Interview Questions That Don’t Target Your Skills Or Experience

There are common interview questions that you can prepare answers for in advance, such as those which delve into your strengths and weaknesses; and then there are questions which are meant to elicit unscripted responses and probe your personality. It is the questions of this latter variety that Rachel Premack analyzes in her recent article, ‘13 questions hiring managers ask to test your personality.’
Premack observes that employers aren’t only interested in years of experience and office skills, that they want someone who will fit into their working environment and add to it. In her words, employers “want to hire those who also have something unique to offer — like a great personality or a strong set of soft skills.” Interview questions which gauge these qualities try to gather unguarded answers. You can find 13 of these questions is her article, but here are a few:1) If your best friend was sitting here, what would they say is the best part about being your friend?
2) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
3) What drives you in your personal life?
This posting is brought to you by Contemporaries Inc., one of the best temp agencies in Boston MA. Also available for payrolling employees in Boston and Greater Boston
Recent Posts

Feel Good Friday: Balance
Happy Friday! We’re excited to close out the week with a consideration of the various ways in which you can strive to find balance in order to contribute to a greater sense of equilibrium both in your professional environment and beyond. As it’s Friday, you might be...

Finding Your Own Best Work-Life Balance
As the end of the work week draws near, today we’re continuing our theme of the week, Balance, by exploring even more approaches to establishing and maintaining the right work-life balance for you. Just as each person has their own unique set of professional...

Wednesday Wellness: Balance
Happy Hump Day! You’ve made it to the week’s midpoint--aka a perfect time to consider ways to best achieve a professional sense of balance. Achieving that balance is something that takes practice rather than occurring overnight. If you find yourself stumbling along...

Achieving Your Best Work Life Balance
Continuing this week’s focus on balance, today we’re looking at ways to best achieve a healthy work life balance. This tips tackle approaches that address both the “work” and “life” components of this concept, helping you to find your footing both in the workplace and...

Monday Mood Booster: Balance
Welcome back! This week we’re focusing on maintaining balance in your workplace and beyond, bringing the sense of rest and the recharging you did over the weekend into your professional environment and spreading that sense of balance out all the way through the rest...

Feel Good Friday: Pause
Happy Friday! You’ve made it to the end of the week again and can soon lean into the peaceful pause the weekend offers. Let yourself enjoy it! While we’ve reached the week’s end, we’re also at the month’s mid-point--and there’s no better time to press pause and...

Helping Yourself and Others During Downtime
It can be easy to feel down and disconnected during this time of uncertainty. And especially during this week of April showers! While there’s still a light at the end of the tunnel shining, we know that you may be feeling like you’ve had to put your life on hold. But...

Wednesday Wellness: Pause
You’re halfway through the workweek. What better time is there than to pause and think about both where you’re going and where you’ve been? There will inevitably be lulls during your workday--take these as opportunities to breathe before plunging back into your tasks....

Making the Most of Slower Times at Work
Continuing our theme this week of making sure to implement variety in your professional routine by hitting the pause button from time to time instead of always proceeding full steam ahead, today we’ll be examining ways to make the most out of slower times in your...

Monday Mood Booster: Pause
Welcome back! We hope you had a wonderful and restorative weekend. Our focus lately has been on ways to keep moving forward. And while you’ll want to make sure you’re maintaining a positive trajectory, it’s also important to take time to slow down: to hit the pause...

Feel Good Friday: Weathering the Storm
Congratulations! You’ve pushed through the maelstrom of everything your professional environment may have thrown your way and made it to the end of the week. And that is truly something to celebrate! We’re excited to see you back here. And want to give you one last...

Boost Your Workplace Energy Through Movement
Today we’re continuing our focus on developing holistic ways to keep going in any professional environment, no matter the figurative or literal weather conditions you encounter along the way. Both your mind and your body are part of the workplace equation! And it’s...

Wednesday Wellness: Weathering the Storm
Happy Wednesday! You’ve made it the midpoint of the week--the eye of the storm, to continue our metaphor. Take today to remember and appreciate the calm you can find in the world, to steady yourself and get ready for the rest of the week’s figurative strong winds. No...

Give Yourself Energy Boosts in Any Professional Environment
As we continue to navigate storms both literal and figurative, it’s important to keep your body and mind in tip-top shape, whether you’re working from home or onsite. Taking this holistic approach will help you persevere through any circumstances you encounter in any...