Personal Development for Smart People^TM Forums

Elenny · 06-30-2007, 05:12 PM

Next week I will be interviewing some potential employees for my father's business (an office manager and a couple of administrative assistants), and I would like to come up with some interesting and creative interview questions.

It seemed like for every job I ever interviewed I got the same "what are your strengths and weaknesses" type questions. Boring.

Can anyone suggest questions that will give me a good insight on the potential employee without making them feel tortured?

Better yet...what's the best interview question that was made to you, or that you made to a potential employee?

Shamou · 06-30-2007, 05:18 PM

From "Indiana University" INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Good luck to you...

.

maclinda · 06-30-2007, 05:37 PM

How about a situation that your company has going on, asking for how they would manage that? (I wouldn't divulge that it was a problem, per se)

Or you could bring up a past issue and ask how they would handle that.

Those kind of topics make for a more interesting conversation, I think, and lets you see how the person thinks.

n_vizion · 07-01-2007, 10:11 AM

Someone asked a potential candidate at my compay "if today were hat day, what kind of hat would you wear?"

Restrikted · 07-01-2007, 01:52 PM

Ask them "Why are manhole covers round?"

A classic Microsoft question.

SnerpGoodWord · 07-07-2010, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Restrikted

Ask them "Why are manhole covers round?"

A classic Microsoft question.

Only at MSFT, where you can assume none of the job candidates have ever dug a hole in their lives, would that be a critical thinking question

StuartPE · 07-07-2010, 09:42 PM

Throw them a curveball like "What do you think about the possibility of Extra Terrestrial Life" to stop them repeating their well rehearsed answers and make them have to think critically.

joyfulgrowth · 07-07-2010, 10:03 PM

Just make sure that while brainstorming questions, you focus on what you actually want to get out of them, rather than on finding the smartest, best, most creative and innovative questions.

What qualities does your "ideal candidate" have, and how would you know that?

Ideally, write at least a page about that before the interview, and develop your questions from there.

joyfulgrowth · 07-07-2010, 10:09 PM

e.g. for office staff, critical thinking may be nice, but not on top of your list. So it doesn't make a lot of sense to focus on brain teasers during the interview.

MyEyeIsOpen · 07-08-2010, 02:14 AM

Consider that there is no correlation between performance in an interview and performance in a job.

My suggestion is to skip it. Go out to lunch with the candidates, maybe with the people he/she will be working with, have a conversation.

Pick the one you like the most for a 3 month probationary period. The proof is in the pudding, as they say.

patricholier · 05-20-2011, 01:25 AM

Hi

This topic help me a lot in developing my project. I will contribute more when I finished it.

patricholier · 05-27-2011, 03:43 PM

I found some references on this subject, please refer to everyone here: Creative interview questions
Best regards.

mrngorickets · 06-15-2011, 09:44 AM

Hi,

Good ideal, pls try to keep posting. I like this topic very much and I will digged this one. Tks again.

Apart from that, you also can ref more resources at: Analytical thinking interview questions

Best rgs

topconlacj · 11-25-2011, 07:43 AM

Hi,

I agreed with you. Any way, your points of view make me thinking about some thing for my project.

Pls try to keep posting. Tks and best regards

Clint Cora · 11-25-2011, 02:18 PM

If you really want to be on the ball for the modern times, throw in some diversity questions. Ask how candidates would react in certain situations involving a person of a specific ethnic culture or sexual orientation or handicap. This will assess how they might function in a diverse working environment.

topconlacj · 12-05-2011, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Cora

If you really want to be on the ball for the modern times, throw in some diversity questions. Ask how candidates would react in certain situations involving a person of a specific ethnic culture or sexual orientation or handicap. This will assess how they might function in a diverse working environment.

If you want to get more materials that related to this topic, you can visit: Office manager interview questions

Best regards.

