Interview Questions from Hell
Join Date: Sep 2005
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The two interviewers had been joking with me at the beginning of the interview about how I’m from “ooup north” and the job was based at LGW. Nearing the end of the interview they as me; “Why should we employ you?” My answer, “well, I’m northern, you’re an equal opportunities employer, it would make your statistics look good.” Id said it without even thinking and I remember thinking at the time, that was either really fecking dumb or really fecking good. What must have only been a second, but seemed like days they both burst out laughing and said they had never heard that response to that question before. I was offered a jet job the day after.
A bit of humor goes a long way in the right circumstances, it proves you’re a real person and not just a robot.
Good luck all!
A bit of humor goes a long way in the right circumstances, it proves you’re a real person and not just a robot.
Good luck all!
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Take off,, the guys probably sat there thinking "thats not good,, ill just keep quite and stay out of trouble" so you would not know hes not done it and aim towards the big white fluffy things.
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"Describe how you have dealt with a race relations problem whilst working in a group situation"
"Describe how you would react to a decision that went against you in a group situation"
2 gems from BA SSP interview in 05. Good times.
"Describe how you would react to a decision that went against you in a group situation"
2 gems from BA SSP interview in 05. Good times.
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went for a job selling mini's at the bmw garage a few years back. guy said to me 'what are your weaknesses?'
I said cursing at referees and monday mornings. His response was 'im a hockey referee and we have our weekly sales meeting every monday morning at quarter past 8.'
My face went bright red and it fair to say i never got the job. Next time its the good old, i spend to much time reviewing my written documents or some total bull like that.
I said cursing at referees and monday mornings. His response was 'im a hockey referee and we have our weekly sales meeting every monday morning at quarter past 8.'
My face went bright red and it fair to say i never got the job. Next time its the good old, i spend to much time reviewing my written documents or some total bull like that.
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... once the gear is up, what conversation will you have with the Captain/FO?
... say something funny!
... beside goog pay why do you want to be a pilot?
... have you ever shared yourself?
... say something funny!
... beside goog pay why do you want to be a pilot?
... have you ever shared yourself?
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interview questions
"So how long have you had a drinking problem"? After my denial of the problem he followed up with, "What is the earliest you have ever had a drink"? I said 4:30. " 4:30 in the afternoon and you say you don't have a drinking problem"? "No 4:30 in the morning." "4:30 in the morning and you say you don't have a drinking problem"? He was getting louder with each question.
So I went on the offensive. "Are you going to have a drink after work"? He said,"Yes". I had him by the balls now !!!! "Well that's what I did." "We had been flying all night and checked into a hotel in Ireland." "If you are staying in a hotel in Ireland the bar must be available to you so the manager told us there wasn't a bartender on duty so just go in and help yourself and make a list of what you drink." Interviewer was agitated to say the least. I didn't get the job so I put a curse on the airline and it went out of business months later. The airline's headquarters was at Midway, Chicago.
So I went on the offensive. "Are you going to have a drink after work"? He said,"Yes". I had him by the balls now !!!! "Well that's what I did." "We had been flying all night and checked into a hotel in Ireland." "If you are staying in a hotel in Ireland the bar must be available to you so the manager told us there wasn't a bartender on duty so just go in and help yourself and make a list of what you drink." Interviewer was agitated to say the least. I didn't get the job so I put a curse on the airline and it went out of business months later. The airline's headquarters was at Midway, Chicago.
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Your captain has opened the cockpit window for a quick smoke. What do you do?
Always good to show a bit of CRM.
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Knock 'em Dead.
This has been a dormant thread but worth the read. Warning, slight thread drift coming.
Years ago I came across an author by the name of Martin John Yate. He has a series of interview/interviewing books entitled Knock ‘em Dead, and the companion Hiring the Best; A Manager’s Guide to Effective Interviewing. His work is the best resource on the subject of interview preparation, tough question anticipation and interviewing techniques I have come across.
