Even if you have an otherwise bad memory, you probably can remember the most embarrassing moment of your life. Or the worst date you ever went on. Or the most uncomfortable airplane ride. Somehow life’s extremes–especially the unpleasant ones–stay with us.

And so it is with interview questions. Start asking around about the dumbest interview question of all time, and one keeps turning up on everyone’s list: Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Somehow that one gets under everyone’s skin. That’ s probably because no one has a decent answer. Anyone who’s honest will say he or she has no idea, but no one wants to sound that clueless in a job interview.

Think about it. Five years is a long time–long enough to discover new interests and talents, or long enough to grow bored with a certain field. And where was your business five years ago? Did it even exist yet? Were you focused on an entirely different market, or creating a different product?

If you want to talk to applicants about the next five years, it’s better to talk about where you company might be headed. You don’t have to give away your strategy, but talking about growth and new directions could inspire your next hire. Maybe he or she has an idea or two to toss your way. It could be a pretty interesting conversation, and you won’t be added to that person’s “worst” list.