DEM Primaries/Candidates thread

[CWSGuy406]

Well, that is what you're supposed to do when you're in a job interview, and that's what a debate is, really.

 

Really? One of my business teachers is a consultant for several different HR departments, and he says they absolutely HATE those BS cliche answers to the "What is one of your weaknesses?" question. You're (not you specifically) not answering the question when you turn it into something like, "My main weakness is that I care too much."

 

EDIT: Reading more in the thread...

 

There's some truth to that... you never tell them a real weakness in a job interview unless you can make a strength out of it.

 

This goes against just about everything that the consultant/professor I mentioned above has said. Do you work in some type of HR role? I'm honestly interested, and that question isn't meant to be as 'condescending' or derogative as it may seem.

Edited January 16, 2008 by CWSGuy406

[Balta1701]

Really? One of my business teachers is a consultant for several different HR departments, and he says they absolutely HATE those BS cliche answers to the "What is one of your weaknesses?" question. You're (not you specifically) not answering the question when you turn it into something like, "My main weakness is that I care too much."

Well here's the question though. Most people do not do 20 interviews a day, or even 20 job interviews a year, where they'd hear the canned response so often. Furthermore, they hear them even less from a person in the middle of a multi-hour session. So the question is, does a subtle answer like that, designed only to make you look better, hurt or help when people aren't used to hearing it and it isn't a key element of a short interview.

[NorthSideSox72]

Really? One of my business teachers is a consultant for several different HR departments, and he says they absolutely HATE those BS cliche answers to the "What is one of your weaknesses?" question. You're (not you specifically) not answering the question when you turn it into something like, "My main weakness is that I care too much."

That's one of the worst questions to get as an interviewee, and this discussion is exactly why. Some interviewers (like me) prefer a real, if self-deprocating, answer. But many prefer the polished B.S. answer. And its impossible to tell which they want.

 

So what I did, when faced with the "what is your biggest weakness" answer, is reply with "which answer would you like?" That usually gets a chuckle, and lets them know that I know what they are getting at. Then they can tell me which version they want.

 

[CWSGuy406]

Well here's the question though. Most people do not do 20 interviews a day, or even 20 job interviews a year, where they'd hear the canned response so often. Furthermore, they hear them even less from a person in the middle of a multi-hour session. So the question is, does a subtle answer like that, designed only to make you look better, hurt or help when people aren't used to hearing it and it isn't a key element of a short interview.

 

Well yeah -- we're obviously talking about two different things with the comparison of a debate and a job interview. In the latter, as NSS has mentioned, I don't see how it helps you to give a cliche, 'weakness that's really a strength'-type answer. Obviously you don't want to incriminate yourself too much by saying something like, "I tend to be tardy" or "I have huge mental lapses throughout the day where I'm completely unproductive" -- but so long as your not going to that extreme, I'd think the interviewer would appreciate an honest response over something he/she's heard 50 times before.

[southsideirish71]

Well yeah -- we're obviously talking about two different things with the comparison of a debate and a job interview. In the latter, as NSS has mentioned, I don't see how it helps you to give a cliche, 'weakness that's really a strength'-type answer. Obviously you don't want to incriminate yourself too much by saying something like, "I tend to be tardy" or "I have huge mental lapses throughout the day where I'm completely unproductive" -- but so long as your not going to that extreme, I'd think the interviewer would appreciate an honest response over something he/she's heard 50 times before.

 

 

Sometimes the best way to see if its BS is to throw out a line of BS yourself. In my tech interviews I use a technique where I ask 2 difficult questions. One is a made up technology that doesn't exist, the other is a question that they should never have an answer for as its far above the level of the job. If they look at me and honestly answer, I dont know or I haven't run into it. Points to them. The minute I see them glance to the ceiling tiles, and then make up an answer just to give and answer or tell me how they revolutionized said made up technology then I drop them. People fluff their resumes and experience whether its an election or a job. But be prepared that someone may call you on it. Over stating your case, and making up experience is a bit more than slightly exaggerating some experience.

[kapkomet]

It honestly depends on the position.

 

Example: for a financial related position, I tend to say that sometimes I get wrapped up in details and it takes me longer to complete tasks then it should... then I say BUT that's where I need the clarifications from management on how to look at things. In that way, it basically says that sometimes I get lost in some of the details but I'll need your help to pull my head out of my ass when it's appropriate.

 

You're all right, in that you don't want to come across condescending or like you never make mistakes. The best thing is that you have to say sometime early in an interview that you aren't afraid of making mistakes, but you are afraid of making them twice, if you know what I mean.

 

Sorry. Didn't mean to derail the DEM candidate thread.

[mr_genius]

Sometimes the best way to see if its BS is to throw out a line of BS yourself. In my tech interviews I use a technique where I ask 2 difficult questions. One is a made up technology that doesn't exist, the other is a question that they should never have an answer for as its far above the level of the job. If they look at me and honestly answer, I dont know or I haven't run into it. Points to them. The minute I see them glance to the ceiling tiles, and then make up an answer just to give and answer or tell me how they revolutionized said made up technology then I drop them. People fluff their resumes and experience whether its an election or a job. But be prepared that someone may call you on it. Over stating your case, and making up experience is a bit more than slightly exaggerating some experience.

