Your greatest challenge

[ChuckM]

We have a list of interview questions we use. While none of them are in line with the elephant and jelly bean inquiries, they are just as useless. They fall into the "What would you previous employer say about you" and "describe the perfect supervisor" category. Everyone gets these questions be they interviewing for a welder position or IT manager position.

The HR wizard that compiled the list was by management's account a tool and he was quickly replaced, but his list lives on today. We also have an exit interview that collects useless data when the people we hire due to poor interviewing techniques don't work out.

 

[TimothyMoulder]

Not enough boards - build a raft, but I like yours better

The best supervisor has the ability to stay out from underfoot.

I was asked once to provide an interview question for an engineering candidate. I said, "Have him do a sudoku puzzle, beginner level." That was the last time I was asked.

TM

 

[Peter Nachtwey]

Greatest challenge? Hardly.

I would have expected that would be something like
climbing a mountain or something else that is physically challenging, a survuval situation or overcoming an illness or bad habit.

Interviews are hardly a real challenge and ifthey are on the top of the list then you haven't lived yet.

Interview stories with Adm Rickover are always interesting but mine isn't as good as most.

I know I have told you guys this before. I like to explain what we do and then judge by the depth of the questions from the person being interviewed.

 

[jtn]

We also have an exit interview that collects useless data when the people we hire due to poor interviewing techniques don't work out.

I'm not one to burn bridges as you never what the future will bring and I may end up working for or with someone again at a future job or project. The only one I know of that I burned was during an exit interview, which seemed to me the only reason for having the exit interview was to make me feel bad about leaving. It was a small company run by a father and his two sons. One would tell me something was hot and needed to be done pronto and then another would come out a few hours later and tell me to drop everything and get something else done by the end of the day. A few hours later the original guy would come out and freak out because I wasn't working on his hot item, and I was constantly telling these guys they needed to talk amongst themselves and set priorities. Anyway, after 6 months of this I quit and one of them says in the exit interview "I thought you were more of a team player". I responded, "I am a team player, I'm just tired of being permanent middle man on a circle jerk team". That ended the interview and I was out the door in 5 minutes.

 

[MASEngr]

Since you are interviewing them every bit as much as they are interviewing you, I would have gotten up and walked out at such a ridiculous (i.e. worthy of ridicule) question.

For the elephant, I asked them if situations like that come up very often and if the job involved handling large game animals. For the jellybean question, I asked if they wanted to fill the ferry or eat the jellybeans afterwards. I also asked if they had permission from the ferry corp to sink a ferry by filling it with jellybeans. I honestly wasn't sure if the question was serious or if they were testing my reaction to the surreal.

I got a call later from a ex-co-worker who wanted to use me as the reference for the same job. I advised her against using me as a reference and why, and then gave her the answers to all the brain-teaser puzzles they asked me.

 

[Joe Boxer]

on one job interview for a industrial electrician, they had over 100 applicants for the job, they then picked the top 10 called them in for more in depth interview. So from there I get a call few weeks later that they had it down to 3 people, and they wanted us to come in one at a time to the local college do a hands on test for our troubleshooting skills. Well I got myself all worked up, and I was the last to be tested. Go in they show me a control panel with the problem of a mag wouldn't latch. then told me one of the other guys found a problem with the schematic so if I get stuck holler up, and they can assist. Took the meter looked at in for a couple of minutes realized an aux contact on the mag wasn't latching. Then I thought about the problem in the schematic so spent another 5 minutes to find it (didn't know if this could have been a trick to test my knowledge) but was done with the whole thing under 10 minutes. Then I asked to move onto the next test. Was told that was the only test they had. that I finished faster that anybody, and one couldn't even finish. About a week later was called and offered the job. The funny part the other person I was up against took a job working on the production line. So after getting to know him, and realized that he was a total moron went back to my boss said I didn't know if I should be honored of getting the job, or insulted I was in close competition with a moron.



then on my next job they wanted to know if I knew how to wire a start stop circuit so took a piece of paper drew a quick schematic, the next question what if he needed 2 stop buttons I drew it out in a minute. Then expected more complex questions, but thats all they had. Was sent down for a drug test, and physical. Was hired the same day.

