[Closed] End of interview questions.

When did you stop beating your wife?

Would you ask for the day off when everyone else is on an office jolly?

Surely you only ask a question if you feel something wasn't covered in the interview?

Edit: I see what you did there Drac

More seriously.

Why do you like working here?

What’s your boss like to work for?

Well, I always ask what the timescale for the process is - if not covered already.
And get them to describe the company culture.
What are the biggest challenges faced by the company/dept in the coming year, and for your role in particular.
Where do they see the successful candidate in three or five years' time.

The last one just occurred to me, but the others have all been well received and informative for me in the past.

Doddy or Chipps?

Who is your daddy and what does he do?

Is it possible to opt out of the eleven hour rest period? Asking for a friend.

In your opinion is a casserole with a lid a pie?

"What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the company?"
"What are the most frustrating aspects of the work?"
"How will you measure whether I am succesful in the role?"
"What do you think of product/competitor/... X?"
"Did you work on product X, what were the challenges?"

Basically get them to give you their view on a company position on something that look slike you've done a bit of homework.

Oh and "Jam or cream first?" If they answer incorrectly (jam obviously) then you walk.

What good questions have you asked or have been asked?

Questions I asked before:
1. How do you think you have performed in this interview?
2. What is your view of the interviewing panel?

Question I have been asked before:
1. When can you start?
Actually I cannot remember what I was asked ..

If I were to interview again I would ask this question.
Which do you prefer Fish & Chips, Chinese, curry, French, Italian or roast beef?

p/s: anyone that answers Fish & Chips is hired instantly ...

What books have you read recently?

When I’m interviewing candidates I want them to ask me:

a) culture and openness in the team/line manager... what is it like? does the team report into other pillars? the interview(er/panel) may not be the line manager.

b) timescale for HR to turn around the on boarding process, this can range from a few days to a month or indeed be forgotten... it’s something you need to check if you’ve heard nothing and been offered the role.

c) reprisals/1:1’s? how often, are they productive and written up... some people think they’re worthless, I think they’re invaluable.

d) WFH/remote working? may not always be in the blurb, may not always be talked about in the main interview.

e) propensity for getting involved? again not always brought up in the main interview.

If I handed you a car covered in sudacreme, who would clean it and how?

"In the event of a zombie apocalypse what would choose to use as a weapon to defend yourself?"

One that's gone down well in my experience:

What haven't I asked that I should have?

I used to be in a panel of 3/4 interviewers with one of my rigid management colleague who was sucker for using interviewing matrix. The matrix was designed by "clowns and supervised(used) by monkeys" (to quote the Boeing employee internal communication) and needless to say the questions were so obvious they interviewees could see them coming.

“In the event of a zombie apocalypse what would choose to use as a weapon to defend yourself?”

Saiga-12

I see what you did there Drac

Hahahaha! Sorry but it still entertains me.

If I handed you a car covered in sudacreme, who would clean it and how?

I'd get my cat to do it

In the event of a zombie apocalypse what would choose to use as a weapon to defend yourself?

Weapons are for attack, not defence - when do I start?

Do you have any reservations about me following this discussion?
What skills did the current incumbent m/last hire/perfect person have that made them a success?
Why did you join ...?
What are the 3 things that makes ... stand out above it’s competition?
Is there any reason that you won’t be inviting me to the next stage?
Talk me though the first month of employment.

That’s a few starters.

Weapons are for attack, not defence – when do I start?

Attack is the best form of defence especially with Saiga-12 on zombies as it gives purpose and enjoyment.

Saiga-12 far to loud, you will just more zombies. Good quality axe is what you want which should be easy for the average STWer to lay their hands on.

Double tap to the head remember.

Saiga-12 far to loud, you will just more zombies. Good quality axe is what you want which should be easy for the average STWer to lay their hands on.

If you enjoy Saiga-12 then that is a welcoming bonus.

I wouldn't use axe as the the cutting edge is too short. i.e. the cutting surface is not large enough. One missed swing and you will be bitten/eaten. If you need to use traditional cutting steel then you need to use the ancient Chinese warrior Guan Yu type of weapon. One swift swing and the zombie will be in two pieces at arm distance.

