The worst interview question.........

[MrMarkyMark]

Worst interview answer I ever received...

The question: "Tell me, how many data warehouses have you worked on, in terms of building or maintaining?"

The answer (bearing in mind that we were recruiting for a seasoned data warehouse developer and I hadn't sourced the candidates or seen the cvs): "None yet, but I'm really looking forward to it."
Clammy handshake as well.

[tomtomagain]

Worst interview answer I ever received...

The worst answer I ever received was when interviewing for a C# dev.

So we have a candidate in front of us, myself and a colleague, and this guy is a bit of a talker, comes across as amiable, but maybe not much of a listener.

Mid-way through the interview we're not getting much detail but he's OK. Plenty of amusing anecdotes and my colleague says:

"Now we are going to ask you some questions on Object Orientated Design"

And I ask my question "Tell me a time when you used an abstract class...... blah blah".

And clearly the guy is not listening because he starts going on about how he took the design lead in his current team because he knew how to use Photoshop and had a good eye for colour.

We're looking at him incredulously when my partner interrupts and says : "Not graphics, object oriented programming".

And which point he says : "Oh you mean things like C++? Oh I never bothered to learn any of that it's much to hard!" .... and then his face falls as he realises what has just come out of his mouth.

Nice guy though. Didn't make the team.

[MyUserName]

We were interviewing a guy once for a COM expert position. We wanted a contractor to knock a COM framework for us to use so the requirement was expert in COM and we don't give a stuff about anything else.

The interview started and we asked what he knew about COM. He looked blank and after a few seconds replied "nothing, why do you ask?".

After shared stunned silences we worked out he was a COMS expert and not a COM expert. I am not completely sure what a COMS expert is but it certainly wasn't any use to us.


I interviewed for a position at Pzifer(sp?) for my industrial placement year and the first of about a dozen interviews went:

Him: "Which stats modules do you take?"
Me: "None"
Him:"What? Why?"
Me:"I do not like stats, I took the applied maths modules"
Him:"You do realise that we are hiring a statistician?"
Me:"Are you? I thought you were hiring a programmer?"
Him:"No"
Me:"Oh ... should I go then?"
Him:"The bus isn't coming until 5 so you might as well stay for the interviews but I doubt we will hire you"
Me:"I see ... well ... have you seen any good films recently?"

We had a laugh about it but it was a surreal first interview! It turns out my tutor has misread the job spec.

[LondonManc]

We were interviewing a guy once for a COM expert position. We wanted a contractor to knock a COM framework for us to use so the requirement was expert in COM and we don't give a stuff about anything else.

The interview started and we asked what he knew about COM. He looked blank and after a few seconds replied "nothing, why do you ask?".

After shared stunned silences we worked out he was a COMS expert and not a COM expert. I am not completely sure what a COMS expert is but it certainly wasn't any use to us.


I interviewed for a position at Pzifer(sp?) for my industrial placement year and the first of about a dozen interviews went:

Him: "Which stats modules do you take?"
Me: "None"
Him:"What? Why?"
Me:"I do not like stats, I took the applied maths modules"
Him:"You do realise that we are hiring a statistician?"
Me:"Are you? I thought you were hiring a programmer?"
Him:"No"
Me:"Oh ... should I go then?"
Him:"The bus isn't coming until 5 so you might as well stay for the interviews but I doubt we will hire you"
Me:"I see ... well ... have you seen any good films recently?"

We had a laugh about it but it was a surreal first interview! It turns out my tutor has misread the job spec.

I'd imagine the COMS expert was a communications expert - IP phone servers, networking, etc.

[DodgyAgent]

[LondonManc]

It'd explain the candidates you have probably punted to clients from time to time

[ContractorHardman]

I was interviewing at a bank and I was interviewing as part of a graduates scheme. The guy in front of me was the favourite on the basis of CV.

Me: "What do you think you could do to improve processes?"
Guy: "I really think managers get more complacent as they get older. They use their experience and stick to their ways which means they become less efficient, blah, blah"
Me: "Meet my colleague X sitting next to me, 30 years in banking and she is a senior manager"
Colleague X then proceeds to roast the poor kid

Lesson: Learn your audience before you make a sweeping statement at interview.

[zara_backdog]

Would you be interested in a permanent position?

I have just been asked at an interview last week 'Would you be interested in a fixed term contract?'

Shudder!

Oh and yesterday - I had to do a presentation

[MyUserName]

I'd imagine the COMS expert was a communications expert - IP phone servers, networking, etc.

Ah right, that makes sense. Weird how he ended up in a software interview for COM expert!