Tackling Unusual Interview Questions and Some Examples
Posted February 25th, 2013
Career advisors tell job hunters to prepare well for interviews – find out about the company, dress professionally, be punctual, anticipate what questions might be asked, and practice your responses. Experts suggest practicing in front of a mirror, or asking a friend to ask you questions.
There are some types of interview questions, the more common ones, that you can expect to hear, and you should have a response ready. These include such queries as your strengths and weaknesses, why you want to work for the company, and where you see yourself in five or 10 years.
But interviewers also like to include questions that are more unusual or quirky. These are designed to make you think, to observe your thought processes and see how you approach a problem. And, experts advise, you need to be prepared for anything. To give job seekers an idea about what they can expect during an interview, Glassdoor sorted through thousands of interview questions to come up with the most unusual.
For example, Forrester Research asked, “If you were to get rid of one state in the US, which would it be and why?” Google asked job candidates how many cows there are in Canada. Jet Blue interviewers wanted to know how many quarters would be needed to reach the height of the Empire State building.
And Clark Construction Group outdid them all with this offering, “A penguin walks through that door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here.”
Dell computer wanted to know what songs best describe job candidates’ work ethic. Amazon wanted to know if Jeff Bezos offered job applicants a million dollars to launch their best entrepreneurial idea, what would it be? Gallup wanted to know what applicants think about when they are alone in the car. And Novell was interested to find out how people would communicate in a perfect world.
Astron Consulting asked candidates how they would make a tuna sandwich. In a similar vein, Trader Joe’s wanted to know what candidates would prepare for them if they came to their house for dinner.
Pricewaterhouse Coopers interviewers asked, “My wife and I are going on vacation. Where would you recommend we go?”
If you’re a resident of the San Francisco Bay Area and are looking for work in the IT sector, send your resume to Bayside Solutions. We look forward to hearing from you.
