8 Interesting and Unusual Job Interview Questions

We’ve all been in a job interview and felt under pressure to answer the questions put to us. But what if you’re completely thrown by a question that you’d never expect to be asked? This week we’ve been comparing some of the most unusual interview questions that we’ve heard.

Stress Questions

A question that is used to see how a candidate can handle stress on the spot is usually asked when recruiting for a role which includes various pressures. These questions often come out of the blue and may even come across as rude from a ruthless interviewer.

• ‘Would you mind popping over the road to the petrol station and grabbing my lunch?’

A candidate that can recognise that this is a test of character can use it to their advantage to demonstrate project management and communication skills.

• *starts the interview with* ‘With this CV, what on earth made you apply for this job?’

Although it may seem harsh and insensitive, the purpose is to make the candidate really sell their skills and how they can be transferred into the available job role.

• Do you think you’re doing well in this interview?

Again, this offers the candidate a clear chance to shake off the pressure. Here, they can demonstrate how their dealing with the situation in hand.

Behavioural Questions

A behavioural question often requires attaining solutions to hypothetical problems and/or looking for an educated guess.

• ‘I’m thinking of a number between 1 and 100. You have five questions which you can ask me to try and find out what the number is.’

This helps the interviewer to see how logical they are and how competent they are with maths when put on the spot.

• ‘How would you work out a guess as to how many bricks there are in the Houses of Parliament?’

A hypothetical problem which tests the candidate’s logic and estimation skills.

Personality Questions

This type of question will appear much more frequently in a whole host of different interviews. The main purpose of these is to explore a candidate’s soft skills including teamwork, flexibility, creativity and aspirations.

• ‘What professional books have you read and what did you take from them?’

Asking a candidate which professional books they have read will give a clear indication of how seriously they take their personal development.

• ‘If you had half an hour spare of any commitments, what would you do and why?’

There’s no doubt this is one of our favourites. A candidate may expect to be asked about their life outside of work in an interview, but this question is looking for a much more specific answer indicating self-development.

• ‘What three people would you have around a dinner table, dead or alive?’

Asking something like this may seem like something discussed in the pub, but again it’s used to get insight into a candidate’s personality and interests.

To conclude, it’s clear that whatever side of the interview you’re on, preparation is key. As a candidate, shape your responses around what you really want to present about yourself. As an interviewer, ask the right questions to ensure that the candidate has the confidence and qualities to do the job.

What’s the best/worst interview questions that you have been asked? We would love your comments below: