sticks' in an interview situation 🙂
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