Re: vague interview opener questions are irksome

"Chris Devers" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:Pine.OSX.4.58.0405051843180.22150@macgarnicle...
> On Wed, 5 May 2004, Steve Leibel wrote:
>
> > Nobody ever asks how hard you'll work for them, whether you'll make
> > their problems your own or turn it off at 5:00pm, whether you'll just
> > collect a paycheck or whether you'll make everyone around you better.
>
> Of course they don't ask questions like that -- everyone would give the
> same answers.
>
>   Q: How hard would you work for us?
>   A: Oh, very hard, I would work very very hard for you.

My A: My family is very important to me, but I also have a passion for
information systems. Before IT was my career, it was my hobby. I teach my
teenage brother to program. I designed and instructed a free web programming
workshop while in school. My thoughts before I fall asleep are of a solution
to the last problem I was working on when the monitor went off. I drool in
the software developers section in Borders. I will provide the same
enthusiastic efforts to your company.

>
>   Q: Will you make our problems into your problems?
>   A: Of course I would, the company's success is very important to me.

My A: If this company cant pay the bills then I wont be able to either. Once
I am settled in the position and have a firm grasp of my job, I will ask for
more responsibility and opportunity. The only saying I despise more than "I
Can't" is "Its Not My Job". If something needs done and I have the ability
and resources I usually go ahead and do it just so I can avoid hearing "Its
Not My Job" either from myself or others. This companys problems are most
definitely my problems.
>
>   Q: Will you just collect a paycheck?
>   A: Heavens no!

My A: Of course I need a paycheck to support my family, but more important
to me are things like learning and applying new applicable technology,
turning ideas in to specification and then product, being able to share my
ideas, and working with people that have similar goals. I do not like
chest-beating and shop politics. Because these things are more important to
me than the paycheck, I will not be interested in a position unless these
other things are in place.

>
>   Q: WIll you make people around better?
>   A: I'll sure do my darndest, you betcha!

My A: I have an outgoing attitude and a positve outlook on my life and my
future. I like to think that it is contagious and will easily spread.

>
> Unfortunately, the interviewer has to be a bit more subtle & probing
> than that. Of course every applicant is going to say that they're the
> best one for the job. As Winston said in "Ghostbusters", when asked if
> he believed in ghosts, esp, and other silly paranormal things, "if it'll
> get me the job, I'll believe anything you want".
>
> But how does the interviewer separate those who *claim* that they're the
> right ones for the job from the ones who are *actually* right for it?
>
> Questions like the ones you suggest don't seem likely to get very far.
>