Working in the 21st-century workplace requires more than certificates and knowledge of industrial jargon. It demands skills such as leadership, teamwork, creativity, critical thinking, etc.
Hiring managers employ unique interview questions to discern such abilities in interviewees. These queries do a lot in breaking through applicants and getting their real personalities. The routes individuals take in their explanation say a lot about the way their mind works.
Hence, it is essential to learn how to answer various interview questions in 2023 before entering into the session. It can be fun and easy. Just read on to discover more.
Table of Contents
Why Do Interviewers Ask Unique Questions?
The work demands of modern organizations require a sleek blend of soft skills and qualifications. Employers discern these abilities in applicants through interviews.
Asking unique interview questions is one of the resources that companies use to test the personal skills of job-seekers. It calms the tension in the air and gets the conversation flowing. At the same time, interviewers gather details like the candidate’s personality, teamwork, sync with the company culture, etc.
Performance off the Comfort Zone
Ninety percent of the time, job-seekers walk into screenings with rehearsed lines. On the other hand, interviewers use off-point quizzes to determine how well they can survive in unfamiliar circumstances.
Approach to New and Unexpected Problems
Not all real-life situations are taught in schools. New or unforeseen challenges arise at work regularly. Hence, companies paint hilarious scenarios during recruitment sessions to test recruits’ capacity to tackle such situations.
Creative Ability
The age of stereotypes is far gone. New generation jobs demand workers who can think outside the box. So, individuals’ reply to some unique interview questions helps employers judge their creative prowess and critical thinking ability.
How to Answer Funny Interview Questions
Hiring managers deliberately ask funny interview questions to find out how candidates think. When answering such problems, it is important to maintain composure and reply honestly.
Below are more tips to help job-seekers ace interviews.
Don’t Be in a Haste to Answer
Most crazy interview questions do not have a definite correct or incorrect reply. The purpose of asking them in the first place is to lay bare the candidate’s personality, skillset, and thought pattern.
Individuals should take their time to ponder before answering. That will help them to give a more considerate and accurate response. Observing a slight pause before replying also portrays a thoughtful character.
Ask Questions for Clarity
Interviewees should feel free to request more details if they do not understand what the query demands. That will help them to have a better grab over their responses. It would also help get a clue of what the hiring manager expects to hear in the response.
Reply Honestly
Here is a secret to getting the coveted congratulations handshake. Individuals should be honest with their answers as the interviewer is watching out for that. Being sincere helps people to give better and more composed responses, even to the funniest interview question. Likewise, it makes the conversation flow.
Include Reasons for the Answer
Since the answers are mostly relative, individuals need to say the steps that brought them to their decision. Breaking-down the question reflects excellent creative and problem-solving skills. Explaining a reason for every step also reveals the decision-making quality. All these give the screening anchor an insight into candidates’ thought patterns.
Keep Focus
The sound-out could be funny, with plenty of humorous interview questions. However, candidates should keep in mind the purpose of the meeting. They shouldn’t get too comfortable and informal. Showing the right blend of humor and professionalism is an indicator of an excellent team player.
11 Sample Quizzes & Answers
When preparing for an appraisal meeting, it is essential to practice various funny interview questions. There are numerous possible quizzes that could arise during the discourse. Hence, this block provides a variety of samples, the interviewer’s expectations, and some good answers.
Are You a Gatherer or a Hunter?
Here, the interviewer intends to discern the applicants’ strengths and weaknesses. Hunters are risk-takers, more aggressive, and assertive. Gatherers are patient when collecting the information they need.
To respond appropriately, individuals should focus on the qualifications of the role for which they are applying.
Example: “I’m a hunter. I set goals, working relentlessly, and eventually achieving them. I also appreciate learning new ways to hit my targets faster.
How Would You Title Your Autobiography?
Here is one of the numerous unique interview questions. If hiring managers ask this, the focus is to get an insight into the applicant’s personality. They intend to discern how cocky or prudent the interviewee is. Such a test gives them an understanding of individuals’ perspectives on their personal achievements and vision.
When attending to the question, people should make sure that their response gives an honest summary of their success, goals, and principles. Providing such details may be quite a task. So, it is vital that they take their time to carefully choose words.
Example: “Coming from a humble beginning, I continually face and conquer several life challenges on my path to success. So, I’ll name it ‘Defying the Odds.’”
If You Won the Lottery, What Would You Do With the Money?
The idea behind this quiz is to find out candidates’ top priorities and how high they place their careers.
When answering the question, people should make positive decisions with logical reasons. Another plus would be showing how such a large sum of money would bring relief, happiness, productivity without changing their values.
