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Job Interviews Took A Wild Turn When These 50 Candidates Got Hit With The Most Absurd Questions
Interview With Expert
What’s your zodiac sign? If you had to eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would it be? What’s your go-to karaoke song?
These are all topics I’d be happy to discuss with my friends at a bar, or even with my colleagues during a lunch break. But there’s a time and a place for asking creative questions, and these conversation starters don't really seem relevant for a job interview.
Redditors have been discussing the wildest and most confusing questions they’ve ever been asked by hiring managers, so we’ve gathered their most amusing replies below. Enjoy scrolling through these questions that made applicants hope for a rejection email, and keep reading to find a conversation with Adam Bennett, Senior Career Consultant at Career Prepare!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
"How good of a liar are you?"
"Uh... I'm an honest person. Not a great liar."
"Well, we need you to be able to sell a product that you haven't used before."
"So you believed me when I said I was a bad liar?".
Paul C. 8 months ago
Had an interview once and they asked me to go outside prepare myself, then come back in and perform a one minute TV style advert to promote myself. This happened in the late 70's and I'm pleased to say I don't remember the embarrassing effort I made and I'm even more pleased I didn't get the job.
Kalikima 8 months ago
I'd have home outside to "prepare" and kept going til I was home.
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UKGrandad 8 months ago (edited)
'"How good of a liar are you?"' Probably as bad at lying as you are at grammar. There is no need of 'of' in your question.
Dill 8 months ago
Sorry you are being downvoted for this. Yes, the phrase "how good of a liar are you" is grammatically incorrect and uses an unnecessary preposition. The correct phrasing should be "how good a liar are you" or "how good are you at lying?". The word "of" is extraneous in this context.
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Michael Largey 8 months ago
Only one answer possible. A bad liar would admit he's a bad liar because he knows he's not good at fooling people about anything. A good liar would say he's a bad one - why would you want to alert your boss that you're a good liar?
The Mediterranean Fruit 8 months ago
The question I got asked was: “If you were locked in a room with only a stick as a weapon, how many roosters do you think you could fight at once.” I said 3. Apparently the guy before me said 75.
Dill 8 months ago
Quite frankly I would seriously prefer not to work anywhere that asked such stupid flaming questions if I could possibly avoid it.
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UKGrandad 8 months ago
"I won International Liar of the Year four times in a row". "Did you really? Congra.." "No. I'm lying!"
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#2
Interviewer: "Explain the internet to me like I am a 5 year old"
Me:".....okay so like you want me to explain what it is or be technical on how it works"
Interviewer: "Technical on how it works"
Me: "The internet is a very wonderful and dangerous place...think of it like a spider web, but each web point is a connection to a person or place with information....and *Interviewer interrupts me while I am speaking*"
Interviewer: "We were going more for technical like explaining each layer of the protocols and getting into detail on going to external IP, then internal IP, then ports and how each port has different communication, like 80 is http, 443 is https, but thank you for answering."
Me: "Forsure, I would be able to explain that to a 5 year old and they would comprehend it because my nepehew just learned to write his name".
Tim Douglass 8 months ago
A friend of mine used to say "explain it to me like I'm stupid". That's really what they want, they just aren't smart enough to ask the right question.
Cuppa tea? 8 months ago
If the interviewer is older than 30, at age of 5 he wouldn't understand internet, simply because he probably wouldn't come across it. If his 40-50, at age 5 only few people knew about internet.
ZombieMommy 8 months ago
My 4 year old just now understands WIFI, but they would totally understand all of that....
Mother Lunatic 8 months ago
It's a box they keep in Big Ben that has been demagnetized by Stephen Hawking...why does nobody know this?! (IYKYK XD)
#3
"What are your work-related hobbies?"
Nah, man. Work ends at 5. I don't want to do hobbies that relate to that after work.
Featherytoad 8 months ago
"Well, I like to go home and continue building my miniature replica of the office building and it's surrounding grounds." WTF is a work related hobby?
Cuppa tea? 8 months ago
Leading work, not being at work, avoiding work - those are my work related hobbies.
To learn more about the strange questions that might come up during a job interview, we got in touch with Adam Bennett, Senior Career Consultant at Career Prepare. He was kind enough to have a conversation with Bored Panda and discuss the best way to navigate these questions.
"These are what I call curveball questions," Adam shared. "They are not common in interviews but do pop up every now and again, particularly in smaller companies/start-ups, where the interview guidelines tend to be a bit looser!"
#4
Not a job interview, but a college admissions interview - I am dead serious. "You are not a minority in any way. How has this hindered your life experience so far?" How the f**k am I supposed to answer that??
Cuppa tea? 8 months ago
With potatoes and gravy on side, thank you very much. Silly question demands silly answer.
Jake Bertz 8 months ago
"I've had to accept full responsibility for all my problems, because I'm the one holding me back"
Roland Nijveld 8 months ago
By being guilttrippd by minorities that I apparently have a privilege. Even though I 0 control that i have that or not
Sam Trudeau 8 months ago
Let me guess: a straight, white, neurotypical European-origin (as in, from the settlers) male?
Magenta Blu 8 months ago
That means op had many privileges other people don't, so maybe accept that fact?
#5
One of my friend used ot work in finance and was applying for a job in the video game industry.
Interviewer: "so you were working in finance???"
friend: "yes. I know it's a 180° turn but..."
I:"Well I'd even say 360°!"
f: "Well no, 360° I'd be back where I was".
Zena 8 months ago
Drives me nuts when people say 360° when it should be 180°! Like, how is that not obvious?
Lucas 8 months ago
Too many people hear a phrase, often said wrongly like 360°, and really don't think about what it actually means, and so repeat it. On it goes... Sadly.
Load More Replies..."It is important to understand that when you are asked these questions, the interviewer is trying to see how you respond to something you can't have prepared for and see how you react when put on the spot," the career expert says. "Because they are rare, and you can never predict what question would be asked here, there is no point worrying about these when preparing for the interview. However, you can think about how you would respond to a curveball question in the interview."
