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02/15/07 | Report as spam
Framing Conversations
Exactly! By the way, I love what you have done with the website...
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02/16/07 | Reported as spam
Thanks for your feedback!
We're glad you liked our new feature article, and appreciate your kind words regarding our redesign. Your compliments, complaints, and suggestions help us build a better BNET!
Leslie Leite
BNET Staff
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02/15/07 | Report as spam
good!
actually found the article very helpful. i'm often flustered when i conduct an interview. this article provides ideas which would help structure the interview. thanks!
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02/17/07 | Report as spam
Intelligent Life?
I love the "intelligent life" question. Mostly because I'd probably respond, "I hope so, because there isn't any inside this office" or something else that would immediately disqualify me for the job. (I make dumb jokes when I'm nervous.)
Incidentally, the archetypal question of this sort is "Why are manhole covers round?" (Answer: "Because that's the only shape where the cover won't fall into the hole.") What's funny about that question -- reputedly used to filter out non-creative thinkers at Microsoft -- is that the answer is dead wrong.
In fact, a triangular manhole cover will not fall into the hole either. I wish I could say that I figured that out because of my brilliant geometrical mind, but turns out that Nashua NH, one town over from where I live, uses triangular manholes.
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
Triangular covers
Are you sure you can't push them through? Think perpendicular.
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05/04/07 | Report as spam
Triangle
Think equilateral triangle and it doesn't matter if it is perpindicular.
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10/18/07 | Report as spam
Man hole covers
So any equilateral polygon will do then?
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10/18/07 | Report as spam
the right answer
Sorry,
The right answer IS that round ones can not fall through.
Even an equilateral triangle can.
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
round manhole covers
so why are they round? whats the right answer?
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
Round manholes
So they can be rolled to where they need to be vs, having to be picked up...those suckers are heavy!
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05/08/07 | Report as spam
Why Manhole Covers are Round
Manhole covers are round because it's the only shape that will not fall through the hold.
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05/08/07 | Report as spam
Why Manhole Covers are Round
Manhole covers are round because it's the only shape that will not fall through the hole.
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10/18/07 | Report as spam
They are not all round
Plenty around my way are square. i suspect that round ones are more common since they tend to open into pipes/tunnels which themselves have a tendency to be cylindrical...or perhaps 'cause it's easy to drill a circular hole but impossible to drill any other shape hole in the gound....
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10/18/07 | Report as spam
Why are man hole covers round?
The question is designed to elicit critical thinking skills beyond the obvious.
While it is true that the circle will not fall in on itself and it is easier to roll than carry, there is also evidence that the circular shape withstands force from the earth better. Manufacturing a round manhole cover is also more cost effective than other shapes. Additionally, the circular shape mimics the trunk of the human body. There is also an asthetic aspect that is seldom talked about, but in foreign cities manhole covers are decorative elements.
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10/23/07 | Report as spam
Another reason for round manhole covers
There are plenty of reasons ... another is that you don't have to turn the cover to line it up with the hole when you replace it, it will fit no matter how much you turn it.
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03/27/08 | Report as spam
Thought Provoking ?
I have a question that I have used for many years that I use to determine a huge amount of information from a potential employee.
It helps if the candidate knows a little about football.
Please tell me all the factors that you would use to give your decision on what to do given the following information:
You are a coach of a football team.
It is the last game of your life.
If you win, you win everything that you could ever imagine.
The ball is on the 1 yard line.
It is the last second of the game.
You are down by 1 point.
The candidates that dont make it, give me the answer to what they would do. This shows that they do not listen.
The more factors they give, like Weather Conditions, Wind, Condition of Players. They are worthy of more consideration.
For the record, I had one person give me a single answer.
When he gave it to me, I was stunned. Then asked why.
When he explained, I asked when he could start. He said he just liked to interview and was not actually looking for work.
His answer, Heart. Why, well there are some things you must know.
BTW, the most important factor in the question is:
Which 1 yard line?
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02/18/07 | Report as spam
Q 4
Brian - you're obviously not a hiring manager... tell me why!
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
Q-4
Why, in your opinion, would this be a bad question? I understand the premise behind it, so what would be a better question to ask?
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
Why not to ask question #4?
Ummm, could it be construed as a religious question?
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04/27/07 | Report as spam
As useful as any...
