The most hilarious version is—and I am guilty of doing it—when asked “what is your biggest fault?” answering like “sometimes I am too perfectionist and cannot leave good enough alone” or something similarly ridiculously servant-like ass-kissing. I think it goes back to many programmers being low status marginalized nerds all through from childhood to college, and the chance of a REAL JOB with real respect is something they may feel very grateful for.
A more high-status response is to say something trivial and humorous, or even meta, such as “sometimes I don’t answer questions I don’t like”. This is slightly impertiment, not impertinent enough to actually offend the interviewer but enough to send an I-am-high-value-and-know-it message.
(at a job interview) Q: “What is your biggest fault?” A: “Sincerity.” Q: “Well, I don’t think that sincerity is a fault.” A: “Well, I don’t give a fuck about what you think.”
The most hilarious version is—and I am guilty of doing it—when asked “what is your biggest fault?” answering like “sometimes I am too perfectionist and cannot leave good enough alone” or something similarly ridiculously servant-like ass-kissing. I think it goes back to many programmers being low status marginalized nerds all through from childhood to college, and the chance of a REAL JOB with real respect is something they may feel very grateful for.
What do you then? Obviously you are required to lie; you cannot actually tell them your biggest fault.
A more high-status response is to say something trivial and humorous, or even meta, such as “sometimes I don’t answer questions I don’t like”. This is slightly impertiment, not impertinent enough to actually offend the interviewer but enough to send an I-am-high-value-and-know-it message.
Reminds me of a joke:
(at a job interview)
Q: “What is your biggest fault?”
A: “Sincerity.”
Q: “Well, I don’t think that sincerity is a fault.”
A: “Well, I don’t give a fuck about what you think.”