#6
"Since you are a redhead, how do you control your temper?" Him
"I don't have a temper." Me
"Yes, you do. All redheads do." Him
"You're short, how will you get stuff off the top shelf for a customer?" Him
"Uh......" Me
He was so obnoxious.
Sue Denham 8 months ago
Sounds like he was trying to get OP to lose her temper so he could "prove" his point about redheads.
Geoffrey Scott 8 months ago
Nah, just sounds like they were doing interviews with no intention of hiring.
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liam newton-harding 8 months ago
“You’re a male interviewer…when was the last time you forced yourself on a woman in this office?”…”What? I never!”…”You’re a man…obviously you did.”
JB 8 months ago (edited)
Natural redhead here. “Can you give me a scenario where you might expect me to lose my temper and I’ll let you know how I would deal with it?” Also short, so the ideal answer is use a step ladder, failing a ladder, request assistance from someone tall enough. I actively tested this last week when trying to clean cobwebs off a vaulted ceiling (yay for spring cleaning) by standing on a kitchen chair because the 2-step ‘ladder’ I use to access top shelves in cupboards was insufficient for the task. Fell off the chair, whacked my head on the way down; the black eye is almost faded.
Grape Walls of Ire 8 months ago
I'm a redhead, and I have a temper, so clearly all redheads have tempers.
Lady Eowyn 8 months ago
Everyone has a temper, it's just a matter of how you manage it.
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Adam shared some valuable advice for dealing with curveballs during interviews. "Take a deep breath and stay calm. Don't aim for perfection, perfect answers very rarely happen here - it is about piecing together the best answer you can in the moment."
He also noted that, if quick thinking is not a skill needed for the role, you can even ask for some time to think. "In many roles, the ability to come across as thoughtful and well considered is a strength."
Finally, Adam recommends staying positive, no matter what the question is. "Don't fall into the trap of being negative about others and, even less so, negative about yourself!"
#8
"If you were a tree what kind of tree would you be?"
I was already done with the interview. my answer:
"The one that's in the part of the park where no dogs are allowed and I can't get p*ssed on".
Zena 8 months ago
Yes, but she had a reason for asking it: She was interviewing Katherine Hepburn, who had just made a comment about being like a tree. https://popculturereferences.com/the-true-origins-of-if-you-were-a-tree-what-kind-of-tree-would-you-be/
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LooseSeal's $10 Banana 8 months ago
I'd be one of those bonsai trees hanging out in some aesthetically pleasing home being well taken care of and doted over.
Blaze Onyx 8 months ago
I got a similar question to this, "if you were any thing in nature, what would you be?" the catch is, I was applying for a girl scout summer camp, and it was the camp director's "question of the year"
liam newton-harding 8 months ago
“One that drips coconuts on idiots, and their idiot questions when they walk under me.”
#9
"At your age are you sure that you can relate to our younger employees and customers?"
I resisted the temptation to inform the fool that he hadn't just stepped over the line, when it comes to age discrimination, but had taken a flying leap past it.
Scott Rackley 8 months ago
"I usually just dial the Department of Labor phone number for them"
Michael Largey 8 months ago
"I've been young, but they've never been old. So as far as relating goes, I'll have the advantage."
Jaya 8 months ago
Acknowledging that somebody is from a different generation than their customer base, is not age discrimination. Is it age discrimination to say that most 60 year olds and a lot of 440 year olds are not up to date on youth culture? Plus the interviewer gave them the opportunity to convince them that it's not the case, instead of just assuming and not talking about it.
The Darkest Timeline 8 months ago
You’re not really supposed to bring up age in the same way you can’t ask someone about having children. They could ask this question without bringing up their age.
Load More Replies... #10
Interviewer: So, if you had vacation planned and we told you two weeks before that you can't take it because we had to bump a release through no fault of your own. What is your response?
Me: If it is a "mental health day" not a problem. If I have airplane tickets, rooms, etc booked. I expect the company to pay for my losses.
*Room went silent*
Question was asked again later on from a slightly differently. I gave the exact same answer. It was at that point I realized I wouldn't accept or get that job. As that was not the answer they wanted. They wanted me to happily burn my money for their failure.
Earonn - 8 months ago
"if I'm going to be so important that you can't do without me, I expect that to be reflected in my salary."
BeesEelsAndPups 8 months ago
I would call a recruiter, and tender my resignation. Two weeks, just enough time to get me to my vacation.
Load More Replies... Schmebulock 8 months ago
This is stupid because it depends on how much you want/need the job. You simply lie and say I would cancel and reschedule my vacation right away. Just because you say it in an interview does not mean you have to do it in reality. Interviews are mostly bullsh!t.
Cuppa tea? 8 months ago
As if I have vacation all sorted out, I'm not cancelling anything even if company says they will refund all expenses in full. There is great chance of not having any vacation in next few months.
#11
For a coffee company: What do you know about our product and why do you want to work for us?
You make instant coffee. I drink coffee. I need money.
#12
I was once asked if I was a Democrat or a Republican. I don't think employers should be able to ask that.
Richard Graham 8 months ago
An interviewer once asked me if I wanted more money that I am currently making. I said "Yes. We are in for a round of inflation." He said "Are you a liberal? I bet you're a liberal. If you're a liberal - get out." I left.
Khavrinen 8 months ago
"No, no, of course not! Having more money would be so terrible, who could ever want that? Surely not *nearly every person on the planet*!"
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Sam Trudeau 8 months ago
Automatic indication of USA. In Canada, we have many parties, and someone isn't as defined by political party in Canada. For example, nobody's going to say "Are you an NDP or a PPC or a Conservative or Liberal or Green" the closest is "Do you like Justin Trudeau" or "Do you like Mark Carney" or "do you find Maxime Bernier to be northern Tr*mp" (looks like a duck, acts like a duck) and you're much more likely to hear just "where are you from"
Colleen Smith 8 months ago
I have had this question too. Along with "Are you single?" in the same conversation.
