If you’re one of the 45% of people looking for a new job this year, you should be ready to answer more than “What’s your greatest weakness?” in an interview.
Every year career website Glassdoor publishes the Top 10 Oddball Interview Questions, a list of the most eccentric questions interviewees have been asked in North America and parts of Europe. Though some of these seemingly out-of-left-field questions can be difficult to answer, they “test a job candidate’s critical thinking skills, see how they problem solve on the spot, and gauge how they approach difficult situations,” Glassdoor’s head of global recruiting and talent acquisition, Susan Underwood, said in a press release.
“Employers want to determine how different candidates respond to challenges, and those who respond well may have the edge when it comes to receiving a job offer,” she said. While more challenging interview questions help employers weed out certain candidates, they may also be beneficial for the new employee as research conducted by Glassdoor found a correlation between a more difficult interview process and greater employee satisfaction.
Following are the Top 10 Oddball Interview Questions of 2016, the companies that ask them, and the positions they were trying to fill.
10. “If you had $2,000, how would you double it in 24 hours?”—Uniqlo, Management Trainee
9. “How many basketballs would fit in this room?”—Delta Airlines, Revenue Management Co-op
8. “If you were a brand, what would be your motto?”—Boston Consulting Group, Consultant
7. “What would you do if your found a penguin in the freezer?”—Trader Joe’s
6. “If I gave you $40,000 to start a business, what would you start?”—Hubspot, Account Manager
5. “How would you sell hot cocoa in Florida?”—J.W. Business Acquisitions, Human Resources Recruiter
4. “What would the name of your debut album be?”—Urban Outfitters, Sales Associate
3. “If you’re the CEO, what are the first three things you check about the business when you wake up?”—Dropbox, Rotation Program
2. “Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck, or 100 duck-sized horses?”—Whole Foods Market, Meat Cutter
1. “When a hot dog expands, in which direction does it split and why?”—SpaceX, Propulsion Structural Analyst
Click here for Glassdoor’s complete results.
