SURVEY SAYS: Have You Been Asked an Odd Interview Question?
This week I asked readers to share the oddest and/or most inappropriate interview question you’ve ever been asked.
Do you have a problem working 60 hour weeks? (This was for a salaried job, so there was no OT involved).”
I observed the worst interview ever, as a member of an HR team in Wisconsin. The woman being interviewed was arrested for child neglect during the interview, as she’d left her child in the car. Another employee had noticed the child and called the police.
How hard do you want to work?
Actually the oddest interview I had was while riding around in a car with two guys “interviewing” me while on their way to pick another employee up at the airport. It was interesting to say the least.
At an interview for HR Director for a transportation agency, I was asked, “Why are manhole covers round?”
How old are you? Do you plan to have any more children ? (I am female.)
The most inappropriate question I was asked in my opinion is during an interview was being asked if I was Italian. It happened a few times at the beginning of interviews with different companies. One time when I answered yes the lady said “good because I like Italian men.”
It wasn't a question I was asked but a question my (male) former boss asked of a female candidate during an interview 30 years ago in which I participated: "Do you cheat on your husband?" She said she did not, but things do change...they were both married at the time but later divorced, dated each other, and were married. I must say it was a bit awkward working in that office...
Do you really need this job?
Assumption that I would be starting a family soon and wanting to know when.
When explaining my reason for leaving my previous job I stated in general I'd had a 'falling out' with one of my previous bosses. The interviewer, who was the owner of the hiring establishment, asked if I had been personally 'involved' with that boss.
"Did you buy those socks to go with that tie? Or did you buy the tie to go with the socks?"
Where did I see myself in 5 years? Married?
After asking where I went to school, an interviewer told me that graduates of my college (one of the University of California campuses) were the "lowest caliber" they were willing to consider. Well, geez, don't do me any favors...
Has anyone ever said "if you had only been a man"?
This shouldn't happen in today's world, but in 1985, I was interviewing for a job and I was asked "can you handle raunchy"....
I asked an applicant for a pension processor position what I thought was a perfectly average question...how would you end a lengthy phone call from a retiree?
When I was about 24 years old and newly married, I was interviewing with a small firm that asked about my qualifications to a certain extent, then proceeded to ask me if I was married, what did my husband do for a living and when did I anticipate bearing children. Obviously they wanted to know if I would move or take maternity leave any time soon.
In 1988, I cannot remember the organization, the interviewer looked at my resume, leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head and asked in an arrogant voice, "So you have a masters degree in history. How's that going to help you with life?"
"What was odd was the series of questions that followed this interview question and the style in which those questions were asked. The interview question was simply, ""Do you like to read books?"", to which the interviewer launched into a series of aggressive, rapid-fire follow-up probing questions, as if this was the most important part of the entire interview. Here's how it went:
Do you like to read books?
What kind of books do you like to read?
What was the last book you read?
Did you finish it?
Did you like it?
What did you like about it?
What did you not like about it?
Would you recommend it?
Why or why not?
Are you currently reading a book?
What is the name of it?
Do you like it?.......etc......"
"While I was completing some paperwork, the male interviewer accepted a phone call, and proceeded to discuss in lengthy detail the previous candidate's ""rack"" (in no lesser terms, mind you) and whether not it would be ""appropriate"" to call her to inquire about her dating status. This was all right across his desk from me...I was shocked speechless, but I completed the interview, interviewed with another manager, and when offered the position, explained that I couldn't accept, based upon what I'd experienced during the interview process."
What was the last argument you had?
I also asked readers how they responded to those questions. Here’s what they said – and whether or not they decided to take the job:
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Do you have a problem working 60 hour weeks? (This was for a salaried job, so there was no OT involved)."
In response to the question, I said, "No, I have no problem working 60 hour weeks, but if I can get my job done in 40 hours, isn't that better?" The person was speechless. I had successfully pointed out that what they were talking about was BILLING 60 hours in a week (this in an org that focuses on utilization as the key measure of success). Realistically, while there will be weeks where someone truly needs to work 60 hours, if you make someone work 60 hours every week, productivity drops off to the point where you're getting the same amount of work out of them as you would in 40 hours but it's taking longer. Anyway, I am still with that company.
