What Question Do/Would You Most Hate Being Asked in an Interview?

[QofQuimica]

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Time for our next poll. 🙂

For those of you who are interviewing, what is your least favorite question to be asked? If you don't mind being asked any of my options, choose other and post your least favorite question. If you haven't interviewed yet, you can still vote for a question that you would not want to be asked in the future.

For me, it is definitely "where else have you applied/interviewed/been accepted?"

 

[Richardh]

i struggled in coming up with an original and genuine answer to the question: why do you want to be a doctor?

it can be easy to answer but at the same time hard to answer.

 

[hematosis]

.

 

[TFS]

reform/policy questions 😱
ethics

 

[ruraldocmom]

I hate illegal questions. Because you still have to answer them or look like a prick.

When I was interviewing for an adjunct prof job in California, this elderly professor asked me if I planned on having any more kids. I mumbled something about "Oh no, one is quite enough for us" but the whole interview committee looked at him in a shocked way, so I dismissed the question as a fluke.

Then I found out as I was leaving, that my replacement (also female) got asked the same question, by the same guy, with the same shocked reaction from the crowd. Of course, she was also asked how black girl from Oakland ended up getting her degree from one of the most expensive schools in the country. Seriously? Argh. And you have to answer, because you are still being evaluated and if you choose not to answer its like saying yes, or looking like an ass.

However, the truly hardest question to answer is still the "Tell me a little about yourself"... how to do that without rambling or missing your main points... that takes some serious practice!

 

[Dianyla]

I'm terrified of the "Tell us a joke" question, because the only jokes I can readily remember are inappropriate for interviews.

 

[LingoLaine]

Any questions related to my weaknesses. I haven't found a good answer that seems genuine but doesn't make me an undesirable candidate. I'd really rather not go there.

 

[ChicagoSL]

"If you don't get into medical school, what other profession would you choose?"

I hate this question. Obviously I have my heart set on being a doctor, otherwise I wouldn't have sunk in thousands of hours and thousands of dollars to be here!!!!

 

[Dianyla]

"If you don't get into medical school, what other profession would you choose?"

Hobo. Definitely a Hobo.

 

[Helen Wheels]

Hobo. Definitely a Hobo.

I am glad I didn't get asked this. Honestly, if I couldn't be a dr the first two other occupations that pop into my mind are:

1) Opera singer
2) Race horse trainer

I know I couldn't have said that in an interview, it sounds too flip. But, by golly, in another lifetime... 🙂

 

[CW 2010]

My friend was asked "Tell us about the last time you lied".

What are you supposed to answer to that???

 

[EdLongshanks]

My friend was asked "Tell us about the last time you lied".

What are you supposed to answer to that???

"But I've never lied in my life --- GULP! I guess the answer to your question is 2 seconds ago."

 

[EdLongshanks]

"But I've never lied in my life --- GULP! I guess the answer to your question is 2 seconds ago."

I had a psychology teacher who handed out a survey on the first day of class. One of the questions is "What is a secret thing about you?" I replied. "Why would I tell you? It's a SECRET." After she picked up the papers I raised my hand and asked what kind of person would answer a question like that and what it revealed about them.

If I were asked this question in an interview and I would make a joke of it and then tell this story.

 

[PostHaste]

I hate issues questions because you're more or less forced to take a stand on something with a 50-50 shot that your interviewer disagrees with you. Ugh.

Any questions related to my weaknesses. I haven't found a good answer that seems genuine but doesn't make me an undesirable candidate. I'd really rather not go there.

I think the best way to go with this is to take a negative and tell how you either a) addressed it or b) made it work to your advantage.
For example:
a) I'm shy so I joined Toastmasters and learned how to speak in public and how to improve my interpersonal skills.
b) I'm really forgetful so it's forced me to perfect my organizational skills.

It shows you're human and you recognize your weaknesses, but that you've put thought into how to work with them.

Just don't do a negative that you actually think is a positive ("I'm a perfectionist"). It's too overdone and it doesn't actually tell anything about yourself.

 

[ejw5075]

I was asked how I could possibly afford to go to school with a child on a pharmacy tech salary, and why I thought it was necessary to have my daughter in day care while I volunteered/shadowed...

 

[catswym]

I am apparently the only one who hates it but I really dislike the "where do you see yourself in twenty years" question and I've been asked it on BOTH of my interviews so far.

um, I see myself being a doctor? I don't know where I want to live, I don't know what specialty I want to do (although I have faint leanings) and I'm not going to talk about my personal life dreams in this interview.