Nasty Job Interview Questions - Best Responses?

[StoneRoad]

If the Question is something that they're not actually allowed to ask or imply, then I would be tempted to thank them for their time and walk out.
I know someone that was asked about the prospect of children - given that my friend had only been married for a few days ... I thought at the time that was highly inappropriate and supported them telling the panel that if that was their attitude they would be lucky to get someone to work for them. Next interview they had went much better and my friend had a nice job to go to ...

More recently, I would ask what does that have to do with my ability to do / suitability for this job ? maybe a little less directly ...
Especially if it is something that was on my CV or their application form !

 

[xenon]

I'd rather do something useful and interesting than management.

 

[DaveCinzano]

 

[Voley]

I've never got managers who are dismissive of staff who are happy with the level they're working at. A happy, contented employee who is going to stay put for years doing a good job? Who'd want that?

Funnily enough, saying "Yes! I only expect to be here 6 months before I'm moving up the ladder!" doesn't seem to go down well, either.

 

[Petcha]

I'm getting sacked tomorrow so I might start a thread about exit interview questions....

 

[Cloo]

Lucky escape, it took me nearly four years and four different publishers to realise it was a horrible job for horrible people, I only really twigged when one day in 1999 I was issued with a Mondeo.

I did a Masters in Publishing Studies and remember there were adverts everywhere for 'start your publishing/media career in media sales!' but we were all told in no uncertain terms never to take those, or any admin roles, as a way into editorial because that never happens.

I luckily did get a break into editorial for my first role and I remember a very keen lass joining my first employers with some sort of admin-y job, though she was well set up for editorial and my manager, who was a total cow, basically refusing to consider her for an editorial assistant role when one opened about 6 months after she started. Just because she hadn't come in as editorial, so she clearly wasn't serious about it as far as manager was concerned and, as usual, manager went through multiple applicants and rounds of advertising even though there was this person who was a perfectly good option right in front of her. I think she actually did manage to jump ship to something in the right direction, so she was lucky.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Many years ago at a job interview I was asked "what does your father do for a living?"

I got that once (must be getting on for 25 years ago) and was a bit too surprised by it to ask why they wanted to know, or to give a silly answer.

 

[equationgirl]

Many years ago at a job interview I was asked "what does your father do for a living?"
Being young and inexperienced, I told them. But when I thought about it afterwards, I was very puzzled. They were obviously trying to find out what "class" I was. My dad was an electrician, and I didn't get the job.

Obviously not posh enough.

I was once asked the same question, followed by 'and what does your grandfather do?'.

He'd died a couple of years before so I particularly enjoyed telling the interviewer he had been a foreman at a car plant before he'd retired but had recently died.

I didn't get the job either. They made me do two technical interviews too, the wankers. So I knew my technical skills were up to standard but it was background that wasn't.

 

[MickiQ]

Eldest came home from an interview once to tell us that one of the interview questions was 'What are you doing on Saturday night do you fancy having dinner with me?'
She turned both job and date down

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Many years ago at a job interview I was asked "what does your father do for a living?"
Being young and inexperienced, I told them. But when I thought about it afterwards, I was very puzzled. They were obviously trying to find out what "class" I was. My dad was an electrician, and I didn't get the job.

Obviously not posh enough.

I was asked what my father did in a job interview years ago. Can't remember how I answered the question now.