Attack is the best form of defence attack

When I’m interviewing candidates I want them to ask me:

a) culture and openness in the team/line manager… what is it like? does the team report into other pillars? the interview(er/panel) may not be the line manager.

b) timescale for HR to turn around the on boarding process, this can range from a few days to a month or indeed be forgotten… it’s something you need to check if you’ve heard nothing and been offered the role.

c) reprisals/1:1’s? how often, are they productive and written up… some people think they’re worthless, I think they’re invaluable.

d) WFH/remote working? may not always be in the blurb, may not always be talked about in the main interview.

e) propensity for getting involved? again not always brought up in the main interview.

You’ve ring fenced a few unicorns there. Pillars, on boarding? Where do you work where reprisals are invaluable, the Oval Office?

reprisals

??

Katana sword and a AA12.

That should cover most bases.

If you buttered a cat's feet, and then dropped it - how would it land?

While a Saiga-12 is no doubt an effective weapon they're quite hard to lay your hands on around here (it's possible you are American, in which case I expect they give one to you when you start school).
Despite the impracticality I've always favoured a baseball bat with nails - there's something so right about it. Or maybe a really good pair of running shoes.

the on boarding process

Instant dismissal

Unless on a ship or cabin crew

Is the company generous with cigarette breaks?

Questions I asked before:
1. How do you think you have performed in this interview?
2. What is your view of the interviewing panel?

Don't ask that

Katana sword and a AA12.

That should cover most bases.

Good choice. I suppose long Katana should be fine.
I have forgotten AA12 ... arrghh ... Yes, I will have that.

Don’t ask that

Any reason why?
How will you answer?
As some of my friends told me it is irrelevant how one performs in the interview. You got the job or fail the job during the first few minutes of the interview. The rest are just corporate paper works to justify the decisions. I mean majority of the jobs are not rocket science especially in the service industry. I know some play it safe, other in the middle ground while some take risk. Those questions will see how they handle them.

I remember my management colleague interviewed people using the interviewing matrix and selected those candidates which matched up all the criteria, what a disaster it was after a year working alone with them.

I disagree with their interviewing techniques but their decision outweighed mine (majority decision to use the matrix) because of them trying to be seen as doing the right thing rather than doing things right.

On the other hand, in the latter years, using my techniques I selected all the best candidates without using any matrix and those candidates were brilliant and could do all the jobs provided with no problem.

I still remember once the management team wanted to have an "international" outlook by deliberately selecting people from certain "skin colour", which I disagreed but ended up giving in to their demand as I can't be bothered to argue with them for too long. They are bureaucrats by the way.

During my last round of interviews my question for most of them was about their staff development policy and what their staff development involved. I was trying to get out of a local college who tailored all their staff development to curriculum members of staff or basically did nothing bar make you fill in a pd form every year that nobody took seriously or would ever dare say you ‘didn’t meet’ it. It was something personal for me so won’t necessarily work for you but I kind of feel if you don’t have some sort of question to ask that maybe you don’t want the particular job you’re interviewing for. I’ve otherwise generally asked anything they have missed like when would I hear, will I be contacted by phone, etc.

If you buttered a cat’s feet, and then dropped it – how would it land?

Umm... On it's feet. I think you mean buttered it's back.

As for the op, when's first break, how long is lunch and where's the closest pub, can we go early if we've finished all our on-boarding tasks.

I used to be in a panel of 3/4 interviewers with one of my rigid management colleague who was sucker for using interviewing matrix. The matrix was designed by “clowns and supervised(used) by monkeys” (to quote the Boeing employee internal communication) and needless to say the questions were so obvious they interviewees could see them coming.

If I was your boss and had provided a list of interview questions that you refused to use, you’d be quickly on your way to interviews elsewhere but from the other side of the table.

Big companies use pre-defined questions for very good reasons.

—-

Back to the original question - I’d ask about the induction process (for me always seemed quite nerve-wracking) and how they’re going to train you for the specifics of the role; how they anticipate the job changing and evolving in the future; and also what the social side of the company is like. Are there clubs? Regular nights out? Trips away?

Umm… On it’s feet. I think you mean buttered it’s back.

D'oh! It has been a long week lol

I've asked whether there's anything I've said in the interview that makes them think I'm unsuitable for the role, which gives the chance to either accept that or counter that viewpoint.

