|
Reader question: Please explain “softball question” in this passage: I’ve had at least a dozen candidates say their ‘biggest weakness’ is working too much or that he or she is a perfectionist. He or she will often say this without being prompted (I would never ask a candidate his or her biggest weakness because it’s a softball question), which is a dead giveaway that it’s rehearsed. My comments: A softball question is one that’s easy to deal with. Softball, you see, is women’s and children’s version of the game of baseball. The softball playing field is smaller, taking consideration of women and children lacking in physical strength. The ball itself is bigger and softer, hence its name. The regular baseball is hard and heavy. As a matter of fact, the regular baseball is sometimes called hardball to distinguish itself from the softball. When the hardball hits you on the head – or torso, arm or leg, for that matter – it hurts. It hurts a lot. The pain is intense. Needless to say, when you’re inadvertently hit by a softball, it hurts much less. Hence, by analogy, if it’s a softball question, then it is one that is easy to answer. In our example, the interviewee gives clichéd answers, such as “My biggest weakness is I work too hard” or “My biggest weakness is I am a perfectionist.” After hearing different people say the same thing for the umpteenth time, it ceases to be interesting. | 
