Comments on: Job Interviews Are Fun!

By: Laurel

Laurel — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:13:32 +0000

I kind of think those future goals questions are lazy interview questions. I mean, when you’re about to take a new job, it’s hard to say ANYTHING meaningful about where you see yourself in 1, 5 or 10 years!

Laurels last blog post..Coming Up For Air…

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 03:49:23 +0000

Brilliant question – right up there with “if you were a jelly donut, what flavor would you be?”. Seriously, WHO TRAINS the idiots in HR who ask this crap? What do they learn from you with this question?

Oh, and IMHO the “so tell me about yourself” just SCREAMS “I COULD have asked an intelligent question about your skills and background and how you could bring new creativity to our organization, but I WUSSED OUT and asked this inane question”. Run. Run far, run fast from this outfit.

BUT – since you asked. Some responses:

1. I see myself as YOUR manager.
2. Please tell me what movement you expect in your organization in 5 years and what positions will be open to me in that time.
3. In this company, how long does anyone typically remain in their position?
4. Gee, that’s a tough one. How about YOU? Where do you see YOURSELF in 5 years in this company?

Translation – this is a STUPID question, if this is best you can do, you aren’t good enough for ME.

Yeesh!

Chriss last blog post..Inner Peas

By: Danielle-lee

Danielle-lee — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:03:14 +0000

In the past, I have been honest. I have told them that I don’t necessarily want to ‘climb the ladder’ but that i know as i grow more within a company, i coudl change my mind.
just be honest. tell them you are interested in marketing, you like it, but you aren’t sure where you will end up in 5 years. tell him you are very interested in becoming a published writer, but in the meantime, you are into marketing, or whatever the job is for.
good luck!

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:49:30 +0000

I would tailor my answer to the person asking. If it’s the CEO, don’t give the answer of I’ll have your job in five years. Show your ambition, but you don’t have to be a sell out. I also think this is a “weak” interview question. Think about the small start-up firms who only hope the firm will be around in five years. I also like to spin the question and ask the interviewer what they see for the future of the company in five years. Good luck.

By: Dutchess of Kickball

Dutchess of Kickball — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:30:29 +0000

I have always just told them what they want to hear. And by the time they hire me and get to a point where they realize I was lying they forget all about it. Dutchess of Kickballs last blog post..Surfside/ Bates Motel

By: nancypearlwannabe

nancypearlwannabe — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:51:28 +0000

I liked your first response the best. HEE!

By: jeanie

jeanie — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:00:13 +0000

Came here via Jen at Semantically Driven.

I always found the old “having a balanced life, getting joy out of my worklife, playing to my strengths” worked when I was in corporate world.

Having been out of it for a bit, I am getting tetchy at the very few ads there are for work, and they all require “excellent time management skills” and I want to scream “people with doubtful time management skills are people too!”

Good luck with your search.

jeanies last blog post..The Post Grapefruit Marmalade Post Ramble

By: jen

jen — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 06:38:01 +0000

I've given you some blog bling because you deserve it. I'm usually slack in passing it on, but I actually have this time. Do with it what you will. jens last blog post..Acknowledgement

By: Amanda

Amanda — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:12:48 +0000

I’ve learned to lie after being truthful and it ended up biting me in the ass.

I’m a freelance writer, and I was in a job interview for a 2-day-a-week, in-house position, and I got the 5 years question. I said, “pretty much where I am now, but preferably making more money.” That got a laugh, and then they asked the 10 year question. I answered the same way because, really I am doing what I want to be doing. They didn’t buy it. They pressed and pressed the question until I finally said, “Actually, I’d love to be a travel writer, in the far future.” Well. That sent them (there were 3 interviewers in the room) off on a tangent of hypotheticals if I’ve ever seen one. “So what if you’re scheduled here for Wednesday and National Geographic calls you up and you have an assignment in Africa?” and the like. I laughed at the question outright and didn’t give them an answer. I don’t suffer fools gladly.

Amandas last blog post..Back on the Nitrus

By: Kimberly/ MommaK

Kimberly/ MommaK — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 14:35:21 +0000

I would tell him you want to take over the world – starting with his job. So watch out!

Kimberly/ MommaKs last blog post..Done