Course: CMM 128 Interviewing Practices

Lecture Notes

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Question Pitfalls

1. Bipolar Trap also called a Cross-Purpose Question
This involves asking a closed-ended question (e.g., "Can you tell me your name?") rather than asking an open-question which is really what you want (e.g., "What is your name?").

2. Open-to-Close Switch
This is a variation of the Bipolar Trap/Cross-Purpose Question. The question starts out as an open-ended question but then is reworded as a closed-ended, bipolar trap/cross-purpose question. The following is an example: "Tell me about yourself. Do you like this kind of work?" The last question should be deleted to make this the proper form.

3. Guessing Game
This is a variation of the Bipolar Trap/Cross-Purpose Question. With this question pitfall, the interviewer guesses at the answer rather than asking more broadly what the answer is. It may be worded as an open-to-close switch or it may be worded as a simple guess. Below are two examples:

- "I see that you had an accident, did you hit a deer?"
- "What did you hit with your car? Was it a deer?"

4. Double barrelled questions
This involves asking two or more questions at the same time. The problem with these is that the interviewee may forget to answer one part and the interviewer may forget to re-ask that part.

- Tell me about your family and your hobbies.
- Why do you want this job and what will you do with it?
- Give me two reasons why I should hire, when you can start, what you'll do first in the job, and who you need to help you do it.

5. Quiz show
This involves asking a question that only serve to point out the ignorance of the interviewee.

- Did you know that there are over 40,000 deaths from auto accidents a year?
- Do you know how much money you would have today if you invested $1,000 in IBM stock 10 years ago?

6. Curious questions
These are questions that seem out of place because a context for them has not been established.

- While talking about features of a new car, the dealer suddenly asks, "Are you a Democrat?" Feeling this has nothing to do with whether you buy the car or not, you ask, "Why?" and then hear that party members can get a discount if they go through that political party's Party Member Benefits Department.