Re: Interview Questions (deliberately veering from techie vsnon-t echie...) -Reply

[Barb Philbrick <caslonsvcs -at- IBM -dot- NET>]

>Personally, I have trouble with questions like what's your favorite
>novel/music/movie/pastime/etc.  I was one of those people who couldn't
>decide on a major because everything (except economics) was so darned
>interesting.
If I was doing the interviewing, I'd be happy to know the interviewee
couldn't settle on a favorite. I'm the same way, so I would feel that
"How the heck could I pick a favorite" is a good answer.

The favorite and hobbies questions do have a purpose.  When I was
teaching, I taught students how to write resumes, and one of the
discussions was "what do you put in the Outside Interest section?"
Supposedly, interviewers like to hear that you like team sports
(football, baseball, soccer) over individual sports (running,
jogging). If you like team sports, you're more likely to be a "team
player" and take direction well. Some others:
* You like chess = ability to think through problems.
* Rock band = out late at gigs

I don't necessarily subscribe to this, though I can see where the
information could be useful as part of the overall interview process.

Regards,

Barb
Barbara Philbrick, Caslon Services Inc.
Technical Writing. caslonsvcs -at- ibm -dot- net
Cleveland, OH