 

[geniusintraining]

But it can also work the other way...

I was handed a piece of steel, that looked like it was a piece of modern art and told to draw it in 3D (2000i)... as he walk away said "I'll be back in a few minutes to see how you did"

----------------

I went to another interview a few months ago, took 3hrs of testing and was never called back for the second interview.... what the *&$#^... I guess they lost my phone number

 

[Joe Boxer]

But it can also work the other way...

I was handed a piece of steel, that looked like it was a piece of modern art and told to draw it in 3D (2000i)... as he walk away said "I'll be back in a few minutes to see how you did"

went on job interview for a electric crane company. whizzed right through the electrical test, but as the interview was winding down they asked if I could weld. Was honest told them no, he says anybody can weld. Go and gets some scrap metal. couple of welding sticks, and a helmet. Told me to weld those 2 pieces of metal together. When I finished he looked at it, your right your not a welder. did 't get the job, go figure.

 

[geniusintraining]

...your right your not a welder..

Next time just tell them you are an electrician and welding... to me that is a 'controlled direct short' and you are against it

 

[bernie_carlton]

A previous job interview consisted of meeting with the supervisor of the tech department and the owner of the company who were playing with a Heathkit electronics trainer. The owner asked me if I could make an LED flasher with a 555 IC and some parts. About 3 minutes later the LED was flashing. The owner in awe (I don't believe I'm exagerating this) asked the supervisor if they could hire me. The supervisor replied "we'll, it's YOUR company." I was hired with a substantial raise. It was at that company where I got immersed in machine control previously only doing pure electronics work. By the way, the first time I looked at a ladder logic diagram I asked "what are all these capacitors for?"

 

[jimbo3123]

By the way, the first time I looked at a ladder logic diagram I asked "what are all these capacitors for?"

Now that's funny.
The first time I saw ladder logic (RSLogix 5), I thought it had to be a joke. How could they be using something that looks like a Lego toy program to do real programming work? Real programming was supposed to be done with cryptic syntax, like the C++ that I learned in school, not cute little pictures that you draged and dropped in place. Ha.

 

[TConnolly]

The owner asked me if I could make an LED flasher with a 555 IC and some parts.

[homer simpson]mmmm.... 555s... mmmm[/homer]

Real programming was supposed to be done with cryptic syntax,

As in SOR XIC I:1/0 BST XIO I:9/17 NXB XIC I:8/2 BND GEQ N7:105 N11:80 TON T4:45 1.0 5 0 EOR SOR XIC T4:45/DN OTE O:5/6 EOR

Seriously, I know what you mean. I did plenty of C in college and at first ladder seemed like a joke, until I tried to do some of the things I do in ladder in C and realized that ladder does quite a bit of the behind the scenes work for you.

 

[fhervrylesestoso]

@Sir CaseyK
Your INBOX is full


Hi Sir,

Hope you read this message sir. I saw your review about GE Fanuc 90-30

Im Vryle a noob in PLC programming using GE-Fanuc90-30, we use CIMplicity Machine Edition as software for programming.

I am quite curious about the difference between CIMplicity Machine Edition, Proficy Machine Edition and can I include the VesraPro.

Our GE fanuc 90-30 PLCs are used for controlling DC drives, for rolling a deformed bar... (by the way our plant produces deformed bars.)

Can I ask for your help for me to learn the "Basics" of this PLC.? I had downloaded manuals for me to have a "self-study program"

Thank you very much

Vryle,20
Philippines

 

[fhervrylesestoso]

Answer this question,

"If you were a cactus,....why?"

>

 

[danw]

>I got asked once "How many jelly beans would fit on a ferry?".

Depends on one's associations, I guess.

I would have heard the question as, "How many jelly beans would fit on a fairy?"

Knowing that political correctness rules the day, my first smart-*** answer would remain private and my public answer would have been along the lines that Tinker Bell could probably carry maybe one or two jelly beans, but would he/she really need the burden given his/her access to pixie dust?