What mistake from your past did you learn the most from and how has it shaped you today? HR Qs 17

[delagina]

I was interviewed by Company A about 4 years ago and got asked a lot of stupid HR questions like the what are your weaknesses, what are your strengths, etc...
It was a painful 4-hour long interview with 4 different people. I didn't get the job that time.

A few weeks ago I saw similar opening (structural engineer) with the same company so I applied. I got an email from HR for a phone interview.
I'm expecting this will be followed by a 4-hour face to face interview just like last time.
I kinda like the company coz it's huge chemical company.

I was looking at glassdoor review for this company and I'm expecting similar stupid hr questions that might kill my interview.

English is also not my first language so that doesn't help either.

Anyone has experience answering stupid HR questions.

 

[delagina]

lol i was googling about HR questions and saw there's "phone apps" for these questions. thank you smartphone

 

[MikeHalloran]

All of those questions are designed to _exclude_ you from consideration.
You can probably find a good number of the questions, and prepare answers that are more or less what the interviewer would expect from the mythical perfect person they seek. Don't memorize your answers, but do review them from time to time so they'll be sort of refreshed in your mind, enough to paraphrase them.

A really 'good' HR weenie will not allow this to happen, but you should try to direct the conversation away from their list of psycho-trick questions by following each of your responses with a question of your own. Any interaction with HR _should_ be a conversation, not an inquisition.

You might ask pointedly but politely, exactly what the last stupid question has to do with accomplishing the job under consideration. Well, okay, don't do that, but you'll wish you had.

Better to keep refocusing on the specific job requirements, so you can mentally prepare a short presentation (for when, or if, they run out of questions), outlining how you are particularly well equipped to accomplish each and every aspect of the job (which they have stated, and you have jotted down along the way).



To sort of answer your actual question, I've endured several interviews like you mention, and failed every one.
... and later felt _very_ grateful that I didn't get the job. I wouldn't want to work for an outfit that treated its "most valuable resource" (they all say that) in such a despicable manner.





Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[Compositepro]

While I also dislike these canned questions, they are designed to weed-out people with attitudes like yours regarding stupid HR weenies. A large corporation is a buracracy. If you do not like that, then you will be unhappy there.
The question you mention is actually a good one, and is designed to make you think about how you deal with life. I left the corporate world because of the severe limitations inherent with working there. I also gave up a very good salary and benefits. I now have my own business. As a small businessman I would be very leary of hiring someone with your attitude. You will always be unhappy if you expect the world to change to accomodate your desires. On the other hand, the world is not changed by happy people. As, Mike says, perhaps it would be best if you don't get the job. That is for you to decide. That involves a process of introspection, similar to what the HR weenie was trying to start.

 

[SomptingGuy]

Mistakes from the past: Trusting HR.
Shaping my future: Realize that HR are a function, not your friends.

It's very unlikely that anyone in an HR dept has much of a clue about the job you may or may not be doing. So just smile and don't let them see your gun.

- Steve

 

[MortenA]

Im with Mike,

Prepare some "standard" answers to these standard question, but dont memorize them. Make them come out differently every time, the same way that the questions are not always the same. I agree that they are screening questions where the excact story behind the answer is less important than the way you present it, and the fact that you tok the interview seriously enough to prepare a little.

And while we engineers may mock HR, when you are sitting there you should remember who want help, and who already holds a position....

 

[DRWeig]

"Fresh out of college, in my first job, I made the mistake of completely trusting what a software vendor promised. He delivered a disaster. I learned to trust, but verify. I could have learned about this particular vendor's shortcomings by calling around and finding his recent past clients. It's made me a very reliable project manager ever since."

Best to you,

Goober Dave

Haven't see the forum policies? Do so now: Forum Policies

 

[SomptingGuy]

Wow, Goober Dave at 2000Bar (at least). Pin, anyone?


- Steve

 

[SNORGY]

I dunno.

If I ever had to hide or conceal the truth in an interview, or do anything other than just be myself and answer questions exactly how I wanted to, I suppose I wouldn't want to end up working there anyway. The way I see it, they will find out who I am and what I can do sooner or later. It's either good enough or it isn't. If it isn't, then I guess I don't need them, either.

 

[Compositepro]

Gosh, Snorgy. You are really revealing yourself today as a fountain of wisdom today. And I mean that sincerely.

