the lady asked me "what are my goals"? what the hell am i supposed to answer with if i get asked this question in an interview? obviously my goal is to get the damn job but i don't know if that would be an appropriate answer. also i got asked if i had any weaknesses. i know this is a question alot of employers ask but i really wasn't prepared for it. i think i said something like me losing track of time at times if im trying to diagnose a problem i sometimes end up staying over my shift. i think that was the correct way to answer it. anyone got any comments on this?
went for an job interview...
- Thread starter Mark
- Start date
1. goals: you want to be successful at what you do, well respected, and you want to get the job done efficiently. you also can mention what you want to do within your job field, and how you want to grow (e.g. "i'm starting as a paralegal to gain valuable knowledge into the legal field, so that i can ultimately become whatever and help the company out further," etc.)
2. weaknesses: you answered well, as what you said shows dedication and commitment.
2. weaknesses: you answered well, as what you said shows dedication and commitment.
At my last interview I stated my goals as wanting to eventually go back to school for a Masters degree, and that I wanted to further explore the particular industry I was interviewing for, as it was interesting to me but not something I had the opportunity to explore in depth before. They like to know why you're interested in the job beyond just a paycheck, but yeah, sometimes it's hard to really answer that.
lol your goal is to get a flippin' paycheck!
i hate questions like that...you answered the 2nd one quite well IMO
i hate questions like that...you answered the 2nd one quite well IMO
My goal is to work for only temporary until I can use the company for it's educational benefits, so I can get my master's and leave.
and what if that's honest? you can't assume that someone is lying to get a job.
plus, most employment agencies make you agree (in writing) that you're stating true facts on your application and in your interview. it's difficult to be put on the spot -- and sometimes there is a need to find an appropriate answer that may not be within your realm of experience. any answer is good as long as it shows motivation, dedication, and does NOT show any negativity about the individual (that's where they try to get you -- you still need to be showing that weakness as a strength).
goal: to get hired, nef with secretary/receptionist, and get laid
weakness: still a virgin
hahahaha
weakness: still a virgin
hahahaha
mugs
Lifer
- Apr 29, 2003
- 48,920
- 46
- 91
You can assume someone is lying to get a job, because people do it all the time. It's one of the most common interview questions, no one can claim they were "put on the spot" by that question. If what someone claims is their biggest weakness can also be taken as a strength, it's very likely that they ARE lying, because I don't know anyone who doesn't have a weakness that couldn't possibly be seen as a strength as well, and that weakness would definitely be worse than one than can be seen as a strength. My weakness is run-on sentences as you can see.
Originally posted by: mugs
You can assume someone is lying to get a job, because people do it all the time. It's one of the most common interview questions, no one can claim they were "put on the spot" by that question. If what someone claims is their biggest weakness can also be taken as a strength, it's very likely that they ARE lying, because I don't know anyone who doesn't have a weakness that couldn't possibly be seen as a strength as well, and that weakness would definitely be worse than one than can be seen as a strength. My weakness is run-on sentences as you can see.
i just met with a recruiter for a position that they had wanted me to get. as you know, recruiters live off commissions through job placement so naturally they wanted to present me in the most positive light.
they asked me this question and we discussed it at length. they told me that the most important thing is to turn that weakness into a strength. you never want to look negative. being "honest" and making yourself look bad might get you the job, but it's more unlikely if you give off a slightly bad impression by telling them something that they may not want to know. (e.g. if it's a job that requires writing documentation, i wouldn't say that i write run-on sentences.
)
Nocturnal
Lifer
- Jan 8, 2002
- 18,927
- 0
- 76
What I would say is this: My goals are to graduate college with a BS in Computer Science. I would like to land a job as a software engineer. Within a few years I would love to have saved up enough money and came up with a nice idea to start my own company. That's what I would say and have been saying and it's worked all the time.
mugs
Lifer
- Apr 29, 2003
- 48,920
- 46
- 91
Originally posted by: tami
i just met with a recruiter for a position that they had wanted me to get. as you know, recruiters live off commissions through job placement so naturally they wanted to present me in the most positive light.
they asked me this question and we discussed it at length. they told me that the most important thing is to turn that weakness into a strength. you never want to look negative. being "honest" and making yourself look bad might get you the job, but it's more unlikely if you give off a slightly bad impression by telling them something that they may not want to know. (e.g. if it's a job that requires writing documentation, i wouldn't say that i write run-on sentences.
I'm not saying you SHOULD answer honestly, I'm just saying that if I worked in HR I'd assume you're lying if you turn it around to make yourself good, because I assume everyone does that. You SHOULD answer it however they want you to answer it, because it's a stupid question in my opinion (for the very reason that you'll never get someone to honestly tell you what their biggest weakness is).
AreaCode707
Lifer
- Sep 21, 2001
- 18,447
- 133
- 106
I usually answer the weakness question honestly, by highlighting a weakness that isn't related to the job.
For example, one of my weaknesses is that I am really terrible at sales, and I strongly dislike it. I prefer to present things in a balanced light, and I'm not very good at playing up only the good parts of a product or service to convince people to buy it. I'm very analytical, which can sometimes lead to me wanting to present the data for somebody else to make the decision, instead of wanting to make the decision myself. Decision making is one of the things that I have set for myself to work on as a long term goal though.
For example, one of my weaknesses is that I am really terrible at sales, and I strongly dislike it. I prefer to present things in a balanced light, and I'm not very good at playing up only the good parts of a product or service to convince people to buy it. I'm very analytical, which can sometimes lead to me wanting to present the data for somebody else to make the decision, instead of wanting to make the decision myself. Decision making is one of the things that I have set for myself to work on as a long term goal though.
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 21K
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 23K
-
-
Facebook
Twitter