And it’s not just magazines that struggle with this. I’ve seen all kinds of organizations that do a poor job of managing, hiring managers, and teaching managers. It’s only when an organization really “gets” and supports that hierarchy that you see strong managers. And that disdain for authority? In some organizations, that’s a plus, not a weakness.

Interviews aren’t everything, but it’s all you’ve got. And that “hive talent” tsunami is coming, you’re right, but most will still need to learn to work with people, to be managed and to manage.

That’s almost always my response, even “…in 5 years”. Even in 3 years, it shouldn’t be awkward if you answer it correctly. Unless of course the interviewee doesn’t want to be a manager.

And…two points on Fred… Gotta love that the people who criticize are always the anons! And to top that off, the use of a bunch of words to try and sound smart…worked really well!

Unfortunately I have been asked that question frequently so I’m forced to say things like, “Nothing that would keep me from being the best hire for this job.”

Must be that “Disdain for athority.”

Perhaps your disdain is because you (at least) subconsciously know that every question contained here is posed by individuals (including you) that are entirely unqualified to judge or estimate the theoretical and future performance of any other person; not in three years, or ten, or even tomorrow.

No, ten years from now, we’ll embarrassedly look back on this set of current gate keeping hurdles as we now do on “training” films that instruct model citizens as to how to be an efficient housekeeper and mother, obedient child, or faithful breadwinner in a prosperous and productive post-war world.

These are questions composed by people who have risen above their capacity; ask Matthew G. Monroe (comment above) the whereabouts of the station manager who asked the clever tree question. Maybe he wasn’t an oak, firmly planted. But, boy, he’ll sure be remembered in the annals of local television (in Omaha, was it?) for his tough and insightful hiring techniques.

The questions themselves demonstrate the fruition of the negative consequences originally conceived and feared to be the ultimate result of a system of meritocracy, when the phrase was given definition fifty years ago.

Turing the mirror back on you, I guess if you would have received your four flippant answers in your own world, you would never have hired you. Quite a credible system. Irony, attempt at humor, or great advice?

There’s a tsunami of hive talent fast approaching that will change the paradigm for not just your world, but nearly every other thing before anyone knows what hit them. None too soon. Status quo is entirely overrated, and contrary to evolution. Except for creationists, of course.

I also always ask scenario-based questions, such as: Give me 3 examples of how you worked with a photographer and editor to make an interesting image for a boring story. Or: You assigned a photographer to shoot a story and the images are great. But the section editor (managing editor, etc.) hates them. What do you do?

As often as not, the style in which they answer the question is as important as what they say.

The media business is run buy writers deciding to become management and business people trying to oversee content production. Sometimes it works, but, more often not.

And the leadership and budgets are created by people who think slap anything between the more important ads (maybe more of a newspaper business attitude, you tell me) and see cutting the quality of the content as the path to financial prosperity.

It is amazing, as a generalization, how much better non-media companies are at hiring managers.

Rosh
http://www.newmediaphotographer.com

I didn’t get the job.