How to Tackle Unusual Interview Questions

By Mariah Flores

You prepped for the most common interview questions , including "tell me about yourself." You already have answers for those (being sure to make adjustments for specific companies and roles). You’re feeling confident, prepared and ready to nail the interview. Then, the interviewer tosses out several curveballs — questions you wouldn't expect.

“What film genre best represents your personality and why?” “Moon or sun?” “If you could [blank]...?” … All weird interview questions designed to make candidates pause and challenge their otherwise well-rehearsed answers. 

I spoke with career and interview coach Kyle Elliott to learn more about the practice of asking such unusual questions and how job candidates should handle them. 

Unusual Questions Make You Think

While there’s nothing wrong with having rehearsed answers, they don't always afford hiring teams a clear, authentic reading of who you are professionally and personally. Employers want to see how you respond under unrehearsed and stressful situations. Unusual questions is a method they can use to test you.

“As an interviewee, it’s your opportunity to demonstrate your ability to think on your feet and communicate effectively under pressure," says Elliott.

Outright odd or irrelevant interview questions can simply be the result of a poor hiring process, though. 

“One reason hiring managers ask odd questions is they’re simply not trained in how to conduct effective interviews,” states Elliott. “Not enough companies invest the time and energy needed to prepare their interviewers to properly assess talent.”

This could potentially be an interview red flag that shouldn't be ignored.

Come (Un)Prepared

You can never fully predict what questions an interviewer will ask, but at least you can come prepared with solid answers for more typical ones, like “Tell me about yourself ” or “Why do you want to work here? ”

Unusual questions pose a new challenge for job applicants because it’s all up to the discretion of your interviewer and potential employer. Plus, they can ask almost anything.

“One of the most significant challenges relating to curveball questions is that you can’t predict them. Additionally, they vary from interviewer to interviewer,” Elliott says, providing a few possibilities for unusual questions or prompts, including:

• “If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?”
• “What’s the last book on X topic you read?”
• “Sell me this pen.”

Other odd or unexpected interview questions include: “Describe yourself in one word.”, “How do you define success?”, “Do you consider yourself lucky?”. “Why are you memorable?”, or “What is your biggest pet peeve?” — the latter being a somewhat common question that may be perceived as odd by some.

“While the pet peeve question may seem unusual on the surface, interviewers often like using the question to understand if you’ll be a match for the company culture,” Elliott adds.

Handling Unusual Interview Questions

You may second-guess yourself and feel unprepared when you're hit with one of these questions. Your confidence might falter, as well. 

The key to responding to these curveball questions is to stay calm. Maintain the same level of confidence you’d have if answering a routine interview question. 

Even if you don’t have a rehearsed or developed response ahead of time, Elliott believes that you can prepare for unusual questions. Start with staple talking points. Talking points are the “handful of points you want to ensure you communicate at some point during an interview.”

“I encourage my coaching clients to develop a list of key talking points they wish to get across during each interview. Then, if asked a curveball question, you can pivot your response to one or more of your talking points,” he shares.

Another suggestion from Elliot is to approach the interview like you would a meeting at work. 

“If you were asked an unusual, odd or curveball question during a meeting, you might respond with a few follow-up questions before providing your response,” he states.  “Additionally, you may ask for a few moments to gather your thoughts or even ask if you can follow up after the meetings. These same strategies can be used when interviewing. The key here is to show the interviewer how you’ll perform once you’re on the job.” Never hesitate to ask for a moment to reflect or circle back to the intentionally weird questions. 

Finally, always take into account why the interviewer is asking a particular question, advises Elliott. Your answer should be relevant to the job at hand, but at the same time not taken too seriously. Remember: The interviewer doesn’t want rehearsed answers — they want personality. 

(A version of this article first appeared on January 30, 2023, on the Get Hired by LinkedIn News page. You can read the full article, which was written and reported by Mariah Flores by clicking here .)

The fundamentals of looking for work don't change much. Heck, even Leonardo Da Vinci had to make a resume. Employers do change some of their practices and their use of technologies from year-to-year, though. LinkedIn discusses this in an annual report , which is based on research and interviews with experts. Dan Schawbel , who is managing partner of Workplace Intelligence, was one of those experts. He is also a New York Time bestselling author. Dan joined the latest episode of #GetHired with Andrew Seaman to talk with me about what you need to know about job searching this year.

You can read a transcript of the conversation or listen to the discussion by clicking here .

Dan also joined my LinkedIn News colleague Brandi Fowler on Monday to answer LinkedIn members' questions about confidence. You can catch a replay by clicking here .

COMING UP: 

Everyone experiences disappointments in their careers and job searches. Maybe they didn't get that dream job. Or, perhaps they were passed over for a promotion. While it's normal to be upset and sad after these setbacks, the key is to process those emotions and keep moving forward. My next guest for the podcast is Brittany Cole , who is the CEO of the career-development company Career Thrivers. Brittany knows that every career is filled with ups and downs. In this episode, she teaches us how to roll with the punches and emerge from blows stronger than before. Follow my podcast wherever you like to listen, including Apple Podcasts , so you don't miss the episode. 

Brittany will then join Brandi on Monday, April 10, at noon ET on #GetHired Live to answer your questions about job searching in modern times. You can RSVP for that live conversation by clicking here or the accompanying image .

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I'm a big fan of mindfulness practices — whether meditation or just being purposeful in your daily actions. The reason I'm a fan is that it can really calm your nerves during uneasy times — whether in your personal or professional life. This LinkedIn Learning course from Headspace will walk you through the basics of mindfulness meditation to help manage stress. You can watch below or by clicking here .