Did you take the job? YES.
How hard do you want to work?
I said as hard as I have to get the job done right and on time.
Did you take the job? YES.
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"What was odd was the series of questions that followed this interview question and the style in which those questions were asked. The interview question was simply, ""Do you like to read books?"", to which the interviewer launched into a series of aggressive, rapid-fire follow-up probing questions, as if this was the most important part of the entire interview. Here's how it went:
Do you like to read books?
What kind of books do you like to read?
What was the last book you read?
Did you finish it?
Did you like it?
What did you like about it?
What did you not like about it?
Would you recommend it?
Why or why not?
Are you currently reading a book?
What is the name of it?
Do you like it?.......etc......"
I answered every probing question the interviewer posed, but had an increasingly uncomfortable feeling that maybe I should have been more thoughtful about the books I chose to discuss, and that this would probably determine whether or not I would get the job. As it turned out, I did NOT get a job offer.
Did you take the job? NO.
In 1988, I cannot remember the organization, the interviewer looked at my resume, leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head and asked in an arrogant voice, "So you have a masters degree in history. How's that going to help you with life?"
My response, while snatching the resume from in front of him, "Obviously not get a job with you." I left.
Did you take the job? NO.
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When I was about 24 years old and newly married, I was interviewing with a small firm that asked about my qualifications to a certain extent, then proceeded to ask me if I was married, what did my husband do for a living and when did I anticipate bearing children. Obviously they wanted to know if I would move or take maternity leave any time soon.
It has been many years ago, but I recall boldly answering the questions, although I may have responded as well that I wasn't sure why any of that was important to them, knowing my young cheeky self. I don't recall being made an offer, but I would have refused. I was quite put off by the asking.
Did you take the job? NO.
I asked an applicant for a pension processor position what I thought was a perfectly average question...how would you end a lengthy phone call from a retiree?
She responded that to end a lengthy call with a retiree, she would fake a fire alarm. And no, she did not appear to be joking.
Did you offer her the job? NO.
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This shouldn't happen in today's world, but in 1985, I was interviewing for a job and I was asked "can you handle raunchy"....
My reply was he didn't know my mother!! I grew up listening to her tell off color jokes. Maybe because she was a waitress. I did get the job and worked there for 20 years. He and I are still friends even though he left the company maybe 4-5 years after I was hired.
Did you take the job? YES.
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Has anyone ever said "if you had only been a man"?
"No".
Did you take the job? Didn't get it and it was obviously because I wasn't a man"
Where did I see myself in 5 years? Married?
I had recently moved to the area, and that came up. Since the interviewer had family in my hometown, she quickly turned things to a more personal note. I simply responded that I wasn't sure how that would relate to the position.
Did you take the job? NO.
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"Did you buy those socks to go with that tie? Or did you buy the tie to go with the socks?"
I said no but, in one of my snarkier interview moments, I said I had made the tie out of another pair of socks.
Did you take the job? NO. I had been offered a better job already. Hard to imagine being in that position these days.
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When explaining my reason for leaving my previous job I stated in general I'd had a 'falling out' with one of my previous bosses. The interviewer, who was the owner of the hiring establishment, asked if I had been personally 'involved' with that boss.
Sat there stunned for a moment, then began to chuckle as I thought back to that previous boss and thought to myself 'not if he was last person on earth' eww! However I simply answered the question with an adamant NO. On a side note, after working at the new job I began to understand why the owner was curious about that.....he was a chaser himself! I didn't stay long there.
Did you take the job? YES.
How old are you? Do you plan to have any more children ? (I am female.)
I have to admit I told the truth - my age, and no, I did not plan to have more children. My impression was that the interviewer was not being malicious; he was simply not informed about what is appropriate and legal to ask in an interview.
Did you take the job? YES.
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At an interview for HR Director for a transportation agency, I was asked, "Why are manhole covers round?"
Having no idea of the answer (and figuring it was one of those "gotcha" questions), I said, "Well, people are round in a way, so I guess it is so people can fit through it." I found out later that it is because it is the one shape where there is no way the cover can fall through.
Did you take the job? NO.
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Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey (and who has lived through those truly awful (and in some cases, illegal) interviewing questions!