20 Ridiculous and Insane Interview Questions You Could Actually Be Asked If youre looking for a job or internship in this

economic climate, youre probably tearing your hair out just to get an interview. But once you get in the door, youre still in no position to relax. Employers and recruiters can ask you all kinds of questions to make you uncomfortable and think on your feet, and they often do. But if youre prepared, youll be able to handle any type of ridiculous interview question, whether youre a rookie college grad or a veteran job searcher. Heres our list of 20 ridiculous and insane questions you may be asked during your next interview.

1. What kind of Star Trek or Star Wars character would you be?: If youre
not a trekkie or into Star Wars at all, this could be an especially terrifying question for you. But as long as you dont pick a well-known villain or psychopath and instead try to relate yourself to a likable science-fiction leader, you should be okay. If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet, what would you want?: If youd like them to indulge any kind of sex, drugs or rock n roll fantasy, youll be crossed off the list. Instead, try to think of something constructive and creative that makes you stand out for being clever. Can I look in your purse?: On the Ask a Manager blog, a reader answered a call for weird interview questions from the bloggers post on the U.S. News & World Report website. The reader explained that her interviewer asked if he could look inside her purse to evaluate how organized she was. Many interviewees might feel that this question crosses the line of personal space and privacy, and there may not be a right or wrong answer. Just make sure your bag is clean before showing up. If you were given a free full-page ad in the newspaper and had to sell yourself in six words or less, how would the ad read?: Interview coach Lewis Lin highlights on his blog this question featured in the book High-Impact Interview Questions. Its actually a straightforward question, just asked in a roundabout way. Just think of the words that best describe you on your resume, and try to add a couple of creative adjectives to set you apart from everyone else. How do you feel about affirmative action?: The woman who was asked this question in an interview felt that it was inappropriate and interpreted it as her interviewer trying to feel out her personal beliefs, and whether or not she would "fit in" with the rest of the employees there. Why are manhole covers round?: This weird question has actually been asked in more than one interview. The trick to answering is to think outside the box and come up with a creative answer, even if its a little ridiculous. After all, its a weird question. Are you a cat person?: An article on Experience.com that collected real-life weird interview questions included this submission from "Lea." Some people believe that there are certain personality traits that go along with dog people vs. cat people, and the interviewer appears to have been partial to those conclusions.

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8. If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you have?: This

question is asked to evaluate a job candidates personality. If youre just plain oil and vinegar, for example, you might come across as boring. 9. How do I rate as an interviewer?: There isnt really a choice in how to answer this question, but you dont want to gush either, especially if you havent been very forthcoming in the interview thus far. Try to point to specific questions that you liked, demonstrating your attentiveness and sincerity. 10. If you were a bicycle, what part would you be?: This question is another example of interviewers trying to identify your personality and creativity. If you pick the seat, youre probably a stable, supportive person, and if you pick the handlebars, youre probably a leader. 11. How many gas stations would you say there are in the United States?: Theres no way of knowing off hand how many gas stations there are in the United States, but if you verbalize your plan for figuring out the question, youll show how youre able to solve large problems. Just shooting off some random huge number will make you look lazy and unable to organize big projects. 12. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?: This is another question submitted to Experience.com by a reader named Sarah. She was unable to select one specific flavor but answered "the ice cream would have to have little pieces or swirls of something mixed in because I appreciate variety." Her interviewers appreciated her creativity and independence, and she was offered the job. 13. If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?: This is actually a popular interview question used to evaluate character, planning and creativity. Like the alien question, its best not to answer according to your physical or secret slacker desires, but to demonstrate your ability to organize and make the most of your opportunities. 14. What did you want to be when you were 10 years old?: If you wanted to be an astronaut when you were 10 and are interviewing for a bank job now, you dont have to be embarrassed or feel like a failure. Try to relate your childhood dreams to the aspirations and goals you have now, pointing to the personality traits youve grown into. 15. If you were on a merry-go-round, what song would you be singing?: This question is all about creativity and showing off your true personality. Go with your gut instinct, and pick the song that makes you happy and chills you out the most. 16. What would I find in your refrigerator?: Interviewers may ask you this question to learn more about your personality and your character. If your refrigerator is completely empty except for stale milk, you may come across as a poor planner. 17. Can you tell a joke?: In an ideal situation, you would be able to answer this question with a clever joke, but its also okay to laugh at yourself if you cant tell a joke. Instead, try to find a way to present your own sense of humor in a tasteful way, of course. 18. Who do you like best, your mom or dad?: No one wants you to say that you hate your mom or dad, so just explain how theyre different, always stressing the positive traits. Discussing how theyve influenced you is also a good idea.

