choublak

How do you answer this question in job interviews? I am open to any suggestions.

My most recent job was being a companion/caregiver to an elderly woman, helping her with errands and driving her places. No medical stuff because I don't have a license/certificate of any kind. I can't think of anything to say about what I least liked about the job, that would be appropriate during a job interview. My last interview I answered that question with, "it can be said having to watch what old people go through as they get worse" and I think that sounds kind of morbid. Needless to say, I didn't get the job the interview was for.

Thanks in advance!

Stung

If it were me, I would say that although I really enjoyed offering companionship and care to the elderly it just wasn't challenging my work ethic or skills enough.

Stung

And I should add, I used to work for a non profit that offered free services to the elderly and the LVNs and RNs that do those jobs are amazing people! Not something that I could ever do but the people that do are awesome!

Springs

Can you think about a skill or responsibility you'd get out of the new job that you didn't get to focus on in that job? I'd recommend something like - "I really enjoyed taking care of her and helping her with her needs, but I'm passionate about [some part of new job] and didn't get to focus on it with that job so I'd say that part was negative." Good luck!

MyGirlGracie

Having just found a full-time job after searching for a couple of years... I feel your pain. Some of these interview questions really bug me. The consensus (from what I have learned on job boards) is to NEVER answer that type of question with something negative... always turn your answer around to reflect something positive. In your case as a general care giver, you might say something like: "I found that the time spent in transportation took away from quality time with Mrs. XXXX"... May not sound dramatic, but I think the question is asked to see what type of personality you have ie: are you a complainer? Good luck on the job hunt and the grueling interview process!

hopeful4

I had someone say in an interview the other day that he felt that he was not given the opportunity to show his skills. I asked him how so, and he said he feels he had alot more to give than was asked of him.

I thought about this for a while. He THOUGHT he was overskilled for the prior job. Sometimes people think they are more than they are. My boss was in there with me, he said this is the reason we are not hiring him, he thinks he is going to walk in and be our boss.

I did not take it that way, but bam...that was the end. I guess I am just saying I agree with the above poster who says to turn it into something positive. You never know when what you say will be taken out of context.

Good Luck!

ps...My mom works in human resources for a large company. Anyone who does not bring their own pen to the interview and has to ask to borrow one is off her list. She says if you don't have brains enough to bring a pen she is not hiring them. Go figure...

steelman1649

Absolutely right about taking negatively. I was interviewing someone a few weeks ago and she talked about not getting along with her supervisor, what a stupid thing to say!

I always like to talk about(positively first) what I enjoyed about the job, but the fact it didn't allow for me to grow. I talk about how I want my career to be an evolutionary growth process, when I stop growing professionally and adding to my skillset, it's time to move on.