Worst question in the world

While we were home on vacation, we took a side trip to St. Paul to find a place to live and I had an interview with my new district manager.  Not a huge deal, it's all the rage within the company now.  I didn't have a ton of details as to how formal or informal this interview would be.  I didn't have know what to expect, I went in blind.  I liked that feeling.  If I am given any kind of insight as to what might be ahead, I start to over think things.  If you go in blind, you have to think on your feet and I have found that the first answer that comes to mind is the best.  As opposed to that rehearsed bullshit you have rolling around that noggin of yours because you over think ever possible question and try to find the 'best answer'.  The best answer is going to be the first thing that you think of that you can expand on.

The interview ended up being very relaxed, not insanely formal, but I was asked the one question that I absolutely cannot stand.

'Where do you see yourself in three to five years?'

Oh come on!  How can you honestly answer that?  It is almost a trap question.  Do you give the answer that they look for?  Do you say to them, 'I see myself moving up the corporate ladder.' or possibly answer with something like 'I see myself doing the exact same thing I am doing now.'?  Those kinds of answers satisfy those who ask them.  What would they do if you answered with an off the wall comment?  'In a ditch dead being humped by a meth head.'  'Cashiering at Wal-Mart after a nervous breakdown.'  'In the hills wearing an aluminum foil hat watching the sky.'  

But you are in an interview.  You are at the mercy of the person across the desk from you.  Depending on how desperate you are for a job, you'll give them the answer they seek.  But you can't see that far into the future.





For all we know, the alien army just landed at Area 51......again.