The object of this is to assess how the candidate enounters a novel situation with an unknown answer. If they react to the question in such a way that shows signs of obvious strain more than is normal in an interview setting, I would question if this person fits the job demands. From an Industrial Psychology perspective it makes as much sense as any other question one can ask.
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02/20/07 | Report as spam
questions
Not the way it is done. You need to decide the criteria/behaviors for success in the role and then question appropriately.
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03/22/07 | Report as spam
Read the article again.
It is very clear that these are intended to supplement the position specific questions that you were already planning on asking.
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05/02/07 | Report as spam
Off the wall questions
Don't agree
Sometimes those "off-the-wall" questions give important clues to an individual's behavioural traits that do not easily emerge with competency based questionning.
This is particularly true when interviewing for "front-line" staff where the colgate smile and rehursed interview makes it difficult to ascertain whether or not an individual will work successfully with customers.
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03/02/07 | Report as spam
once again, this article is business 'delusional'
In The Halo Effect ... and the Eight Other Business Delusions That Deceive Managers, Phil Rosenzweig tears into some of the most popular business books of recent years, suggesting that a number of the principles bandied about in the business world are based on misguided thinking and flimsy research. These books "contain not one or two, but several delusions," he writes.
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
Delusional?
OK smart person- why is this article so delusional? Are these not valid insights into interviewing a candidate? Instead of merely making a blanket criticism, please be a little more constructive. Tell me how we business leaders can do a better job at interviewing and/or matching candidate fit. What are your recommendations?
Personally I have followed a similar line to questioning and I have been blessed with hiring high level performers who have contributed to growing my businesses (they meet (and even exceed) the stretch goals I set for them) and when I have moved on, have been hired to fill my shoes.
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04/27/07 | Report as spam
wise post
Thanks for the valid response. I saw the preceding response and thought it just looked like someone wanting to appear smart simply by disagreeing. I for one liked the questions and will soon be forwarding this article to people in my database.
Thanks, DAN
dan@asiatrainingsolutions.com
www.asiatrainingsolutions.com
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05/02/07 | Report as spam
Delusional
I was also wondering why he says suggestions are delutional. I was particularly left high and dry when no suggestions were made.
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03/09/07 | Report as spam
Text version of these questions -- click here.
You may find this useful. I pulled together some of these great questions I found all over BNET. I loved them so much.
Interview Questions
------------------------------
1.Tell me about a time when you accomplished something significant that wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been there to make it happen.
2.Describe a situation where you persuaded team members to do things your way. What was the effect?
3.Why are manhole covers round?
4.Talk about a time when you had to overcome major obstacles.
5.Tell me about a time when you wrote a report that was well received. Why do you think it was successful?
6.Describe a time when you hired (or fired) the wrong person.
7.If you had to do that activity again, how would you do it differently?
8.What interests you about this position?
9.Where does this job fit into your career path?
10.If you had to convince a friend or colleague to apply for this job, what might you tell them?
11.What motivated you to apply for this job?
12.Is there intelligent life in outer space?
13.Imagine we've just hired you. What's the most important thing on your to-do list on the first day of work?
14.How would you handle an employee whose performance is fine but who you know has the potential to do better?
15.What would you do if you got behind schedule with your part of a project?
16.Why did you get into this line of work?
17.What do you like best about your current job?
18.When did you realize this would be your career?
19.What keeps you coming to work besides the paycheck?
20.But enough about you. What about us? Where do you think the company should be in ten years?
21.What's your opinion of our product(s)?
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03/15/07 | Report as spam
Just finished an interview
Thanks for all your resources on interviewing! I had to perform my first interview today and your articles helped a lot.
Sam
www.insidework.net
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
The 7 Interview Questions You Must Ask
Thanks it really a help. I am working as Business Development Manager in a media orgnization, hireing and recurting sales personal is a difficult job, but your articul helps a lot.
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
u spel gud
maybe you need to work on your spelling as well
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
hiring people
I have always felt that putting people at ease in an interview was always the way to go, as people normally are their true selves under less trying situations.
Other questions that are totally irrelavent also can demonstrate if the person you are potentially hiring has the ability to deal with unusual circumstances should they arise on the job.
Great information! Thank you.
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
What was your worst mistake?
