These real-world questions prove anything can happen
"If you could throw a parade of any caliber through the Zappos office, what type of parade would it be?"
How are you supposed to reply to such an off-the-wall interview question? Do you even want this job? Someone applying for a position with the Zappos Family as a customer loyalty team member was faced with such a quandary; the question is number one on Glassdoor.com's list of "Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions for 2014."
Glassdoor.com's team of data scientists compiled this list, which is not
in any particular order, based on questions shared during the past 12
months as part of the Interview Reviews
feature on Glassdoor. This feature, which is free to use, offers
insights into the interview process including the interview format, how
the interview was achieved, the average interview length and overall
ratings regarding the interview experience. Glassdoor has collected
nearly 1 million interview questions and reviews from around the world.
To develop the list, they take into account community feedback, such as
questions tagged as "brainteasers" and compile questions job candidates
shared on their site over the past year.
Glassdoor's Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions for 2014:
1. "If you could throw a parade of any caliber through the Zappos
office, what type of parade would it be?" – The Zappos Family, Customer
Loyalty Team Member interview
2. "How lucky are you and why?" – Airbnb, Content Manager interview
3. "If you were a pizza delivery man, how would you benefit from scissors?" – Apple, Specialist interview
4. "If you could sing one song on American Idol, what would it be?" – Red Frog Events, Event Coordinator interview
5. "Are you more of a hunter or a gatherer?" – Dell, Account Manager interview
6. "If you were on an island and could only bring three things, what would you bring?" – Yahoo, Search Quality Analyst interview
7. "If you were a box of cereal, what would you be and why?" – Bed Bath & Beyond, Sales Associate interview
8. "Do you believe in Bigfoot?" – Norwegian Cruise Line, Casino Marketing Coordinator interview
9. "Why is a tennis ball fuzzy?" – Xerox, Client Manager interview
10. "What is your least favorite thing about humanity?" – ZocDoc, Operations Associate interview
11. "How would you use Yelp to find the number of businesses in the U.S.?" – Factual, Software Engineer interview
12. "How honest are you?" – Allied Telesis, Executive Assistant interview
13. "How many square feet of pizza are eaten in the U.S. each year?" – Goldman Sachs, Programmer Analyst interview
14. "Can you instruct someone how to make an origami 'cootie catcher' with just words?" – LivingSocial, Consumer Advocate interview
15. "If you were 80 years old, what would you tell your children?" – McKinsey & Company, Associate interview
16. "You're a new addition to the crayon box, what color would you be and why?" – Urban Outfitters Sales Associate interview
17. "How does the internet work?" – Akamai, Director interview
18. "If there was a movie produced about your life, who would play you and why?" – SinglePlatform, Inside Sales Consultant interview
19. "What's the color of money?" – American Heart Association, Project Manager interview
20. "What was the last gift you gave someone?" – Gallup, Data Analyst interview
21. "What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?" – Applebee's, Bartender/Neighborhood Expert Server interview
22. "How many snow shovels sold in the U.S. last year?" – TASER, Leadership Development Program interview
23. "It's Thursday; we're staffing you on a telecommunications project
in Calgary, Canada on Monday. Your flight and hotel are booked; your
visa is ready. What are the top five things you do before you leave?" –
ThoughtWorks, Junior Consultant interview
24. "Describe to me the process and benefits of wearing a seatbelt." – Active Network, Client Applications Specialist interview
25. "Have you ever been on a boat?" – Applied Systems, Graphic Designer interview
Before you freak out at the thought of answering one of these oddball
questions, keep in mind that most employers will stick to the more
traditional, "Why should we hire you" and "What is your biggest
weakness" type of interview question. Be prepared to explain why you are a good fit for the job.
Stay tuned for specific tips later this week just in case you face one of these eclectic inquiries at your next interview.
What are some of the strangest questions you've been asked on an interview? Comment below.