12 Questions for an Interview Outside the Box (With Sample Answers)
When preparing for a job interview, people look over common questions about their past, their strengths, and their goals. But employers might ask unusual questions to see how smart and creative a candidate is. If you are ready for any question a hiring manager might ask, you will make a good impression. 12 Questions for an Interview Outside the Box
In this article, we list 12 strange interview questions and explain how to answer them.
Here are 12 strange questions and some examples of how to answer them.
During an interview, an employer may ask strange or even shocking questions that are out of the ordinary. Here are 12 questions and answers that will make you think outside the box:
1.I’d like to buy this pen.
Hiring managers might ask you to try to sell them a pen, paperclip, or coffee mug to see how quickly you can think and, if you are applying for a sales job, how well you can market yourself. Instead of thinking about how something looks, think about what it can do for you. Remember that there is no wrong answer to this question, and answer with confidence and creativity.
Here’s what I mean: “You are lucky. This is no ordinary pen. Even though it seems normal, it has a secret that will blow your mind. If you click this button, you can turn on and off your ability to read people’s minds. See, all you have to do is click it like this, and you can read people’s minds. To turn it off, you just have to click it again. How would it feel to be able to use your superpower at any time?”
2. Show blue to someone who can’t see it.
Hiring managers may ask you this question to see how well you communicate, how creative you are, and how big your vocabulary is. This is especially true if you want a job in writing, marketing, or communication. When you answer, use adjectives that describe not only what you see but also what you hear, smell, taste, and touch.
Here’s what I mean: “Blue is a calm color, like the sound of water lapping at the edge of an alpine lake. It feels cool and smooth, and it smells like fresh air after it rains or a light breeze in the forest. Seeing blue is like taking a sip of cool spring water and letting it roll around on your tongue before you swallow it.”
3.Who would win a fight between Spider-Man and Batman?
This is a question that interviewers might ask to see how well you can make decisions and think things through. They want to know if you can make a quick decision and stick with it. You can be creative and funny, but you have to be able to explain why you chose one superhero over the other and back up your choice with details.
Here’s what I mean: “If Spiderman and Batman were to fight, Spiderman would win because he is faster, stronger, and more agile. He doesn’t need Robin or the Batmobile to win. As a scientist and engineer, he is also much smarter than Batman. So, both physically and mentally, he has the upper hand.”
4.What did you have for breakfast?
Hiring managers might ask you something like this to make the interview more conversational and learn more about you and your personality. Instead of giving a one-word answer, give a detailed description of your meal and explain why you chose it.
Here’s what I mean: “My breakfast was oatmeal with honey and berries on top. During the week, this is my favorite breakfast food because it gives me energy to start the day. Also, I try to live a healthy life, and oatmeal is good for you because it has a lot of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Honey makes it sweet without adding too much sugar, and the berries add flavor and antioxidants.”
5.If you were the size of an ant, how would you get out of a blender?
This is another no-right-or-wrong interview question that tests your ability to think quickly and make decisions when you’re under pressure. When you answer, be as creative as you can and compare it to a time when you did something hard on your own.
Here’s what I mean: “This blender hasn’t been cleaned in a while, so there are still bits of food stuck to the blades and sides from the last time it was used. I can put these sticky pieces on my hands and feet and use them to reach the pitcher’s lid. Then I can push them under the edge of the lid and squeeze my way out. It’s kind of like when I ran out of time and had to finish a week’s worth of work in two days. Sometimes you just have to fight your way through it, without letting the amount of work scare you or take your mind off what you’re doing.”
6. What animal do you most resemble?
This is another question that hiring managers ask to find out more about you and see if you’ll be a good fit for the company. Don’t choose a horse or a shark because they are easy to guess. Don’t limit yourself. Also, say why you chose this animal. Compare its strong points to your skills and the tasks you might do at the job you are interviewing for.
Here’s what I mean: “The animal I’m most like is an octopus. He may look quiet and unassuming, but he is a master of multitasking and can get himself out of almost any situation with his eight legs. Even though the octopus doesn’t pose a threat to anyone, people still treat him with respect. Plus, he lives in a really cool underwater paradise. Snorkeling is one of my favorite things to do, so I try to spend as much time as I can in the water.”
