Worst and best interview answers you have heard.

[Kayano]

Please humour me. I am panicking about an interview tomorrow! I already have a job but this is 'THE' job. I want it so much but I am scared I will say something silly! I do go a bit funny under pressure! Ack!

I had an interview where the interviewer was really argumentative and kept picking a fight with everything i said. Got bit fed up with it in the end and he asked me how I would feel about going to Edinburgh on secondment. I said i would hate it, he said "well most peopl in your situtation would be really pleased at such an opportunity" I told him I had a young child and I didnt want to.

I then managed to insult him by implying he was 60 odd and he was only about 40!

I came out of interview thinking I had blown it - I got a call from the agency saying I was the best candidate they had ever seen and not to worry about Edinburgh - I turned it down!

I was interviewing for a Solicitor job and he wanted somebody that wasnt going to be a "yes man" so hence the arguing with me!

Good luck

Ugh, poor you! I hate interviews with a passion

My worst one was when they asked the strengths and weaknesses question and I thought I'd have a bash at a humorous answer, so I said I made a really really bad cup of coffee. There was a lengthy silence whilst they both stared at me with faces like stone and the more senior of the two said 'We don't allow hot drinks on the ward' as if I were the most stupid person she had ever had the misfortune to come across The whole interview was fairly horrid tbh, not nice interviewers, so I was actually quite thankful not to get the job and have to work for them!!

Anyway, hope it goes well, good luck!

Sorry, meant to say the point of my post was not to give that answer if you are applying to be a ward clerk on a children's ward

I interviewed someone who, when I asked him what he knew about the company said nothing. He hadn't bothered to research us because his girlfriend was currently in labour with another man's baby.

He hadn't decided what to do, he thought he was going to stay with her.

Horrible for him but there is a time and a place for such honesty!

I also went for an interview myself which I thought I had totally ballsed up and was a fiasco from start to finish. They asked me why I should get the job and I replied "Because I'm bloody great." And I got it.

I had a job interview recently that I spent about a week preparing for. I was ready for pretty much any question, and by the time it rolled around I was looking forward to responding to their questions. In actuality they asked very few questions and it was all done in less than 15 minutes. I came away thinking they had either decided before the interview that they did or didn't want me. I received an offer the following week. I start in a few weeks.
Some of the quesions I was ready for:
why do you want this job?
Why this firm?
Why should we offer you the post?
What sets you apart from other candidates?
What motivates you?
What would you say are your strengths/weaknesses?
Situation where you had to lead/work as part of a team?
And be ready to talk about the attributes needed for the job, if you possess these, and be able to talk about previous situations where you have demonstrated these attributes.
Best of luck!

Questions to impress them include

1. What is it about this company that continues to motivate you to come and work here every morning?
2. If you had a magic wand, what single thing would you change about this organisation?

Ooo, thanks for that, squiffy, I will remember those for when I need them again in the future

I was thinking of this question:

I noticed in the previous Ofsted report that it stated that xxx(head teacher) had 'clear ideas about the next stages of the school's development.' I was hoping to find out what they were and if they have been achieved yet so I can contribute to any implementation should I get the job.

Does that sound twattish?

I was on an interview panel once. We asked 'Why do you want this job' The answer was 'I don't really know. I think I'm good at everything'. She didn't get the job.

At some point during the interview the interviewer may ask a question and wait for you to answer. When you've finished they will wait some more. This is to see if you are a waffler, or someone who just likes to talk. Give your answer, then wait for the next question. Patiently.

Very, very good luck.

I would say remember to back everything up with specific examples. For instance if you are describing your ability to lead a project refer to something you have actually done, including how you prepared for it, how you overcame any obstacles, what the result was and so on. I work for the civil service and all our interviews work on a points system based on what the candidate has actually done. They also like buzz words like 'lean', 'tipping point' etc so make sure you have done a bit of research into what kind of things they want to hear :).

The worst interview answer I heard was about 12 years ago when a guy asked if we used 'microwave'. I think he meant 'Microsoft'!

Good luck :)

For a teaching job they will ask you what you can bring to the school/department. Say something subject specific and in a more general slant find something that is mentioned as a weakness in their ofsted that you are really good at.

I interviewed a lady for a sales admin job and I asked her why she wanted the role. She said she was going to be a nurse but hated blood?! Ummmm.... She didn't get the job

That's really useful advice thank you! It mentions that it needs to improve access to IT and use of computers in school and I have a computing qualification and currently work in tech support!

oh thats perfect then!!!

If you're asked for examples, vary the context as far as possible.

I interviewed for a graduate scheme job and one candidate had examples of everything...from when he captained his uni basketball team. So many overlapped that every explanation was like a different view on the same situation.