Mr. Yate’s business background was in high profile corporate recruitment, and he does an excellent job of explaining the rationale behind styles of questioning. Then he gives an analysis of answers. It’s been a long time since I read his works but I remember having spent much time with set of note cards with difficult questions on one side, and my prepared answers on the other side in groundwork for a competitive and demanding interview (I was successful and it led to my first turbojet job as a FO with a Fortune 500 Company’s flight department).
It’s important to understand what is significant to the interviewer and to be able to highlight her/his interests in your response to their questions. You need to be comfortable with your preparation to sound relaxed and normal rather than repeating a memorized answer.
What is a difficult interview question? How about this one; “Tell me, what are your weaknesses?” or some variation of that question.
The question is difficult because the candidates want to present themselves in a positive light and highlight their accomplishments. “I don’t have any weaknesses” is a terrible response as is “I have trouble figuring out the entry to a holding pattern”……or whatever. Prior to reading Martin’s material I would have tried to answer the question with some weakness without giving the interview a reason to show me the door like "cursing at referees and monday mornings". As I remember his suggestion was to take that question in another direction. He would recommend something along the lines of: “I like working within a group setting, but sometimes I find myself being troubled when I believe that others are not putting their best effort into the process. In those circumstances I try to remind myself to be positive and look for ways to encourage others in their effort, while I continue to put forth my best effort so that the team may have the highest probability of success”.
A closing thought from personal experience; if at all possible try to get some experience on the other end of the interviewing table, as an interviewer or observer, before you sit down for your own “big interview”. It’s amazing what you will see, both the good and the bad. That observation/conducting experience will help you judge and improve your own performance.
Good luck!
Years ago I came across an author by the name of Martin John Yate. He has a series of interview/interviewing books entitled Knock ‘em Dead, and the companion Hiring the Best; A Manager’s Guide to Effective Interviewing. His work is the best resource on the subject of interview preparation, tough question anticipation and interviewing techniques I have come across.
Mr. Yate’s business background was in high profile corporate recruitment, and he does an excellent job of explaining the rationale behind styles of questioning. Then he gives an analysis of answers. It’s been a long time since I read his works but I remember having spent much time with set of note cards with difficult questions on one side, and my prepared answers on the other side in groundwork for a competitive and demanding interview (I was successful and it led to my first turbojet job as a FO with a Fortune 500 Company’s flight department).
It’s important to understand what is significant to the interviewer and to be able to highlight her/his interests in your response to their questions. You need to be comfortable with your preparation to sound relaxed and normal rather than repeating a memorized answer.
What is a difficult interview question? How about this one; “Tell me, what are your weaknesses?” or some variation of that question.
The question is difficult because the candidates want to present themselves in a positive light and highlight their accomplishments. “I don’t have any weaknesses” is a terrible response as is “I have trouble figuring out the entry to a holding pattern”……or whatever. Prior to reading Martin’s material I would have tried to answer the question with some weakness without giving the interview a reason to show me the door like "cursing at referees and monday mornings". As I remember his suggestion was to take that question in another direction. He would recommend something along the lines of: “I like working within a group setting, but sometimes I find myself being troubled when I believe that others are not putting their best effort into the process. In those circumstances I try to remind myself to be positive and look for ways to encourage others in their effort, while I continue to put forth my best effort so that the team may have the highest probability of success”.
A closing thought from personal experience; if at all possible try to get some experience on the other end of the interviewing table, as an interviewer or observer, before you sit down for your own “big interview”. It’s amazing what you will see, both the good and the bad. That observation/conducting experience will help you judge and improve your own performance.
Good luck!
Last edited by Northbeach; 31st Jan 2010 at 05:58.
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Final Inerview Casual Photographs
Hi,
I had my interview Monday in Sydney. Can anyone tell me what sort of 'casual' photos you submitted?? I'm so unsure. For example I dont know whether to include other people...or maybe crop it so it's just me...and I have some in casual suit wear but then I dont know if I should not send TOO casual in...haha..
Please let me know what the best idea is. (Apart from smiley photos)
Thankyou!!!!
I had my interview Monday in Sydney. Can anyone tell me what sort of 'casual' photos you submitted?? I'm so unsure. For example I dont know whether to include other people...or maybe crop it so it's just me...and I have some in casual suit wear but then I dont know if I should not send TOO casual in...haha..
