Preparing for a Job Interview: the Strange, the Weird, and the Outrageous

The typical interview provides a company with a way to explore job candidates and get to know them. The goal of an interview is to see if a person will be a good fit with a company and a certain position. Most interview questions are straightforward, and ask about previous work experience, personal strengths, and maybe a few questions about weak spots. However, some interviewers like to throw the potential candidates for a loop.

If you are preparing for a job interview, better hope you don’t fall into any of these situations:

Strange interviews

Some interviews are stranger than others. If you are actively job hunting, you may find yourself present at some of the following interview situations:

• The short interview: While many interviews take longer than an hour, the short interview lasts less than five minutes. Few professional jobs will have such short interviews, but some may. The short interview will likely occur when the company has already decided to hire you based on qualifications. The interviewer might ask questions about your availability, requested salary, and why you want to work there.
• Personal questions: Some interviewers like to throw candidates for a loop by asking personal questions. You don’t have to answer these questions, but if you don’t, you probably won’t get a call back.
• Unusual location: Some interviewers like to host their interviews in unusual locations. The interview might take place in a park, on the roof of the building, or in a supply closet. If this happens to you, just try to roll with it.
• Unresponsive interviewer: Some interviewers like to make the interviewee uncomfortable by saying as little as possible. Try to communicated as much as possible from your end without getting nervous.

Weird interview questions

There is always the interviewer who likes to ask bizarre questions to catch people off guard and try to see what they are really like. Some of the weirdest questions asked in interviews included:

• What songs describe your worth ethic?
• How many pennies does it take to fill a bathtub?
• If you had a million dollars to start a new business, what would you start?
• How would you tell someone to cook an omelet?

Bizarre interview stories

The following interviews actually happened to real job-seekers. Hopefully, the situations will never repeat.

• One man was interviewed for a job in a small town. Rather than shaking his hand when the interview started, the interviewer hugged him. The interviewer also hugged the man when the interview was over.
• Another lady smashed her thumb in the door of her car on the way to an interview. She stuck around and went to the interview anyway. The company hired her; the interviewer said her dedication to attend the interview even while injured was what got her the job.
• One man was asked to fill out an application in a small office. He sat at the large desk to fill out the paperwork. In a few minutes, the interviewer came in and sat in the opposite chair and conducted the interview from the guest chair. The man did not get the job.

The interview process is tough, but if you prepare for everything, you will not be surprised if you find yourself in a strange interview situation. As with many things, the key to a good interview is advanced preparation.