STUPID interview questions, add yours here

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

I have been on about six interviews this month, and I am appalled at the stupidity of this process.

Does anyone at all think up original questions any more?

My last interview consisted of a woman, who couod not have been less bored w the process, asking me about 25 questions. She read straight from her little list that some HR analysts designed I supposed, and continuously interrupted by chatting to people who walked by her door.

Here were some of the questions...

Tell me about a time when someone questioned your integrity.

Tell me about a time when someone accused you of something you didn't do

Tell me about a time when you missed a deadline

Tell me about a time that you did something creative for a pt

and on and on, all starting w "Tell me about a time"...

I hated this whole style of questioning. It doesn't ask you how you handle that kind of a situation, but rather puts you on the spot to recall a specific experience that demonstrates what they are looking for.

I mean, I don't have the best memory, so I wouldn't mind these questions if they sent them to me the day before and asked me to write an essay on them. But to pull out an experience like this out of the thin air, it's just...stupid!! Not one personal question was asked like, Why are you interested in working 1 in this position, 2 for this company, etc...

One doctor said to me... "In this day of nursing shortages, you could write your own ticket so-to-speak, so why would you want this job? Later, what other positions have you interveiwed for if you don't mind me asking. Uh, I DO mind you asking, but do I say that??? Of course not, if I want the job, so I am forced to answer.

Another interview, three diff people, a HR person, then the supervisor, then the director, all came in and asked me the same exact set of questions from their little sheet of paper. Why couldn't they just ask me in a group,so they could all get the answers at once? Is this some kind of a stupid "test" to see if I am consistent?? How dull!

I don't like this cookie-cutter style of interviews. Very meaningless. Any recruiters out there? Can you explain the rationale? Don't you ever feel silly asking those stupid questions??

[Pretzlgl]

How about this one, "Have you wanted to be a nurse ever since you were a little girl?" No lie. And then a lot more like the ones you got. Verrry frustrating...

[Zee_RN, BSN, RN]

I served as Nurse Recruiter for seven months (hated it). I was *supposed* to ask questions like that but I never did. Ewww!

I had an interview in the 80s for a Business Manager position with questions like:

"Define your significance."

"Where do you derive your security?"

"What was your biggest failure?"

"What book are you reading right now?"

"If you could have lunch with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why?"

Etc., etc., etc...it was a 2 hour interview with the three vice presidents of the organization. (I got the job.) Yeesh.

If you hate the interview, you'll probably hate the organization.

[azgirl]

I was asked once what my brother and I fought about. When I told the man my brother and I did not fight he just folded the sheet and glared at me. Then proceeded to tell me about he and his brother beating each other up.

Not one relevant question was asked about the job I would do. Just nonsense.

[Stargazer]

Any recruiters out there? Can you explain the rationale? Don't you ever feel silly asking those stupid questions??

Well, personally, I don't ask those kinds of questions, because I don't feel the answers tell me what I need to know. I think interviews are mainly for getting a general sense of someone--assessing the applicant's dress, speech, body language, and general mode of interaction, In other words, it's where you cull the obvious weirdos. However, if experience has taught me anything, it's that you simply do not and cannot know for sure how someone will perform until they're actually doing the job. Some of the best bullshitters in an interview situation will completely freeze in an emergency. Some of the folks who look great on paper haven't got a lick of common sense or problem-solving ability.

For me, the acid test often comes when or if I have to clarify someone's work experience because it doesn't seem immediately apparent that they meet the qualifications for the job. You wouldn't believe how many people sabotage themselves at this point by getting pissy and defensive with me instead of staying pleasant and "selling" themselves.

hoolie, the folks interviewing you are clearly both bored and very, very bad at their jobs.

If you hate the interview, you'll probably hate the organization.

I completely agree with Zee. :)

[PJRNC2]

!994 - by the assistant Director "What is the worst thing your best friend would say about you?" and at the final interview for my job-by the Director, "What makes you tick"

[SmilingBluEyes]

WOW I must be sheltered. NEVER have I been subjected to such a horrid and innane line of questioning. ALL My interviews were informal; the interviewer skilled at making me feel at ease and very revealingly and openly discuss what it is about me that would make me an asset to their place of work. I have NEVER been grilled; just a polite conversation that was informal and comfortable. (shudders)

[hapeewendy]

I bet its only a matter of time before the first interviewer mentioned has to solemnly ask the question "tell me about the time you got so pi$$ed off at someone for asking silly quetsions and beat them sensless.."

I dont think I could answer some of those questions seriously...I would have to answer them with a joke I think,specially the one about the "did you want to be a nurse since you were a little girl?" uhhh no , I wanted to be Barbie, stupid!

[DIPLOMATICRN4HIRE, MSN, RN]

One question that I was asked at the last hospital I worked at was

How do you handle confrentation with a Dr?

Well I think they found out.

Zoe

[itsme]

I was once asked "what do you think is the worst infection we have at this facility?" Well, duh, I dont work here yet, so who knows?? Needless to say, I refused the job. By the way, the infection was conjunctivitis. Go figure....

[jevans]

Here's a good one---

If you were a vegetable. What would it be and why

Stupid or what

j

[Little One2]

I recently had an interview. It wasn't has bad as the ones described here. The questions were good, questions I would expect to be asked. The interview was with the manager. She asked what were my strengths, what would my coworkers say about me, and what would my manager say my strengths were.

There were no weird questions or irrelevent questions.