7.What would you do if you had all the money in the world?
This is how hiring managers find out what you care about, what motivates you, and what your top priorities are. Don’t give answers like “buy a new house or car” that are too general. Instead, say something that shows how you see the world and what your long-term goals are.
Here’s what I mean: “If I had unlimited money, I would save a certain amount every month to invest in my children’s education and future. Then I would spend a couple of months living out one of my lifelong dreams, which was to go to countries with bad infrastructure and help build homes and other buildings. I could also spend time with horses, which is one of my favorite things to do. I could buy a farm, run a horse shelter, ride my horses all over the country, and show them off.” 8.What would a movie about your career be called, and who would play you?
This question lets you briefly talk about your skills and work history. It also gives hiring managers a better idea of who you are and if you will fit in with the company’s culture. Make a short movie title that says something about what you think is your best trait. Match your personality to the main actor or actress’s or actor’s or actress’s.
One thing to keep in mind is that the idea of “culture fit” can sometimes be used to get rid of and discriminate against candidates who don’t think, act, or look like current employees, even if they don’t mean to. You might want to talk about “culture add,” which means your ability to give the team new and useful ideas and feedback. Culture makes a company stronger by giving its workers a wide range of experiences and points of view.
Here’s what I mean: “The movie would be called “The Organizer” and be about a project manager who is the most organized person in the world. She works hard because she wants things to be done on time and she doesn’t want anything to be missed. Nicole Kidman, who is just as driven and professional as she is, would play her.”
9. What does jentacular mean?
A hiring manager might ask you to explain a strange or meaningless word to see how creative, logical, and quick-thinking you are. Talk about how you know where words come from if you want to get a job writing or editing. If you don’t know, use your imagination and even humor to explain what the word might mean. You could use the word in a sentence to prove what you said about what it means. In this case, the only wrong answer is “I don’t know.”
Here’s what I mean: “Doctors use the word “jentacular” to describe a jugular vein that is easy to see and reach so that an intravenous catheter can be put in. When doctors are about to put a catheter in a patient with a jentacular jugular, they get excited because they know they will probably get it right on the first try.”
10. Teach me something.
The interviewer might ask you to teach them something to see how well you can communicate, how well you can teach, and how well you know something. You can’t just tell the hiring manager about your experience; you have to show it to them. You can teach them about your job, a hobby, or something else that really interests you. Respond with confidence to show what you know.
Here’s what I mean: “When I use design software, I use shortcuts to save time and cut down on the number of steps I have to take. For example, ctrl+alt+ creates a hard break in the text, ctrl+alt+shift+m adds a thin space between elements, and ctrl+ creates a hanging indent. I’ve learned a lot of these shortcuts, and I can show you how to use them if you want to clean up and simplify layouts.”
11.In one minute, come up with as many uses for an ice cube as you can.
This question checks how creative you are and how well you can think in different ways. The person hiring you doesn’t think you should know how to use an ice cube in every possible way. Instead, they want to see how good you are at coming up with your own ideas. Don’t worry about how right or wrong your answer is. Instead, think about how much you can say.
Example: “You can use an ice cube to keep a drink cold, make a puddle, make an ice pack, entertain your dog, cool a bowl of hot soup, freeze someone, water plants, reduce bruising and inflammation, reduce redness from a pimple, soothe a burn, and fill a cooler.”
12.Would you rather fight a horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?
Interviewers ask this question to see if you can solve problems and think critically. It also shows how you work and whether you like to work on one big project at a time or several small ones at once. Think about why you chose the answer you did when you answer.
Here’s what I mean: “I like horses, but I would rather fight a big duck than a horse. I think I could protect myself better if there was only one enemy to worry about instead of 100. Because I can’t know where each horse is at all times, a hundred of them could easily sneak up on me and overpower me. I think the duck is more dangerous than the horses because of his size and weight, but I also think he moves more slowly than the horses.”
