Alright ATOT, help me become a better hiring manager - interview questions.

[Ruptga]

My question will be: "Hi (candidate name), in your own words (not canned answers) and in about 2-3 minutes, can you tell me/us why I/we should pick you over other candidates?"

The answer to that really is the whole point of the interview process, and you don't want somebody with no self-confidence anyway. I'd ask this after asking how they would troubleshoot an actual persistent bug, but I'd probably boil it down to "tell me how are you better than the average candidate", or maybe "what do you bring to the table that the average (insert profession) doesn't".

Both questions are open-ended, and both questions allow the interviewee to show you their stuff. You're not trying to eliminate candidates, you're trying to get the right one(s) to stand up and announce themselves.

Talk shop, go off script, break the rules. That will help you root out people who are bullshitting versus people who know their shit.

I really hate the behavioural style interviews because for the interviewee it feels like you're being interrogated rather than establishing a professional business relationship. For interviewers, you only really find out whether they've read the script and know how to deliver canned responses.

Also, what he said.

 

[Ns1]

job details in OP

 

[IronWing]

job details in OP

List five ways to skim off a contract and steps you would take to detect any dicscrepancies.

Give us an example of how you have used weasel words to give a counter party the perception that they would be getting something from us that we have no intention of providing.

 

[disappoint]

I have about 4 weeks to prepare, so please don't shit on me too much yet.

Oh ok, I won't shit on you too much yet. Considering you're likely a thin skinned delicate little flower, instead of giving it to you straight, and telling you like it is, I'll paint you a rosy little picture of the apocalypse.

I got a spot open in Los Angeles, CA for a senior analyst doing contract accounting work. Usual requirements, ~3 years in finance/accounting. Related experience in entertainment is helpful. Pay is decent (probably around 60k for this position), work/life balance is good.

MSG me for additional details, posting is valid until 2/13/15.

"I got a spot open..." Right off the bat I can tell that despite English being your second language, you are making great progress toward your goal of becoming semi-literate. You should be very proud that you have come such a long way in such a short period of time learning this new (to you) language as it can be very difficult for newcomers. Keep reading those Hairy Potted Plant novels and one day you'll find you have magically mastered the language of Freedom and debauchery. I'm not entirely sure what debauchery is but every once in a while I like to macerate a new word into my vernacular because I once read in a reddit article that I shouldn't delegate my awesome list of flasks but own it. So I took up drinking when no one is looking out of one of those pocket sized containment vessels for the morning ethanol imbibing winner in everyone.

 

[disappoint]

You're not trying to eliminate candidates, you're trying to get the right one(s) to stand up and announce themselves.

 

[Ruptga]

Hey, I never said he had to agree with them just because they're confident.

 

[disappoint]

I got a spot open yo
I ain't down wit thugs n hoes
Is it you I'm looking fo?
Don't ax me I don't know
So let's go bro
I got an ego
I'm the lyricist who says whoa
Are you the one who knocks though
Magnets, how they work don't no one know so...
Is it you I'm looking fo?
If so..
Don't hesitate to hit me up bro...
Pick up the hello kitty smartpho
and say hello...
Cause it might be you we lookin fo...
Tell me how to win your smarts
For I haven't got a clue...
Are you in some cubicle feeling lonely
Or is someone holding you
If you're being held hostage...
We can negotiate with them too
Pick up that hello kitty smartphone
Because it works on magnets too

 

[kstu]

Can I see your socks?

 

[Fenixgoon]

ask them questions that make them think on their feet. give them a question to which there is no correct answer - that way you can see how they reason through to a solution to the problem, whatever it may be. for example: a car and a motorcycle with equal power-to-weight ratios are racing around a track. which one is faster?

have them explain something to you that you know nothing about - see what their ability to communicate is like. for example, ask questions about a hobby, and try to get them to explain technical details of some kind. how do you put different kinds of spin on soccer ball when you kick it?

