Weird and Wacky Interview Questions

During your last interview, did you feel as if you were you questioned by a mad scientist?

Were there aliens in the inner office feeding questions to your interviewer telephathically?

Within the last ten to fifteen years, some strange and different interview questons have come into use among job interviewers around the United States. Some of these questions sound like "pop psychology" quizzes from magazines, some sound like a psychiatric examination, some appear to be like logic puzzles, and some don't make much sense at all.

These off-the-wall questions are designed to make you think, think creatively and quickly, and tap into your inner resources and personality components.

Unusual questions are often asked by an interviewer in order to find out more about your inner self and how your mind works. It is a way to get to know you better without asking questions that are overly personal. Your answer to such questions will tell the interviewr whether you will be a good fit for the company, as well as how creative you are and how well you can think in spur-of-the-monent senarios. Before answering a question you feel is odd, take a deep breath and think for a moment or two, and then answer cadidly. Don't try to think of an answer that the company wants to hear. Just be yourself.

The following questions have been used recently in job interviews around the country. Some of the questions have tips given to help you understand what the job interviewer is looking for with the question.

If you were a tree (or animal) what kind of tree (animal) would you be?

For either one, pick something strong and/or intelligent like a tiger or lion and try to relate the animal to the skills needed on the job. - no snakes and nothing fluffy and cuddly. For trees, pick an oak (strong and long-lived) and not a weeping willow.

If you were a Star Trek® [or Star Wars® ] character, which one would it be?

This is easy. There are a lot of fun and "pop" quizzes based on sci-fi personalities. Pick a character that is a leader and a bit of a risk-taker. Captain Kirk, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Spock, Sarek, etc.

What is your favorite color?

There are some personality and work-styles quizzes based on colors.

You are invited to a large cocktail party at a country club. When you arrive, the room where the party is being held is already over half full of people. How do they react to you when you enter the room?

This question tests for self-confidence.

Why are manhole covers round?

This question is looking for a creative answer.

What is your favorite drink?

Personality my be a little like a drink, but an answer to this question also may tell your employer whether you drink alcohol or not. In order to keep health insurance costs low, the company may try to hire non-drinkers.

What would I find in your refrigerator right now?

This would show planning and personality traits.

What is the last book you read?

Employers like employees who read the newspaper and magazines related to their undustry.

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional. with whom would it be?

- shows interests and creativity

What was the last movie you went to see?

- shows interests

What is your favorite movie (song)?

- shows interests

How would you explain a database in three sentences to your eight-year-old nephew?

This one shows creativity and your ability to summarize a topic.

How many gas stations would you say there are in the United States?

This one displays how you think about solving a large problem. It's about estimations vs. actual calculations and sometimes you can do both.

If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet, what would you want?

- creativity

If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be?

- shows interests and personality

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?

- shows interests, self-confidence and personality

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

- creativity, personality

If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?

- creativity, personality, accomplishments

If you had only six months left to live, what would you do with the time?

- creativity, goals, planning

If you were a type of food, what type of food would you be?

- goes to personality. May also let the company know if you are iikely to enjoy unhealthy food and raise their insurance rates!

If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?

-creativity, goals, planning, generousity, responsibility.

If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you have?

-personality

If you were a car, what kind would you be?

- personality

If you were written about in the newspaper, on the front page, what would the headline say?

- creativity, personality, accomplishments

Who do you like best, you mom or dad?

I'd be careful of this one and say I liked them both. Don't indicate family problems in an interview. Say something about what each parent taught you that has helped you become a success inlife.

What kind of people do you dislike?

Be careful with this one, becuase if you name any minority class of indidivuals or political party, you will be branded a bigot or "one of them.". Say that there are no particular people you dislike, although you find some behaviors annoying - such as not cmpleting work assignments on time, wasting the company's time gossiping, etc.

What makes you angry?

Be careful about admitting to having episodes of anger. Indicate that you handle problems as they arise so that they don't build up to the anger point.

How many close friends do you have?

Most people do not have a lot of close friends, so don't say you do if you don't. Saying you have a lot of really close friends may make you seem like a liar or a shallow person if they are not close. Most people have a handful of really close friends, bbut many more casual friends.

In a small room you have a refridgerator, if you left the door of the 'fridge open would the temp in the room fall or would the temp in the 'fridge rise? Why?

Heat moves into less-heated areas because heated electrons move faster than cold ones, so the fridg temp would rise.

At a Subway Restaurant Interview:

What's the most important part of the sandwich?

Correct Answer - The SMILE.

If I assembled 3 of your former supervisors in a room and asked them about you, what would they say about you that you would say is not true?

It would likely be good to say that they all probably would over-praise you; that you worked hard for all your supervisors, but are a humble individuals.

What are the first three things you'd do on your first day at work here?

Think of three useful, organizational things, or include one item on getting to know the staff and daily activities.

What were the causes of the Civil War?

You may also be asked this about the Revolutionary War, or the War in Iraq. Employers want to know how to PREVENT big problems and studying wars should help us learn how to prevent them in the future.

Can you describe an atom?'

Say it is like a tiny solar system.

On a scale of 1 to 10 how happy are you?

Say you are an 8 or 9, but would be a 10 if you could work for their company.

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Use good words like resourceful, intelligent, quick, dependable, energetic, honest, sincere, determined, goal-directed, etc.

How would you design a spice rack for a blind person?

Any creative answer would be great - Braille lables, "talking" containers, etc.

What is the temperature when it's twice as cold as zero degrees?

Convert from Fahrenheit to Centigrade and then double that number. The answer is that 0 F doubled would be -17.8 C doubled, equals -35.6 Centigrade!

Tell me about the worst boss you ever had.

Do not complain about former bosses. Simply state that some may not have taught you as much as others did and point out a few good qualilties of a favorite past boss.

As a finale, here is a quote that could be a good answer to several odd interview questions. It is left to us by a famous architect:

"Less is more only when more is too much." - Frank Lloyd Wright