The Fantasy Interview Question

At some time in the past   interviewers began asking what appear to be ridiculous interview questions.  An example might be: “Why are manhole covers round?”  This question would seem to be a good one because if covers were rectangular they could fall into the hole, but if covers were square they only fit in four possible ways.  A round cover fits in any position in the hole.

Now, let us look at a question I was asked in an interview.

Q: What would you do if you found yourself in a food blender and someone was about to turn it on?

You must be joking.  What possible skill might this question be attempting to tap?  Perhaps it means to see how creative I can be, but what research has been done to show such a question taps this creativity talent?

I had decided prior to the interview to examine such a question from its specific factors: in this case a blender.

My Answer:

“My son had been making smoothies with our blender.  One night I decided to make some chocolate milk for myself.  I poured in the milk and added miniature chocolate kisses from the Nestle’s bag I had.  The chocolate sank to the bottom, but I expected the blending action to chop it up.  It did not.  The milk was still white, and the chocolate remained at the bottom.

So,  I would turn myself into these chocolate chunks and sink to the safe place below the blades.  When the blending stops I will swim to the top and get out.”

There was silence for a brief moment and then the three interviewers were excited because my answer was the best they said they had ever heard!  Go figure.

So my advice to you is to think about the question you are asked and try to relate to the conditions imposed.

Interview Question: Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned

My Answer:

"I really believe in networking with others, and I always ask people about their failures or the failures of other people.  You see, I can learn from failures without paying the cost as if I had done it myself – but back to your question.  I was the project manager for a software project to transfer payroll data from an expensive Unix computer to a PC desktop.  

 The client was the largest law firm in Tennessee (more than 300 lawyers).  I looked very hard for a data base expert who specialized in a Borland software product.  I finally found a subject matter expert to do the critical programming.  I received an up front payment and we began to work.  

 But on the day before the contract was to be finished – and we were on schedule at that time – the critical worker (call him the franchise player) got angry over a perceived insult – and quit – just walked off the job.  We defaulted on the contract because it was not completed the next day.  But the default was not financially destructive because I kept the client informed and happy the entire time.

As to what I learned …. If you are running a project, identify the franchise workers, if any, and get a personal assurance from them they will complete the contract.  I also learned to have an identified replacement for all workers, including me.”

From this example you can sense a strategy  - failure which was understood and never repeated.

The Interview: But you have no On the Job Experience!

Your response must reflect much of the following information.

Please let me explain why I consider myself to be both minimally experienced and qualified.  

"We all understand the power and strength of social networking, but I have employed networking to a single purpose.   If I were employed in the position we are here to discuss, I would be networking with my co-workers, discussing and learning from our experiences – and our failures.  One or more of my contacts would be serving as mentors by answering my questions and offering their experienced opinions.  These network communications provide a truly significant overlap with the real and valid OJT (On the Job) experiences.  The truly great advantage of networking is that you can learn from the failures of others without ever making the same mistakes – and suffering the consequences of failure."

"I have always used social networking to broaden my knowledge and experience - about anything I want to learn more about.  I seek out anyone smarter than I am and anyone with significant and important information.    For example, when I saw my first iPad user I asked how he liked it, what he did not like about it, and how it could be better.  I have decided that the iPad with a folding keyboard was the perfect college student aid. You can type lecture notes, surf the web for information, and photograph the lecturer’s drawings from the board.

I hope you can understand my viewpoint and understand I do not suffer from the normal debilitating consequences of no OJT experience.

I have always sought every opportunity to learn and to advance myself, and I also believe in the concept of lifelong learning."