Your least favorite interview question?

[aalamruad]

I have a somewhat-related question that I've been burning to ask for a while: if we get a "teach me something" from an interviewer, would it be appropriate to teach them how to do something in a way that required them to stand up and move a little bit (literally walk 3-4 steps back and forth a couple of times). I have something up my sleeve that I think would be an interesting, unique response and that's also something I really enjoy and ties into one of my long-standing hobbies, but the best way to teach it is to have someone physically do it!

Salsa dancing?

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[JoaoMoutinho]

What? I read probably a book a week when I'm not absolutely swamped at work. That question would be awesome. I could turn the whole interview into a conversation about literature.

Ditto! I have 2-3x more books than games and movies combined... and I probably wouldn't have ever gotten married if the opposite were true.

 

[blackroses]

Salsa dancing?

Nothing quite that involved!

 

[SwordOfTheMorning]

"Yeah I do. Why do you offer us a bunch of coffee and water and then sit us in a room for a half an hour and then interview us for an hour without expecting us to have to take at least one restroom break?"

hahaaa. That's what goes through my head every time I see coffee there. Big decision apparently

 

[kb1900]

Q: "How did you gain clinical exposure to determine medicine was a good fit"

A: "Uhhhhh by shadowing and volunteering with patients for hundreds of hours?" I hate closed file interviews.

Adcom: "Any questions about the school for me?"

Me: "I'm excited to learn about the school from the students during the rest of the day. In my experience adcoms just try to sell the school to you when they answer questions. So I guess I'm saying I have questions but not for you..." awk silence and then ended the interview 10 mins early.

Result: accepted

 

[hungrybox]

Plenty of people still read books.

Yes, but just as the oral tradition of the cavemen shifted to Greek plays, the primary medium for storytelling has undoubtedly shifted from novels to either movies or TV shows.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Ditto! I have 2-3x more books than games and movies combined... and I probably wouldn't have ever gotten married if the opposite were true.

Yeah. I actually don't own any games. I haven't played any for years. I do watch a lot of movies though.

 

[Gibbward]

Back in early November, I was asked, "So what are your thoughts on the GS Warriors' defense and rebounding since they lost their 2 main centers?"

I hated it coz I could talk about that for hours but had to restrain myself. Plus at the that time, the W's defense was pretty terrible and it was very difficult to defend the credibility of Zaza Pachulia...

 

[mandu_cheeks]

Not directly during the interview, but one of my least favorite parts of interview day is when the interviewees go around sharing "one interesting fact" about themselves. Most people seem to interpret this question as a chance to humblebrag about their research/gap year masters/pending publication. Which, to me at least, isn't interesting at all. I wish people could at least just pretend to be normal, fun human beings outside the actual interview, and talk about their hobbies or favorite food or something!

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Not directly during the interview, but one of my least favorite parts of interview day is when the interviewees go around sharing "one interesting fact" about themselves. Most people seem to interpret this question as a chance to humblebrag about their research/gap year masters/pending publication. Which, to me at least, isn't interesting at all. I wish people could at least just pretend to be normal, fun human beings outside the actual interview, and talk about their hobbies or favorite food or something!

What did you say? I'd probably mention something unique but nothing that could come across as masturbatory.

 

[cjcarter]

"Can you compare and contrast the US health care system vs the health care system in Denmark and explain why ours doesn't work?"

No I can't, sry.

 

[Citizen #3]

I was asked about football. I'm not a football fan.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I don't want to share it on the internet for privacy purposes, but my fun fact generates laughter every time I use it on interview days. THAT's how you know it's a fun fact, when people actually find it interesting and memorable.

But seriously, if people could stop trying to impress/intimidate others with their gap year plans, that would be great. We all know that we're hot stuff, that's why we were invited to interview at top schools in the first place. Save your resume deets for the actual interview.

Agreed. It's not the time to brag about your latest pub or how many babies you saved from pediatric cancer AIDS.