Example: “Winning the lottery would be a great relief for me. It will completely eradicate the financial worries that I experience from time to time. It will give me the chance to work on my career and my running skills. It will help to give the best to my kids and family. Lastly, I will be able to do as much charity as I want.”
Describe the Color Yellow to Somebody Who Is Blind
This task tests people’s communication skills. They are necessary for a person to relate information properly to colleagues. Managers may present this problem to judge the recruit’s ability to communicate effectively. They could also use it to evaluate the people’s objectivity and how well they can function as a team member’s weaknesses.
The right way to handle this problem is to use an imaginative and considerate mind. Individuals should limit their description to things that can be felt, heard, smelled, tasted, or easily imagined.
Example: “The color yellow has an ambiance like the morning sun; warm with a cool breeze blowing on your face. It is exciting, without being loud or angry.”
How Will Your Friends Describe You?
Here, the focus is to cast some light on the interviewee’s persona. It shows people’s level of self-awareness and how others think of them. It also throws a speck of light into how well they can work in a team.
To respond appropriately, individuals should ensure that they stay positive and relevant to work. They can also tell a story to describe a practical experience that describes their point.
Example: “My friends sometimes call me Oprah Winfrey II. They often admire my passion and motivation. They’d also say that I’m compassionate, real, and resilient.”
What Would You Say About Your Former Boss?
The goal here is to get information about the applicants’ relationship with authorities and how they can thrive in the organization. Giving an inadequate response here could be a suicide trap.
Candidates should stay positive and highlight how their former employers helped them to become better. When asked about a bad boss, they shouldn’t speak negatively. Instead, they should stick to the pluses or neutral, at least.
Example: “My former boss loves his job and was always an inspiration to me. He is goal-oriented, and this assisted me in focusing on and crushing my targets and deadlines!”
How Would You Sell Ice Cream in Antarctica?
The intent of the recruiter here is to find out how candidates can make value out of things. It tests their creativity and critical thinking. It also aims to see how well they respond to challenges.
When faced with a question like this, the goal is to work out to create an additional value for the ice cream.
Example: “Antarctica is already iced. A difference between your internal and the external temperature was the reason people feel cold. So, if they lower their body heat (by eating ice cream), they’re much less likely to feel the chill.”
How Would You Fit an Elephant Into a Refrigerator?
Here is one of the common fun interview questions. Employers use this to test the problem-solving ability of the applicants. Likewise, they check for candidates’ responses to challenges.
Considering all the facts is key to solving this problem. For example, what is the size of the fridge? Is it an adult or a baby elephant? Also, they should ensure that they state their steps out loud. The route to the decision is more important than the conclusion itself.
Example: “I will open the refrigerator door, put the elephant inside, and close the door.”
On a Scale of 1 to 10, How Weird Are You?
The focus of the question is to provide information on the people’s persona. It also includes info about their teamwork and communication strength. Employers prefer a pleasant and cheerful individual to a shy, straight-laced person.
Honesty is key when answering this type of query. Individuals can also explain how they make efforts to get better.
Example: “I am pretty shy, and I mostly by myself. So, I will score myself 6. Though I was outspoken as a child, I suffered from bullies in high school, which caused me to withdraw. However, I undergo dance therapy and hang out more often to get better.”
Give Three Adjectives That Best Describes You
Recruiters use this question to know how candidates evaluate themselves. It reveals information about their greatest strengths. When attempting it, individuals should focus on their core pros and summarize them into three words.
Example: “I am an honest, hardworking, and cheerful man.”
Do You Believe It Is More Important to Work Fast or Get the Job Done Correctly?
The intent of the interviewer here is to know if the applicant prefers speed or efficiency. The response of the person will reveal attributes like attention to detail, finesse, accuracy, etc.
With this understanding, individuals can respond according to their preferences. There is no right or wrong answer, so it is essential to give reasons for the decision.
Example: “I believe the quality of work is more important than the speed of delivery. Although getting this done fast is essential, it will not restore a poorly executed assignment. On the other hand, a top-quality execution will maintain a high value.”
Unique Interview Questions: The Spice of Modern Appraisals
It is vital to practice unusual interview questions when getting prepared for a big day. That makes them ready for any surprises the recruiter may spring up. The block below provides a variety of sample humorous quizzes in 2023.
Interesting Interview Questions
Sometimes interviewers want to gain insight into the traits that are unique to each person. Interesting interview questions examine how individuals can use their character and principles to improve themselves and the business.
- What inspires you to work in this industry?
- How would you pitch this company to a friend?
- If you could have any superpower, which one would you want?
- What about life fascinates you?
- Tell me about a mistake you made. How did you handle it?
- Where do you see yourself in half a decade?
- What are the three most important attributes you’ll bring to our company?