(Except for one example where we asked him why he lt his old and well paid job - nearly 40k vs not quite 25k - and he said it was because the staff has let hm down in frozen food and he couldn't manage people like that. Teflon is not a good look in interviews.)

Strangest question I had was "Who is your fashion icon?"

I panicked as have no idea about fashion and said "Ron Jeremy"

They gave me the job. Based on Ron Jeremy. Idiots.

Recently interviewed for a new member of staff and we asked them all the same questions if course. At the end we did the 'anything you want to ask?' bit and one candidate turned to me and said 'How would you describe your management style?' It threw me completely! I was the one who ended up waffling a bit. She got the job though and is brilliant (in case she's an MNetter )

Kayano. The best piece of advice I was ever given was to smile. Obviously not like a moron & definitely not when they're asking stuff about safeguarding but when you go in, when you're asked a question you're passionate about and always when you leave (the primacy & recency effects). They'll remember you as someone they'd like working with. And be enthusiastic! Be passionate about IT and this being 'the job'. Feedback I've received always focused on being smiley, passionate & enthusiastic. It got me 'the job' so why not you? Good luck! Let me know how it goes!

I went to an interview many years ago. One of the interviewing partners said 'Oh I notice you went to , do you know ? I said that I did, but with an expression on my face of fairly thinly veiled disgust.

'He's my son's best friend' came the reply. I didn't get the job, perhaps needless to say!

I interviewed a girl for a post last year. Really pleasant and polite. When I asked her why she wanted the job she said that her boyfriend drove her to work because she didn't like public transport and he wanted her to get a job in the same town as him so he didn't have to drive so far!

Thankfully she then failed all the technical questions so it was easy to reject her.

I've been interviewing this month

my questions of choice include

if I asked one of your friends to describe you, what would they say
friendly, good to talk to, honest -yawn yawn yawn!
everyone says this, I want some expansion!

what great things have happened to you this week
this is a real rabbit caught in headlights question, what I'm looking for is someone who can see the positive in the ordinary, or someone who can talk animatedly about a topic

what do you think makes a great team, and what would you contribute to that team
mutual respect and support is always good

tell me about a time that you have really had to push yourself to achieve something
I want specfics, not a wishy washy answer

I like a sparky interview candidate. I have said this on here before and got an absolute pasting for it, but the worst candidates (and I interview a lot) are those who want to get back to work after being a SAHM for a number of years. The vast majority haven't done any background research on the job/place of work and hugely lack in self confidence. I wanted to shake one woman, who, when asked why she wanted the job (an admin one) said rather pathetically "I thought I could probably manage to do it." Pre kids she had managed a chain of about ten supermarkets.

I also like a challenging question for the interviewer. One asked us what success would look like in the job, which I thought was quite good. The questions I hate are ones about leave, hours, pay (all in the job ad, and more appropriate for HR) and asking if they can work from home (yes, but not all week). I am also pretty brutal in my feedback and take time to do it - I think if you are told constructively where you went wrong, and where you performed well, you will do a lot better in future interviews.

Worst reply to a question was from an internal candidate. We do competence based interviews, and tell them what the competences will be. Me: "I'm now going to ask you a question about strategic thinking." Candidate: "I don't do strategic thinking in my job." Me: "Well have a crack at the question anyway. Everyone does strategic thinking, it's just thinking more widely and about other related issues." Candidate: "I've just told you I don't do it." Pushed back chair and left the room.

We also ask the receptionist for her views. If anyone is rude to her, that is a complete no no for me.

I interviewed a lad for a support worker role. I work for a well known organisation.

He turned up in jeans and a t shirt and trainers.
I asked him what made him apply for the job his response was "well you know, you can't be fussy can you?!"

When his turn came for the question he asked "So what is it you do? Like factory work and that?

I replied "no, we support people to live independently in their own homes.... you know: help people with learning disabilities and physical disabilities live a decent life."

Him - "aw right, you don't have to clean them when they have shit and that do you?"

Me - "er. yes. Can I just ask did you actually do any research for this position?"

Him - "no the dole told me to come or they would stop me money so here I am.. I'll give it a bash like, I'm not scared of a bit of shit!"

Me - "lovely, well we have your details.......... "

Good luck today, come and tell us how it went!

Young lad came for a junior post interview at work. He was asked what he would do in a certain situation...

"Well, the first thing I would do is ask me Mam. If she didn't know, then I have no idea what I'd do."

Bless him. Didn't get the job.

Many years ago I lost my job in a publishing company. Needing to pay the rent I very quickly found a job in London. It was deadly boring and after three months I was sacked. I managed to get an interview the next week.

The first question was, 'Why did you leave your last job?' I replied that I had been sacked. My honesty was one reason why I was given the job!

(It was a bad period in my life, 30 years ago, a time when jobs were easier to come by. Have been in my current job for over 10 years and have no plans to leave)