Weekend 3-Way: interviews

While preparing to give interviews recently, I spent some time looking up good questions that I could adapt for the purposes of this particular job opening. I glossed over many of the usual tired and true standards like: "What are your strengths and your weaknesses?" and "Where do you see yourself in five years?" and "Tell us about a challenge you faced and how you handled it." Yawn.

But I was intrigued by this whole subset of Unusual Interview Questions, questions that are intended to throw the applicant for a loop and get past the polish of an anticipated and rehearsed answer.

These suckers just scream for pondering by none other than your favorite blogging team at Me, You, and Ellie!

For this weekend’s 3-way, answer the following interview questions:

If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you have?

If you were written about in the newspaper, on the front page, what would the headline say?

How would you design a spice rack for a blind person?

How would you explain a database a blog in three sentences to your five-year-old nephew?

"What did you want to be when you were 10 years old?"

Ellie:
1. Balsamic Vinaigrette. I can't separate myself from my tastes.

2. "Awesome Woman Wins Nothing! But She's Awesome Anyway!"

3. Oh, I love this. Braille and alphabetizing are *so* yesterday. I'd go from important to less important, left to right. Which, now that I think about it, is exactly how my spice rack *is* organized. Hot sauce, rooster sauce, hot chili sauce, soy sauce, garlic sauce, then as you get toward the right.... well, nothing you need to worry about.

4. If I had a five-year-old nephew --as if! My stinking nephews are gigantic huge adults at 14, 12, 11 and 9, for the love of pete's sake -- he would probably be more savvy than I, but here goes:

• 4.1. Awesome women write it...
• 4.2 ...about their awesome lives...
• 4.3 ...and if you're nice to your mom, maybe I'll write about you.

5. A doctor. Unequivocally. Sigh. Sorry Dad.

Jacquie:

The thing I love about these questions is that they’d be so perfect to tailor to a particular job interview, or to highlight one of your many talents or strengths. If you think about them, most are just looking for creative thinking, problem solving skills, and a self image assessment. I wish I had asked some of them in the actual interviews I just did, if only to see the look on the poor nervous applicant’s eyes while trying to explain her blind spice rack design. Okay, so here are my best answers:

If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you have?

I’d have a dressing that compliments rather than overpowers the individual elements of myself, the salad. I’d look for a dressing that enhanced my best parts and made my lesser parts seem even better. Some occasions would call for a cooling sun dried tomato vinaigrette, while others might tolerate a blast of jalapeno and onions. On any day, I’d have a dressing that was adaptable, reliable, and easy to digest.

If you were written about in the newspaper, on the front page, what would the headline say?

LOCAL WOMAN DREAMS OF HIRING A HOUSEKEEPER.

How would you design a spice rack for a blind person?

With smelling portals to preview the herbs inside. Plus, Braille labels. Duh.

How would you explain a database a blog in three sentences to your five-year-old nephew?

A blog is a website where you can write about stuff. It’s kind of like a diary, but other people are going to read it so you should try to be funny sometimes and not too gross. You’ll understand more when you learn to read, dumbass.

"What did you want to be when you were 10 years old?"

A vet and/or figure skater. I do not know what happened.

Beth:
If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you have?
The very best, very tastiest kind, of course.

If you were written about in the newspaper, on the front page, what would the headline say?
Woman stays sane during family vacation!

How would you design a spice rack for a blind person?
I'd first ask a blind person for their insight because, never having been blind myself, I'm sure they would have a better idea than me. But, by smell and feel are my first reaction.

How would you explain a blog in three sentences to your five-year-old nephew?
That's a tough one, still not really understanding the concept myself, but here goes. A blog is a website where you can post whatever you want. You can be as creative as you want. But it's best to blog with friends.

"What did you want to be when you were 10 years old?"
A nun or a flight attendant. I do not know what happened either.