Personality Evaluation
It focuses on people’s character and behaviors. Employers use them to know what principles individuals stand for, their communication skills, etc. Excellent performance in this category suggests good self-awareness and commutation skill.
Below is a list of samples:
- Tell me about a time when you made sure a customer was pleased with your service.
- What motivates you?
- Give us three adjectives that describe you best.
- Mention one thing you would want to change about your personality.
- What activities do you do outside work?
- What would you probably be thinking about if you were alone in a car?
- If you could be something in this office, what would it be and why?
- Describe a time when you weren’t pleased with your work and why?
Logical Thinking Examination
This category aims to task interviewees’ to think deeply and critically. They could come as possible real-life scenarios or riddles. With them, recruiters watch out for the problem-solving prowess of a person.
Here are a few unique interview questions that evaluate logical reasoning:
- If you’ve figured out a quicker or more cost-effective solution to a problem, but your manager doesn’t get what you’re saying, what would you do?
- How would you handle a situation where you and your teammates disagree on how to continue on a project?
- What’s the best sales approach: increase prices to achieve higher revenues or decrease prices to improve customer satisfaction?
- You have a 3-gallon and a 5-gallon jug. What is the right way to measure out exactly 4 gallons?
- Please describe a situation in which you had to make a critical choice based on incomplete data. How did you do it?
- You discovered that a co-worker and friend illegally used the company’s resources to help his sick child. What will you do?
- Do you believe it’s more important to work fast or get the job done correctly?
Weird Interview Questions
This class comprises general queries ranging from job-specific to random weird interview questions. They also reveal a lot of info about the recruits.
Check out some exciting quizzes below:
- Teach me something I don’t know in the next five minutes.
- Describe the color yellow to a blind person
- How will you convince someone to do what they don’t want to do?
- If you were offered more than one job, how will you decide which one to accept?
- Describe your ideal career and workplace.
- If you are offered a position with double pay and less challenging, will you take it?
- Your friend’s birthday is coming up. Please describe how you’ll go about picking out a gift for them.
- Room, desk, and car – which do you clean first?
Fun Interview Questions
This category presents fun interview questions and seeks creative responses. It tests people’s performance with new and sudden challenges. It also examines their ability to think outside the box.
Some common examples are:
- What was the last gift you gave someone?
- Why is a tennis ball fuzzy?
- What do wood and alcohol have in common?
- How would you keep a camel in a fridge?
- What president would you want to have dinner with and why?
- Why are manhole covers round?
- On a scale of 1 – 10, how crazy can you be?
Ice Breaker
Using ice breakers is a simple way to start the session and reduce tension in the room. They are also useful resources in making conversations flow. Likewise, they could be a funny interview question or regular tasks.
A few examples are:
- Name ten uses for a stapler (other than its intended use).
- Have you ever been a customer of our company? If so, how was your customer experience?
- Who was your role model as a child, and why?
- What’s a fact about you that nobody would guess?
- What always makes you laugh?
- Do you like Jerry or Tom?
- Who is your best literature character?
Group Assessment
This set is used to assess multiple applicants at the same time. They mainly focus on examining the teamwork capacity of a person.
Some common examples are:
- How do you work in a team?
- Describe your career history and future goals in 30 seconds.
- How do you think you stand out from your other applicants?
- How would you encourage a customer to purchase one of our products?
- How can your strengths benefit our company?
- What skills are most important for this position?
- How would the other team members describe you?
FAQs
How Do You Have an Enjoyable Interview?
Hiring managers should employ various funny interview questions during the recruitment session. To begin, they can use icebreakers and joint problems to set the mood for a great conversation. Then, they can advance into asking some questions. As the discussion continues, they may throw in hilarious comments here and there.
However, it is vital to keep the conversation relevant to the job when trying to be amusing. Recruiters should maintain professionalism and avoid illegal queries.
What Are Inappropriate Interview Questions?
These are the questions that do not relate to individuals’ ability to do the job. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), every inquiry should be pertaining to work skills and experience.
Therefore, asking a candidate about their age, race, religion, or gender could open a company up to a discrimination lawsuit.
Examples of off-limit queries include:
- Do you have children?
- Are you pregnant or planning to start a family?
- That’s a strong accent. Where are you from?
- Were you ever treated for mental health problems?
- Do you go to church on Sundays?
- When did you graduate?
- Do you have any outstanding debt?
Spice up an Interview
Unlike in generations past, modern interviewers do not carry long, scary faces. Instead, they are liberal yet formal and ask fun interview questions. With those, they get the best information out of applicants.
Individuals should prepare adequately for their assessments. Also, the bulk of their practice may be in attempting unique interview questions. That keeps them equipped for excellent performance in 2023.
Would you like to ask or answer a question or share an experience? Leave your comments in the box below.
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