How to Answer: What was something about your last job that you dreaded doing?
16. What was something about your last job that you dreaded doing?
How to Answer
The interviewer would like to understand the types of tasks that you, without a doubt, do not enjoy doing. This question is closely related to the "Tell me your greatest weakness" question because it is human nature to dislike doing the things which we are not skilled. Ensure that your answer is deeper than "Taking out the garbage." The interviewer needs to gain real insight into you. Be sure to wrap up your answer by reiterating your ability and willingness to be a team player and perform these tasks despite your dislike for them.
Here are some tasks that you may not enjoy doing:
- Full inventory counts
- Organizing the file room
- Getting coffee and lunch for the office
- Making photocopies or sending faxes
- Taking on responsibilities for which you are not adequately trained
- Heavy lifting
- Terminating employees
- Explaining benefits packages
- Training temporary employees
Written by Rachelle Enns
Admin
"Organizing the file room is one task that I admittedly dread in my current role. The fact that the file room quickly becomes a dumping ground for files drives me crazy! I will try to visit the file room on a daily basis now, at the end of each day, so that the task does not become too overwhelming."
Written by Rachelle Enns
Manager
"Many managers will attest to this - firing an employee has to be the most dreaded task of all when you are in a leadership role. I grow to care about my employees and never enjoy seeing someone fail. For that reason, I choose to coach as often as possible. However, some people simply are not coachable. When I do need to terminate someone, I do so with utmost empathy."
Written by Rachelle Enns
Marketing
"As the marketing director, I am often onboarding new creatives into the agency. We do not have an HR department, so it is up to me to ensure the hiring package is properly filled out, and that the new employee understands their health benefits. I don't know about you, but I find health benefits packages to be so convoluted and confusing that I dread trying to explain the ins and outs of it all. I have made an infographic manual to help me explain some of the concepts!"
Written by Rachelle Enns
Retail
"Monthly inventory counts were a task in my recent role that I did not always appreciate. This dislike was not because I do not understand the importance of regular inventory checks but because the corporate head office would want them submitted every Saturday by 7 PM Eastern Time. We are located in Pacific Time, three hours behind. This time difference meant that we needed to submit a full store inventory on a Saturday, at 4 PM- our peak traffic time! It did not make sense, but corporate refused to flex. It made my job very stressful those days."
Written by Rachelle Enns
Sales
"In my most recent position, I dreaded compiling the quarterly scorecard. As the sales manager I was very busy with a multitude of tasks which, in addition to, I was only given two days from month end to check the accuracy of thousands of transactions and key in manual entries. My department had the most KPIs to track so it would have been nice to have been offered an assistant during that time. It was tight deadline every time."
Written by Rachelle Enns
Teacher
"If I could pick one dreaded task, I would say it's operating the photocopier. As funny as it sounds - I swear, it does not like me. Our administrator usually takes on the task for me when I need manuals copied or faxes sent. I much prefer being in the classroom teaching a lesson plan. I will do the work in a pinch, of course."
Written by Rachelle Enns