This is one my boss put me on to: "What was the biggest 'woops!' moment
you've ever had in this line of work--that moment when you pressed the button
and knew there was no 'undo' available, and that bad things would happen?"
It really gives an instight into character, humor, and ego.
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
reply?
and what was your reply?
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
7 Intv Qs.....
It is really a well structured article and certainly provides a direction towards a Hiring process based on predictability.
Th predictability is with respect to the level of commitment a candidate will show in terms of his/her reponse, towards these questions.
Regards
Eeshan
Management Trainee
Vedanta Resources PLC.
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
Reliability
Interviews used in isolation of any other recruitment tool lack reliabilty and valadity. Work samples and psychometric testing are a small example of more robust recruitment techniques which should be employed.
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
Right on!
Your response was right on! Remember that simple language and grammar must be correct to make your ideas complete and valid.
V A L I D I T Y
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
Re: Reliabilty
With due respect to your opinion, I would like to add that the article does not propose or propound the use of any of the above questions as a basis for recruiting. It rather gives a templative approach towards interviewing as a concept.
The use of EI as well as psychometric tests is a widely accepted methodology, as the first step towards recruiting of a prospective employee. It will continue being so for many years to come.
Regards
Eeshan
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
Re: Reliabilty
With due respect to your opinion, I would like to add that the article does not propose or propound the use of any of the above questions as a basis for recruiting. It rather gives a templative approach towards interviewing as a concept.
The use of EI as well as psychometric tests is a widely accepted methodology, as the first step towards recruiting of a prospective employee. It will continuebeing so for many years to come.
Regards
Eeshan
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
interview question list
thanks for doing this.
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
Turn it around
The best part of these types of questions is how easy they are to turn them around and ask the interviewer. It helps to determine what kind of person and or organization you might be working for.
1. By asking the question back such as did you have a good holiday then you have some basic information.
2. Ask them to describe when they have to overcome an obstacle as a department or team. What tools did they use, what happened and how did it affect the department
3. What type of person are you looking for in this position? Give you an idea if you are the right fit.
4. Ask their opinion right back. Is there intelligent life out there, just as they are looking for attitude and problem solving you are also looking for understanding of the company culture and ideas of the person.
5. If I was just hired what would be expect for my first day, week, month and year. And if you were to tell me a year from now I have done a great job what would I have done and what would that look like.
And finally combine 6 and 7 and ask if I were to ask the people in this organization what would they say is the reasons they work here. And then ask what motives you to be here and why do you like working for this organization.
Regards,
Debbi
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04/27/07 | Report as spam
Re Turn it Around
Hi Debbi,
Just wanted to say 'great post'!
I'm just about to apply for a job and this has given me some good ideas to work on...
Thank you!
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05/01/07 | Report as spam
Fantastic!
I used this article to help me with my prep for some upcoming interviews. Your post gave me some new questions to add to my repitore. Thanks!
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
Music....Music....Music
I believe in reading resumes bottom up. It is interesting what people do in their everyday lives for recreation, reading, and the most telling of all is music.
I am not a music buff...nor can I play an instrument. But after 25 years of hiring, I have found that music may be the most telling of all traits. Why?
Because in music 1) you are likely performing in front of someone 2) No doubt, you are going to make a mistake 3) You need improvational skills and mental adroitness to make the problem either go away or apply correction immediately. It requires enormous mental aptitude and adroitness to think in those terms and those that can, are usually good candidates. I find musicians are a rare breed with extraordinarily broad thought paths. This can be applied more generally to performers, I suppose.
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04/26/07 | Report as spam
True; but...
The intent of the question is not to gauge or make a judgment on a persons religion, but Yes I could cause problems in that area. It would be interesting to question to see how a person reacts, ie. do they kinda dodge the answer to avoid bring their religion (probably because they may fear being discriminated against) and therefore are avoiding a difficult situation rather than being honest and facing a problem head on. It would be a useful insight but The ethics a are a little hazy and it could land you in a bit of trouble.
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04/29/07 | Report as spam
Interview Questions Comment
Very good assistance. However could deal with other areas such as: candidates' skills set and application to the position being applied for et al.
A. Wizzy
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04/30/07 | Report as spam
A fresh breath of Air
The seven interview questions were an eye opener. Sometimes it seems that the candidates are too good when they are not and if they are good enough the rejection due to lingering doubt about their capabilities can eliminate a potentially excellent candidate.