#13
"Why do you want to work at McDonalds?"
No one wants to work at Mcdonalds, it's the last option out there usually.
ChugChug 8 months ago
Decent pay, good working condition, flexible hours, optional overtime if you need extra money. Not saying i would work a lifetime there, but that 2 years I spent there was actually great.
Geoffrey Scott 8 months ago
If you have a good franchise owner, and a decent manager..
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Saint_Zipcodus 8 months ago
Also, I hear the career options (moving up tobecome a manager and such) are not too bad there.
Tim Douglass 8 months ago
My cousin started in High School at McDs. 50 years later she manages 4 or 5 of them.
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TotallyNOTAFox 8 months ago
I don't know how it looks in the USA, but here in Europe it's actually a pretty good employer
Charles McChristy 8 months ago
Oh god yes. I once was so desperate in my early 30s I applied at McD's and BK. Didn't get hired at either. That's how bad the job market was then. This was around '08 - '09.
Emilu 8 months ago (edited)
Do you have recent (or recent-ish) work experience? Are you being cut out at the resume stage or the interview stage? It could just be a matter of selling what recent experience you do have (whether that's motherhood, caregiving, a supposed 'menial' job or whatnot) and you're not doing it as well as employers want. Without meaning to sound like an Ask a Manager shill, Alison is pretty awesome at assisting people with that sort of thing, so I suggest you check her blog out. Edit: I got my first retail job because I'm adopted and the manager was curious about it. So there are random factors you can't predict as well.
Load More Replies... #14
OK, so I’m old enough and lived in the Deep South (USA) long enough that this might not have been that uncommon in the day.
I was in my last semester of college and interviewing for my first professional job (IT). The interview process was going smoothly, and I felt pretty positive about the company and the role. I got to the assistant director of the department, and he was the textbook old Southern gentleman. He was asking me a series of questions about my fit for the role and getting to know me when, out of the blue, he asked “Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior?”.
I wanted (and got) the job, so without missing a beat, I said of course. We never spoke about it again. I’m still an atheist.
megabeth 8 months ago
I just deadpan "Im Catholic." EVERY single time the asker of said question just looks... perplexed? Subject dropped. Idk, it works and you're welcome.
Zena 8 months ago
Yes, they would be perplexed. These tend to be the same people who handed me a tract one, titled: Why the Catholics Aren't Christians.
Load More Replies... Sam Trudeau 8 months ago
"For the computers, for all with broken backlights and malfunctioning disc drives, we pray to the lord" (Why else would you ask for religion in an IT job?)
LizzieBoredom 8 months ago
In case you start programming computers to think the earth isn't flat.
Load More Replies... #15
I was interviewing for a reporting job at a community paper in Sedona, AZ.
"What is your best 'Sedona moment?'"
I'm not sure I know what you mean....
"You know...that moment when something weirdly unexpected and unexplained happens to you because you're in Sedona. Like, one time I went out to garage sales on a Saturday, and as I left the house, I thought to myself 'I could use a hammock.' And then the first place I went had this great hammock for sale. It was meant to be. You know, a Sedona moment."
I got the job, worked there a year. Weird place.
Child of the Stars 8 months ago
I knew a woman who lived there who claimed to "commune with whales on the astral plane." Yeah, Sedona truly draws the weirdos 😬
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Schmebulock 8 months ago
Tell them about the time you were abducted by aliens and a**l probed.
The Darkest Timeline 8 months ago
So you got a years worth of “Sedona moments,” and got paid to have them? Winning!
Tim Douglass 8 months ago
I'd argue that if a community newspaper isn't a weird place then it's not being what it should be.
#16
"And what church do you attend?"
"Oh, actually I'm not religious."
"Well I think we've got everything we need to know, thanks for coming by.".
Pencil 8 months ago
Unless the job is for a religious institution, (a Pentecostal church, for instance, can reject a Baptist Sunday school teacher) it's illegal in the US.
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Cuppa tea? 8 months ago
I'm not religious per se, I'm more spiritual person. Irish whiskey is the spirit of my choice.
Sam Trudeau 8 months ago
"Church" auto-indicates Christian, I think. A lot of other religions have other names for their "places of worship" (Synagogue, mosque, monastery, etc)
Michael Largey 8 months ago
I applied to teach at a Catholic high school. The principal - a priest - asked me nothing about my religion and subsequently hired me. I spent my career there without anyone asking me about my religious beliefs. I attribute this to the fact that it had nothing to do with how well I taught mathematics.
#17
For a job at a smoothie place I was asked what i would do if a customer went to leave and it was raining outside.
Did they expect me to walk them to their car with an umbrella? I still don't know how i was supposed to answer that one...
Jaya 8 months ago
Add a lid to their smoothie, so the smoothie doesn't get watered down by the rain? Offering them a plastic bag to make sure their purchase doesn't get wet? Those are the only things I can think of, other than "Here's your receipt. Have a nice day."
Sven Grammersdorf 8 months ago
Lock the doors and do not allow the customer to leave until the weather has cleared
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#18
“How do you think out of the box?” I was really young and came from a non-American family so I had never heard of that quote before. I asked the interviewer who was an HR manager to explain what it meant. And he just repeated the question. I said to him I don’t know this term, “Out of the box.” Then he looked upset at me. Thinking back 20 years later, he should have said it means how do you think up new ways to tackle problems. Terrible interviewer and terrible Hr manager.
Paulsible deniability 8 months ago
Everyone who uses the phrase "Think outside the box" shows they can't think of a unique phrase that not everyone uses. They ARE thinking INSIDE the box.
