First, if you’re going to put them on the spot like that, in the middle of a room with their supervisor nearby, and ask them a question they weren’t anticipating, the response is probably going to be a bit odd.
But frankly, I don’t think I’ve ever been “happy” working anywhere, even in my current position. I get paid well, good benefits, work load isn’t too much, people are nice, etc. but I’m not “happy” working there. I won’t be “happy” working anywhere. Cause I’m working, and working does not make me happy.
That’s almost the inverse of the shitty interview question “Why do you want to work here?” It’s a ridiculous question for the majority of people in the majority of cases. “Cause I need money and your hiring.”
I think a better question would be “Are content here? Are you heard, compensated, and treated well?”
for the compensation and such there is the later negotiation, so I don’t need much info.
What I aim to understand is the working environment, and the reason for me to ask that was because there were 2 people working while doing my interview at the same time, which was kinda giving it away. I don’t tend to plan stuff like this, and as I was saying I tend to be more subtle, this just came to my mind spontaneously and went with it, and was very telling in this particular case.
Regarding happiness, I’m so sorry for you if you really think is impossible, honestly I’m quite happy with my current position. I would rather be touching my balls on the beach? yeah probably, but when it comes to work I’m happy and have always been in most my positions (and when that changed I found something else), I always have been a computer geek and have been able to do many “fun” things during my career though. Reading the internet though, I seem to be in the minority as most people tend to sound very depressed, which saddens me…
But I would encourage you to think which kind of work would make you happy and try to pursue it, you spend a lot of time there after all. If you have a job now you even do the search from a position of power, so interviewing is not that bad.
I don’t know if that’s the best question, thiugh.
First, if you’re going to put them on the spot like that, in the middle of a room with their supervisor nearby, and ask them a question they weren’t anticipating, the response is probably going to be a bit odd.
But frankly, I don’t think I’ve ever been “happy” working anywhere, even in my current position. I get paid well, good benefits, work load isn’t too much, people are nice, etc. but I’m not “happy” working there. I won’t be “happy” working anywhere. Cause I’m working, and working does not make me happy.
That’s almost the inverse of the shitty interview question “Why do you want to work here?” It’s a ridiculous question for the majority of people in the majority of cases. “Cause I need money and your hiring.”
I think a better question would be “Are content here? Are you heard, compensated, and treated well?”
for the compensation and such there is the later negotiation, so I don’t need much info.
What I aim to understand is the working environment, and the reason for me to ask that was because there were 2 people working while doing my interview at the same time, which was kinda giving it away. I don’t tend to plan stuff like this, and as I was saying I tend to be more subtle, this just came to my mind spontaneously and went with it, and was very telling in this particular case.
Regarding happiness, I’m so sorry for you if you really think is impossible, honestly I’m quite happy with my current position. I would rather be touching my balls on the beach? yeah probably, but when it comes to work I’m happy and have always been in most my positions (and when that changed I found something else), I always have been a computer geek and have been able to do many “fun” things during my career though. Reading the internet though, I seem to be in the minority as most people tend to sound very depressed, which saddens me…
But I would encourage you to think which kind of work would make you happy and try to pursue it, you spend a lot of time there after all. If you have a job now you even do the search from a position of power, so interviewing is not that bad.