19. What makes you angry?: Patty Inglish considers this a tricky question and

suggests that you be very careful about admitting to getting angry. Instead, focus on how you constructively deal with situations that frustrate or bug you. 20. What is your perception of the painting in the lobby?: At first, this question may seem completely random and useless; however, its a good indication of how detailed you are and how much youre tuned into the world around you. When you show up to the interview, take a moment to let the office atmosphere affect you so that youre prepared for these types of questions.

Weird and Wacky Interview Questions 89 By Patty Inglish, MS Out of This World Questions -During your last interview, did you feel as if you were you questioned by a mad scientist? Were there aliens in the inner office feeding questions to your interviewer telephathically? Twilight Zone...or the Outer Limits? P. Inglish 1995 - 2009 Within the last ten to fifteen years, some strange and different interview questons have come into use among job interviewers around the United States. Some of these questions sound like "pop psychology" quizzes from magazines, some sound like a psychiatric examination, some appear to be like logic puzzles, and some don't make much sense at all. These off-the-wall questions are designed to make you think, think creatively and quickly, and tap into your inner resources and personality components. Unusual questions are often asked by an interviewer in order to find out more about your inner self and how your mind works. It is a way to get to know you better without asking questions that are overly personal. Your answer to such questions will tell the interviewr whether you will be a good fit for the company, as well as how creative you are and how well you can think in spur-of-the-monent senarios. Before answering a question you feel is odd, take a deep breath and think for a moment or two, and then answer candidly. Don't try to think of an answer that the company wants to hear. Just be yourself.

Wild Card Interview Questions The following questions have been used recently in job interviews around the country. Some of the questions have tips given to help you understand what the job interviewer is looking for with the question. If you were a tree (or animal) what kind of tree (animal) would you be? For either one, pick something strong and/or intelligent like a tiger or lion and try to relate the animal to the skills needed on the job. - no snakes and nothing fluffy and cuddly. For trees, pick an oak (strong and long-lived) and not a weeping willow. If you were a Star Trek [or Star Wars ] character, which one would it be? This is easy. There are a lot of fun and "pop" quizzes based on sci-fi personalities. Pick a character that is a leader and a bit of a risk-taker. Captain Kirk, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Spock, Sarek, etc. What is your favorite color? There are some personality and work-styles quizzes based on colors. You are invited to a large cocktail party at a country club. When you arrive, the room where the party is being held is already over half full of people. How do they react to you when you enter the room? This question tests for self-confidence. Why are manhole covers round? This question is looking for a creative answer. What is your favorite drink? Personality may be a little like a drink, but an answer to this question also may tell your employer whether you drink alcohol or not. In order to keep health insurance costs low, the company may try to hire non-drinkers. What would I find in your refrigerator right now? This would show planning and personality traits. What is the last book you read? Employers like employees who read the newspaper and magazines related to their industry.

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional. with whom would it be? - shows interests and creativity What was the last movie you went to see? - shows interests What is your favorite movie (song)? - shows interests How would you explain a database in three sentences to your eight-year-old nephew? This one shows creativity and your ability to summarize a topic. How many gas stations would you say there are in the United States? This one displays how you think about solving a large problem. It's about estimations vs. actual calculations and sometimes you can do both. If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet, what would you want? - creativity If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be? - shows interests and personality If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you? - shows interests, self-confidence and personality If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be? - creativity, personality If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be? - creativity, personality, accomplishments If you had only six months left to live, what would you do with the time?