JB 8 months ago
Currently job hunting, this is a very common question in my field, so here’s the textbook answer (in layman’s terms): 1st, I figure out what the box is, so I know what is normal. Then I try to think of non-traditional ideas without worrying if they can be used. Next, I investigate what ideas can or can’t be achieved by asking questions about budget, policy and technology. Anything that can be accomplished without exceeding these limits, I put forward as a suggestion. Everything else, I ask my manager if they want me to keep working on the ideas.
Rick Murray 8 months ago
I don't think outside the box, I resolutely deny the existence of any so-called box.
MotherofGuineaPigs 8 months ago
I had a boss asked me if I even knew where the box was. Apparently I needed to be closer to the box.
#19
1) "So I saw you reading before I went up to you, why are you reading? Don't normal people your age play on thier phone before an interview?"
2) "it says here you are a psychology major. Are you crazy? I heard only people with problems become psychology majors." I was tempted to walk out immediately after hearing that, but I needed the job.
Helena 8 months ago
I wonder if they'd assume I'm playing on my phone when I'm actually reading on my phone.
megabeth 8 months ago
I read everything single one of the "classics" that are free because the copyrights expired. On my android. No one was the wiser...
Load More Replies... Grape Walls of Ire 8 months ago
#1 was a Bill Hicks line. When he was touring the South, he was not asked, "What are you reading?" but rather "Why are you reading?"
JB 8 months ago
Upvote for Bill Hicks! I still cry tears of laughter at his skit on the comparison of brains on d***s to eggs. https://youtu.be/_ePYazh5DOA?si=RN5KuCWdOQIIsPbT (Verified as safe, I’m an IT professional and checked this link personally).
Load More Replies... Earonn - 8 months ago
I once was waiting for the interviews to start with a group of people who also had applied. They all knew each other and chatted as friends. I read in order to calm my nerves. I was told later I wasn't "social" enough. Because I didn't intrude a friends group at a time when I needed to focus!
KatSaidWhat 8 months ago
I once asked a psychiatrist (at a work thing) if they get into the field as a form of self help. He said yes. Same guy jumped off a bridge a couple of years ago as it turns out he was being investigated and about to lose his licence due to some very dodgy sessions with women which were documented. I do know that he did in fact get one of our patients hooked on all sorts of d***s. Another committed s*****e. So much for being an a*******n specialist.
#20
If I was circumcised.
Upstaged75 8 months ago
WTF?? Unless you're interviewing to be an actor in adult films why would anyone care?
Abel 8 months ago
Even a circumcised p**n actor can do his job...The question has no sense!
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Tim Gibbs 8 months ago
I suspect this was an alternative way of finding out some information that they are not allowed to ask?
Spidercat 8 months ago
Depends...could be a way of asking of you're Jewish or Muslim. This wouldn't work in America as they circumcise waaaay to many people on the basis of "hygiene"...FFS America just wash your cōcks.
Load More Replies... TotallyNOTAFox 8 months ago
"Well, get on your knees and find out" would be a strong yet wrong answer I assume
John Dilligaf 8 months ago
Schrodinger's circumcision. You either are or are not until you drop trou and display.
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Spencer Arnold 8 months ago
"Why, do you have a side hustle this company does not know about?"
KatSaidWhat 8 months ago
I'd leave immediately - unless this was for a job in the adult industry.
#21
I was interviewing with Yahoo! as a C Developer. The question was, if Dennis Ritchie(inventor of C) were rated 10/10, how would you rate yourself?
Pretty ridiculous if you ask me. I'd be flattered to find myself one-third as good as Ritchie, so an honest answer would be 3/10. Why should you even interview a guy who rates himself 3/10? Secondly, if I were to rate myself 5/10, would they be willing to pay me half as much as Ritchie? Finally, why would Ritchie go to work for Yahoo!??
Gabriel Camomescro 8 months ago
"Since it is impossible for the two of us to have the exact same skillset, experiences, and capabilities it is impossible to compare myself to them and do so fairly. Because of this, I cannot answer that question."
Amanda Reinstatler 8 months ago
They may just want to see if you can think on your feet in hi stress situations
#22
Why do you want this job?
I know it's a standard question, but really, I'm sure they just get the same responses over and over again. You and I both know that I applied for over a hundred jobs, I'm here because you guys invited me in for an interview. I want this job because it's in my field and I need money just like everybody else.
John Dilligaf 8 months ago
I need this job to support my addictions. I'm addicted to eating steadily and having a roof over my head
#23
She asked me who would win in a fight a dragon or unicorn?
I said they are both magical and beautiful and should not be fighting (it was an education leadership role so I was thinking in terms of students and perceptions).
She answered No because dragons are evil, i didn’t get the offer lol.
Virgil Blue 8 months ago
Looks like she never looked up the lore about unicorns. They were pictured as bloody and brutal and could only be tamed by a virgin. Far before things like MLP meeting a unicorn would probably end with you having extra breathing holes.
Amanda Reinstatler 8 months ago
She thought you were too pretty so she made up a bullsh!t question to throw you off
#24
I was asked for in a consultant type role for daycares.
If I came across a spill in the hallway of a daycare... who should report it.
I was Legit puzzled. I'm a health and safety rep in schools. I literally took a good 5sec thinking this is a trick answer... it has to be.
So I responded it's everyone's responsibility. Since I'm seeing it. I need to report to site supervisor. If the ece sees it, they need to report it. If the cook sees it. They need to report it
Sorry but is that the answer you were looking for.
Their response.... oh yes.
Me: oh I want sure if that was a trick question.
Them: no.... but your the only one who responded correctly 😳😳😳😳😳🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
Floored... absolutely floored.
megabeth 8 months ago
This hurts my head. Is it a small spill? Can I just clean it up before someone gets hurt in less time than it would take reporting to someone so they can report it to someone who reports it to the custodian? Cooperate is obviously not a good fit for me.
Gabriel Camomescro 8 months ago
You have to be careful with that kind of thought process, though. It works for small independent businesses, but for larger businesses with dedicated custodial staff, you need to report it. If it's a chemical, possible biohazard, etc you can get nailed for doing it yourself.
