On Thu, May 9, 2013 at 6:29 PM, Darrell Fuhriman <[email protected]> wrote:
>these kind of trick questions are really a terrible thing to do.
>
> It establishes a power dynamic that you don't want in the interview
> 1) Maybe he/she meant TCP, I'll answer that.
> 2) This person doesn't know what they're talking about, I'll humor them with
> a vague answer
> 3) Oh, shit, I had no idea there was such a thing, I'll bluff.
> 4) Oh shit, I had no idea there was such a thing, I'm going to look stupid.
I don't disagree with your take on that but I will say that in some of
our jobs, there has to be a place for "You're in over your head, what
do you do?" type of questions, senarios, or situations where how well
you respond to it is extermely important?
There's also something to be said about how the problem is presented.
I agree, presenting it in a sneaky or underhanded manner in an effort
to reinforce the hierachy or pecking order is bad. Presenting it as
"Okay, here's a question, there's no right or wrong answer, I just
want to hear how you work it out." is much more helpful.
I once had an interview and they asked if I'd mind if all the other
members of the team could join us and ask questions. I saw no problem
with it and I agreed. As the last of the dozen or so folks squeezed
into a small conference room, they apologized for, as they called it,
"ganging up on me". My response, because I was prepared for it was "If
I can't handle this then you shouldn't give me the job." which won
over most of the team. (I turned down a second interview which
dumbfounded them because of other reasons.)
I think that the one thing the LOPSA type crowd will understand better
than most is that the most valuable thing that we can say or do during
an interview or in one of these situations is "I don't know but I know
how to find out." That's what I've always looked for in coworkers, the
willingness to admit their own limitations.
--
<< MCT >> Michael C Tiernan.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mtiernan
Non Impediti Ratione Cogatationis
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