- creativity, goals, planning If you were a type of food, what type of food would you be? - goes to personality. May also let the company know if you are iikely to enjoy unhealthy food and raise their insurance rates! If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money? -creativity, goals, planning, generousity, responsibility. If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you have? -personality If you were a car, what kind would you be? - personality If you were written about in the newspaper, on the front page, what would the headline say? - creativity, personality, accomplishments Who do you like best, you mom or dad? I'd be careful of this one and say I liked them both. Don't indicate family problems in an interview. Say something about what each parent taught you that has helped you become a success inlife. What kind of people do you dislike? Be careful with this one, becuase if you name any minority class of indidivuals or political party, you will be branded a bigot or "one of them.". Say that there are no particular people you dislike, although you find some behaviors annoying - such as not cmpleting work assignments on time, wasting the company's time gossiping, etc. What makes you angry? Be careful about admitting to having episodes of anger. Indicate that you handle problems as they arise so that they don't build up to the anger point. How many close friends do you have? Most people do not have a lot of close friends, so don't say you do if you don't. Saying you have a lot of really close friends may make you seem like a liar or a shallow person if they are not close. Most people have a handful of really close friends, bbut many more casual friends.

In a small room you have a refridgerator, if you left the door of the 'fridge open would the temp in the room fall or would the temp in the 'fridge rise? Why? Heat moves into less-heated areas because heated electrons move faster than cold ones, so the fridg temp would rise. At a Subway Restaurant Interview: What's the most important part of the sandwich? Correct Answer - The SMILE.

How To Answer Strange / Weird or Inappropriate Interview Questions Angsuman Chakraborty Often you will find strange questions being asked in an interview. They can either be inappropriate or simply unexpected. Some examples of oddball questions are: "What is your perception of the painting in the lobby?" "What would you do with a million dollars?" "Can you tell a joke?" (samples from career news) In such cases often the interviewer is trying to assess a particular trait like your attentiveness to details or overall personality. It is always better to try to understand his real motives and answer that question after you have answered his original question honestly. You can also use it as a opportunity to highlight the particular trait he is looking for with a small story (hopefully real). Sometimes he is trying to assess your intellectual depth. One question I sometimes ask is: How would you estimate the number of crows in the city? The answer I am looking for is that he should explain how he will use a sample area and actually count the crows by any viable method and then how he would extrapolate. A more intelligent candidate would venture into how he can make the sample size statistically significant. "What would you do with a million dollars?" Personally I think it is an amusing question and would use such questions as an opportunity to highlight one of my positive traits which I want to highlight to the interviewer. Something along the lines of starting a business is a better idea than telling them how you would spend it all on a vacation (and booze) on an exotic island with your significant other. Overall I think such questions present an opportunity to create a positive impression with your interviewers. Never leave them unanswered, leverage such questions.

How to answer inappropriate interview questions You may sometimes be asked personal questions or questions which forces you to indirectly reveal personal information like asking about the number of children you have or how long you have been married (clearly inappropriate). There are two distinct strategies you can take. You can try to guess the interviewer's real motives (like your ability to balance life and work) and answer the hidden question instead of the posed one. Another approach, which is more generic in nature, is to use a disarming smile and politely reply that you would prefer not to answer this question. Guestimate Questions and How to Answer Them A Question of Intelligence If I assembled 3 of your former supervisors in a room and asked them about you, what would they say about you that you would say is not true? It would likely be good to say that they all probably would over-praise you; that you worked hard for all your supervisors, but are a humble individuals. What are the first three things you'd do on your first day at work here? Think of three useful, organizational things, or include one item on getting to know the staff and daily activities. What were the causes of the Civil War? You may also be asked this about the Revolutionary War, or the War in Iraq. Employers want to know how to PREVENT big problems and studying wars should help us learn how to prevent them in the future. Can you describe an atom?' Say it is like a tiny solar system. On a scale of 1 to 10 how happy are you? Say you are an 8 or 9, but would be a 10 if you could work for their company. How would you describe yourself in three words? Use good words like resourceful, intelligent, quick, dependable, energetic, honest, sincere, determined, goal-directed, etc. How would you design a spice rack for a blind person?

