I hate it when they ask... How much would you like your salary to be? Or something along those lines...
It's a trick question that's almost impossible to answer correctly...

I have never really had an issue with any interview question I have been asked. However, the weirdest question I have ever been asked wasn't during an actual interview, but during competition for Entry Level Job Interview in my DECA years. I was asked "If you were a cookie, what kind of cookie would you be?" I can't remember what my answer was, (it was about 9 years ago!)but it must have been good since I made it to finals.

I hate the salary question, too. There is no good way to answer this.

I hate the very first question. "So, why do you want to work for us?" Um, because I need money and benefits and you have both. But of course you have to lie through your teeth. I'm a terrible liar, and I can't BS my way through an interview. Good thing I like to talk about myself and I can get the rest of the questions right.

"If I were to ask your best friend to describe you in three words, which three words would he/she choose?" *gag me* Can we be a little more original??

The salary question is the most uncomfortable...

I HATE "tell me a little about yourself!" I never know what to say! I know I should talk about myself professionally and personally, but I never know what the balance should be

It's not really an interview question, but for some reason a lot of companies think it's strange that I would be looking for a new position when I'm currently employed (there is no where else for me to advance in my company and I've outgrown my current position). Yet the same companies are looking for job stability. Just seems weird to me.

"What are your weaknesses?"

"Tell me about yourself."
I never know what to say!

My company has a list of questions that the interviewer can ask. One question is "Do you consider yourself more masculine or more feminine?" Huh?

So, my school had a good seminar series, and one of them was on the interview.

I don't find any of these questions hard. or weird.

What you have to do is write out all the questions you think/know you will be asked i.e. Why do you want to to work for this company? what ar eyou strengths/weaknesses? tell me a little baout yourself? What salary do you want? etc.

You should always have a 15 to 20 second blurb prepared about yourself to tell anyone, esp at career fairs. you can use your blurb as you answer (in whole or part)to the tell me about yourself question.

I nail almost every interview (i got to the final round of interviews for ajob in finance when i was the only applicant without a finance related degree) and had a job offer before finals my last semester. It is all about preparation. If you prepare, you will do no wrong, even if you are shy or get nervous. I try to talk to the person like I have met them before, and am candid. If they don't like it (which so far everyone does) oh well. I am a candid person.

ashlyn rose-that question is borderline inappropriate and could warrant action against the company--you may have HR look into having it removed.

Other quesitons that are inappropriate and you dont' have to answer are how old are you, are you married, are you dating, do you have children, do you want children, etc.

The salary question. I'm not even 100% sure what all my duties will be until I'm doing the job, so how should I know how much I should be making? Also, my weaknesses. I always have something I should say, and then I blank when I get there.

I'd definitely have to go with "What are your weaknesses" like others said above. I hate this question! It is so loaded and pointless. I doubt anyone will say, "Well my weakness is that I hate getting up early in the morning and sometimes my love for a nonfat caramel mocha will probably make me very late. I also spend lots of time on fun websites (like Popsugar of course) when I should be writing back to endless e-mails."

My dreaded question would have to be, "Where do you see yourself in the next 5 to 10 years?".
If life has taught us anything, it's whatever you plan for yourself usually doesn't happen in the way you want. So, for me to give an honest answer would be difficult if I want to get the job.Instead, I lie and say I see myself with this company playing a larger and more valuable role.

I interview very well and always make sure I am prepared. I don't really like the salary question just because it is hard to gauge what you should say especially if the company is small. The where do you see yourself in the next 5-10 years is just stupid clearly I want my bosses job duh!

I don't like when they ask 'tell me about yourself' because I don't know if I'm supposed to talk about my schooling, my accomplishments or what. Clearly I must not be saying the right thing because I haven't had a job since April.

The worst one for me came at the end of long day of multiple interviews with the whole team I was to work with, of course all men. In my line of work, I am accustomed to being one of the only women at my level, but this question threw me for a loop:

"When was the last time you were emotional?"

I took a second and answered it with finesse--but inside I was livid, knowing that they would probably not ask a man the same question in the same way. I feel that the aim of the question is valid (i.e. seeing how I deal with difficult situations etc.) just not the way it was delivered.

Many months later, I asked the interviewer -- a VP at the company, about the question and he said yes, I don't think I have ever asked that question of a man and apologized.

I hate the "Give an example of when you failed at something and describe what you learned from that experience."

I am in the process of interviewing and am part of that small population that just loves it. I like it so much, I wish I could interview for a living. You meet all kinds of people, get inside all kinds of places you'd never see otherwise; I find it really enjoyable and because I genuinely like it, I always interview well.

That being said, I have not found a way to comfortably handle the salary question. Very often there's no clue as to what their range is, and there can be such a great disparity on what they're offering for any number of reasons. So that's the one I wish I could hit on the perfect pat answer for. Anyone have any suggestions?

