How did you come into the world?

[Infinity]

Was talking to my wife last night and she had been talking to her friend who had been talking to her friend who said...

 

At the foreign office (UK government department) one of the questions they ask at the interview stage for a job seekers is. "How did you come into the world?"

 

In other words what was your birthing experience like? Obviously most people don't know and would rely on what they have been told but I thought it was quite an interesting question to ask for a government job as did my wife. Some think tank probably came up with it.

 

Is it relevant / significant? What were yours?

 

I think the Buddha stepped on lotus leaves or something? And the first Sai baba of Shirdi was abandoned in the woods but honey from a beehive dripped in his mouth and kept him alive or something? If you know of any others please share or correct my examples.

 

Just recently, 4 months ago took delivery of my third (last) child myself, our baby girl. It all came on rather quickly and the midwife could not make it in time! :-)

 

∞

Edited May 1, 2014 by Infinity

[C T]

Could be koan, used to shatter preconceived notions thereby allowing/leading applicants or potential employees to think outside the box ~ this gives the evaluator a chance to have a peep into applicants' thought processes and creative sides.

[Infinity]

Could be koan, used to shatter preconceived notions thereby allowing/leading applicants or potential employees to think outside the box ~ this gives the evaluator a chance to have a peep into applicants' thought processes and creative sides.

 

Shrewd! Open them up or not as the case maybe?

 

∞

[C T]

Shrewd! Open them up or not as the case maybe?

 

∞

touche!

[Rara]

Was talking to my wife last night and she had been talking to her friend who had been talking to her friend who said...

 

At the foreign office (UK government department) one of the questions they ask at the interview stage for a job seekers is. "How did you come into the world?"

 

In other words what was your birthing experience like? Obviously most people don't know and would rely on what they have been told but I thought it was quite an interesting question to ask for a government job as did my wife. Some think tank probably came up with it.

 

Is it relevant / significant? What were yours?

 

I think the Buddha stepped on lotus leaves or something? And the first Sai baba of Shirdi was abandoned in the woods but honey from a beehive dripped in his mouth and kept him alive or something? If you know of any others please share or correct my examples.

 

Just recently, 4 months ago took delivery of my third (last) child myself, our baby girl. It all came on rather quickly and the midwife could not make it in time! :-)

 

∞

Very strange. The conspiracy theorist in me says it's something incredibly deep.

 

It's all a test to see if you can be used at the end of the day. If she knew too much, she might not get the job.

 

Sounds extreme for such an insignificant post (in the grand scheme of things in a gov organisation) but I wouldn't rule it out.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Rara

[Marblehead]

As a result of the nature of thing I became one of the "Ten Thousand Things".

[Rara]

As a result of the nature of thing I became one of the "Ten Thousand Things".

 

Just wondering, were you Taoist pre-military? I wonder how they would have taken that statement in your interview lol

[Marblehead]

Just wondering, were you Taoist pre-military? I wonder how they would have taken that statement in your interview lol

Hehehe. No, I was still pretending I was a Christian when I joined. I didn't start calling myself a Taoist until the mid-1980's after I had been retired for a number of years.

[Rara]

Hehehe. No, I was still pretending I was a Christian when I joined. I didn't start calling myself a Taoist until the mid-1980's after I had been retired for a number of years.

Good strategy haha.

 

I presume that you became the anarchist after you retired as well? I'm nosey.

[thelerner]

My thought is it was the interviewers own question to break up the monotony of the there day. If you go all day asking people the same questions it'd get pretty boring for you. Throw in an unusual zinger every now and then and you've got some interesting dinner conversation possibilities.

[GrandmasterP]

Favourite one here ( for philosophy undergrad applicants ) is

" What's it like to be a bat?"

 

That gets 'em sweating.

Edited May 1, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Marblehead]

I presume that you became the anarchist after you retired as well? I'm nosey.

That label is a recent one although I have always been pretty much of a loner and never have cared much for other people telling me what to do. Of course, in the Army I had to be selective about being an anarchist. Some things you just have to say, "Yes Sir!" and do it.

[Marblehead]

" What's it like to be a bat?"

 

 

My daytime hours are very peaceful.

[GrandmasterP]

You get some really creative anarchists in the army.

Guys who put serious thought and effort into dodging, bending or breaking the rules without being caught doing so.

 

[Marblehead]

You get some really creative anarchists in the army. Guys who put serious thought and effort into dodging, bending or breaking the rules without being caught doing so.

For me it was stretching the rules as far as they would stretch without snapping. Most often my duties were without direct oversight. I kept the commanders out of trouble and generally that was enough for them.

[PLB]

My mother said I was born while she was being transferred from a bed to a gurney. The gurney was for taking her to the "delivery" room. The timing was off. The people there at the time had to adjust. I like to think of it as being born in mid-air.

 

Before seeing this post, I never thought to include that information in my resume.

 

I just get more employable all the time.