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My approach is to place a small device or part on the desk, one which I'm
pretty sure the candidate won't recognize, and ask the candidate how he or
she would go about finding out what it is, what it does, how it works and
how to use it if someone were to drop it on a table and say, "We need a
document tfor his ASAP."
I hate stupid trick interview questions. I have more than enough stupid
trick real-life questions I can ask, and I might get answers I could
actually use.
Gene Kim-Eng
----- Original Message -----
From: <Joyce -dot- Fetterman -at- L-3com -dot- com>
"That part of your reply caught my attention. I completely disagree. I have
plenty of technical curiosity about things that interest me. I simply don't
care how a toilet works. I do, however, know how to ask questions and do
research, so if I ever NEED to know how a toilet works, I can definitely
(and quickly) find out. Isn't that a more important attribute, especially in
our line of work?
I dislike the trend toward asking nonsensical questions in an interview just
to see the reaction. Interviews are difficult enough. Throwing out a
ludicrous question won't give you a true idea of how well the interviewee
will respond once she or he is no longer worried about securing a paycheck.
BTW, I do very well in interviews and I've managed similar questions without
any problem, but I still think it's ridiculous.
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