By Matija Šerić

We live in a world dominated by capitalism with all its advantages and shortcomings. A fundamental characteristic of capitalism is a certain type of market competition. Everyone is expected to compete—both companies and workers—for a better position in the business world. In other words, everyone is expected to do their best to earn money. Naturally, this implies that the selection process for jobs should be as high-quality as possible. Unfortunately, this is often not the case, especially in transitional regions where socialism once prevailed, such as the Republic of Croatia.

Job advertisements are, in many cases, just a formality. That is, many openings are prearranged or partially arranged (if someone known applies, the matter is already settled) in both the public and private sectors. The author of this text knows this best after many years of searching for work in the “competitive” Croatian labor market. Companies publish job ads either to receive state subsidies, loans, or to improve their public image. One of the clearest proofs that many (though, of course, not all) public job postings are a farce can be seen in some of the worst, or rather most uncomfortable, questions asked during job interviews. All the questions listed come from the author’s own experience and were indeed asked in recent years.

Question 1 – Tell us something about yourself

At first glance, the question “Tell us something about yourself” doesn’t seem uncomfortable, but when it is repeatedly asked in multiple interviews, it becomes more than inappropriate. The question is clearly designed to make the candidate feel fear, discomfort, and inferiority compared to the interviewer, i.e., the potential employer. The person being interviewed is placed in the role of a politician who must deliver a short, inspiring speech to their audience. At the same time, it’s unclear what exactly the interviewer expects the candidate to say. Of course, most will mention their profession and work experience, but this is already evident from the CV. A better alternative could be: “You have an interesting CV—what would you highlight from it?” or “Is there an experience from your previous work that you are particularly proud of?” Unfortunately—or fortunately—most interviewers in Croatia cannot understand this.

Question 2 – General questions already answered in the CV

The first question is often followed by questions whose answers are already provided in the submitted documents—CV, e-employment booklet, and other paperwork. I’m not referring to complex questions like “When exactly did you work somewhere?” but to trivial details such as whether the candidate has a driver’s license, the level of English proficiency, computer literacy, educational degree, home address, etc. If a person graduated in the second or third decade of the 21st century, it is logical that they are computer literate, as this is taught at universities, and much of student work is done using computers.

Asking such general questions shows that the employer is unable or unwilling to read the CV properly. If someone is invited to an interview, they deserve their CV to be read thoroughly, not superficially, as casually as a tourist flipping through a Croatian travel brochure. An employer should at least minimally prepare for the interview to make it easier for a stressed candidate—but this rarely happens, whether intentionally or accidentally.

Question 3 – Why did you apply for this position?

This is a very senseless and completely misguided question—a pure cliché. Most people would answer something like: “Because I want to work to live, not live to work.” Naturally, a person applies because the advertised position matches their professional interests and/or career orientation and because they expect to receive a suitable salary for the work. What other rational reason could there be? I see none. Instead of such a general question, employers could ask something more specific, for example: “What attracted you most in the job description?” or “Which aspect of our business seems most interesting to you?” Such questions reveal the candidate’s genuine motivation and allow for meaningful dialogue, rather than a boring, school-like interrogation.

Question 4 – How do you handle stress?

Mentioning stress from the employer’s side right at the first contact with the candidate is not a good sign. According to the Croatian Encyclopedia, stress is defined as “a) the reaction of the organism to harmful agents from the environment (stressors) affecting its structure or function; b) the effects and consequences of stressors on the organism.” Stress arises as a consequence of negative events and processes created by the environment.

If an employer immediately brings up stress, it indicates that their company’s operations are not properly organized. If everything functioned correctly, stress would either not exist or be minimal. Of course, some jobs are inherently stressful, e.g., a doctor or a football coach, but here I refer to normal jobs for highly educated workers. One can conclude that a company faces significant problems with deadlines, over- or under-capacity, and other shortcomings when the employer immediately emphasizes stress.

Question 5 – What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

This question is also misplaced. Generally, people dislike talking about themselves—except, of course, politicians who do it daily. An employer could and should assess a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses from the interview itself. They could, for instance, ask: “Which traits best describe you?”—which is at least more polite. Often, such traits are already listed in the CV, making this question redundant. It mainly serves to make the candidate nervous or potentially lead them to speak poorly about themselves.

Question 6 – How do you work in a team?

Another completely misguided question. It indirectly suggests that a person over 20 years old has never worked in a team. Teamwork exists from kindergarten through primary and secondary school, with university being the pinnacle. Anyone unfamiliar with this should observe educational institutions more closely. Teamwork is an essential part of education and upbringing.

Of course, there is a significant difference between teamwork in education and in the professional world. In school, students learn the importance of helping and caring for others, whereas in business, many employers are driven solely by profit. Therefore, this question is naive and reveals ignorance of the educational system. It is also hypocritical if an employer crushes their workforce while preaching teamwork.

Question 7 – Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Questions about the next five or more years belong in the realm of predictions by Baba Vanga, Nostradamus, Tarabić, and similar prophets. It is completely unreasonable given the unpredictable and dynamic 21st-century world. A natural disaster or war could change anyone’s life drastically overnight.

Former Hajduk president Lukša Jakobušić illustrated this in 2021, outlining the club’s strategy until 2027: winning two HNL titles, one Champions League group stage, one Europa League group stage, and three Conference League appearances (once reaching the round of 16). Naturally, none of these were realized, and Jakobušić was fired three years later. This example shows that rigid long-term predictions are unreliable. People in the professional world should have a development strategy, but specifying exact outcomes is rather absurd.

Question 8 – Out of all candidates, why should we hire you?

This is another very uncomfortable and unnecessary question. The answer should be for the employer, not the candidate: “Because the candidate can enhance our company in this role and bring new quality in some way.” It’s unclear what interviewers expect the candidate to say—“I’m the best,” “I have great ideas,” “I will open a new market niche,” etc. This question may reflect narcissism and ego in employers, elevating themselves above workers as if they were nobility, with employees reduced to serfs.

Question 9 – Financial questions

Questions such as “What was your last salary?” “What are your financial expectations?” “What do you consider a good salary?” are frequently asked by employers, not only during interviews but also on application forms. Meanwhile, when asked about their own offers, many employers remain evasive. They often conceal salaries, even though transparency would be more appropriate.

The purpose of these financial questions is to make the candidate uncomfortable, encouraging them to state a lower salary than the company might be willing to offer. For example, a candidate may agree to work for €1,000 when the company could pay €1,300 or €1,500. Workers are seen merely as a cost, a “necessary evil,” while the company’s leaders retain more money for themselves.

Question 10 – Personal questions

This category includes questions of a personal nature unrelated to the job, company, or the candidate’s professional path: “Who do you live with?” “Do you pay rent?” “Are you married? Do you have children?” “Do you plan to have a family?” “What are your children’s names?” This last question is utterly bizarre. What do the names of a candidate’s children have to do with a job application?

These questions represent an unacceptable intrusion into privacy. Their apparent goal is to check whether the candidate is willing to subordinate their life entirely to the company’s expectations, which stretch to 24/7 availability. Anyone with a family or personal obligations would be immediately disadvantaged in such selection processes.

These were just some of the most uncomfortable and absurd questions asked during job interviews in Croatia. Over time, this article may deserve a follow-up. The status of highly educated individuals, based on these questions, as well as the status of workers globally, is clear: very poor. Croatian entrepreneurship is ripe for serious restructuring (read: humanization).