Everything is going fine. You started-off pretty well, introduced yourself, answered every question, even the ones you feared initially, put a confident body-language on display and even reached a consensus regarding the pay you deserve for the job profile.
Suddenly, the interviewer pulls himself forward and throws you an oddball, ‘If given a chance, what fictional character would you choose to be?, and there you are, bewildered and flabbergasted as never!
Seriously, asking strange or weird questions has become quite a prominent trend amongst employers. So, it would be wise of you to stay prepared and not be dumbfounded the instance one is thrown at you.
The five most common ones are discussed below with the probable appropriate answers that might save the day for you.
1. If you were shrunk to the size of an HB pencil and put in a blender, how would you find your way out?
Reportedly, this question popped out of Goldman Sachs in 2010. Obviously, not a situation that you’ll face in an investment bank, but you can bet that a high-pressure work environment is a part of the position you’re aiming.
The only way to dodge this one or turn it around is to come up with a creative and humorous reply. Something like, if you’re a pencil, you could draw a rope and use it to pull yourself out of the blender.
2. If you won a million dollar lottery, what would you do with it?
This seems like a favorite one amongst strange and weird interview questions. But you can use it to highlight your positive traits and characteristics like ambition, vision for the future, responsibility, goal-setting and generosity for those around you.
Answers stating your own business to taking a leave to travel around the world are far better than buying a Porsche and spending it all on partying.
To reach an efficient reply, you can always think of things you feel passionate about or things you’re good at.
3. If you were an animal, which one would you choose to be?
Again, quite a common question with the same intention, that is to find about your characteristics and idiosyncrasies. A lot of people would advise you to pick an animal which is strong and intelligent as well. But the hack to this question lies in considering the position you’re applying for, before answering.
So, all you need is to tailor your answer according to the profile you’re targeting.
For instance, if one is interviewing for a sales position, calmness and focus with the ability to strike is what’s desired. So your answer should be an Eagle, substantiated by logical reasons.
4. What would be the title of your autobiography?
The response to this question shows how high or low opinion do you hold regarding yourself. The way you answer will clearly present how much do you know and where do you see yourself in the future. Real autobiographical titles range from mundane and obvious ones like ‘My life’ by Bill Clinton to intriguing and enticing ones like ‘My Experiments with truth’ by Mahatma Gandhi.
The ability to reflect your life and the principles you live it by in a single line, is quite a task. So think of something that is ambitious and portrays determination towards life.
5. If your house catches fire, which 3 things would you prefer saving?
The question is asked with a single intention alone; to know how you prioritize things and the values you’ve imbibed in life. Hence, you need to answer accordingly. Think about the most important things you have at home. It can be anything like photographs, documents, money, pets, computer etc.
Remember the fact that you’ll have to give a valid and logical reason for whatever options you choose.
Whatever happens, just remember the fact that these questions are designed to gain an insight about your traits, which those run-of-the-mill questions can’t. The employer just wants to check whether you get flustered or not. Creating a challenging situation to cause stress is the prime motive. So think calmly and be as creative as you can. You’ll surely make it through and secure the offer-letter.