I was looking for work and rang a company on a whim to see if they had any jobs going. They took my name and number but i never expected them to call back because they knew i had little experience. They called back later that day and asked if i wanted to come out and have a look around. It turned into a bit of an interview, which i was not prepared for having never had one before. I thought i totally sucked ( I'm sure i did actually) but i'm on a two week trial at the moment. I didn't get asked any of those questions though.

you can research the average slary for your profession online--they give a middle number, the high and the low based on your area. that can help you have a jumping off point. I would just reference the range on line, and if you live near or in a city, i would comment that cost of living would probably be higher so the salary would be more towards the higher end of the spectrum, etc. just remember to take into account your schooling nad expereince.

Wish i had all this tips yesterday... I went on my very first interview ever and i totally think i blew it, apart of being a little nervous i so suck at answering questions about myself... Like Where do see yourself in a few years? Your biggest accomplishment? Tell me about your childhood, Your happiest memory... I was so not prepared for those type of questions... seriously my head just went blank! Well but i would take this as a lesson learned and on my next interview i would probably aced it yeah!!!

im going for an interview next week for a medical assisting job...im dreding it, i hate the whole interview thing, it makes me feel uncomfortable trying to sell myself. i find it hard to be myself around people who will determine whether or not i work for them.

i always hate the "tell me about a time when you failed at something" or "what's your greatest weakness?"

those questions are valid but they always make me feel queasy b/c who likes saying when they sucked at something, especially to an employer? anyway, its not like you can't turn that question into a positive (i.e. i'm very stubborn and i see it as a double-edged sword but i'm working on it, blah blah). you can talk your way out of it but i still don't like it! oh yeah, and i hate the salary question too!

for those of you: 1. Tell me about yourself-start going over your resume-with your current job.

2. What are your weaknesses? say something like-I feel my education is a weakness because I want to get my Master;s Degree and advance with the company.
I have read these answers in interview books and used them on countless interview. These answers work. Also-get the book "knock them dead 2007" that is the best interview book on the market and is updated yearly. Good luck to all

As for salary-just say-"well, I am not sure of the salary range, so I would like to hear more about the job and it's requirements before we discuss salary." and NEVER, NEVER

never talk money before they do!

What are your weaknesses?

Just an FYI--normally when interviewers ask for a time you failed, they want to see that you can admit when y ou have made a mistake, and see that you can learn from that experince. It shows you aren't stuck on yourself, and are able to identify when you may need to work at something. Since no one is perfect, no one should be embarassed by this...think up one at home that you don't mind sharing...then bring it with you (in your head of course)

"Why do you want to work with us?"

cuz you pay and the job doesn't sound horrible. What do you want from me?

"are you comfortable working on a ladder."

uh.. sure i am. ha... ha... no not at all.

meganekko- i've definitly had that one! i love the construction industry..
no, i think the worst was: "are you comfortable working from a rooftop...? good.... in the rain? yes, good... on an island with no phone or electricity? with my team of guys? for a week-long project?... do you have a sleeping bag? .... NO?!" good times..
oh and i also hate the weakness question, i'm always soooo tempted to put on my smuggest air and say "i work too hard!"

ugh, i had my first interview ever yesterday.

"if you were an animal, what would you be?"

uhhhh a white tiger so i could bite your head off and make sure you never ask that question again?

I haven't been on a job interview in nine years, and I hope to not have to go on another one anytime soon. But I hate the money questions.

I hate the "why do you want to work for us" question too. i had an interview on Tuesday and ended up answering with this long drawn-out rambly answer about the creative process, and then the interviewer kind of turned it around with "at our branch, we don't do a lot of glamorous work"

but the other question that i think i always fail at is, "do you have any more questions for us?" because i'm always so overwhelmed with information and nerves that i can't think of a question. and then i feel dumb and wonder if they think less of me.

"What is your dream car and why?" Why does my interviewer care?! When I am interviewing, I always look at the many reasons people ask these questions and it makes me nervous.

I have been working since I started college. This is my last year then i'm out.

I usually dread the weaknesses one, but a friend of mine who helped her boss give interviews gave me a couple of v useful answers: "I am a perfectionist and find it difficult to decide it is time to stop working on this project" and then you add the "but in my previous job/this part of my studies I learnt how to work on it blablabla". The other one is "I am too nice/can never say no" and of course you go on saying how, although it's not a natural skill, you learnt from your previous job.

My least favorite: where do you see yourself in five years? um... I dunno, depends if I get this job or not.

Weirdest: Would you be OK with wearing a hard hat? (I'm a programmer). I said yes. I think I would look awfully cute in a hard hat.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? followed by:

Do you have any questions for me?

I hate salary expectation question the most. Several times I was not sure how much the company can afford. After I joined the company, I sadly found out I was underpay and should ask more. I got an offer a few days ago. Luckily this time I found a website (http://www.jpsdata.com) with the detail salary information about my job titile, suprisingly detail. I called them back and gave them several examples of higher salary than the offer. Finally they match the higher salary. I feel so good this time.