Bizarred interview questions

[cowboy]

We've been looking for a hospital CEO, and we have interviewed a number of candidates. The interviews have been interesting. I get tired of asking the same old questions, so I try to ask some off-the-wall questions just to see how they react.

A few of my favorites:

What's your favorite board game?
If you were one of the seven dwarfs, which one would you be?
What is your favorite collegiate sport?
Which vice-president do you admire most?
Why did you pick the last book you read?

I don't much care about the answers, it's more the reaction to the questions that interest me. What questions do you folks ask/get asked?

[beelzebabette]

I've gotten the last-book-you-read question, but usually the questions I was asked were all dull. My repertoire for group interviews included which-Star-Wars-character, also for the reaction. I don't remember most of the answers, but I remember one guy lost himself a job, not because he'd never seen Star Wars, but because he used the question as a platform to extol his parents' views on no television.

An old boss used to ask how many quarters would it take to stack a foot high to test reasoning skills--he'd never bothered to determine the correct answer.

I like the off-the-wall questions because they usually give you insight into how easy someone's going to be to work with.

[cowboy]

I like the off-the-wall questions because they usually give you insight into how easy someone's going to be to work with.

That's exactly why I ask them. I like to see if people are comfortable in their own skin. When someone admits to me that their favorite board game is Sorry, or they can't remember all of the dwarf names, then I appreciate their candor.

I also like to twist the strength and weaknesses question. Instead of a weakness, I ask them to tell about a time they failed at something. You'd be surprised at the number of people who tell me they've never failed at anything.

And don't even get me started on the people whose "weakness" is that they are perfectionists, or that they work too hard. Oh brother...

[SeattleUte]

We've been looking for a hospital CEO, and we have interviewed a number of candidates. The interviews have been interesting. I get tired of asking the same old questions, so I try to ask some off-the-wall questions just to see how they react.

A few of my favorites:

What's your favorite board game?
If you were one of the seven dwarfs, which one would you be?
What is your favorite collegiate sport?
Which vice-president do you admire most?
Why did you pick the last book you read?

I don't much care about the answers, it's more the reaction to the questions that interest me. What questions do you folks ask/get asked?

Chess
Grumpy
Basketball
Harry S. Truman
What others said about it

[Jeff Lebowski]

What's your favorite board game?
Settlers of Catan

If you were one of the seven dwarfs, which one would you be?
Hybrid of Sleepy/Grumpy

What is your favorite collegiate sport?
Football. Duh.

Which vice-president do you admire most?
Tie between Jefferson/Adams

Why did you pick the last book you read?
Some guy named creekster said it was good

How did I do?

[Jeff Lebowski]

Harry S. Truman

???

He was VP for what, six weeks?

[cowboy]

...
Grumpy...

This is why, as big a jackass as you can be at times, I kind of like you. You're kind of like the Mr. Wilson of CUF.

[cowboy]

What's your favorite board game?
Settlers of Catan

Very good. Mine is a tie between Settlers and the Farming Game.

If you were one of the seven dwarfs, which one would you be?
Hybrid of Sleepy/Grumpy

I don't know. Those are the only two I really know, and to be honest, I get them mixed up with the smurfs.

What is your favorite collegiate sport?
Football. Duh.

Depends on the time of year. This week it's definitely basketball.

Which vice-president do you admire most?
Tie between Jefferson/Adams

I'll take Adams. Not a big Jefferson fan.

Why did you pick the last book you read?
Some guy named creekster said it was good

I like a book that has a smart-sounding title so that people on the airplane will think I'm cool when they see me reading it...and I liked Gladwell's last book so I figured this one would be interesting.

How did I do?

Send me your resume - I may have a job for you.

[PaloAltoCougar]

What's your favorite board game?
Not a true board game, but I'll go with Facts in Five

If you were one of the seven dwarfs, which one would you be?
Depends on the time of day and the seasons. At the moment: Sneezy

What is your favorite collegiate sport?
Football

Which vice-president do you admire most?
For very different reasons, either Jefferson or Gerald Ford.

Why did you pick the last book you read?
Wife says, "read this." I must obey.

Your interrogatories are better than Barbara Walters' or Oprah's.

[cowboy]

[I]
Why did you pick the last book you read?
Wife says, "read this." I must obey.

Congratulations on finishing the Doctrine and Covenants.

[Hallelujah]

We've been looking for a hospital CEO, and we have interviewed a number of candidates. The interviews have been interesting. I get tired of asking the same old questions, so I try to ask some off-the-wall questions just to see how they react.

A few of my favorites:

What's your favorite board game?
If you were one of the seven dwarfs, which one would you be?
What is your favorite collegiate sport?
Which vice-president do you admire most?
Why did you pick the last book you read?

I don't much care about the answers, it's more the reaction to the questions that interest me. What questions do you folks ask/get asked?

Is it the small hospital in Laramie?

[smokymountainrain]

And don't even get me started on the people whose "weakness" is that they are perfectionists, or that they work too hard. Oh brother...

Amen. If you don't want to get hired, give me those answers. All those answers show is that the candidate doesn't know the meaning of the term "weakness".

[cowboy]

Is it the small hospital in Laramie?

Nope. Other end of the state.

[Hallelujah]

Nope. Other end of the state.

Is the avg tenure of a CEO around 18-24 mos. at your hospital? It's amazing the turnover rate of CEOs.

[SeattleUte]

Is the avg tenure of a CEO around 18-24 mos. at your hospital? It's amazing the turnover rate of CEOs.

Have you tried a $100 million retention bonus? Mr. Liddy says they work.