The Dumbest Interview Question

Re:The Dumbest Interview Question by copenja on Tuesday December 23, 2008 @01:54PM (#407939)

Weeding people out based on whether they give a "correct" answer to this question seems kinda ridiculous.

With the exception of someone admitting to a horrendous fault (anger problem), I don't see how this answer could dictate a hire or no hire.

If your interviewing someone with great credentials, great references, and then they answer this question with "sometimes I work too hard"... your not going to hire him?

What this question does is force the candidate to make a snap decision: Is this particular interviewer hoping I express an honest weakness or is he seeing if a can turn a weakness into a strength?

Guess wrong and your out?

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Re:The Dumbest Interview Question by shiranaihito on Wednesday December 24, 2008 @07:06AM (#408731)

I usually restrain myself on HN, but this time I can't..

Please, oh please oh please keep in mind that "your" is not "you are".

Having to constantly be deciphering (imploded) sentences is exhausting.

"Is he talking about possession?" "Is he comparing things or putting them in chronological order?".. and so on.

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Re:The Dumbest Interview Question by shiranaihito on Wednesday December 24, 2008 @07:15AM (#408739)

Anyways.. :)

I've been asked this question a lot of times.

Usually I've worked hard to dance around the issue, and I guess I've often blown it too.

Once I even voiced my concerns about the sensibility of the question, but the interviewer said I should answer it anyway!

I think I should try something like this in the future:

- What's your greatest weakness?

- Asian women.

( Unlike some people even on HN, I don't claim to see much action though :p )

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