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Roland Nijveld 8 months ago
Why should it even be reported? Nowadays people need more time to write down what they did than do the work itself. Just clean it up and done
#25
"Where do you see yourself in five years?"
"Asking an applicant this very question.".
#26
I have two:
1. "If you were an animal, what would you be?" As soon as she asked this, I could see that she knew it was a bad question.
2. "Tell me about a time you had to criticize a supervisor or someone higher up than you. How did you do it?" This might not seem like a terrible question at first, but why would someone just assume that this has happened to everyone? Also, how much can anyone say about that?
Atom Bohr 8 months ago
That last one is a really good and important question. Most of us have had terrible bosses or managers, and how we handle that says a lot about the kind of person and employee we are. And yeah, the first one is a bit daft, but it could definitely help weed out people with problematic views. I can definitely imagine some toxic masculinity showing through in some answers
Pencil 8 months ago
When I was interviewing bartenders, I would often ask them about their worst customer experiences. But my interview style was very conversational so I'd typically tell them an anecdote of my own first, to let them know it was okay to speak freely. Their answers were often very telling about how far they let situations escalate and how personally they took things. Vital skill sets in customer service, especially when people are drinking.
Load More Replies... XenoMurph 8 months ago
How you handle difficult situations is important to find out. If it hasn't happened to you then you probably haven't been in employment very long. Or you are a door mat.
Nina 8 months ago
It really depends on your boss or supervisor though if it becomes a difficult sutuation
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CrunChewy McSandybutt 8 months ago
I have three stories off the top of my head to answer the second question. As for the first question: Duckbill Platypus because they are weird but cute.
Atom Bohr 8 months ago
Platypuses crack me up. They're so bad at climbing even the tiniest bit, but they still do it, then they fall over like cartoon characters. I love them
Load More Replies... Rick Murray 8 months ago
For question two, I maintain a level of confidentiality regarding previous employers so yes somebody higher up the chain needed to have something pointed out to them, and I'm afraid that is all that I am willing to say.
#27
Had a male CEO ask how I would make sure my voice is heard as a woman in a male dominated field (not verbatim, can't remember the exact nonsense). MF, what culture do YOU foster where that is the question that is top of mind? This was for an individual contributor tech sales position at a company big enough that the CEO being directly involved in the hiring process was its own red flag.
Pencil 8 months ago
I'll take OP's word for it that this was asked in a toxic way but I can see the possibility that it was intended differently. It's a sales position, the company doesn't control the broader cultural mindset that customers may have. He could have been trying to say "I'm interviewing you because I know you have the qualifications but some of our customers are sexist jerks. How do you get it through their thick heads that you know what you're talking about?"
#28
I have a direct report that when he interviews people, he asks them to sell the pen like Wolf on Wall Street. Cringy as s**t. They are not directly sales positions either (blue collar work).
liam newton-harding 8 months ago
“What pen?”…”The one I just gave you.”…”You didn’t give me a pen.”…”I just gave you my pen. Give it back!”…”Are you okay? Should I call a doctor? What is your fixation on pens?”
#29
"You're really overqualified ... why are you applying here?"
While applying for a warehouse job at a Target Distribution Center. Wound up working there seven years.
Jake Bertz 8 months ago
"I'm burnt out on what I'm qualified for, and want something with a lower mental load"
Upil 8 months ago
Once the recruiter asked me why i decided the company worth to work for. I knew it was not about my answer because after that she told me many reasons to not work there, ending the sentence with "i my self will resign in about a month". We had a chit chat right after that and no longer talk about the job. Lol.
#30
When I interview candidates, I barely ever ask technical questions, and if I do, I intentionally make them as vague as possible, because I want to see how people find information, not how much they know already. I tend to pull from scenarios I regularly get from non-technical people. (In my company, it's not unusual for things to get escalated to engineers quickly). So my goal is to see how quickly they can tease out a problem based on very limited information.
I usually start with "a user claims that the internet isn't working. What do you do?"
One candidate went with:
"I'll restart the internet router"
"For the whole company?"
"Yes."
"Ok. You restart the internet router and now other people are reporting that the internet is out and the user who reported it still says the internet is out."
"Well, that always works."
"It's not working tho. What are you going to do now?"
"But restarting the router *always* works"
"Let's move on to the next question...".
Rick Murray 8 months ago
Moving on to the next question is pretty generous if a tech buggers up everybody's internet in order to fail at fixing one person's, and then thinks that the reset is a guaranteed fix... I'd be more "Let's move on to the next candidate".
Zena 8 months ago
I'm not qualified for this job; I don't know where the plug for the internet is.
Load More Replies... Andrew Arons 8 months ago
Is your computer on? Is the network cable plugged in? Does the WiFi icon on the taskbar show the correct SID and say "Internet Access"?
#31
Bf just started a new job today. Apparently in the interview yesterday he was asked how many golf balls one could fit into a school bus.
Odd thing was, he tried to laugh it off at first but saw that it was a serious question. So he made a couple estimates for the size of a golf ball and the size of a school bus and started doing the math in his head. The second they saw that he had started trying to work it out, they asked the next question. Didn't even give him time to answer after giving him the expectant stare for a while.
We never did figure out what the point of that could have been, but he got the job so I guess he reacted correctly.
Lost Panda 8 months ago
That type of question they're not wanting an answer so much as to see how you try to come up with an answer. Checking for a problem solving mentality.
arthbach 8 months ago
Questions like this are about seeing how the candidate responds, and how they tackle the problem. I was asked 'How many beans are there in a can of baked beans?' I grinned and said I counted the beans in one can back when I was a physics student. There were 449 beans in a 454g can. My next question was 'Are you interested in accuracy, and is the answer important?' I explained that my answer was indeed accurate, but as the sample size was one can, it should not be used if the number of beans in a can was important (the more important the answer, the greater the testing sample. My final answer was "1 bean for every gram of baked beans, plus or minus 10%.' I was then asked why I counted the number of beans. Smiling again, I replied, "I was a student, and I wanted to know. It seemed like the easiest way to find out."
