How to Answer Strange Interview Questions

by Ruth Mayhew

Job interviews can be stressful enough without the added angst of answering an interview question deliberately thrown as a curveball. Strange interview questions are intended to catch you off-guard, and if you give the wrong answer, could cost you a job offer.

Don't Spend Too Much Time Thinking

When a hiring manager asks an interview question such as "If you could be any animal in the zoo, which one would you be?" don't think too long about it. Many questions like this are intended to see if you can think on your feet or act quickly. Spending too much time mulling over an answer, trying to determine what she'll think if you say giraffe instead of tiger, could make you look indecisive. During your interview prep, practice answers to questions like these and be ready to give a response along with the reason behind your choice of animals.

Questions About Your Perfect Job

Sitting in the interview chair, you're obviously interested in working for the company. But if the hiring manager asks what is your perfect job, be prepared to describe a position similar to the one for which you are interviewing. For example, if you're being interviewed for a sales position and you're asked to describe your ideal career, you could say, "I've enjoyed being successful in sales, so my ideal job would be a related one, say, sales manager or a position in which I can mentor other sales personnel." In other words, if you're interviewing for a job as a litigation associate, don't confess that you've always wanted to be a restaurant owner. Responses like that may cause the interviewer to question your commitment to your profession or trade.

Your Least Favorite Things

Practically everyone has a least favorite aspect of work, whether it's a specific task or certain people you don't particularly like on your team. When an interviewer asks about your least favorite tasks or responsibilities, tread carefully with an answer that won't reflect your willingness to be a team player. Also, don't admit that there are items in the job posting that you're not particularly fond of, because that will likely eliminate you as an enthusiastic candidate. If filing is your least favorite task, explain that you set aside a routine time for it while you decompress from an otherwise stressful workday. This way, the hiring manager sees that you approach even the mundane tasks with a professional attitude.

Stress Interview Questions

In addition to strange interview questions, there are interview techniques that may cause you to be flustered. Stress interviews, for example, are intentionally designed to see how well you handle aggressive questioning. During this type of interview, you may be bombarded with questions from a panel, or a sole interviewer may use an unpleasant tone. The best way to succeed in a stress interview is not to lose your composure. It's usually not the perfect answer to the question the interviewer is seeking; the interviewer's goal is to see how well you handle yourself, according to Chrissy Scivicque in a September 2013 U.S. News & World Report article, "Keeping Your Cool in a High Stress, High Stakes Interview."

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