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For example i once asked someone what there greatest achievement was at work - They said I was involved specifying the IT system which cut out lots of administrative work and made everything more efficient - my immediate thoughts were but that was a result of the IT developers/consultants, you can’t claim that as your achievement.
Excellent point. I have a similar story in my past. I started to ask questions about the review and decision making process. It turned out the candidate had only been peripherally connected to the project, and we eliminated her from consideration because she claimed this as an achievement when she had no substantive involvement.
This is my point most office jobs are fairly humdrum where achievements are iterative, over the long period that may be as a result of you, but involve others, steps forward and steps backwards - interviews are looking for clear cut answers without the complications of the real world.
Possibly the only way to give a good answer to one of these questions would be a manager with control of a department where you can point at financial gain, or where you have started a Business by yourself.
For example i once asked someone what there greatest achievement was at work - They said I was involved specifying the IT system which cut out lots of administrative work and made everything more efficient - my immediate thoughts were but that was a result of the IT developers/consultants, you can’t claim that as your achievement.
My point is are these type of questions are more suitable for senior management who have control over things.
Correct. HR and hiring managers need to direct certain questions to those who are interviewing for management positions as opposed to those who are doing the hum drum every day office work. You don't ask a receptionist, "What was your biggest mistake and how did you handle it?" Her/his answer might be, "Uh, transferred a call to the wrong person....." I mean, seriously people, you gotta give questions that fit the job. Not these scripted stupid behavioral questions.
Anyone ever refused to answer interview questions or walked out of an interview, I mean questions like what is your greatest achievement - its none their business, and most likely not related to the workplace.
What's your greatest weakness? - This is so generic, weakness in relation to what? and Why would you share your weaknesses with a bunch of strangers.
What would your last boss say about you? - insulting and offensive. saying that a bosses opinion is superior to your own.
Where will you be in five years time - coming from a organisations where your job in on the line every week, and will get rid of you at the drop of a hat.
Can you think of a time you went above and beyond your duty - again if you started doing other people jobs then you might get in trouble for stepping on someomes toes, or be told off for interfering in matters outside your job duties.
When interviewers ask these questions does it not just show their reading from a script, lack any kind of originality.
The more I think about it, interviews in corporate jobs are like this are just exercises in humilation, and the purpose of these type of questions is test your willingness to humilated, what lengths you will go, how much you can grovel.
How about refusing to answer these type of questions, or asking them for more detail, or asking them why they are just reading from a script
I think they are silly, but I answer them because I want the job. I don't put that much thought into them, they are basically designed to see how you think and get some glimpse into what kind of person you are. They have been asked since forever. I'm not sure why you see them as humiliating. If you know you will get questions like this, just prepare answers. I can't imagine being that hair-trigger sensitive that I'd walk out. I think you're over-reacting to them.
Anyone ever refused to answer interview questions or walked out of an interview, I mean questions like what is your greatest achievement - its none their business, and most likely not related to the workplace.
A friend of mine once replied to, "What is your dream job?" with, "Judging bikini contests on a Caribbean island" The interviewers didn't like his response to their ridiculous question
I have the same issues when it comes to Executive Assistant or Admin Assistant jobs. I really don't have "accomplishments" or "going above and beyond" because I just did my job, showed up every day, and was always well-liked by my boss. I did my jobs very well though.
That's exactly what I'm talking about. While having a free resume review, the feedback was that I gave a list of "job duties" rather than "accomplishments". Well, that's what office work is - Duties. I'm not a project manager. I didn't save the company a boatload of money with an idea. I completed "duties" quickly and accurately.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flexy633
Correct. HR and hiring managers need to direct certain questions to those who are interviewing for management positions as opposed to those who are doing the hum drum every day office work. You don't ask a receptionist, "What was your biggest mistake and how did you handle it?" Her/his answer might be, "Uh, transferred a call to the wrong person....." I mean, seriously people, you gotta give questions that fit the job. Not these scripted stupid behavioral questions.
Exactly. How big of a mistake can an office worker really make?
That's exactly what I'm talking about. While having a free resume review, the feedback was that I gave a list of "job duties" rather than "accomplishments". Well, that's what office work is - Duties. I'm not a project manager. I didn't save the company a boatload of money with an idea. I completed "duties" quickly and accurately.
I had the same thing happen when I had a review done of my resume by another admin assistant who prides herself on offering free reviews of resumes for other admins. She said that I was listing too many "duties." I told her that at the jobs I've had, they were pretty much set in stone and even if I did come up with a new way of doing something, it was just for me - not something that the whole company started to do.
When you are an admin assistant and working for an executive, you generally do what they ask and complete your duties in a timely fashion. It's not rocket science!
I've had questions like, "Tell me about a time where you strongly disagreed with your boss and how you handled it." I never really had a time where that happened. I mean, sure, there were times that I thought my boss was being a jerk, but never where I STRONGLY disagreed with him/her and felt as if I had to do something about it. I can remember a time when my boss wanted an email to go out to her superiors at 5 p.m. and I had to leave. I said, "I can get this out first thing tomorrow morning." She said, "NO, I want it on their desk before you leave so they see it first thing tomorrow morning." So, I had to stay. Uh, is that STRONGLY disagreeing with my boss? Not really because I just had to suck it up.
Anyway, I have had to make up things by looking up what other office people have said in regards to these questions. Because I cannot sit there an say, "I never had that situation before." Maybe I've been lucky in previous positions in that I have had bosses who are on the ball and we get along and communicate well (except for this new job that I'm at). In fact, working as an Executive Assistant to the President of a company, I have found it much easier working with those types because they seem to be extremely organized, well respected, and know what they are doing.
My mom had questions on interviews like, "Tell me what you did on your summer vacation?" She told me that this guy had a book and was reading off questions and they were all geared towards some kid out of high school or college.
Also, I have been watching videos from a job search coach and he said the stupidest questions are the ones that the OP listed. Another one is, "Tell me about yourself." This coach says that it's the worst question an interviewer can ask and why they continue to do this is beyond his grasp!
Other questions like, what’s the real you, what makes you tick, what are your passions, what are your hobbies and what do in your free time, whilst there not intrusive they are going into personal boundaries - I guess there hoping you have a hobby or interest which aligns somehow with the job or industry.
When your company bids for work do the directors or senior management answer these type of questions to win work from clients?
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