 

[Eleithyia]

What did you say? I'd probably mention something unique but nothing that could come across as masturbatory.

I don't want to share it on the internet for privacy purposes, but my fun fact generates laughter every time I use it on interview days. THAT's how you know it's a fun fact, when people actually find it interesting and memorable.

But seriously, if people could stop trying to impress/intimidate others with their gap year plans, that would be great. We all know that we're hot stuff, that's why we were invited to interview at top schools in the first place. Save your resume deets for the actual interview.

My go-to is "When I was a kid I lived on a [specific unusual animal] farm."

 

[JB50]

Tell me about yourself

 

[flapjack3d]

"Any more questions?"

 

[freak7]

Not directly during the interview, but one of my least favorite parts of interview day is when the interviewees go around sharing "one interesting fact" about themselves. Most people seem to interpret this question as a chance to humblebrag about their research/gap year masters/pending publication. Which, to me at least, isn't interesting at all. I wish people could at least just pretend to be normal, fun human beings outside the actual interview, and talk about their hobbies or favorite food or something!

"One time, 2 buddies and I slayed 2 'monster' pizzas in one sitting after doing a baseball game pep band."

 

[Pusheen]

Really any closed file interview. I don't really understand the point of having a 20-30 minute interaction with someone who knows nothing about me and will make an evaluation based solely on what I had the opportunity to talk about.
Maybe I've just had bad luck with this type of interview, but it's always been really shallow generic questions because the interviewer doesn't really have any foundation to build on

 

[Whyamionhere]

Really any closed file interview. I don't really understand the point of having a 20-30 minute interaction with someone who knows nothing about me and will make an evaluation based solely on what I had the opportunity to talk about.
Maybe I've just had bad luck with this type of interview, but it's always been really shallow generic questions because the interviewer doesn't really have any foundation to build on

Hate this too. Had a student closed file interview and she kept looking at her list of points she was supposed to evaluate me on and at one point was like "sooooo....... leadership??" and it was all just very awkwardly executed yikes.

 

[ciestar]

"Teach me something" will forever be my lease favorite

Oh god. What did you do? I'm sitting here eating lunch and thinking this through and coming up with absolutely nothing.

Not directly during the interview, but one of my least favorite parts of interview day is when the interviewees go around sharing "one interesting fact" about themselves. Most people seem to interpret this question as a chance to humblebrag about their research/gap year masters/pending publication. Which, to me at least, isn't interesting at all. I wish people could at least just pretend to be normal, fun human beings outside the actual interview, and talk about their hobbies or favorite food or something!

I hated that question for that very reason as well. I always answer with some weird thing about my obsession with baseball/hockey/football as a female. That's very much my go to, as I cannot think of another interesting thing about me when put on the spot. I hated the what are you doing now question with other interviewees. It's a great way to feel inferior, lol. So I cracked a joke instead and said I am retail slave.

 

[Pusheen]

Hate this too. Had a student closed file interview and she kept looking at her list of points she was supposed to evaluate me on and at one point was like "sooooo....... leadership??" and it was all just very awkwardly executed yikes.

Yup, I think the interviewer just has to be an excellent conversationalist for it to work. I had people list things off a paper too, and it was just weird.

 

[aymar]

"What is your worst fear about medical school?"

*cue awkward pause*

Me: That I'll decide to go into a different specialty?
(after I had spent the entire interview selling why I want to go into primary care, which is one of the school's missions )

 

[YoungDoc25]

Q- "So you're on a boat, and you have to throw someone off. Who would you throw off?"

A- "Who's on the boat with me..?"

Q- "That's for you to decide."

I was asked this randomly in the middle of one of my interviews. Then they went immediately back to normal questions. My last question for that interview was as follows:

"At the end of one of the Harry Potter books, Slytherin is ahead in house points. However, Dumbledore allots points to Gryffindor, resulting in them winning the house competition. How do you feel about that?"

