Permie interview

[Board Game Geek]

Originally Posted by Beefy198
"If you were a biscuit what would you be" and "if you were an animal what would you be" are two that I've heard.

I would suggest that "Soggy Biscuit" is not a suitable answer to the first half of the question.

Unless you are being recruited to work for Playboy.

Personally, I'd answer "Half Man, Half Biscuit" as a full answer.

If they don't get the reference, then they are not interesting enough to work for.

[Ivor Bigun]

I love the HR questions in an interview!

An interview is a conversation with a purpose - the purpose being to ascertain whether you are suitable for the job - what bearing does having something unusual to tell about yourself have on whether you will be suitable for the job you are being interviewed for?

If I told you why these questions are asked, I'd have to kill you.

[shoes]

I think permie interviews are a load of balls for a variety of reasons -


The permies typically don't have a clue what they're supposed to be asking you, so you get random crap.

For some of them it's their 'big chance' to feel important and feel like they have some power. And they do! They can help determine if you end up like them or not. Quite the prize.

Somewhere along the line they might have convinced themselves that the company they work for is 'the best in the business', again because it helps them feel better about their boring jobs they've been stuck at for x years. From these types you'll get questions along the lines of 'so why do you think you're as good as me, and therefore worthy to work at this, the best of all companies'.

The nonsense you'll get from the HR bird will be silently acknowledged as absolute tosh by everyone in the room but she's the only bit of skirt in the office so they'll all tolerate it and nod in serious ways. It won't matter how you answer these ones. Not even to her.



I think I prefer the contractor ones.

'We need someone with your skillset quickly, we've got no-one else coming in this week, are you interested? Please confirm a couple of things about your history on your cv by talking about it a bit, you don't look too mad, ok, next week good for you?'

[realityhack]

Personally, I'd answer "Half Man, Half Biscuit" as a full answer.

If they don't get the reference, then they are not interesting enough to work for.

Best answer yet.

'We need someone with your skillset quickly, we've got no-one else coming in this week, are you interested? Please confirm a couple of things about your history on your cv by talking about it a bit, you don't look too mad, ok, next week good for you?'

Oh how true.

[NotAllThere]

I love the HR questions in an interview!

What could they possibly have found out about you from the question
"Tell me something unusual about yourself?"

They will say it is to enable you to think on your feet but this is absolute rubbish - any muppet knows that if asked a question during the course of a normal business day that puts you on the spot the correct answer is "Not sure - I will look into it and get back to you" ...

HR: Tell me something unusual about yourself
NAT: Hmm. Not sure - I will look into it and get back to you

Works for me.

[tay]

"if you were an animal what would you be"

A gnu. Saftey in the herd, you dont have to be the fastest gnu in the herd, just not the slowest. Methinks this answer wouldnt get me a job.

[NotAllThere]

I've got a gnu and I'm not afraid to use it.

[Gonzo]

I don't think Sal ever went that far, but she did express a certain desire for Des Browne at one point.

She did once share with us what she thought of him after seeing him in person at Durham station.

I was about to put that I was not sad enough to look for the post, but here it is

http://forums.contractoruk.com/gener...ml?#post574202

[original PM]

HR: Tell me something unusual about yourself
NAT: Hmm. Not sure - I will look into it and get back to you

Works for me.

me too but seriously define unusual?

I have a third nipple?

I am the reincarnation of Genghis Khan?

difference between unusual and mad could be pretty slim.

In addition to this - let say you have spent 2 years doing a-levels, 3 years doing a degree and maybe another 4 getting professional quals and someone asks in an interview what type of biscuit would you be????

I know it is about jumping through hoops to get jobs but these things just add no value and if you look at it professionally it really does just suck!

[shoes]

HR: Tell me something unusual about yourself

The question does sort of imply that there being something unusual is a positive thing. Why is that? If it was my business and I needed someone to do some work for my company so I could resell that work to a customer for a higher price, why is it good that there is something 'unusual' about the person doing the work?

These questions are based on the uninformed opinions and prejudices of HR people, it is utter nonsense. It can also be quite insulting for someone educated to a degree or doctorate level to be interrogated by a school leaver who has no understanding of the work the role entails.