If you go to many interviews throughout your career, you are bound to face interview questions that just feel weird. Interviewers try to be creative with the questions they use because there are times when applicants tend to be too repetitive. They do this to test an applicant’s ability to think under pressure.
“If you were an animal, what animal would you be?”
What it really means: What are your characteristics?
Give an example that best suits the position you are applying for. You want to give an answer that clearly exhibits the qualities that are needed for the job.
“Name five uses for a stapler—without staples.”
What it really means: Can you think outside of the box?
It’s a question that is perfect for jobs that require creativity. Be creative in your answer, and don’t limit yourself to what is conventional; after all, you’re applying for a job that is all about being creative.
“How many times in one day do a clock’s hands overlap?”
What it really means: How good are you at working out problems?
In business, you can’t expect to have a smooth-sailing day all the time. You are bound to face problems, and this question is meant to test how well you work out problems.
“What do you think of garden gnomes?”
What it really means: Will you fit within our team?
Besides being skilled, fitting in an environment is important for any employee.
“Why are manhole covers round?”
What it really means: How creative are you?
Sometimes it’s tempting just to say, “I don’t know,” with questions like this, but keep in mind that these questions are not so much about being right or wrong as they are about being memorable.
“If we shrunk you to the size of a pencil and put you in a blender, how would you get out?”
What it really means: Can you think on your feet?
Trick questions are designed to make you feel pressured. Often, they are more about testing what you would do if faced with something out of the ordinary.
Interviewers go through a lot of applicants for every opening they have. Sometimes people give overly generic answers, which only makes the life of an interviewer harder. Most of the time, weird questions don’t have right or wrong answers; they are mainly designed to test how an applicant handles stress.