Any creative answer would be great - Braille labels, "talking" containers, etc. What is the temperature when it's twice as cold as zero degrees? Convert from Fahrenheit to Centigrade and then double that number. The answer is that 0 F doubled would be -17.8 C doubled, equals -35.6 Centigrade! Tell me about the worst boss you ever had. Do not complain about former bosses. Simply state that some may not have taught you as much as others did and point out a few good qualities of a favorite past boss. As a finale, here is a quote that could be a good answer to several odd interview questions. It is left to us by a famous architect: "Less is more only when more is too much." - Frank Lloyd Wright The weirdest interview question ever? This amazing story comes from one of the commenters on my U.S. News & World report post earlier this week about how to handle inappropriate interview questions. Linda R. wrote: When I was just out of college (ahem...the early 80's, a less enlightened age), a friend went on an interview for an administrative position. She felt the interview was going very well. Then, the interviewer asked, "Can I look in your purse?" In response to her shocked expression, he explained that he finds that to be the best indicator of how organized a woman is. She lost her composure for a minute, she was taken so by surprise, but wound up handing it over. He fingered through it, muttered something, thanked her and handed it back. She didn't wind up getting the job -- not due to a messy purse she was sure, since she had just cleaned it out. Nothing I've ever heard since then has struck me as a weirder question than that one. Several reactions: 1. This would really annoy me. To the point that I might not take a job working for him. 2. People have a reasonable expectation of privacy for their purse contents. 3. Most importantly, I wonder what he asks men.

Weirdest Interview Survey Results By Experience

What's the weirdest question you've ever been asked in an interview? Read some of the stories submitted to Experience. As a male, I was being questioned at an internship fair for a major retailer. One of the first questions that the recruiter asked me was: "So, why do you want to work with women's underwear?". -Vince How tall was I? Well, in a set of heels I'm 6 ft female. -Catherine Are you a cat person? -Lea I interviewed for a position as a bank teller while I was on leave from school. One of the interview questions was, "What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?" I responded by saying that I couldn't name one flavor specifically, but that the ice cream would have to have little pieces or swirls of something mixed in because I appreciate variety. I then asked them the importance of ice cream flavors, and was told that a favorite flavor can say a lot about someone's personality. The interviewers (there were 2 of them) said they had never had someone give a response like mine before, and that they were impressed with the thought I'd put into an impromptu question such as that. Later that same day, I received a call to say I'd been offered the position. -Lisa If you were a breakfast cereal what would you be and why? -Sarah I was sat down in a dark meeting room, one light and no windows. I was given 7 pieces of paper. Each one had a complex engineering problem which I was asked to solve, one by one with no calculator, pencil or paper to write on. -Anne Do you like pineapples? What do they mean to you? -Tess Why do you want to work here? (Duh!!!) - Richard I was asked what I did in high school that was against the rules. I was told that the group's manager had done the cherry bombs in the toilets routine and that another member of the group had hacked into the school's computer system. - Robyn I was negotiating with a faith community in Ghana to bring their high Priestess to a conference in Chicago. The community set stringent requirements that needed to be met before Madam could attend, even though she spends most of her time working with the U. N. in NYC. One of the Elders asked me if I could hold Madam's hand during the entire conference, if necessary or appropriate. I was nervous but assured him that I would do everything within my power to meet Madam's needs. Madam attended the conference and required my assistance (of a hand or arm) infrequently. Life is full of marvels. -Laurie Why do they make manholes round? -Elise When interviewed for a job, as a CAD designer for an aircraft modification company: What political party are you in? Huh!? -Cal

Are you Republican or Democrat? I'm pretty sure it was illegal to ask that, which was weird because it was a lawyer asking me. -Skylar If you were a pizza, what kind would you be and with what toppings? -Amanda We have a social studies department of all men, as a woman what would you bring to the department? -asked by the assistant principal. -Danielle How can we help to better you? I thought for a second and then said "By hiring me for this position". - Shanedra This isn't really a weird question, but actually a weird situation. Many years ago I interviewed for a Power Supply company. After the initial HR descriptions of benefits, etc, the HR person began to ask technical questions. After awhile I realized I wasn't going to see the hiring manager; the technical interview was going to be done by HR. At that point, I wrote off the company, but decided I should at least finish the interview. When asked, "What do you think about your present company as a whole?", I replied, "I couldn't agree more." (You might want to say this out loud.) She looked at me puzzled, and about a minute later said, "Oh, I get it!" Needless to say, I didn't hear anything from them, and they didn't hear anything from me. -Larry

Answering Strange Interview Questions Original article by the authors of best-job-interview.com SummaryThose strange interview questions that appear completely unrelated to the job itself can catch you unawares in your job interview. Be prepared with appropriate interview responses to frequently asked off-the-wall questions such as these.

