In today’s hiring world, interviewers are coming up with fun interview questions designed to:
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Force you out of your comfort zone…
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Find out how well you cope under pressure…
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Check your ability to think logically…
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Get to know your personality, or…
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Obtain personal information without asking directly.
Every job applicant should know the motivations of fun interview questions and how to best answer them. The following examples are commonly used questions that are worth thinking about so you are fully prepared for that challenging and nerve-wrecking interview!
PERSONALITY
It is difficult to ask direct questions about one’s personality and receive truly honest answers. That’s why some interviewers tend to use an unexpected interrogation strategy.
Examples of personality questions include:
- What’s your favorite ’90s jam?
- Who’s your favorite Disney Princess?
- If you were a tree (or animal) what kind of tree (or animal) would you be?
- If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not, living or dead, real or fictional, with whom would it be?
- If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title would be?
- If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you have?
- Are you a hunter or a gatherer?
To answer such questions, think about the job requirements, and be as candid as possible. For example, a good answer to question #2 is Cinderella because she is likable and works hard. Questions #5 and #6 demand quick wit and creativity when translating your personality into a book title or a salad dressing. Always emphasize the traits that the employer is looking for but avoid exaggerating and be honest!
LOGICAL THINKING
Some questions are designed to check your ability to think logically. In most cases, there is no one correct answer, and the interviewer simply wants to test the way you reason.
Examples of these interview questions include:
- What would you do if you found a penguin in the freezer?
- How many basketballs would fit in this room?
- If you were a pizza delivery man, how would you benefit from scissors?
- Why is a tennis ball fuzzy?
- How many square meters of pizza are eaten in the U.S. every year?
- In a small room, you have a refrigerator. If you left the door of the fridge open, would the temperature in the room fall or would the temperature in the fridge rise? Why?
- If you were asked to unload a large airplane full of jellybeans, what would you do?
Think out loud to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. You are not expected to give the right number in answer to question #9; list all the factors the answer will depend on and come up with an approximation. If you don’t know how to tackle a question, ask for more details. To answer question #14, you could ask what resources were available to you.
HEALTH & LIFESTYLE
Some questions are designed to elicit personal information, such as your lifestyle and how you take care of yourself.
Examples of health and lifestyle questions include:
- What did you have for breakfast?
- What is your favorite drink?
- What would I find in your refrigerator right now?
- On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you?
Follow some general rules when answering bizarre (but fun) job interview questions. Practice in advance. Take your time. If you don’t know what to say, throw in a general, “That’s a very interesting question. I have to think about it for a moment…” or ask the interviewer to clarify your doubts. Always refer to the job requirements and think about the reasons for asking the question (no matter how weird it may seem, there is a reason for it being asked). Finally, watch your body language to make sure you’ve adopted a confident posture.
Remember, there is no right or wrong. Who you are will shine through in the interview and help solidify yourself as the candidate of choice or solidify your comfort level with the position at hand! Want help preparing? Sign up for a session of Career Coaching to help with interview preparation!