4 unusual questions asked in interviews
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24/07/2018
In the world of Sydney recruitment, there are certain common questions that are almost always asked in interviews. This is for good reason – they’re the questions that tell employers what they need to know when it comes to finding someone suitable for the job. That said, interview questions that are too predictable are likely to generate predictable answers, which often aren’t particularly informative for an employer. That’s why they usually throw in some unusual questions, to keep you on your toes.
Here are four unusual questions you could be asked in an interview, and why they’d be asked.
1. If you could be any character from fiction, who would you be and why?
It’s very hard to ask a candidate directly if they’ll fit into an organisation’s culture. For one, you’re probably unaware of what it’s really like and even if you did know, you’re likely to just say “Yes” – you want the job, after all. Asking questions like “what character would you be” can give an employer some insight into the kind of person you see yourself as, or what kind of people you admire and would like to be. Drawing a straightforward line from your answer to some objective measure of cultural fit isn’t exactly clear, but it can be a good source of information for an employer to use in their decision making procedure.
Being asked what character from the movies you’d be can give employers insight to your character.
2. What’s something you believe that few others do?
This is a question the entrepreneur Peter Thiel is fond of asking in interviews. The idea behind the question is to test your courage, honesty and willingness to put yourself into an awkward position by espousing something the interviewer may well disagree with. It can also give you insight to how passionate you are in your beliefs and whether your perspective is one that’s fresh and new.
In higher education recruitment, for example, professors and researchers need to be confident in their conclusions and be willing to stand up for them, even if they’re unpopular.
3. If you won $25 million today, what would you do with the rest of your life?
For many people, the reality of why they do their job is to earn money. Asking you what you’d do if you won $25 million can be a good way to see what your relationship to your career might be. Do you work in this field because you love the job? Or do your passions lie elsewhere, in an area you feel unable to make a proper living in? Questions like this can give employers some insight.
Don’t necessarily feel pressured to say if you won the money, you would still want to work in that job either. The honest truth is a lot of people probably feel that way. What’s important for an employer to consider is what you would do instead – do you have goals and ambitions for yourself outside of your career? If so, this can be a good way to show an employer you’re a worthy hire because you don’t just pursue things because of the money.
4. Are you a ‘lucky’ person?
This can tell an employer a lot about a person’s understanding of their own efforts and the role fortune plays in their life. Do you attribute much of what you’ve achieved to luck? Or do you take credit for the things you’ve done, highlighting your initiative and work ethic? There’s not really a right or wrong answer with this one, but it’s good for an employer to see you both acknowledge the role luck plays in your life while also having the confidence in your own abilities to say you’ve played an active role in creating your life and achievements.
To learn more about how KLC Recruitment can find you the job of your dreams, get in touch with a member of the team today.