 

[macmet]

I believe these questions are just to weed out some of the candidates. There is no right answer, but there are some answers that could potentially eliminate you as a candidate. If you were to get the position, it is likely more based on your past experience, your answer to some of the technical questions, or something along those lines. I'm not in HR, but I would guess that if they interview 10 people, 5 of them probably had satifactory answers to their questions (complete guess). From there they will recommend those 5 and they will move on to the next interview.

I would suggest using Google to go over some of the commonly asked questions, but don't memorize your answers (like suggested by others above). I think this will just help you feel more comfortable when you are asked those questions in the interview.

If you do get asked any original questions, let us know though. Always fun to hear what the new canned questions are.


Cheers

 

[DRWeig]

Thanks Steve, quite a compliment!

My point was to use the "fresh out of school" line (without telling an untruth, if possible). I think many of us goofed up in the early years in some way, learned a lesson, and never goofed that one up again.

Sometimes they follow up with "How did that situation resolve?" I answer with the truth,"We had to pay the software vendor to write a different interface to our system that wasn't in their contract. It cost us a little more than the original price. Fortunately, the purchase was a small one."



Best to you,

Goober Dave

Haven't see the forum policies? Do so now: Forum Policies

 

[2dye4]

Go over these questions then prepare truthful answers based on the most innocuous scenario from your past.

Just like DrWeigs answer to the mistakes you have made question. Most engineers could say to some extent they
had this problem.

It is not really that you 'solved' your past problem they are testing, but whether you can admit to having had problems.

For weakness don't go as far as saying you are too loyal to the company or anything obviously silly.

Find a weakness that isn't particularly relevant to the job you are applying for and then put on your best puppy
dog eyes and confess.

And ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS stay positive, everything that has ever happened to you from toothaches to poison ivy was a
great opportunity to learn and you are a better person for having the experience.

 

[DRWeig]

What's your greatest weakness? Asian women.

Works every time.

Best to you,

Goober Dave

Haven't see the forum policies? Do so now: Forum Policies

 

[SomptingGuy]

Favourite grooming product? ...

- Steve

 

[Noway2]

Always remember that in every stage of the interview, they are looking for a reason to NOT hire you, not a reason to hire you. Many of these questions are opportunities to see if you will stick your foot in your mouth given a chance and your objective is to decline the opportunity.

As far as techniques for handling interview styles and how to approach certain types of questions, I like the book Knock Em Dead. I am not crazy about his technique of cold calling to get job leads, but I do like the section on interview preparation and negotiation.

 

[1gibson]

Answer: I don't have to make the mistake myself to learn from it. I am always checking with the warranty guy to see what field problems we are having, tuck those away in the back of my head and think about how to avoid them on new projects.

Optional: If I only learned from my own mistakes, I'd be pretty slow to improve!

If pushed for a direct response (HR gives you the "just tell me something to write down in the blank" look): The mistake was taking more than a few weeks on the job to realize what I just mentioned. If you want a head down, tunnel vision guy, that's not me.

 

[SNORGY]

We have all made mistakes, more than one. If you don't want to admit to any, maybe admit to the one that was relatively inconsequential. To illustrate a point, suppose you:

(1) blew a wall thickness calculation and, as a result, a pressure vessel was destroyed and a massive fireball ensued, followed by a one month shutdown;
(2) goofed on a painting specification for a building, which forced a summer student to re-paint the downspouts and eavestroughs blue instead of white.

Admit to #2; it was the first thing that came to mind. You can always claim that #1 simply didn't come to mind at the time the question was asked.

 

[SNORGY]

That said, I have never gone too far wrong with just being honest and being "me". I still think that's the best way in the long run.

Case in point: when I was interviewed for my current position, one question that was asked was, "Why have you left your previous employer after so many years of service?". I replied, "Well, you are probably going to find out anyway, so I'll be straight with you: here is what happened." (It had not been an amicable parting or a graceful resignation on my part.) They said, "Yep, that's pretty much what we heard how it actually went down. OK, so now we know your references are reliable when they said you were honest. When do you want to start?".

Trust me, I don't make this stuff up.

 

[Maui]

I watch those around me and try to learn from the mistakes of others. I won't live long enough to make them all myself.

Maui

http://www.EngineeringMetallurgy.com