AIBU to ask the toughest interview question

[Livingonachair]

What is the toughest interview question you've faced?

Mine was for a job at our sister company where I was asked what didn't I like about the company in terms of process. As I hadn't worked for that part of the company before it was basically impossible to answer as I didn't know the processes!

@Mammyloveswine

I got awful feedback for my last interview..was told I was so nervous I made the interview panel uncomfortable but that I "excelled" at the other parts of the interview (full day with lots of tasks)...no actual advice either....

You made THEM uncomfortable?! Sounds like you had a near miss if they weren't able to see through that and help calm your nerves.

I was asked what animal I would be and why - I got the job. They have since removed that question I am told from interviews and the ones conducted at the time of mine were the first time they had tried it. I just found it bizarre but am not too bad at thinking on my feet so at least cobbled something together!!

OhTheRoses DH had an interview last week where they asked him what his wife does!

My last interview they asked me to explain what I thought equality I meant. Didn’t get the job but in my feedback they said my answer on equality was excellent - clearly not something that was actually significant to their recruitment decisions though which was a shame...

Reminds me of the ol the old joke.
Interviewer.........“What would you say is your biggest fault.”
Interviewee........“I’m too honest.”
Interviewer........,.“I don’t think it’s possible for someone to be too honest”
Interviewee..........”I don’t give a fuck what you think.”

I had to draw a working sound system (events sales job). I forgot a major element. Still got the job.

“Tell me your life story”
It was the only question

I also had a job interview where I was supposed to have prepared a presentation. No one told me. I was honest, and said I hadn't been told but I would wing it if they were happy. Got the job.

“Tell is your most embarrassing moment” for a minimum wage bar job.

I went completely blank, and told them so. Luckily that question made up my mind I didn’t want to work for them anyway!

Thanks @TitsinAbsentania!

*tell us

What skills do you need to improve?

(er, all the ones needed for this job, that's why I applied, so I can improve on the job???!)

I've been asked if I've got kids too... Mostly in very roundabout ways. Ridiculous

I was asked what animal I would be and why - I got the job.

But what animal were you?? I feel we need to know.

I once had phone feedback on a (failed) interview where I was told that the example I had given when asked to support one of my answers was 'too specific'. I paused for thought and asked,

"So, you wanted a woollier example?"

Tumbleweed...

In the interview for my current job I was asked the 'sell me this pen' question. So I held out the pen and said 'do you want to buy this pen?'

I got the job. But, to be honest, I don't think there were many other candidates...

The question I thought was the oddest was “if I offered you the job would you take it?” I answered yes and I got the job.

For lots of jobs “would you take the job if offered/are you still a serious candidate are standard questions... nothing more frustrating than to debate the best candidate and have them turn you down!

As an interviewer one of my favourite questions (at the end, when people had relaxed) was “what question were you most worried we would ask you?” I was amazed by the honesty of some of the answers, and how revealing they were about people’s concerns. Really useful to be able to reassure people (one said they were scared we’d ask them about their plans for children)! And once actually picked up a safeguarding issue.

I have been asked twice " if you could be/meet anyone famous, who would you be and why?" I think I said I had no interest in being anyone but myself and fame doesn't impress me . One job I got, one I didn't.

I’m not sure about toughest, but I interviewed with Greggs as a teen and was asked “What’s your favourite product of ours and why”. I mean, I knew it, but had no idea how to explain why without it sounding silly!! I suppose I can see where they were going with the question, but it was just beyond random. And no, I didn’t get the job! Though I think it had something to do with the fact I was off to Uni in the September.

I was asked how to make the instructions about a deeply complex legal issue simple. I was an internal candidate, so knew the issue very well. I said "I'm buggered if I know".

Not only did i get the job, a promotion, but I was told I scored very highly. We were talking about the issue at the interview and the question really was one with no other answer. There was no solution. I was convinced id failed, spectacularly, especially as id sworn. Turns out I didnt

At an interview for reception/admin and n a car showroom I was told we're all boys here and you know how we can be when we get together ha ha ha, we get do you think you will be able to cope with us. I said yep, I've worked in a playschool and childish behaviour doesn't bother me. I didn't get the job and if I had I wouldn't have taken it

Oh god i hate any variation on ‘how would your friends describe you’. They may as well just ask - list adjectives that you think describe a good candidate for this job.

@destinasia I'm a childminder too, and I heard of another childminder who was asked by a parent who was visiting, what her monthly periods were like because she was concerned about how long she would be spending in the toilet at that time if the month!

I once had someone ask ‘how would you teach this (obscure misconception about a grammar point) and I said I didn’t understand what she meant and could I have an example; she couldn’t think of an example, spent a couple of Minutes trying to answer her own question and moved on. Got that job!