Good interview questions to ask - as the interviewer

[MickTravis665321]

What are some good questions that you have received as an interviewee, that made you think that the interviewer/company would be a good place to work for?

Got a spate of interviews coming up and want to avoid all the clichés such as what are you strengths etc.

Anyone been asked any good ones that really made you think positively of the process? Tech industry / support level roles.

[simon_harris]

I like to ask about the best and worst bosses they have worked for and what made them so. I also ask about what they consider their success and failures in their career and what made those events so.

[RustyMX5]

As an interviewee I asked an interview to tell me what made company X a good place to work. I've also asked the interviewer to tell me a couple of bad things about a company because everyone knows that no company is perfect.

I think one of the strangest ones I've been asked (Analyst role) was What's the difference between a poison and a venom? That one was designed by the interviewer to see how I, and others, analysed things.

[visitinglondon]

If you were an animal, what would you be?

[-Cappo-]

visitinglondon said:

If you were an animal, what would you be?

I’d be a cheetah, because that would be the fastest means of getting away from an interviewer who asked that question.

[bristolbaron]

MickTravis665321 said:

Got a spate of interviews coming up and want to avoid all the clichés such as what are you strengths etc.

I go the opposite with ‘what is your biggest weakness and what measures do you put in place to overcome it?’

Everyone can talk about their strengths, and they’re all generic answers. A lot will still come up with ‘I work too hard’ or ‘I give too much’ etc, but when pushed you can get some great answers of how someone will reflect and problem solve.

[StuTheGrouch]

What development needs do you think you have and how best would an employer support this?

[Countdown]

-Cappo- said:

visitinglondon said:

If you were an animal, what would you be?

I’d be a cheetah, because that would be the fastest means of getting away from an interviewer who asked that question.

We have asked similar, normally because it breaks the ice / helps everybody relax at the end of the interview.

[Countdown]

MickTravis665321 said:

What are some good questions that you have received as an interviewee, that made you think that the interviewer/company would be a good place to work for?

Got a spate of interviews coming up and want to avoid all the clichés such as what are you strengths etc.

Anyone been asked any good ones that really made you think positively of the process? Tech industry / support level roles.

IME/IMO questions from Interviewer to Interviewee aren't really designed to make the company look like a great place to work. You have plenty of time before or after the interview to go through things like the work culture, perks and benefits, and perhaps what sets you apart from your competitors.

"Selling the company" as part of an interview question risks coming across as a David Brent e.g.

"In your previous roles how have you coped with having a manager who was more of a chilled out entertainer?"

[captain_cynic]

RustyMX5 said:

As an interviewee I asked an interview to tell me what made company X a good place to work. I've also asked the interviewer to tell me a couple of bad things about a company because everyone knows that no company is perfect.

I always ask what the worst thing about the company is because it reveals red flags. If they're reluctant to answer it shows that you're not allowed to or they don't want to be candid, if it's a generic thing then they aren't being honest.

Another question I ask is what they expect me to be able to do on week one and at 3 months. Helps to tell you up front if they have unrealistic expectations.

RustyMX5 said:

I think one of the strangest ones I've been asked (Analyst role) was What's the difference between a poison and a venom? That one was designed by the interviewer to see how I, and others, analysed things.

Venom is injected by bite and stings. Otherwise it's just poison. Snakes are venomous, toads are poisonous.

Less about analysis and more semi obscure knowledge.

Also I believe I learned that off QI so probably quite a few people know it.

[MickTravis665321]

Countdown said:

"In your previous roles how have you coped with having a manager who was more of a chilled out entertainer?"

Love it.

[madcowman]

I used to try and coax a war story out of the interviewee - tell me about something that went wrong and how you dealt with it.

good test of story telling and honesty ( anyone who says that nothing ever went wrong is lying )

[Terminator X]

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TX.

[Matt Harper]

Tell me about something you have accomplished that you are really proud of.

Give me an example of a situation where you personally made a difference....

[Mortarboard]

"Tell me about your worst ever day at work"

It's semi-uncomfortable, so easier to spot a canned "interview prepped" response.
Also gives good insight into what is and isn't important to the interviewee.
Amd really prices fir follow up questions. Too many goid interviewees have primed answers for the "regular" star type questions.

M.

[Dohnut]

I've just come out of a two hour interview today (as the interviewee). Met 5 people in total and the thing that stuck me the most was how keen they were to learn about me as a person and not just ask after my qualifications/skill set/experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process and, if offered the role, will take it.

[Mojooo]

visitinglondon said:

If you were an animal, what would you be?

fk off mate

also a pointless question IMO

I'm sure we have all worked at places with duff hires..i struggle to see how questions like this will weed them out!

[928GT-tastic]

Two good ones I know of:
During an Electrolux interview for engineering internship
• Interviewer says: I see you did metal Worksop at school, what did you learn from that? Candidate relies: I learnt I couldn’t do metal work
• Interviewer at the end of interview: Any last questions for us? Candidate: Yer. What type of hoovers do you make anyway…

[Aunty Pasty]

One question I had last year as an interviewee was:

AEG or gas blowback?

This relates to one of my listed interests and shows me somebody else there shares a similar interest and gives me an opportunity to talk about myself as a person.

Also shows they read through the whole CV.

[BlindedByTheLights]

The best I’ve had have been more conversational and allowed me to really talk about who I am, what I like, what I’ve done etc so think about how to have a conversation rather than traditional interview