Strange interview questions such as "What animal would you like to be?", are used to evaluate how you react to the unexpected, your ability to think on your feet and give a coherent answer! There is no wrong or right answer to these psychological interview questions but if you are well prepared for random questions like this, you will come across as a confident and resourceful candidate.

These wild card job interview questions may seem inappropriate but they are designed to explore how you see yourself and how creative you are. However more important than the actual answer is how you answer. Don't get flustered, remain calm, think about your response and answer in a positive and concise manner. Some version of these common psychological answers can come up in any job interview. Go through the interview answer guidelines so that you are not taken completely by surprise.

There is no wrong answer but you need to be able to explain why you have chosen a particular animal etc. The interviewer is taking note of how you formulate your responses to get a sense of your thought process, creativity and how you approach problems. This is a list of the most commonly asked strange interview questions. These may not come up exactly as they are phrased here but the point is to prepare for interview questions like this and do a little creative thinking about how you will answer them. If you could be any animal, what would you be? It does not matter what animal you choose as long as you have a good reason for doing so. However it probably is better to pick a strong or intelligent animal like a lion or dolphin and then try to relate the animal to valuable job-related skills. For example a lion is tenacious, courageous and a leader. A dolphin is intelligent and intuitive. Which fictional character would you choose to be? Select a character who you actually know something about and who you admire. Explain why you admire the character and how this relates to your personal values and aspirations. For example "I would choose to be Sherlock Holmes as I admire his analytical and problem-solving skills, his intuition and intelligence." If you were having a dinner party and could invite three famous people, who would they be? This is similar to the above question. The list of possible people is endless, again just ensure you have a good reason for selecting whoever you do. For example, "I would invite Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and the next US President. They could discuss how they would reduce conflict and anger in places like the Middle East and Africa and hopefully our next President would put their ideas into action." How would you title your autobiography? The response to the question says a great deal about how you view yourself. Real autobiographical titles range from the mundane and obvious "My Life" by Bill Clinton to the more intriguing like "Running with Scissors". Being able to describe your life in a single sentence is challenging. Try to think of something that reflects a positive and hopeful, ambitious and determined attitude to life. Which three things would you save from a fire in your house? Your answer should reflect your values and priorities in life. Think about what the most important things are in your home. Common responses include pets, photographs, important documents, computer, purse etc. Explain why you have selected these things to save.

If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money? Use strange interview questions like this to highlight your positive traits such as goalsetting, planning, ambition, responsibility and generosity. Responses such as starting your own business or taking a year to travel and broaden your horizons are better than buying a Lamborghini and spending it all on partying! These strange interview questions are designed to try and find out something about you that standard interview questions don't and to see if you get flustered by the unusual. They want to challenge you and create stress. How you respond to this challenge is important. Simply smile, breathe deeply and give yourself a moment to think about your answer. Avoid saying the first thing that comes into your head and spend a little time considering your response. It is not necessary to be funny or brilliant, just give an honest answer that is concise and ordered.

Strange Interview Questions Anyone out there ever had a strange interview question? You know, something like these listed by Yahoo:

"If you were having a dinner party and could invite three famous people, who would they be?" "What's the last book you read?" "What did you want to be when you were 10 years old?" "What classes did you like in high school?" "What would I find in your refrigerator?"

Theoretically, the interviewer is trying to find out something specific, but I think he/she is just more likely to be playing with you. Let's face it, many interviews are tough enough to pull off well without some random question coming from left field. Then again, maybe that's what they're looking for -- how well you perform under pressure. Fortunately, I've only had experience with this twice -- or once really. Here are my stories: 1. I was interviewing for a position and was told the boss was very analytical. In fact, he ALWAYS asked interviewees to solve an algebra problem for him. Now I was pretty good in math at school, but I expected some sort of multi-stage complicated formula that might be able to be solved by a super-computer -- something that was sure to trip me up. As a result, I wasn't looking forward to the interview. Well, the day came and I had my interview. When it got to the algebra problem, he gave me something like "A + 3 = 5" (ok, it wasn't that simple, but it was in that neighborhood.) I solved it quickly, he seemed please, and I left soon thereafter. I was called a few days later and offered the job but decided to pass on it. I had better offers to consider.