 

That could backfire though. If you ask someone really smart and qualified that kind of question they might be thinking "haha, no way I'm working at a place like this". Could lose out on talent. If someone is interviewing for a high level tech job and has like a masters in Computer Science from Stanford and mad experience I wouldn't be comfortable just making stuff up trying to trick them.

 

Actually, I wouldn't insult an interviewee with trick questions even for a lower level job. There's plenty of legit questions I could think of that would have answers which would be difficult, if not impossible, to bs through without me knowing.

Edited January 16, 2008 by mr_genius

[Balta1701]

I didn't post the Zogby one because it's Zogby, but now there's another poll showing the same thing, so why not. 2 polls now, national polls, suggesting that the Obama/Hillary race is basically tied to within the margin of error of the polls.

 

Zogby:

Clinton 39

Obama 38

Edwards 9

 

The Hotline poll:

Democrats:

Clinton 38%

Obama 35%

Edwards 15%

Both polls basically done before last night's debate or the michigan primary. Thanks to Super Tuesday being so large, it does start to approach a national primary. It's close enough that if Clinton loses both NV and SC, that might well be enough to at least deny her the nomination and turn Edwards into a true kingmaker.

[Balta1701]

One other little bit for our resident Edwards fan. Taking a look at the media coverage from January 6-11, the period surrounding the New Hampshire Primary, where Edwards (and Huckabee) finished in 3rd place, here's what the total amount of media coverage looked like.

For all practical purposes, Edwards was basically non-existent in most media coverage around that time.

[BigSqwert]

Some fact checking of Tuesday's debate.

[BigSqwert]

Sheesh

 

http://tinyurl.com/38p3mm

 

[BigSqwert]

Another big endorsement for Obama.

[Balta1701]

Another big endorsement for Obama.

I'm so annoyed with that guy right now this actually sours me on Barack a bit...

[NorthSideSox72]

I'm so annoyed with that guy right now this actually sours me on Barack a bit...

por qua?

 

[Balta1701]

por qua?

Specifically, the fact that Leahy has spent the last oh, 8-10 months or something like that threatening to bring a contempt citation against the dozen or so Administration members who have refused to respond to Congressional subpoenas but has yet to actually do so. He's in the process of proving that congressional oversight simply doesn't exist because Congress doesn't have the balls to take on the imperial presidency.

[Balta1701]

Obama picks up an endorsement from a L.A. area union head (800,000 members). If the national numbers are actually as close as those last 2 polls I posted yesterday suggest, then amazingly, it could well come down to who wins California and by how much, because the 3 big super tuesday states are CA, IL, and NY, 2 of which seem to be foregone conclusions.

[BigSqwert]

Per CNN the casinos will be allowed to hold caucuses.

[NorthSideSox72]

Per CNN the casinos will be allowed to hold caucuses.

Point, Obama.

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

Clinton is a bit pissed about this Nevada thing...

Edited January 17, 2008 by Athomeboy_2000

[HuskyCaucasian]

Bill Clinton gets called out on his belief that Obama isnt experienced enough... oh wait, he said in 1992 experience doesn't matter.

[Balta1701]

Clinton is a bit pissed about this Nevada thing...

I tell you what, this is NOT the way to reach out to activists in this party...trying to make efforts to deny people the right to vote in a silly system like a caucus. If it was Obama pulling this sort of stuff, that's the kind of thing that could drive me to Neutrality. What makes a man turn Neutral? Bill Clinton, it seems.

[Texsox]

Oops, Balta posted as I was ^^^ Clinton and experience ^^^

 

Such is politics. Both sides are a little right and a little wrong. About the same when the Dems and GOP reversed about serving in the military.

[HuskyCaucasian]

I tell you what, this is NOT the way to reach out to activists in this party...trying to make efforts to deny people the right to vote in a silly system like a caucus.

That is the fundamental difference between the Clintons and Obama. The Clintons are all about trying to suppress those they think will hurt their goals, while Obama says "just vote. I dont care if it's for me or not. Just vote". It's "

" vs

.

[Balta1701]

That is the fundamental difference between the Clintons and Obama. The Clintons are all about trying to suppress those they think will hurt their goals, while Obama says "just vote. I dont care if it's for me or not. Just vote". It's "

" vs

.

The potential issue here is that Clinton has been doing better with the self-described Democrats, while Obama has been doing better with the Self-described independents...but the Self-described Democrats have been attacked for 8 years by Karl Rove's voter suppression fun time gangs, from the Florida recounts through the issues with paperless voting to the connection between voting rights and the republican-endorsed voter ID acts, false vote fraud claims, and the Attorney purge scandal. This is one of those issues that could well hit at the heart of Hillary's supporters...yes Obama's the one who mentioned the evil one's name yesterday, but Hillary's the one trying to deny people the right to vote because they work too far away from a caucus point. That's a message that I think hits right at the heart of her strongest supporters.

[BigSqwert]

Someone finally questions the "35 years of experience".

 

EDIT: I should have said someone else besides me.

Edited January 17, 2008 by BigSqwert