Some Job Interview Questions

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This is what I would say to the employer. After giving an example of how I used problem solving. I would tell them it has brought me two side benefits that I think would be an asset to your future company and hopefully my company as well. The first side benefit is it has taught me to deal with frustration. My mother is the type who becomes a nervous wreck when her computer goes off kilter in anyway. In addition, she will install things like whetherbug and I tell her not to because it is malware. It is dangerous to your computer and hackers use it to obtain personal information. She does not listen. One of my methods is to use a stress ball and I squeeze it. Another way I do it is I try to develop a sense of humor. I make jokes in my head and think "time for the clean up crew again."

Another thing I have learned is humility. My mother will give suggestions that will seem dumb. I have to coconsciously push my not so nice thoughts out of my head and consider her position and her background. She is your average user and for a lot of her life she did not have a computer. I have had one since 3rd grade even if it only had MS-DOS. One time she gave a suggestion that seemed dumb and would not seem to work because I had more knowledge of computers then she did and it would not make sense based upon the knowledge I had. I decided to try something that was off the wall. I decided to try to implement her suggestion. In ended up that the problem was fixed.

Her solution was so simple that it was brilliant. Sometimes the user with their lack of knowledge of something may actually be a benefit to you. The benefit is that their ideas on how to solve the problem is not constrained by the expert knowledge I may have. Next time I have to repair my mother's computer I will have her in the room next to me as my advisor because she does not have much knowledge about computer. Because of her lack of knowledge, she will suggest things to me that may seem wacky and I would not have thought of it myself because my knowledge base tells me this can't be so. I would need someone who knows little because they are able to think outside of my box.



I have done that before.



It seems like all one can do is grin and bare it. Jesus Christ suffered a lot more on the cross.



Thanks, you are able to make this stuff so simple and break this stuff down to me. You're brilliant at that. How do you do it?

I think you are completely on the right track; the key is to use language that implies you understand the other person's point of view, which you did here (I'd say "she does not understand" rather than "she does not listen" because the latter sounds more authoritarian, but that is a quibble. I would also lead with the joke idea and mention the stress ball later, if at all.)

Grin and bear it is one strategy, but another is to "reframe" things. You did it here: you started off with "she does not listen" and you moved on to "She is your average user and for a lot of her life she did not have a computer." Basically, you're talking about the same thing, but in the second instance it is easier not to get frustrated, right?

I have a question. Is this a good example of turning a weakness of stubbornness into a strength. Some would say that you were stubborn but sometimes you got to me.

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postp5213524.html#5213524

Very good question. I think I have to answer it two ways: I would not tell that story in a job interview, certainly not that way.

In a job interview, (or in an IEP meeting) I might describe that same situation this way:

"My son has special needs that aren't immediately evident, and as a result, many people mistake his needs for a parenting failure on my part. I have learned to develop a thick skin and to stick to my guns and make sure that his needs are met. After a while, people come to realize that while my son is skilled at covering his disability, it is real, and they usually are grateful that I have good strategies to handle him."

As phrased, this answers the managing other people kinds of questions - it shows an employer that I am willing to do the job even if there is a personal cost. It doesn't really answer the weakness-into-strength question, so I'll give another example in a moment. You are right in saying that my stubbornness (a weakness) is a great asset to me. Unfortunately, admitting to stubbornness is only very rarely a socially acceptable choice, and normally not one in the workplace (the only area I can think of where stubbornness would be prized by an employer is if you wind up saving someone's life as a result)

So, when an interviewer asks you a question like "What is your greatest weakness" they are looking for a couple of things: can you manage your weaknesses (are they going to have to babysit you?) Are you unsuited to this particular job (is your particular weakness in an area where an employer needs strength)

So, I would give this answer:

"I have serious difficulty with organizational skills (I would never apply for a job whose main function was organizing!) I've learned over the years to use technology to help me keep on top of tasks I otherwise would struggle with. You may hear my phone go off from time to time, I have programmed it to prompt me when I need to do something. I've found that this system work very well for me, and even though I am not naturally organized, I no longer have trouble getting things done or turning them in."