Apart from the alternative styles, the explanation of each question and the psychology behind it made even more sense.
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05/01/07 | Report as spam
Interview Questions
Great suggestions! The off-the-wall question during the interview is particularly exceptional. With today's research capabilities via the internet, asking them directly about the company is something everyone should do. If a candidate is willing to dig for information, that shows not only interest but a character trait all of us want to hire.
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05/09/07 | Report as spam
off the wall questions
GREAT Article...
One of my favorite questions to ask during an interview is the applicant's favorite board game. When they tell me, I ask them to explain how the game is played to me as if I've never played it. This gives great insite on how detail oriented the person is person. It also give the applicant the chance to talk about something they should know a lot about...it is there favorite game. This is particularly helpful for people who are extremely nervous during an interview.
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10/18/07 | Report as spam
board games?
No one I know plays board games. I personally finding them, well boring. I prefer real conversations to scripted interactions with others.
Would that disqualify me in your interview?
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05/17/07 | Report as spam
Excellent Questions---
Hi
I think these are some unsurpassed questions from the HR point of view. It helps in taking interviews with the senior positions as well.
I suggest you should upload the Relevant Answers of these questions as well from the candidate?s point of view.
Regards
Shailja Singh Apte
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07/20/07 | Report as spam
very helpful...thanks
Interviewing is always a challenge no matter what side of the desk you are on.
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09/04/07 | Report as spam
RE: The 7 Interview Questions You Must Ask
Some good questions can also be ...
What are the things that upsets you?
How many gas stations are there in downtown Chicago?
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09/05/07 | Report as spam
RE: The 7 Interview Questions You Must Ask
help me
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10/18/07 | Report as spam
Equilateral Traingles do fall through!
A quick look at geometry seems to be in order. Let each leg of an equilateral triangle have length "L". Then a line drawn perpendicular to any edge and passing through a vertex (corner), in other words the altitude of the triangle, will have a length of A = cos(30 degrees)*L. Therefore, the altitude will be a little less than 87% of the length of any side. Therefore, holding the triangular manhole with any edge perpendicular to the hole, and aligning the cover with any of the three altitudes of the hole, will allow the cover to fall through with more than 13% of the length to spare.
And that's why engineers make good managers. We make decisions based on the facts, not our feelings.
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01/11/08 | Report as spam
Faulty Enginering
And the 'problem' with faulty engineering is that one can write all the equations one wants, but they FACT is that a three dimensional triangular manhole cover (taking intio account thickness, and the overlap between the cover and the lip upon which it sits) will NOT fall through.
Try modelling it in 3D if you wish... I did... because I didn't trust all these 'expert' opinions. 
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01/11/08 | Report as spam
More on triangular manhole covers
The equation in question was correct, but not a complete design. The facts that you describe (thickness and lip dimension) are part of the design constraints to overcome the fact that a thin, adequately large (so the lip is small compared to the side length) cover CAN fall through.
Can you prove that the cover must always be so thick and have such large lips that it could not fall through no matter how long it's sides, given standard materials and loads? (in other words PRACTICAL triangular manhole covers will always fail to fall through).
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10/23/07 | Report as spam
RE: The 7 Interview Questions You Must Ask
Good question, but it would help if we could interpret the typical answers.
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10/23/07 | Report as spam
Behavioral vs. Situational Questions
I'm all for the behavioral and "curve ball" questions (as long as you can rationalize the job-relatedness of a curve-ball question in your own mind, and to a jury, if it ever comes up in an employment lawsuit), but I would steer clear of some of the situational questions as suggested here. Most of these kind of hypothetical questions have a clear right and wrong answer, and thus add zero value to your interview process. Situational questions can be helpful when structured correctly -- you should set a stage with a hypothetical situation, provide some additional context, constraints, etc., then end it with an open-ended, "What would you do?" or "Where would you start?"
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12/20/07 | Report as spam
RE: The 7 Interview Questions You Must Ask
all of this question will be interest during the interview time ..hence, is dificult for the interviewee to hangle those kind of trouble.Yet, this is a hints toward to the interviewees annd interviwer.