Andrew Arons 8 months ago
The volume of a golf ball is 2.5 cubic inches and the inner volume of a school bus is 960 cubic feet=1659000 cubic inches 1659000/2.5=663600 golf balls.🤪
#32
I had one f****n' nutball interviewer ask me if I would be able to handle the weeds around his store. Which would've been all well and good if I was applying for a gardening or landscaping position. But I wasn't. I was applying for a computer sales/front desk customer service position at a computer store in a local city.
On and on he went about the g*****n weeds, like he was at war with them or something. And I'm thinking, like, dude, this is a computer sales position. Shouldn't you be asking me stuff about computers? He barely did.
I've never been more happy to not get a job in my life. Sometimes rejection is a good thing.
#33
I had an interview at a VERY small company (~5 people). It was this guy who thought very high and mighty of himself who apparently only hired women. Not only did he make fun of my school I just graduated from (because it wasn't ivy League), but asked about my plans on starting a family because he didn't want to hire me and have me leave like the last person. It's super illegal to ask that. I could not get out of there fast enough.
I guess he scared all the other candidates away because after telling me he was moving on I got a call asking if I still wanted the job. No thank you sir.
trollingergirl 8 months ago (edited)
I (female) worked in sales for 5 years. During this time, I saw 3 (three!) male employees doing the same job, come and go. And I almost didn't get hired back then because of my gender. That was 35 years ago. I just wonder if views on this have changed at all.....
Sweet_Dee 8 months ago
Sadly, not everywhere. Most places I think so, but misogyny is still alive and well in the corporate world unfortunately - but at least there is enough sense to not be so overt with it. Although maybe that's just worse...
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#34
"Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"
Well I'll either be sat where you are (a), or I'll be elsewhere (b), or just happy keeping a stable wage (c).....
a) you are after my job. Won't hire coz you'll replace me
b) hmmmmm not a good hire they won't be here to cause change
c) Has no ambition won't hire.
Rick Murray 8 months ago
My yearly reviews are interesting. My plans for the coming year? Blank page. Why? Because I'm happy doing what I'm doing. But I have to answer something. How about "not applicable"? Oh, it wants a paragraph, hand me the keyboard and I'll type out a paragraph of exactly how much this software sucks...
Michael Largey 8 months ago
"At the same position in the earth's orbit around the sun as I am now."
CrunChewy McSandybutt 8 months ago
"I will be a top performer in the role for which I'm applying while looking for opportunities where I can successfully advance and become a bigger asset to the company."
Abel 8 months ago (edited)
Not a job question, but when talking with a psychiatrist he asked me: "Do you consider yourself a good or a bad person?" Devastating! I still dont know the answer...
#35
"If you were a crayon what color would you be?"
I froze up and said "um... white?".
Gabriel Camomescro 8 months ago
As a Caucasian male, I would say "black" with no further elaboration just to make them wonder why I chose black.
#36
In general, the whole "why do you want to work here" question. Because I'm f*****g poor and need money, we both know that!
Peter Bear 8 months ago
"That's a very good question, but let me ask one in response: Why do you want to hire people?" This always throws them off.
Michael Largey 8 months ago
"I want to work here because of the waters." "But there are no waters." "I was misinformed."
Zena 8 months ago
"I want to work here because of the waters." "But there are no waters." "EXACTLY!"
Load More Replies... Jake Bertz 8 months ago
What they're asking (Quite poorly) is why you chose this specific job, at this specific company.
#37
I applied for an auditor position at a solid waste removal company. They tested me and then had ride on one of the solid waste trucks. I live in South Florida , the trucks and there over 75 of them. Had no a/c , I was dressed in a jacket & tie , I was inside the truck an hour and it literally got to 115 degrees . .. I asked the interviewer, aren’t there trucks with a/c no only the inspector, also they are men and should be able to put with the heat. Are you man enough to put up with the heat ? I said , I would b if I lived in the Middle Ages and there was no a/c. But I’m not Barbaric , thank you have a great day. A day later they called for a second interview😳😳.
#38
I mentioned that I fenced on my resume. The interviewer asked "How would fencing help you if you are being mugged?".
Schmebulock 8 months ago
Well, I carry my saber around in my back pocket so I would be able to fight them off and can even dodge bullets with it.
Peter Bear 8 months ago
Well, you see, I always carry a walking stick, and I'm very good at using it to prod people in painful ways. Next question?
#39
What have you learned at school about developing for Android 4.0?
b***h, are you serious?
Gabriel Camomescro 8 months ago
.... what? If the role was for development back then, then that question makes perfect sense.
Binny Tutera 8 months ago
Yeah, but things like that change fast. I learned Fortran in school and by the time I was interviewing it was irrelevant already.
Load More Replies... #40
"If you were trapped in the store for a day what would you do?"
"d'uhh... Sleep?"
Teenage me was dumb.
Gabriel Camomescro 8 months ago
Proper response: "I have seen Career Opportunities , have you?"
#41
Best actor portraying Batman.
I answered Keaton because he is the first Batman I watched and liked the Tim Burton version as a kid. Hiring manager was delighted to hear that as she couldn’t stand Bale and how he was always the popular choice. I almost pumped my fist.
I still didn’t get the job.
#42
Eh, I'd take a dumb question over the "do you believe in our company" questions.
"If we couldn't pay you, would you stay here?".
Grape Walls of Ire 8 months ago
A better way to ask this question is, if you were independently wealthy, and we didn't pay you, would you still do this job? The answer is still usually no, but I've had jobs that I would do part-time for free if I didn't need to work.
Rick Murray 8 months ago
Tell me more about the financial difficulties that this company is currently experiencing.
