STUPID interview questions, add yours here

[hoolahan]

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??

[Leelee2]

I was asked "What haven't I asked you, but should know about you?"

I was given the wrong email address of the person I was to email my references to (By that person, how do you not know your own work email address?)

Then called several times to see why she hadn't recieved it, given an entirely different email address (by same person) She then called several of my references...then called again, wanted me to come in and sign a releases for an additional reference(lost original one?) Ummmm, no thanks. Wow. It screamed out to unprofessional work environment.

[mtngrl, ASN, RN]

This thread brings the lols! I just started a new job.....I had the "tell me about a time" questions...and yes it's hard to think of all those situations.

One question was "tell me about a time you broke policy". I was like um I don't break policys!

Another was "tell me about a time you let down a co-worker". Uh I don't do that either!!!

[jkesler]

1989. The year I graduated from Nursing School. "How do you feel about taking orders from a woman?".

Frankly, I was glad I didn't get the job. And I never did re-apply to work there.

And they held the interviews in a large warehouse style room with a table at one end. Three interviewers sat at this large table on one side and they had you sit on the other side. IMO the whole set up was intended to intimidate you and make you feel small.