Big companies use pre-defined questions for very good reasons.

Depends. HR interviews do. Technical interviews do not always. I have some standard themes though.

I always ask as my last question “what’s the most interesting new scientific development you’ve seen over the past year outside of your field, and why do you think that?”

Looking for intellectual curiosity. About half the candidates answer Errrrr. I interviewed 30 candidate last year. Three this week alone.

Who does your catering?

You’ve ring fenced a few unicorns there. Pillars, on boarding? Where do you work where reprisals are invaluable, the Oval Office?

I am the fake tan applicator to the orange manchild. We have strict on-boarding process defined by the CIA, we also take stool samples and nasal hair samples which allows us to genetically profile you, and we share the results with our large Pharmaceutical partners.

Its just part of what we do to keep you safe.

"Do you have any questions?" Can be quite revealing as to how much someone has thought about a role and what their ambitions are.

Shots?

If I was your boss and had provided a list of interview questions that you refused to use, ...

I know where you are getting at with that big companies lines ... remember I am an "expert" in Bureaucratic related organisation?

No, you might think that you have been fair or comply with whatever equality rules by asking fair questions to all, then by justifying comparing apple with apple, but that is also where you completely missed the really good candidates that might not fit your "standardised" views. I have seen candidates that were so good at dealing with standardise questions they got the job, then we found out the hard way later on. Oh well after a year we started the recruitment process again ...

... you’d be quickly on your way to interviews elsewhere but from the other side of the table.

I challenged them. I did. Regardless. As I knew their decisions would impact on my team's performance and I would get blame. (they did that to me but I saw that coming but it was hard one year work)

Put it another way if bosses are unable to convince me then they have very poor management skills. People comply Not because the bosses are better at managing people (large companies) but because of the power of the bureaucrats and the system that is in place.

Oh yes ... those bosses are all gone. Fired, made redundant for being unable to manage, poor leadership and management skills, underperformed for the entire unit etc and guess who were/are working for them ... exactly, those candidates that they recruited using the standardised matrix system.
They reap what they sow.

Big companies use pre-defined questions for very good reasons.

Not doubting that for the obvious reasons of complying with law of equality etc and able to compare apple to apple.

Doing the things right or doing the right things? I suspect the former as it is Very difficult to do the latter nowadays in big companies.

Back to the original question – I’d ask about the induction process (for me always seemed quite nerve-wracking) and how they’re going to train you for the specifics of the role; how they anticipate the job changing and evolving in the future; and also what the social side of the company is like. Are there clubs? Regular nights out? Trips away?

Normally, I would describe and explain all that related to inductive process before asking questions.

I mean who in their right mind in this present world, especially large organisation, do not provide some forms of details on their inductive process?

Secondly, when you ask them about inductive process what if they don't have the area that you would want to be train in? Reject their offer? Ask them to provide you one?

how they anticipate the job changing and evolving in the future;

Most jobs don't change as simple as that.

and also what the social side of the company is like. Are there clubs? Regular nights out? Trips away?

Are you really going to ask those questions?

Umm… On it’s feet. I think you mean buttered it’s back.

Cats have paws, not feet - when do I start?

Are you really going to ask those questions?

Yes, why not? Many people are with just the one company for their whole career.

Yes, why not? Many people are with just the one company for their whole career.

Yes, you can ask but that is risky. So far I have only come across one or two persons who have been with the same company for their entire career.

My interpretation of someone asking that question regarding social club in a company is a person who have no life outside of workplace and dependent on the company to make life good for them. i.e. A person who is reactive and needs a lot of guidance. I would avoid hiring such person.

If you're the interviewer:

Is there anything I've not asked you about on your CV or past work that you'd expected me to, or you'd like to talk about?

(sometimes you miss something good, or the candidate hasn't put something on the CV that turns out to be relevant once they know more about the role).

If you're the candidate:

Are there any areas you're thinking I'm weak on, or reasons you'll be not sure about me as a candidate? I'd like a chance to talk about them now whilst I'm here, so you can make the right decision.

(give them a chance to say "we're not sure you could do X" and you can convince them, or explain how you know that but you'd be good at the rest of the job and learn X).

@IA

Good response that for both parties.

That shows maturity.

You're hired!