Peter Bear 8 months ago
No. You're hiring employees, not volunteers. If I stopped doing my work, would you still pay me?
#43
I had an interview a few weeks ago and the last question was ‘if you were an emoji, which one would you be?’ Thought that was kinda weird.
Thee8thsense 8 months ago
"Well,actually I would be three...the monkeys who see, hear and say no evil..."
#44
“Tell me about the worst boss you’ve ever had”.
Robert Beveridge 8 months ago
I'm going to guess "ask me again two weeks after you hire me" is not the correct answer.
#45
I was in an interview for a clothing store in the mall, and they asked us what store had the best customer service.
If I said their store, I looked like a suck up (not to mention it was a group interview) but I felt awkward saying another store...
they also asked which had the worst. I said the dollar store. Safe answer.
#46
Typical engineering type question.
"You have a perfect sphere the size of the earth. You wrap a string snugly around the equator. It is a magic string with no stretch. Now you add 6 inches to the string. Would you be able to fit your hand under the gap created?"
You give your answer and then are asked to prove it mathematically.
Andrew Arons 8 months ago
The answer is Yes. The circumference of the Earth is (25000 miles X 5280 feet X 12 inches)=5184000000 inches. Divide the circumference by pi works out to a diameter of 504202859.72 inches. Increase the circumference to 5184000006 inches makes the diameter 504202861.62. So there's a 1.9 inch gap which should be just large enough to wriggle your hand under.
Jaya 8 months ago
They didn't say it was. They said that their imaginary sphere has the same size as the earth.
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#47
Give me 3 reasons why a manhole cover is round. It was for a role in HR.
Richard Graham 8 months ago
Round is the only shape in which it is impossible for the cover to fall through the manhole. Am I hired?
Queen Boudicca 8 months ago
That's what I came up with. Also the only shape where you can equally center oneself. I couldn't come up with anything other than aesthetics.
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Boris Long-Johnson 8 months ago
But lots of “man holes” are square, or do you mean a specific man hole? If you do wouldn’t you be better asking the person who spec’d it?
#48
What's your favorite Pokémon?
For an accounting position, at cabinet company, with no known Pokémon association.
Ren Karlej 8 months ago
Which in Equal Opps interviews would be absolutely forbidden - like a lot of these questions in this thread.
Load More Replies... Andrew Arons 8 months ago
They're probably trying to weed out the people who can answer that question.😝
#49
In 1990, right out of college, interviewing for a computer programming job - “What kind of car do you want to be driving five years from now?”.
Schmebulock 8 months ago (edited)
Anything but an electric car built by a company run by a naz!.
Richard Graham 8 months ago (edited)
Fun fact about the Tesla. The company was not named for Nikola Tesla, as many assume. Instead the name is an acronym: T.E.S.L.A. "Tell Elon to Stop Looking Asinine."
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Richard Graham 8 months ago
OH! I wish I had gotten that question! I would have said something old and weird to see the look on the interviewer's face for asking such a dumb question. "Five years from now I will be driving a 1913 Scripps-Booth Bi-Autogo". "Five years from now I will be driving a 1939 Graham Spirit of Motion Sedan." "Five years from, now I will be driving a 1936 Studebaker Dictator Convertible Coupe." " "Five years from now I will be driving a 1911 Rauch & Lang Electric Brougham."
#50
"How would you change a group policy?" After answering"Well, i'd hit win-r and run gpmc.msc , find the appropriate GPO and edit from there." I got "The answer we were looking for was 'right click on the group policy object'".... I figure if I know the actual name for the msc file and how to get there, a right click is a given.
#51
"Are you jewish?".
Richard Graham 8 months ago
No, I'm Wiccan-Pagan. Every lunchtime I will honor the Gods by doing a sky-clad ceremony in the lobby.
#52
I was giving an interview with a few of my classmates to someone who was applying to be lab director of the lab we worked in. I decided it would be funny to ask her, "If you were a kitchen utensil; what would you be and why?". She thought for a second before saying that she would be a "salad t*sser". Me, being an immature college senior, did everything I could to stop from laughing. She had good justification for it by saying that she can bring diverse people together and create something great, but I was too busy trying not to laugh to really care about her answer much.
#53
What kitchen utensil would you be and why.
Stardust she/her 8 months ago (edited)
Why did BP censor tösser of all words?
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#54
Maybe he was going for mechanically inclined. Like are you naturally intuitive about how mechanical things work.
All that said, not sure why he would ask that of someone with your background in engineering. Seems like maybe he had a list of questions to ask and that one was next… weird
I got asked what my sign was by a CTO one time. Like my astrology sign…..
#55
If you could be any fruit, which one, and why? (R&D at the McDowell’s inspo). They passed on me.
Magenta Blu 8 months ago (edited)
A poisonous random berry with a lot of spikes and thorns so everyone leaves me alone
#56
Interviewer: What is the binary equivalent of ?
Me: You want me to convert that number to binary, right now?
Interviewer: Take as much time as you need.
...and that was the first of many strange questions...
Tucker Cahooter 8 months ago
I'm not seeing anything strange about this. It will show that you know how to do binary arithmetic, and there is only one correct answer. I would rather be given this sort of question than be asked what sort of tree, or crayon, or emoji I would be
Michael Largey 8 months ago
Strange if the position was that of, say, a barista or greeting card writer.
Load More Replies... #57
"Please describe your use of M*************e and or Crack c*****e.".
#58
OP, that was a poorly worded “tell me about a time when you had to make engineering decisions under extremely tight deadline or on the spot.”
They were looking for “more than book-learning and extensive time to prepare to dazzle” — they wanted “rubber met road and you showed your skill under fire.”
Next time you’ll be better prepared and ace it!
#59
If you could have one super power, what would it be?
What a waste, especially since the person seemed serious and took notes.
