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Impossible Interviews

James Shaw
Have you ever been faced with an interview question that seemed impossible to answer?


Mine was delivered on the premises of a 'world class' engineering company. "How would you ensure that a project is completed on time?"


My mind raced from the general to the particular - If I knew the answer to that I would be a billionaire! - Strikes, bad weather, supplier failure, poor specifications etc. Probably no words came out as the interviewer started to drop hints, "It begins with a 'P', it ends in 'N', it has four letters." "Plan?" I say. "Exactly!" says he. 'Idiot' thinks I.


In retrospect perhaps it was a test to see if I was suitable to develop for senior management - the 'big picture' people. "We will deliver better value, we will be smarter!" But how? Engineers, small-minded, always bothered about the details!


Needless to say, I didn't get that job. Perhaps just as well.
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    Some information reached me via my home education networks about how large numbers of Muslims are high achievers academically but fail to translate their academic credentials into careers. It's amazing, and quite depressing, how many Muslims in their 20s and even 30s with degrees work as taxi drivers or in takeaways because they have been unable to enter careers that make use of their qualifications. To make matters worse, it's uncommon for Muslims to study for degrees in arts, humanities, social sciences, and soft subjects, so a higher percentage of Muslim graduates hold degrees in medical and STEM subjects than the national average.


    This does raise questions whether they are failing at application and interview stage because few of them are familiar with the types of questions that interviewers use or what hiring managers are looking for. I even know of a case of a Muslim student who wanted to study engineering but was persuaded to take medicine instead. Why? Because there are plenty of doctors in the local Muslim community who can provide career advice but engineering is uncharted territory where nobody in the local Muslim community knows anything about it or how to succeed in interviews.
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    Some information reached me via my home education networks about how large numbers of Muslims are high achievers academically but fail to translate their academic credentials into careers. It's amazing, and quite depressing, how many Muslims in their 20s and even 30s with degrees work as taxi drivers or in takeaways because they have been unable to enter careers that make use of their qualifications. To make matters worse, it's uncommon for Muslims to study for degrees in arts, humanities, social sciences, and soft subjects, so a higher percentage of Muslim graduates hold degrees in medical and STEM subjects than the national average.


    This does raise questions whether they are failing at application and interview stage because few of them are familiar with the types of questions that interviewers use or what hiring managers are looking for. I even know of a case of a Muslim student who wanted to study engineering but was persuaded to take medicine instead. Why? Because there are plenty of doctors in the local Muslim community who can provide career advice but engineering is uncharted territory where nobody in the local Muslim community knows anything about it or how to succeed in interviews.
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