Do Bizarre Interview Questions Serve a Purpose?

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  Enrico Pallazzo07/14/08 Report as spam
  1

  Bizarre Questions

  I'm in the databases of a few local Consumer Research companies, and at least one of them routinely asks these types of questions. It's always been my presumption that they ask them because they want to see how quickly you can come up with an answer and how well you will communicate that answer. The key is that it would be relevant information for them to have should they decide to use me in a focus group. I've never been tempted to use the tactic when interviewing potential employees. I wasn't even aware that companies were actually doing this.

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  CC Holland07/14/08 Report as spam
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  Relevancy is the point

  You make a great point: sometimes, people ask you seemingly silly questions that are actually relevant, as with the consumer research you mentioned. But I'm not sure how relevant it is to be asked about, say, the last three books that you've read. My penchant for crime fiction and mysteries doesn't really inform my capabilities as a manager, writer, or editor. Of course, I suppose I could always fib and say I've been reading some weightier tomes...

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  Michael.Mattis@...07/14/08 Report as spam
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  Goat

  Interviewing at Disney I was asked what kind of animal I would be if I was not a human (there's a big assumption right there).
  
  I couldn't think of any animal I'd want to be and just said the first animal that came to mind. Prior to the interview I had been working on my friend's ranch for fun, and this goat, Sam, would always follow me around wherever I went and became my barnyard buddy.
  
  So I just said, "a goat."
  
  It didn't go over very well, but I somehow got the job anyway.

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  CC Holland07/14/08 Report as spam
  4

  Room for mockery, no?

  And I'll bet anytime someone annoyed you, people would joke that he or she had really "gotten your goat."

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  David 4207/14/08 Report as spam
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  I-Banks

  I remember hearing about these questions in the 80s that came in interviews with the big wall street investment banks. "why are man hole covers round?" is the only one I remember (and it may have been urban legend... although based on your post, I am guessing it was real).
  
  I can't say I buy into it, but i guess it could have a time and a place.

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  CC Holland07/14/08 Report as spam
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  Totally real

  As was the question about how many quarters, stacked up, would reach the height of the Empire State Building...or how many golf balls it would take to fill a 747. (Makes me glad I never interviewed for a math-intensive job!)

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  David 4207/14/08 Report as spam
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  Team Interview

  On a related topic. are team interviews still in vogue? I remember having a few of those and actually giving a few. In those the questions are actually irrelavant, the purpose is to watch the interactions of the team.

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  CC Holland07/14/08 Report as spam
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  Clarify...

  Are you talking about one candidate with a panel of interviewers? Or several candidates with one interviewer? Would be interesting to see the dynamics either way.

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  Girsang07/15/08 Report as spam
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  RE: Do Bizarre Interview Questions Serve a Purpose?

  I've heard of these types of questions, but I've never gotten one in an interview. I'm in tech so questions are usually very technical and not much else. So once I was interviewing a guy who was very knowledgeable and I just kept digging deeper and deeper to see how much he knew. So just to break the tension, I asked, "If you were an animal" and he interrupted my sentence and said "Eagle". It was pretty funny because we were both making a mockery of those types of questions and it definitely lightened up the interview.
  We hired him and he was one of the best people I've worked with.

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  CC Holland07/15/08 Report as spam
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  Canned answers

  Funny, isn't it, how no matter how "new" a technique is, people will adapt and be ready with a quick, rehearsed answer. Reminds me of the old chestnut "What are your weaknesses?" and the applicant answering "I'm too committed to my job." Fly, eagle, fly!

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  hansom107/16/08 Report as spam
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  RE: Do Bizarre Interview Questions Serve a Purpose?

  Bizarre questions could break the tension of the interview, introducing a lightness to the moment and may keep the interviewee on her toes!

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  CC Holland07/16/08 Report as spam
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  Sense of humor

  That's true -- they might be a good was to assess if a candidate actually has a sense of humor and may help alleviate nerves.

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  srainge07/23/08 Report as spam
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  RE: Do Bizarre Interview Questions Serve a Purpose?

  Absolutely drop the wacky, off the wall and non employment related questions. If you want to get a candidate off center ask about their dead parents or about their sexual proclivities. If you want a serious candidate working for a serious company keep the interview serious and focused on the job available and qualifications of the candidate. If you want to ask wacky questions perhaps the interviewer should be a game show host.

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  jenniferim10/09/08 Report as spam
  14

  RE: Do Bizarre Interview Questions Serve a Purpose?

  Personally, I believe the purpose is to throw the interviewee off guard. How some one responds to a bizarre question often speaks volumes on their personality traits and how they handle stress and unexpected events.
  
  So my answer is Yes, they do serve a purpose within reason.