Upstaged75 8 months ago
I got asked that as well. I believe they were just trying to get a feel for my personality. It was the 3rd and final round of interviews. I got the job. My answer was breathing underwater. :)
#60
Not stupid but definitely meant more in a negative manner "how would we measure your commitment to us".
#61
"What is the difference between duck?".
rumckle
One of its legs is both the same!
Pencil 8 months ago
The post makes zero sense but the fact that six people upvoted it makes even less.
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#62
After drilling into a bunch of DNS questions, I learned my interviewer did not know that the hosts file skips DNS entirely -- no DNS ever happens, it's just a lookup map handled by the OS. That was... fun.
#63
"Tell me about your home computer.".
Richard Graham 8 months ago (edited)
It is set-up to automatically censor every post on Bored Panda, especially posts about d***s, s*x, and s*****e.
#64
The question “what did he mean by engineering aptitude” should have been asked at that time. It’s easy to assume someone didn’t read your resume when they’re asking for clarification - but not always (hopefully never!) true. If you don’t have an “elevator speech” bring one to your next interview. Probably best to assume your resume wasn’t read and go in with a few points about what you bring to the job that wasn’t included on your resume (1-2 pages can’t list everything I’m sure; explain your technical abilities in terms an average person can understand).
Good luck!
#65
If you were a color, what would it be?
What do you think ?
Forrest Grump 8 months ago
I was asked “If you could be any kind of cow, would you be a chocolate cow, a vanilla cow, or a strawberry cow?” I responded “I’m not playing this.” And then I left.
Rick Murray 8 months ago
Wait! There are vanilla and chocolate cows? WHERE?!? I want!
Load More Replies... Earonn - 8 months ago
Here's a bit more positive story: I used to be involved in the interview process for multi-language customer support. I had to decide whether the candidate's German was as good as they claimed. The position we had to fill was from a teammate who was great at baking. They told me to ask the candidate any question at all. Now, we all hate these stupid interview questions, right? So instead of the "tell me about the time when you..." I just asked "Hey, are you good at baking?" and laughed, to show the interviewee that this was just fun and they could relax a bit. Turned out, they loved baking. They got the job (not because of the baking) and from then on I always asked this question to make people laugh for a minute in their stressful interview. Worked like a charm.
Forrest Grump 8 months ago
One interviewer asked my age. I responded “Is that relevant to the job?” And he said “No.” So I said “So then why did you ask?” They didn’t hire me and that’s fine.
Emilu 8 months ago (edited)
For job questions I default to Ask a Manager. I trust an actual manager's opinion more than some random recruiter. If that costs me the job, then so be it. If you don't want me answering stupid questions like "what's my spirit animal" or "what's your favourite colour?" ... y'know, don't ask me that sort of s**t.
Saint_Zipcodus 8 months ago
There's a nifty trick if somebody asks you a provocative question. Turning the tables by answering with a question back. For instance: Q: How would fencing help you if you were being mugged? A: Is that something that has happened around here? Works not all the time, but often enough it does.
wobbly jelly 8 months ago
One idea we suggested in an office was asking the candidate to change the window blinds - they were awful and hard to use - if anyone could / change them without swearing etc we'd offer them a job - but they would then be the blinds person!
Fabulous chocolate cookie 8 months ago
This is one I actually got quite recently: "what is your spirital animal and why?". Turned out they wanted to know what type of person you are, self-reflection skills and how good your reasoning is. Another strange question I once got was how socially/politically involved I am and whether I am a member of any social/political organizations. Apparently they had had problems in the past with employees who refused to work for certain clients because of a political mismatch.
Richard Graham 8 months ago
I was once asked "Are you married?" for a Computer Network Support job.
Forrest Grump 8 months ago
I was asked “If you could be any kind of cow, would you be a chocolate cow, a vanilla cow, or a strawberry cow?” I responded “I’m not playing this.” And then I left.
Rick Murray 8 months ago
Wait! There are vanilla and chocolate cows? WHERE?!? I want!
Load More Replies... Earonn - 8 months ago
Here's a bit more positive story: I used to be involved in the interview process for multi-language customer support. I had to decide whether the candidate's German was as good as they claimed. The position we had to fill was from a teammate who was great at baking. They told me to ask the candidate any question at all. Now, we all hate these stupid interview questions, right? So instead of the "tell me about the time when you..." I just asked "Hey, are you good at baking?" and laughed, to show the interviewee that this was just fun and they could relax a bit. Turned out, they loved baking. They got the job (not because of the baking) and from then on I always asked this question to make people laugh for a minute in their stressful interview. Worked like a charm.
Forrest Grump 8 months ago
One interviewer asked my age. I responded “Is that relevant to the job?” And he said “No.” So I said “So then why did you ask?” They didn’t hire me and that’s fine.
Emilu 8 months ago (edited)
For job questions I default to Ask a Manager. I trust an actual manager's opinion more than some random recruiter. If that costs me the job, then so be it. If you don't want me answering stupid questions like "what's my spirit animal" or "what's your favourite colour?" ... y'know, don't ask me that sort of s**t.
Saint_Zipcodus 8 months ago
There's a nifty trick if somebody asks you a provocative question. Turning the tables by answering with a question back. For instance: Q: How would fencing help you if you were being mugged? A: Is that something that has happened around here? Works not all the time, but often enough it does.
wobbly jelly 8 months ago
One idea we suggested in an office was asking the candidate to change the window blinds - they were awful and hard to use - if anyone could / change them without swearing etc we'd offer them a job - but they would then be the blinds person!
Fabulous chocolate cookie 8 months ago
This is one I actually got quite recently: "what is your spirital animal and why?". Turned out they wanted to know what type of person you are, self-reflection skills and how good your reasoning is. Another strange question I once got was how socially/politically involved I am and whether I am a member of any social/political organizations. Apparently they had had problems in the past with employees who refused to work for certain clients because of a political mismatch.
Richard Graham 8 months ago
I was once asked "Are you married?" for a Computer Network Support job.
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