Crazy Interview Questions Asked By Real Recruiters (and Why You Should Too)
By Poyen Ramos on September 19, 2016
When it comes to hiring the best talent, more and more employers are going beyond the standard set of questions, and are asking situational brain twisters to reveal a candidate's logical thinking and creativity.
Companies such as Facebook, Google, and Amazon are known to throw a curveball at their interviewees, and for a valid reason. Lily Zhang, Career Development Specialist at MIT says, “Your interviewer isn’t necessarily looking for a right answer. He wants to determine how quickly you can think on your feet, how you’ll approach a difficult situation, and, most importantly, whether you can remain positive and proactive and make progress in the face of a challenge.”
So, the next time you interview someone for a position on your team, you might want to add one of these off-the-wall questions and see how your interviewees' minds work. Plus, it's also fun to listen to what answers come up with.
1. “How would you solve problems if you were from Mars?”
From Amazon. This questions shows a candidate's creativity and what actions and solutions they'll present in order solve the situation.
2. "What would you do if you were the only survivor in a plane crash?"
From Airbnb. This shows how the applicant can think ahead and plan for emergencies.
3. "If you woke up and had 2,000 unread emails and could only answer 300 of them, how would you choose which ones to answer?"
From Dropbox. It shows how a candidate would prioritize duties in a potentially stressful situation.
4. "Who would win in a fight between Spiderman and Batman?"
From Stanford University. This shows how a candidate assesses an unexpected challenge.
5. "What are the first things you'd accomplish on your first day at work here?
From Facebook. Shows a candidate's drive, values, and their potential to grow and learn.
6. "Describe the color yellow to somebody who's blind."
From Spirits Air. Best asked for Sales and Marketing candidates. It shows how creative and sensitive a candidate is to their clients.
7. "Why are manhole covers round?"
From Microsoft. This assesses how a candidate approaches a problem with more than one possible answer, and to test their logic, common sense, and ability to think through an unusual question.
8. "If you were an animal in the rainforest, what would you be and what would you contribute to the ecosystem?"
From Kalibrr. This question pokes at fun but also looks into the creativity and quick thinking of of the candidate. It also shows how they can adapt to the company, and what they can contribute to the organization.
As an employer, you have to find out what motivates them, and what their personality is in order to match your preference to the job criteria. If they meet your standards in all aspects, well, go ahead offer them that job role.