2. In a different set of interviews, I heard of one general manager who was going to ask me a "surprise question." I had no idea what it was going to be (supposedly he had several) other than it often threw interviewees for a loop. Great. Just great. So I sweated it out the couple weeks before the interview and when I arrived on the appointed day, I was handed a list of people I'd be seeing. I was told that the general manager in question was out sick that day and had been replaced with another interviewer. Divine intervention! BTW, I found out later that he was famous for asking interviewees to do a 60-second commercial for themselves -- to act out a commercial for why they should be hired and to take 60-seconds doing it. He would give them a couple minutes to think about it, then said he'd time them to make sure they used all of their 60 seconds but didn't go over. Nice, huh? I ended up taking a job with this company and ultimately my greatest fears were realized -- I had to work for this guy. He was one of the best bosses I ever had.

How To Answer Strange / Weird or Inappropriate Interview Questions Angsuman Chakraborty November 9th, 2007 Often you will find strange questions being asked in an interview. They can either be inappropriate or simply unexpected. Some examples of oddball questions are: "What is your perception of the painting in the lobby?" "What would you do with a million dollars?" "Can you tell a joke?" (samples from career news) In such cases often the interviewer is trying to assess a particular trait like your attentiveness to details or overall personality. It is always better to try to understand his real motives and answer that question after you have answered his original question honestly. You can also use it as a opportunity to highlight the particular trait he is looking for with a small story (hopefully real). Sometimes he is trying to assess your intellectual depth. One question I sometimes ask is: How would you estimate the number of crows in the city? The answer I am looking for is that he should explain how he will use a sample area and actually count the crows by any viable method and then how he would extrapolate. A more intelligent candidate would venture into how he can make the sample size statistically significant. "What would you do with a million dollars?" Personally I think it is an amusing question and would use such questions as an

opportunity to highlight one of my positive traits which I want to highlight to the interviewer. Something along the lines of starting a business is a better idea than telling them how you would spend it all on a vacation (and booze) on an exotic island with your significant other. Overall I think such questions present an opportunity to create a positive impression with your interviewers. Never leave them unanswered, leverage such questions. How to answer inappropriate interview questions You may sometimes be asked personal questions or questions which forces you to indirectly reveal personal information like asking about the number of children you have or how long you have been married (clearly inappropriate). There are two distinct strategies you can take. You can try to guess the interviewer's real motives (like your ability to balance life and work) and answer the hidden question instead of the posed one. Another approach, which is more generic in nature, is to use a disarming smile and politely reply that you would prefer not to answer this question. Quintessential Careers: Don't Get Stumped by Off-the-Wall "Wild Card" Job Interview Questions by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.

Picture yourself in this scene: You're in a job interview. Everything is going better than you imagined it could. You look professional and fabulous. You are totally prepared. You are on a roll. You're nailing every interview question. You feel wonderful rapport with your interviewer. Suddenly, out of the blue she asks you: "Imagine you could trade places with anyone for just a week. The person could be famous or not famous, living or from history, real or fictional. With whom would you trade places?" It's all you can do to keep your jaw from dropping. You're stunned. You feel your mouth drying up and sweat forming on your forehead. Your head is spinning, and your mind is a blank. You're thinking, why in the world is she asking me this absurd question? Welcome to the world of the off-the-wall interview question -- weird, wacky, gimmicky, and off-beat "wild card" questions that seem to have nothing to do with your ability to handle a job. If they're irrelevant to job performance, why do employers ask them?

