Job interviews often feature standard questions like, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” or “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” However, candidates sometimes encounter unexpected questions that leave them puzzled. Ranging from humorous to downright strange, these unusual interview inquiries highlight the creativity (or eccentricity) of hiring managers.
During one interview that seemed to be going well, my prospective boss surprised me with a final question: “Can you show me the last five pictures on your phone?” He claimed it was for a personality assessment. Feeling anxious, I opened my gallery, and the first image that appeared was a topless photo of my boyfriend wearing a headband. His eyes lit up, and in a serious tone, he asked, “Does your man wear a headband because you’ve cropped his ears?” For a moment, I was taken aback, unsure if he was joking or testing me. Once I realized he was just being playful, I managed to respond with a shy smile, maintaining my composure. It turned out the question was indeed a test to see if I had a sense of humor or if I would react defensively. Thankfully, I passed the test, and yes, I got the job!
In another interview, I was handed a questionnaire with 50 detailed questions and left alone in a room. Most of the questions were about money, including one that asked, “Is your goal to make money in our company?” (If you answered ‘yes,’ you likely didn’t pass.) I left before finishing the list and later learned that the company registered employees at an incredibly low official salary, promising to pay most of it at the end of the month but delaying payment for six months and withholding it if someone quit. I’m glad I left.
During a different job interview, the employer asked me, “What’s the exact time and geolocation of your birth?” I initially laughed nervously, thinking it was a joke, but their serious demeanor made me realize they were sincere. Confused but curious, I provided the details as best I could. To my surprise, they then launched into a lengthy explanation about why this information was crucial for understanding my personality type, passionately discussing astrological charts, planetary alignments, and how these factors supposedly influenced my work ethic and compatibility with their team.
On another occasion, I interviewed for a secretary position, feeling confident about my qualifications. After answering the usual questions about my background and education, I proudly mentioned my advanced degree, thinking it would reflect positively on my abilities. However, their response completely caught me off guard. With a polite but firm tone, they said, “We don’t need a really smart secretary.” I was momentarily stunned, unsure whether to interpret it as a compliment or an insult disguised as a rejection.
In another experience, I was told my interview would be conducted via chat, which turned out to be with an “AI chatbot” rather than a real person. The chatbot asked me over 30 questions, and I provided detailed responses. Later, I received an email containing an analysis of my answers and what they supposedly revealed about my personality. The analysis was utterly nonsensical, relying on trigger words instead of a thorough evaluation of my responses. At the end of the document, they noted that it was the analysis, not my actual answers, that would be sent to the company looking to fill the position.
During an interview for a county street sweeper position, the interviewer asked me if I had a girlfriend and then rambled for five minutes about how young people aren’t getting married anymore. When he asked me what I wanted to avoid on the job, I was at a loss for how to respond. I asked him to clarify, but he just repeated the question over and over until he grew frustrated with my inability to answer and asked me to leave.
One interviewer asked me, “If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?” Since I was applying for an analyst position, I responded with “decision tree.” Surprisingly, I got the job!
In an interview at a tech startup, I was asked, “If you could be any animal, what would you be?” I replied, “Otter, because they’re fun, active, work well with their hands, and are cute.” They debated my answer, expressing concern because they only hire predators, never prey.
Lastly, during an interview for an administrative role at a tattoo salon, the HR manager asked for my Instagram handle. Without thinking, I handed him my phone, assuming he just wanted to check my profile name. Instead, he began scrolling through my posts, scrutinizing my photos and even noting the number of likes each received. At one point, he asked, “Why do some of your pictures have fewer likes than others?” as if that were relevant to the job.
While in college, I interviewed for a job at a sportswear shop, and when asked, “What’s your biggest weakness?” I unexpectedly answered, “Sausage rolls!” Unsurprisingly, I didn’t get the job.
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