generated by sloganizer.net

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Would You Hire Me?

Everyone at one time or another has gone on a job interview. I'm old, so I remember the days when all a job hunter had to do was go to a place advertising a job, fill out an application, wait for an arranged interview to be offered, complete the interview (which was usually just basic questions about a person's qualifications for the job), and then wait to see if he or she got hired. That's not the way it's handled any longer.

Now job hunters send out pages and pages of resumes which may or may not provoke a response from the perspective employer. A positive response to the resume will get you an interview from which you may or may not get a response in the form of a second interview, being hired, or being told you aren't a good fit for this particular company, but thanks so much for groveling for them anyway.

This part of the process is pretty tricky because while you are expected to be on your best behavior -- dressed as though you're dropping by for tea with Queen Elizabeth, and not making any obvious social faux pas like throwing up on the conference table, the perspective employer can lie directly to your face and be just as rude and inconsiderate as (s)he wishes. They can also ask you absolutely absurd questions to which you are expected to give well thought out, even profound, answers.

While surfing through Blog Explosion, I came across the site Daily Career Connection. Since I actually read most of the blogs I land on through my Blog Explosion surfing, I read the topmost entry.

It was titled "Unexpected Interview Questions", and this is what it said:
To prepare for strange questions, consider the following:
1. If someone were to write your biography, what would it be titled?
2. If you could be any character in fiction, who would you be, and why?
3. If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be, and why?

That got me to thinking about how I'd answer those questions. My answers are as follows. You can give answers in the comments or on your own blog if you want...

  1. If someone were to write your biography, what would it be titled?The Etch-A-Sketch Diaries.


  2. If you could be any character in fiction, who would you be, and why?
    I'd be Granny Mazur because she's been around for 13 books and is still kicking. Besides that, she has a great time and an active social life.


  3. If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be, and why?
    I'd want to have dinner with Lizzie Bordon. I'd promise her no leftover mutton, of course, and I'd want to talk to her about how she managed to live in such isolation after her acquittal. I'm wondering if she didn't prefer her life to be isolated after all the attention she got during the trial.

I wonder if anyone would hire me after seeing my answers to those questions. Maybe it's a good thing I'm not job hunting right now.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog and posting comments. Glad to know there's another lover of Linkin Park out there. I noticed that you're on Shelfari. I am too. You can friend me on there if you like.

As for the job thing....I'm a temp right now hoping to get hired on at a great company. I remember when if your skills matched what the company was looking for, they'd just send you over. Now, as a temp, they send a resume, then if they like you, they'll request an interview. Needless to say, the interview for this position was kinda intimidating. It was a panel of 3 people and they all took turns asking questions. It was a little nerve wracking, but they're a great bunch of people to work with and I hope I get to stay on.

Cyberoutlaw said...

1. They Should've Treated Him Better. And I want Paris Hilton to write it.

2. Anyone who is evil with superhuman powers. Reason: I've got a lot of people I want to get even with.

3. Lee Harvey Oswald. I want to see the look on his face when he hears that he acted alone.

Unknown said...

Cyberoutlaw: 1. You want your biography to be written on joint papers in crayon? 2. I hear the Joker is good with enemas. 3. You mean he didn't? But Peter Jennings said he did!

Celise: Thanks for stopping by and commenting. How are you listed at Shelfari?