They want to see how well you can think on your feet. They want to see if you'll get rattled. They may want to test your creativity or sense of humor. They want to challenge you. Employers who ask these goofy questions no doubt may feel the questions do relate to job performance. In creating stress by asking you a weird question, the interviewer may be testing how well you'll respond to the stress of the workplace. And let's face it; job-seekers have vast resources at their disposal in the form of books, articles, and Web sites on how to respond to traditional and even those tricky behavioral interview questions (See our Job Interview Questions Database and Interview Question Collections.). So interviewers sometimes want to lob a curve ball at you by asking a question that you probably didn't prepare for. In his book, College Grad Job Hunter, Brian Krueger calls these question "dumb" questions, whose purpose, Krueger writes "is to get past your pre-programmed answers to find out if you are capable of an original thought." Of course, we won't refute the possibility that some employers may just be sadistic and want to see you squirm, or they relish the amusement of seeing how you'll answer an oddball question. Because an off-the-wall question can be virtually anything, they are nearly impossible to prepare for. Still, some, like the question about being/meeting/dining with a famous person, have been around for awhile and are worth preparing an answer for -- just in case. The key to responding to an off-the-wall question is not to let it rattle you. Don't adopt a deer-in-the-headlights look if you get hit with one of these funky queries. Simply smile, take a deep breathe, and take a moment to compose your response. A little bit of silence is better than blurting out something even sillier than the question. You don't have to brilliant. You don't have to be witty. Just be yourself and give an honest response. If worse comes to worst, and you absolutely cannot think of an answer, ask if you can come back to that question later. You may lose a few thinking-on-your-feet points, but you'll gain points for handling a difficult situation with poise. Above all, take comfort in the fact that there is rarely a wrong answer to these offbeat questions. True, some responses can raise eyebrows. When I taught college students and conducted mock interviews with them, I would occasionally get "Adolph Hitler" as a response to the famous-person question. Rather than thinking the student was a Neo-Nazi, I chalked up that answer to a student who probably knows so little about history that Hitler was the only person he or she could think of. If you can turn your answer into something job-related, that's a bonus, but it's probably above the expectations of the interviewer. For example, if you're interviewing for a finance job and are asked what you'd do with a large windfall of money, you could give a clever response about how you'd invest the cash. Below, we've provided some sample off-the-wall questions. The first group are questions submitted by readers, along with the answers they used. Be aware that studying this list of questions may be no help at all if you're ever asked a weird

question because you may be asked something totally different from any of these questions. The point is to expect the unexpected, and looking over these questions will at least give you the flavor of what might be asked and enable you to do a little out-of-the-box thinking about how you might respond when you're asked a question as strange as these: Shelley Feakes, resource navigator at Queens Career Resource Center in Nova Scotia, Canada, was asked: "If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet, what would you want?" "I thought about this question for a minute," Feakes recalls, "then responded: 'First I would want to go change my clothes since the aliens just scared the crap out of me! ... then I would for a job as Chief Navigator so I could enjoy coming to Earth and scaring the crap out of other human beings." Explains Feakes: "My strategy was this: I first thought that it was a psychological question, that the interviewer was trying to see how far up the ladder I desired to be ... then I thought twice and decided that I would express my creativity and go for an answer that was just as odd as the question itself. It must have worked ... I got the job!" Another reader was not happy about the odd questions she was asked. "I was asked who my heroes were and how I felt about affirmative action in the same interview. Talk about loaded questions! Looking back, it was obvious that I would be required to be very [politically correct] and think just like them to work there. If I hadn't been a single mother and desperate for work, I would have answered, 'I think this interview is over.'" She doesn't remember how she actually did answer, but notes that "Those questions have nothing to do with the ability to do a job and are out of line. I'm probably lucky they didn't hire me because I'm sure I would have been unhappy there." Still another reader was asked "if you could be any animal in the jungle what would it be?" He answered: "I would be a gorilla so I could be the king of the jungle because it is survival of the fittest in the jungle. I would also be able to climb trees well and get a bird's eye view of what is going on so I could stay abreast of what was happening in the jungle scene." The reader felt the employer liked his response because he got a second interview. "I thought it was a pretty good answer myself," he observed. More off-the-wall "wild card" job interview questions:

If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be? If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you? If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be? If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be? If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your human needs such as food and water - were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you?

If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you do with the time? If you had only six months left to live, what would you do with the time? If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be, and why? If you could compare yourself with any animal, which would it be and why? If you were a type of food, what type of food would you be? If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money? If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you have? How do I rate as an interviewer? If you were a car, what kind would you be? Who do you admire the most and why?

In the news story about your life, what would the headline say?