Please let me know what the best idea is. (Apart from smiley photos)
Thankyou!!!!
Join Date: Dec 2009
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Cadetship Question I got asked
CFI - "So What have you actually done to prepare yourself for this interview"
Me - "Honestly Sir, next to nothing"
CFI (with a stunned look) - "Nothing? What do you mean"
Me - "Well sir, there aint exactly alot you can do to prepare for an interview, as an interview is just really an informal chat between 2 or more people to see what that person is like. And you can't really prepare for that now can you? Albeit short of going to the local pub and chatting to some locals"
CFI (smiling) - "You're the first person thats actually answered that correctly."
Needless to say they knocked me back on industry experience but it was a good learning curve
CFI - "So What have you actually done to prepare yourself for this interview"
Me - "Honestly Sir, next to nothing"
CFI (with a stunned look) - "Nothing? What do you mean"
Me - "Well sir, there aint exactly alot you can do to prepare for an interview, as an interview is just really an informal chat between 2 or more people to see what that person is like. And you can't really prepare for that now can you? Albeit short of going to the local pub and chatting to some locals"
CFI (smiling) - "You're the first person thats actually answered that correctly."
Needless to say they knocked me back on industry experience but it was a good learning curve
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I heard a guy actually got asked this question in an interview for a FO turbo-prop postion;
Interviewer; Can you think of a time when it might be appropriate for the Captain to shout at you.
Interviewey; Umm perhaps if the flight was in immediate danger and the Captain need to warn me of something.
Interviewer; It is never appropriate for the Captain to shout at you in any circumstances.
I personally thought the Captain could shout at you if you were standing outside and the APU was running and they need to tell you something, but I guess not.
Interviewer; Can you think of a time when it might be appropriate for the Captain to shout at you.
Interviewey; Umm perhaps if the flight was in immediate danger and the Captain need to warn me of something.
Interviewer; It is never appropriate for the Captain to shout at you in any circumstances.
I personally thought the Captain could shout at you if you were standing outside and the APU was running and they need to tell you something, but I guess not.
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Hard pre-interview question
I got asked this pre interview question and couldn't get my head around it, can anyone help?
The information technology department needs to load new software on to 3 computers.
The frist two computers have enough room for 3 programs, but the third only has enough room for two programs.
There are eight program (A,B,C,D,E,F,G, and H) that can be loaded onto 3 computers with the following constraints:
If A is load onto computer 1 then B must be loaded onto computer 3.
If G is loaded onto computer 3 then H must be load onto computer 3.
C cannot beloaded on the same computer as D.
E must be loaded onto a different computer than F.
H and A must be load onto the same computer.
If neither E or F are loaded onto computer 3, then which of the following statement CANNOT be true.
1, A and E are on the same computer.
2, B and C are on the same computer.
3, D and F are on computer 1.
4, F and G are on the same as C.
5, A is on computer 1.
The information technology department needs to load new software on to 3 computers.
The frist two computers have enough room for 3 programs, but the third only has enough room for two programs.
There are eight program (A,B,C,D,E,F,G, and H) that can be loaded onto 3 computers with the following constraints:
If A is load onto computer 1 then B must be loaded onto computer 3.
If G is loaded onto computer 3 then H must be load onto computer 3.
C cannot beloaded on the same computer as D.
E must be loaded onto a different computer than F.
H and A must be load onto the same computer.
If neither E or F are loaded onto computer 3, then which of the following statement CANNOT be true.
1, A and E are on the same computer.
2, B and C are on the same computer.
3, D and F are on computer 1.
4, F and G are on the same as C.
5, A is on computer 1.
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hmm
At my first run through I got:
1:C G F
2:H A E
3: D B
This fulfils all of the criteria and makes answers 2 or 3 possible but you'll have to try to disprove one of those by finding another solution....sorry got to go to bed as up for a flight early...good luck ;-)
1:C G F
2:H A E
3: D B
This fulfils all of the criteria and makes answers 2 or 3 possible but you'll have to try to disprove one of those by finding another solution....sorry got to go to bed as up for a flight early...good luck ;-)