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You keep missing the point even though it has been explained multiple times. They don't need to ask the detailed technical questions because as you say, prior experience and publications demonstrate that. What they do need to determine is if you as a person is a good fit for that environment. That is based on personality and behavior and that is why they ask questions that try to get to those aspects of a person, not just whether they can handle the technical components of the job.
I think the candidates should start asking behavior questions of the interviewer when they ask if you have any questions for them. "Tell me about a time when you had an employee work on your team that had a higher level degree than you and how you handle that? "Tell me about a time when your boss was unhappy with your performance - did you take ownership of that or throw you subordinates under the bus?"
When I was a candidate, I asked those questions ... especially of the hiring manager:
- Tell me how an employee's performance is measured and what happens if it doesn't measure up to your expectations?
- Tell me about the overall team members' work experience (including yours) ... where did they come from?
- How do you resolve interpersonal differences between team members that report to you? How about between team members, one of whom reports to another group?
etc etc etc
Interviewing is a 2-way street ... don't you want to know what kind of person(s) you'll be working for/with?
When I was a candidate, I asked those questions ... especially of the hiring manager:
- Tell me how an employee's performance is measured and what happens if it doesn't measure up to your expectations?
- Tell me about the overall team members' work experience (including yours) ... where did they come from?
- How do you resolve interpersonal differences between team members that report to you? How about between team members, one of whom reports to another group?
etc etc etc
Interviewing is a 2-way street ... don't you want to know what kind of person(s) you'll be working for/with?
Nothing taught me this more than when I was fired for a job that liked me, but I hated it. Eventually things fell apart. If you aren't getting the answers you need from your interviews, you should be asking them.
And if the place doesn't like it, it's not a good place to work for.
jkq22----A truer statement has never been made. Employers have found, that people that cannot answer questions that are not related to the technical side, have difficulty being team members. When a sudden problem comes up, they are not as able to handle it as well ast those that can answer such questions.
Lets say there are two candidates which seem to have the same background, education and experience or so it says on paper. But often the paper does not tell the whole story. Look at how many posters keep saying lie, and show them what you know they want to see on your application and resume. Often they even hire someone to write their resume, and on line application. You need to get beyond these papers, and get to know the real person. They get with friends and sometimes a professional coach to practice for an interview. You have no way of knowing, what is real and not real with many applicants. This is happening especially with the millennials, all the time today. They need to know the real applicant, not just what they see on the paper, or what the applicant has spent hours practicing giving technical answers. This makes a serious problem for a HM.
The answer has been proven to be very successful in learning about the real person. Ask them questions they cannot practice for. Questions they have not spent hours thinking up answers for.
Ask them behavioral questions. Ask them personal questions. Ask them what they often think are stupid questions. These questions tell an HM more about this person as a person, how they will react under pressure on the job, how their thinking ability goes into play when something hits them out of left field.
It does not matter if you are hiring an engineer, an accountant, a mechanic, or a janitor. Some people crack under the pressure of questions they have not prepared for ahead of times, and others are able to handle the questions no matter what they are. It is the way to know the real person, not accept only things on the resume, or questions they expect to be asked and have prepared to answer.
Get used to it. The more important the job is to the employer, the more of off the wall questions you will be asked. And it is the fact that many applicants lie on their resumes, applications, and practice for all the technical questions, etc., they can. They often work with coaches to give good interviews. They work with friends. The only way to get to know the real person is ask t hem questions they cannot prepare for.
The reason so many posters hate them, and complain about them on these threads, is they have no way to prepare for them, and very often what the potential employer learns about the real person and does not want them working for the company.
Last edited by oldtrader; 03-02-2015 at 12:41 AM..
You keep missing the point even though it has been explained multiple times. They don't need to ask the detailed technical questions because as you say, prior experience and publications demonstrate that. What they do need to determine is if you as a person is a good fit for that environment. That is based on personality and behavior and that is why they ask questions that try to get to those aspects of a person, not just whether they can handle the technical components of the job.
You keep missing the point that I NEVER SAID BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS SHOULD NOT BE ASKED. I just said it weighs too much for an engineer position, if half of the interviewing process is occupied by such questions.
Those behavioral questions can be trained too. Trust me I know they want to see: leadership, teamwork, risk taking, innovation, customer-orientation, anger management, pressure control.... I can fake answers to all those questions.
You keep missing the point that I NEVER SAID BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS SHOULD NOT BE ASKED. I just said it weighs too much for an engineer position, if half of the interviewing process is occupied by such questions.
Those behavioral questions can be trained too. Trust me I know they want to see: leadership, teamwork, risk taking, innovation, customer-orientation, anger management, pressure control.... I can fake answers to all those questions.
Hehe, such as yelling when feeling frustrated? Sure behavior can be trained, kids are taught how to behave, but you are hiring adults. If they havent learned the right behaviors yet, it takes too long to teach it vs teaching a technical skill/brushing up on it. The few times i can think skill is of more importance than behavior is highly technical work, ie surgeon or astronaut, things that take decades to get good at.
I've been asked the company stock price. The CEO's name and if certain projects are under/over budget. I've also been asked how I would handle a major world event. It's all designed to see how you think on your feet.
You keep missing the point that I NEVER SAID BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS SHOULD NOT BE ASKED. I just said it weighs too much for an engineer position, if half of the interviewing process is occupied by such questions.
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Perhaps they're comfortable with your technical knowledge and want to focus on another area of importance or an area of potential growth.
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