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Couldnt see the relevance of this as the job was in credit management.
Actually the reason usually is to test your reaction to stress and the unexpected. Perhaps, also to test your knowledge of a certain lifestyle, if they have had problems with others in the past.
My strangest: "When did you realise that you are a lesbian?"
Note: I am obviously male.
I thought of so many great great comebacks! I settled for: "Unfortunately I don't possess a necessary qualification."
Essex_boy:
And just what was your reply? And did you understand the question?
My response was strange enough to get me an interview. Since I was employed by a construction company in Iran (so and so) in the late 80s, I left them because of a revolution was my (true) answer! Curiosity got the better of the possible employers.... they had no intention of employing me, but gave me a tour of their works, etc, and bought me lunch to hear the explanation :)
Needless to say this interview was for a technical job.
Actually the reason usually is to test your reaction to stress and the unexpected. Perhaps, also to test your knowledge of a certain lifestyle, if they have had problems with others in the past.
I once did an interview for an automobile technician job that consisted of a few hurried questions, then diagnosing a vehicle that had been at that shop for a month, and virtually the entire car had been changed for over $5000 but it still would not start. I aced the interview by finding a loose wire touching the engine block in under half an hour, thus getting the engine purring; but already decided that I had no desire to work there. The owner was dazzled, and proceeded to ask if I would switch to his shop for less pay than my existing job, and even run the shop for him too so he could start taking time off. Sorry, Charlie!
Years later I became his competitor.
After numerous job applications and rejections, I was getting pretty fed up with the same old routine and starting to feel I would NEVER get a job. So after attending yet another interview, it got to the part where the interviewer says "... and is there anything you would like to ask us?".
"Yes" I said. "You've seen my CV, you have my aptitude test results, you've listened to me talk for 45 minutes... is there anything AT ALL that you've seen or heard that would make you doubt my ability to do this job?"
Completely taken aback, the interviewer stuttered, "er... er... no, not at all".
"So give me the job then." They did.
Without missing a beat, I said, "I cried."
After they had given me the job, I asked them what they thought about my answer to that question. "We wanted to see if you took that kind of decision lightly. You were pretty honest with your response, which means you don't."
I didn't cry when I quit that job a few years later, however. :)
The doctor (female thankfully) asked me to drop my trousers, copped a feel and asked me to cough. Weird getting my b*lls felt for a techy job!
Debby King: Great question! Wish I had thought of that one...
I didnt get the job - so lord knows what answer they wanted.
suffice to say didn't get that job.
Another episode wasn't a job interview, it was a client who came in and chose the colours for her website by whipping out a pendulum and dangling it over some printed palettes. (for those unfamiliar with pendulum divination: you answer yes/no questions by watching and interpreting the oscillation).
"How do you feel about slave wages?"
"Slave wages are fine!"
"How do you feel about alcoholics?"
"I ... like alcoholics?"
So, I got the job.
Usually, the prospective employer has made up their mind within 30 seconds of the candidate entering the room... that is, they know within 30 seconds if they DON'T want you, not yet if they do.
Once they have made the initial impression, human nature takes over. Basically, they'll ask the questions and they'll listen to your answers, but ONLY if the answers corroborate what they already think about you. If you start to give answers which would force them to re-assess their initial opinion of you, they'll tune out.
In our current economic climate, I think getting a job is as much pot luck or "being in the right place at the right time" as it is having suitable skills, quals, interviewing well, etc.
IMHO, anyway :-)
Shak
