Seriously, though, I was reading a book called "The Gift of Fear" recently, and in a section about avoiding hiring people who are likely to go postal on you, it had some interview questions that I jotted down. We've actually had some unstable people here from time to time, and they take a bit of managing, so I thought it was worthwhile keeping the questions handy.
I share them here: "Describe the best boss you ever had" and "Describe the worst boss you ever had." Danger signs: * Speaks for just a moment about best boss, but waxes on enthusiastically about worst one. * Uses expressions like "Personality conflict" to explain why things didn't work out. * Ridicules former employer. * Does not take responsibility for any prior conflict. "Tell me about a failure in your life and tell me why it occurred." * Cannot think of one * Blames others for failure (eg "I never graduated high school because those damned teachers didn't know how to motivate me.") "What are some of the things your last employer could have done to be more successful?" * Applicant offers a long list of items and appears to feel they could have run things better than management. * Angry rather than constructive comments. Follow up with: "Did you ever tell your previous employer any of your thoughts on ways they could improve?" * "Yes, but they never listened to anyone" or similar indicates communication problems * "What's the use of making suggestions? Nothing ever changes anyway." * Accusations of former employers stealing their ideas. * War stories about solo efforts to get employers to change (as opposed to working with co-workers) * Saying things like co-workers "didn't have the guts to confront management like I did." "What are some of the things your last employer could have done to keep you?" * List of demands that demonstrate unreasonable expectations (eg: Double my salary, make me vice-president, etc.) "How do you go about solving problems at work?" * Themes of confrontation * Does nothing "Nothing ever changes anyway." "Describe a problem you had in your life where someone else's help was very important to you." * Unable to recall a situation * Does not give credit or express appreciation. I know these aren't technical questions, but I thought they were interesting. Cheers, Dylan. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Noon Silk Sent: Thursday, 20 January 2011 10:44 AM To: ozDotNet Subject: [OT](ish) Interview Questions Hello, Anyone have any thoughts/lists on a update-to-date set of questions to ask people (senior .net). I'm preparing a list now (trying to find my old one from a few years ago), just wondering if anyone has any new/interesting questions that they are asking. -- Noon Silk http://dnoondt.wordpress.com/ (Noon Silk) | http://www.mirios.com.au:8081 > "Every morning when I wake up, I experience an exquisite joy - the joy of being this signature." ------------------------------------------------------------- To find out more about the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, visit your local office at Caloundra, Maroochydore, Nambour or Tewantin or visit us online at www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au. If correspondence includes personal information, please refer to Council's Privacy Policy at http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au . This email and any attachments are confidential and only for the use of the addressee. If you have received this email in error you are requested to notify the sender by return email or contact council on 1300 00 7272 and are prohibited from forwarding, printing, copying or using it in anyway, in whole or part. Please note that some council staff utilise Blackberry devices, which results in information being transmitted overseas prior to delivery of any communication to the device. In sending an email to Council you are agreeing that the content of your email may be transmitted overseas. Any views expressed in this email are the author's, except where the email makes it clear otherwise. The unauthorised publication of an email and any attachments generated for the official functions of council is strictly prohibited. Please note that council is subject to the Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld) and Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld).