 

[LizzyM]

"Yeah I do. Why do you offer us a bunch of coffee and water and then sit us in a room for a half an hour and then interview us for an hour without expecting us to have to take at least one restroom break?"

To determine your suitability for a career in the OR.

"Tell me something negative a friend or colleague would say about you."

This is an impossible question because I am awesome.

You lack insight.

Weakness #1: I am dishonest about my weaknesses. (Follow with blank stare)

You have insight but lack honesty.

 

[freak7]

Q- "So you're on a boat, and you have to throw someone off. Who would you throw off?"

A- "Who's on the boat with me..?"

Q- "That's for you to decide."

Voldemort. Throw Voldemort off.

"At the end of one of the Harry Potter books, Slytherin is ahead in house points. However, Dumbledore allots points to Gryffindor, resulting in them winning the house competition. How do you feel about that?"

Good because it meant that the monstrosity of writing that Rowling called book 1 was finally over and the quality of storytelling only improved after that.

 

[redsox93]

Q- "So you're on a boat, and you have to throw someone off. Who would you throw off?"

A- "Who's on the boat with me..?"

Q- "That's for you to decide."

I was asked this randomly in the middle of one of my interviews. Then they went immediately back to normal questions. My last question for that interview was as follows:

"At the end of one of the Harry Potter books, Slytherin is ahead in house points. However, Dumbledore allots points to Gryffindor, resulting in them winning the house competition. How do you feel about that?"

this honestly sounds like the best interview ever

 

[BeMD13]

Not directly during the interview, but one of my least favorite parts of interview day is when the interviewees go around sharing "one interesting fact" about themselves. Most people seem to interpret this question as a chance to humblebrag about their research/gap year masters/pending publication. Which, to me at least, isn't interesting at all. I wish people could at least just pretend to be normal, fun human beings outside the actual interview, and talk about their hobbies or favorite food or something!

This is perfect actually. Right when everyone is like snooooozzzzzze... I would bust out my stories about circus arts training. Haven't had the opportunity yet though. The last time this happened one girl had just finished her story about chasing her research rat around the lab so I had to follow that with the time I chased a student all around town. He locked himself in a stranger's van in the Home Depot parking lot and the police had to bring him back.

 

[YoungDoc25]

Voldemort. Throw Voldemort off.


Good because it meant that the monstrosity of writing that Rowling called book 1 was finally over and the quality of storytelling only improved after that.

Should have gone with these answers!

 

[YoungDoc25]

this honestly sounds like the best interview ever

Haha, it was definitely unique! Luckily none of these questions were asked without a smile/snicker. If it wasn't such a relaxed environment, I probably would have panicked.

 

[freak7]

this honestly sounds like the best interview ever

It kind of sounds like what I imagine HMS asking.

 

[Vrachika]

"What advice would you give to our president elect on the healthcare system in this country"

Was asked this in an interview at two different schools.

 

[redsox93]

Voldemort. Throw Voldemort off.


Good because it meant that the monstrosity of writing that Rowling called book 1 was finally over and the quality of storytelling only improved after that.

You didn't like the first book??

 

[redsox93]

It kind of sounds like what I imagine HMS asking.

My mom wanted me to go to boarding school for middle school and I had an interview where they asked if I thought Snape was good or evil. Naive 12 year old me was like "Snape is the worst there's no way he could be good". I didn't get in...

 

[Vrachika]

Q- "So you're on a boat, and you have to throw someone off. Who would you throw off?"

A- "Who's on the boat with me..?"

Q- "That's for you to decide."

Who did you say you would throw off the boat? I hope you said Donald Trump Just kidding, that could be a risky answer.

 

[Pusheen]

"What advice would you give to our president elect on the healthcare system in this country"

Was asked this in an interview at two different schools.

Advice must only be given in Twitter form

 

[Vrachika]

Advice must only be given in Twitter form

Ugh why didn't I think of this!

"Well ma'am, to give him advice I would probably first need to create a Twitter account"

 

[freak7]

You didn't like the first book??