06-30-2007, 05:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
Elenny Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 189	Creative Interview Questions Next week I will be interviewing some potential employees for my father's business (an office manager and a couple of administrative assistants), and I would like to come up with some interesting and creative interview questions. It seemed like for every job I ever interviewed I got the same "what are your strengths and weaknesses" type questions. Boring. Can anyone suggest questions that will give me a good insight on the potential employee without making them feel tortured? Better yet...what's the best interview question that was made to you, or that you made to a potential employee?

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Big Interview... I'm nervous!	DerekNewland	Technology & Technical Skills	17	04-04-2011 02:47 PM
A Creative Contribution - And not just to the bank?	Designer M	Character & Contribution	8	06-03-2009 08:45 AM
My figure out the feelings inside my brain/body thread	Sunnybayes	Personal Effectiveness	87	04-27-2008 03:57 PM
Are you in a Growth… Survival… or Floating Mode…???	Shamou	Personal Effectiveness	35	08-22-2007 01:56 AM
Creative Visualization	Margot Stepien	Intention-Manifestation	4	11-13-2006 01:58 PM

06-30-2007, 05:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
Shamou Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada Posts: 3,811	From "Indiana University" INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Good luck to you... .

06-30-2007, 05:37 PM	#3 (permalink)
maclinda Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 132	How about a situation that your company has going on, asking for how they would manage that? (I wouldn't divulge that it was a problem, per se) Or you could bring up a past issue and ask how they would handle that. Those kind of topics make for a more interesting conversation, I think, and lets you see how the person thinks.

07-01-2007, 10:11 AM	#4 (permalink)
n_vizion Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 67	Someone asked a potential candidate at my compay "if today were hat day, what kind of hat would you wear?"

07-01-2007, 01:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
Restrikted Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 233	Ask them "Why are manhole covers round?" A classic Microsoft question.

07-07-2010, 09:42 PM	#7 (permalink)
StuartPE Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 98	Throw them a curveball like "What do you think about the possibility of Extra Terrestrial Life" to stop them repeating their well rehearsed answers and make them have to think critically.

07-07-2010, 10:03 PM	#8 (permalink)
joyfulgrowth Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 484	Just make sure that while brainstorming questions, you focus on what you actually want to get out of them, rather than on finding the smartest, best, most creative and innovative questions. What qualities does your "ideal candidate" have, and how would you know that? Ideally, write at least a page about that before the interview, and develop your questions from there.

07-07-2010, 10:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
joyfulgrowth Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 484	e.g. for office staff, critical thinking may be nice, but not on top of your list. So it doesn't make a lot of sense to focus on brain teasers during the interview.

07-08-2010, 02:14 AM	#10 (permalink)
MyEyeIsOpen Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 700	Consider that there is no correlation between performance in an interview and performance in a job. My suggestion is to skip it. Go out to lunch with the candidates, maybe with the people he/she will be working with, have a conversation. Pick the one you like the most for a 3 month probationary period. The proof is in the pudding, as they say.

05-20-2011, 01:25 AM	#11 (permalink)
patricholier Junior Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 2	Hi This topic help me a lot in developing my project. I will contribute more when I finished it.

05-27-2011, 03:43 PM	#12 (permalink)
patricholier Junior Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 2	I found some references on this subject, please refer to everyone here: Creative interview questions Best regards.

06-15-2011, 09:44 AM	#13 (permalink)
mrngorickets Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 3	Hi, Good ideal, pls try to keep posting. I like this topic very much and I will digged this one. Tks again. Apart from that, you also can ref more resources at: Analytical thinking interview questions Best rgs

11-25-2011, 07:43 AM	#14 (permalink)
topconlacj Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 2	Hi, I agreed with you. Any way, your points of view make me thinking about some thing for my project. Pls try to keep posting. Tks and best regards

11-25-2011, 02:18 PM	#15 (permalink)
Clint Cora Family Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Mississauga, On Canada Posts: 1,502	If you really want to be on the ball for the modern times, throw in some diversity questions. Ask how candidates would react in certain situations involving a person of a specific ethnic culture or sexual orientation or handicap. This will assess how they might function in a diverse working environment.

Personal Development for Smart PeopleTM Forums

Personal Development for Smart People^TM Forums