 

[Ns1]

have them explain something to you that you know nothing about - see what their ability to communicate is like. for example, ask questions about a hobby, and try to get them to explain technical details of some kind. how do you put different kinds of spin on soccer ball when you kick it?

ah yes, the "pick a topic regarding your education background and explain it to me like I'm a noob" question?". They might have to do stuff over webex, so I should sit in the other room and have them explain it to me over the phone. And I'll reply in indian english with a 5 second delay.

 

[CPA]

If this is for an accounting job, ask them to write out on a white board how to balance a bank account. And, no, checking your phone for your balance is not the right answer (yes, I've had that answer before).

 

[Carson Dyle]

Here are a few of the basic questions that everyone should ask.

• How old are you?
  
  You don't want to hire some geezer ready for the glue factory. People today often appear much younger than they really are. You could interview some decrepit old fuck - like 45, or even 50, and you might think they're in their 30s. Don't make that mistake. Ask them straight up and show them the door if they indicate they'll be getting the senior pricing at Denny's soon.
  
  
• Do you like women or men?
  
  This is particularly important. You certainly wouldn't want to work with someone who's going to make you and everyone else in the office uncomfortable. Those people should keep to themselves.
  
  
• Are you married?
  
  Ask this of cute women, but only after you've established which way they swing. If she bats for the other team, don't bother. And if she's married, pass. There will be more qualified candidates.
  
  
• Do you like to drink?
  
  No, you're not worried if the candidate might be an alky. You need to know if they can hang with the boys when you all go out drinking at 5PM every day after work. If they're not a big drinker, they won't be much of a team player.
  
  
• Where did you go to college?
  
  What? No college degree? I don't care if this if for a floor maintenance job at Walmart - no degree, no job. From a community college? Get lost. Some second-rate state school in a mostly illiterate state? We'll keep your resume on file (yeah, right).
  

 

[disappoint]

What no questioning of their religious affiliation?
Nothing about their ethnicity?
Fail.
Also ask them to strip because you need to make sure they have no hidden tattoos as these are taboo. Especially ones near the caboose.

 

[Carson Dyle]

What no questioning of their religious affiliation?
Nothing about their ethnicity?

Religious affiliation? That would intrusive and highly inappropriate.

As for ethnicity, they'e sitting right in front of you. They're either white or they're not.

 

[Carson Dyle]

I got a spot open in Los Angeles, CA for a senior analyst doing contract accounting work. Usual requirements, ~3 years in finance/accounting. Related experience in entertainment is helpful. Pay is decent (probably around 60k for this position), work/life balance is good.

Buzzword flag. Work/life balance is about how someone deals with their job and their life away from it. It can't said of a job. I suspect what you really mean is that the position doesn't require much more than 40 hours per week.

 

[mikeymikec]

My question will be: "Hi (candidate name), in your own words (not canned answers) and in about 2-3 minutes, can you tell me/us why I/we should pick you over other candidates?"

Do I get bonus points for using as many interview buzzwords as possible?

proactive
think outside the box
people-centred
work/life balance

@ OP

Ask yourself what the stresses of your particular workplace are, as well as the possibly more stressful elements of the successful applicant's job will be, and think of questions surrounding those. If a particular technical skill is important, but requires a longer answer than is practical to give in an earlier stage of the application, that's likely to be a good topic for an interview question.

The person whose job I'm doing for one of my customers couldn't handle a common factor in small companies, being that you are likely to end up doing more than one role (e.g. if you're in IT, ending up also doing a project that isn't really IT related). So if I were to interview for that sort of role, I would probably ask what the applicants' experiences are along those lines. It gives them a useful piece of information (what to expect in that job) and allows them to talk positively about their own experiences.

 

[Zeze]

You should PM TridenT- an excellent candidate.

 

[z1ggy]

"What do you expect to be the worst part of this job?"

/s

 

[gorcorps]

nevermnd