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01/11/08 | Report as spam
Start with a phone interview & use these 3 questions
I believe the best first step is a phone interview with a company recruiter or the hiring manager. Some of the questions from this article are more appropriate for a pre-screen and the others should be leveraged in a face-to-face interview.
The phone interview typically goes like this:
1. Tell me what you know about my organization.
- Did they do their homework before the phone interview?
- What are the facts that they focused on?
- How accurate are the comments?
2. What do you hope to get out of a career with my company?
- Are the expectations realistic?
- Look for the applicant?s intentions
3. Why are you willing to leave your current employer?
- Trash talkers will talk trash about you too
At the end of the call score each candidate based on how articulate he or she was if that is important to the job that you are hiring for.
- Clear and articulate phone voice?
- Coherent use of the English language?
- Will your customers trust this voice?
You should have a single scoring sheet that you use for each phone interview and only invite the top candidates in for the in-person behavioral interview. You should also do a lot more than just interview if you want to make sure they are both qualified for the position and a fit for the company and your team.
Best of luck,
Darin Phillips
author of the human capital blog on blogger.com
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01/11/08 | Report as spam
Get Your Team Involved With Asking These Questions
Thanks for your useful checklist. We make it a point to involve ALL of our team members in the interview process. This allows each of us to ask similar and different questions then to "triangulate" the candidate's responses. I'm always amazed at the unique perspectives and insights each of our members brings to the process. Craig Justice, Director of Sales, SmartDraw.com
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01/12/08 | Report as spam
RE: The 7 Interview Questions You Must Ask
It is very helpful.
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01/15/08 | Report as spam
RE: The 7 Interview Questions You Must Ask
I am simply amazed at the amount of feedback this article has generated. I do find it a very good refresher given that I have used practically everything suggested and discussed. The "discussion" on 'surprise questions" amazes me because I have been doing this technique since two decades ago. It is very useful in gauging the perceptual objectivity of the candidates, their ability to think on their feet, see pros and cons, mental toughness/thinking process, and to a certain extent, their emotional stability under duress. I have seen candidates shine and wilt on this one. Along with other tools for recruitment I have used this is the final clincher in making a hiring decision. Success rate is 99.9% based on my clients' feedback. (btw, the recent feedback was given in mid 2006 - 11 years after placement -where the profiles of candidates I placed were made the benchmark for the company's future employees.) So there...
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01/17/08 | Report as spam
RE: The 7 Interview Questions You Must Ask
The questions are good. But, I would like to know the best answers.
What is the best answers for these questions?
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03/08/08 | Report as spam
Round Covers
Real reason is maximum coverage with minimum material.
Also round covers are less likely to "rock" in the frame
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03/13/08 | Report as spam
Round Covers
This link gives quite a bit of dope on round covers.
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_247a.html
Further round covers are optimized. That is the least perimeter for a given area.
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03/19/08 | Report as spam
RE: The 7 Interview Questions You Must Ask
its a very good one.. i liked it...
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03/25/08 | Report as spam
native speaker
He obviously is not a native speaker. I'd love to see you type a spontaneous forum response in my native language.
Oh wait, you can't speak it. Or the preceeding poster's I assume.
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03/25/08 | Report as spam
The obvious one?
Which shape is the easiest to position regardless of how it's rotated?
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03/09/09 | Report as spam
Missing the point...
Round vs. Triangular manhole covers...does the correct answer even matter? Unless you are interviewing a candidate for a civil engineering position, I don't think it does...at least to the author of the article. His point in asking the question is to analyze how the candidate responds. Does the candidate give his/her answer thought? This may be indicative of the candidate's ability to think through real-life work challenges/situations. How does the candidate react? His/her face and body movements may also indicate how the individual will react to problems...does the person remain calm and relxaed or does the candidate get angry (I've had a candidate get up and leave because he wasn't prepared to answer this type of question)? In effect, the answers become irrelevant to the questions. The real answer comes in the form of secondary responses.
Additionally, I've read some posts regarding the legality of the curveball questions. I would recommend that you consult with your organization's legal department to ensure compliance with all federal and state regulations.
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03/12/09 | Report as spam
RE: Missing the Point...
Regarding the legality of curveball questions - I'm pretty sure they are legally defensible as long as they are asked to all candidates interviewing for that particular position and are not designed to evoke responses that will give info on age, religion, etc...