No, it reads incredibly formulaic. Her descriptions when she 'sets the scene' for each new location were all the same; "kid X was playing with [magical thing] which [property of magical thing], kid Y was deeply engrossed in [book with wizardry-related title], and kid Z had just [messing up of a spell/whathaveyou and it backfired for comic relief]."

Every. Freaking. Time.

 

[YoungDoc25]

Who did you say you would throw off the boat? I hope you said Donald Trump Just kidding, that could be a risky answer.

"Definitely my brother" without the slightest hesitation. They all cracked up

 

[DingoPingo]

Him: What's one mistake you've made?
Me: (I think for ten seconds.) I can't think of one.
Him: You've never made a mistake?
Me: No I've made lots, I just can't remember.
Him: Okay.
Me: We make many mistakes in life. But if you try to define a single mistake, it's very hard, because no one mistake really determines who we are or where we're at.
Him: ... That's true.

They're taking a long time to reject me.

 

[redsox93]

No, it reads incredibly formulaic. Her descriptions when she 'sets the scene' for each new location were all the same; "kid X was playing with [magical thing] which [property of magical thing], kid Y was deeply engrossed in [book with wizardry-related title], and kid Z had just [messing up of a spell/whathaveyou and it backfired for comic relief]."

Every. Freaking. Time.

Haha I never would've noticed that but you're absolutely right. I don't think I'll ever be able to read it the same now.

 

[Pusheen]

Him: What's one mistake you've made?
Me: (I think for ten seconds.) I can't think of one.
Him: You've never made a mistake?
Me: No I've made lots, I just can't remember.
Him: Okay.
Me: We make many mistakes in life. But if you try to define a single mistake, it's very hard, because no one mistake really determines who we are or where we're at.
Him: ... That's true.

They're taking a long time to reject me.

Deep

 

[freak7]

Haha I never would've noticed that but you're absolutely right. I don't think I'll ever be able to read it the same now.

Yeah it was absolutely exhausting for me to read. I've never read them all, but my wife wanted me to before I started school. I just finished 4 and will probably start 5 today. Glad I kept with it because after book 1 the quality of writing improved 5-fold

 

[Terry Toma]

I'm gathering from this thread that the fact that I've never read Harry Potter will put me at a significant disadvantage during interviews. I guess I have some work to do.

 

[ciestar]

"What advice would you give to our president elect on the healthcare system in this country"

Was asked this in an interview at two different schools.

Who did you say you would throw off the boat? I hope you said Donald Trump Just kidding, that could be a risky answer.

I feel like you could get yourself into trouble with a question like that. If I had to be positive about the guy, I'd have a really hard time lying

Advice must only be given in Twitter form

This is funny
I was up late last night watching Seth Myers (judge me, lol), and that came up a million times

 

[freak7]

I'm gathering from this thread that the fact that I've never read Harry Potter will put me at a significant disadvantage during interviews. I guess I have some work to do.

They're really fast. You could do 100 pages a day in under 2 hours.

 

[freak7]

And if you have seen the movies, the books fly by.

I refuse to watch a movie of something I haven't read. I'm going to marathon the HP movies after I finish the last one

 

[ciestar]

I refuse to watch a movie of something I haven't read. I'm going to marathon the HP movies after I finish the last one

Some were a major letdown. The books are better.

 

[The Buff OP]

This question has happened a lot at job interviews.

(Me wearing a dress shirt)
You really have wide shoulders, do you lift weights?
I do...

 

[freak7]

Some were a major letdown. The books are better.

That's kind of what I'm getting from reading them. There's a lot of little stuff that I can imagine them fudging.

 

[ciestar]

That's kind of what I'm getting from reading them. There's a lot of little stuff that I can imagine them fudging.

I grew up reading the books. I've read all of them several times so I was (am?) a Harry Potter nerd. I picked up on the little stuff and it bugged me lol but that's the issue with movies, you can't include everything.