Original Date: September 17, 2018

We all have stories from our past interviewing experiences in which companies have asked unique, weird, ridiculous and challenging interview questions.  In my career, I have had the opportunity to interview with great companies and have been asked some of these unique, weird, ridiculous and challenging questions.  In fact, there were times I could not answer certain questions.  Preparing for every interview question is impossible.  However, the more we prepare and know, the more confident we will become.  This is also true for the interviewer.

Below are the 9 unique interview questions:

  1. How many tennis balls can you fit into a limousine? (Monitor Group): This is a logic question and one that will throw many of us during an interview.  Think about cubic space in the limo and work backwards.  Guessing an answer will more than likely generate a response from the interviewer, how did you come up with that number?  Be prepared to answer with logic.  Sit in silence and think through a response.
  1. How much should you charge to wash all the windows in Montana? (Google): Designed to see how applicants think on their feet and react to under pressure during the interview. Work through the answer out loud and show the interviewer you can think on your feet.  There isn’t enough information and time to come up with the correct answer.  Be creative and confident in your reasoning and response.
  1. Explain the internet to an 8-year old in 3 sentences? (Microsoft): “What? Use your first sentence to establish a basic premise: “The Internet is a series of tubes.  How? Your second sentence can describe the first: “The tubes connect information that is stored on computers throughout the world.  Why? Finally, close by summing up the purpose of the Internet: “It helps people to access global information quickly and easily.”[i]
  1. How would you solve problems if you from Mars (Amazon): Another question requiring us to think outside the box. Be creative and answer questions like this with confidence and logic.  If you use this question, know there is not a right or wrong answer.
  1. How would you find the words that became obsolete in English language between 16th and 17th century? (Uber): Using a dictionary probably wouldn’t work well as an answer to this question. What about a search engine?  Utilize resources.   
  1. What do you think of garden gnomes? (Trader Joe’s): This question is more than likely meant to confuse the applicant from the generic interview questions, geared to see how you respond to one of those weird questions. Take a breath and answer the question with something that makes sense.  This is not a question I would use during an interview.
  1. If you were a pizza delivery man, how would you benefit from scissors? (Apple): Another question requiring a creative response. This is designed to stress an applicant out and see if you can think on your feet or in your chair.
  1. How would you test an elevator? (Microsoft): This is an analysis and creativity question, think through your answer before you respond. Always be prepared to sit in silence before answer the question.  Silence can be golden and a problem during an interview.
  1. How does the devaluation of the dollar impact our trade? (Rolls Royce): I have to admit, this question was asked to me during an internship interview in graduate school in 2010. As an HR grad student, I was confidently rolling through my overprepared answers to the standard questions and the interviewer asked this.  It caught me totally off-guard and I could not respond with a business savvy answer.  In fact, I asked to come back to this question later in the interview, we never came back to this question during the interview.  Think about tariffs, suppliers and logistics.  Those answers will work for a question such as this.  Don’t be like me!
  1. Bonus question: Tell me about a time you failed? (My favorite question): This is the question I ask to every applicant. I’m not looking for a time you failed, I’m looking for the failure, and the lesson learned, what you did differently, how you improved and what you might have done differently prior to failing.  Situation, Action and Results.  Answer the entire question in detail, we’ve all failed.  “I’ve never failed.”  This answer is the worst one you can possibly give.

– Matthew Burr, HR Consultant

[i] https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-insanely-tough-interview-questions-and-how-to-nail-them

Unknown's avatar

Published by Mathew W. Burr, MJ-LEL, MBA, MHRIR, GPHR, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CPHR-INT, Chartered CIPD

Mathew W. Burr, MJ-LEL, MBA, MHRIR, GPHR, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CPHR-INT, Chartered MCIPD Lean Six Sigma Black Belt ABOUT: Matthew Burr has over 18-years of experience working in the human resources field, starting his career as an Industrial Relations Intern at Kennedy Valve Manufacturing to most recently founding and managing a human resource consulting company; Burr Consulting, LLC, Talentscape, LLC and Co-Owner of Labor Love, a Labor, and Employment Law poster printing company. Prior to founding the consulting firm, the majority of his career was heavy industry manufacturing and healthcare. He specializes in compliance auditing, training labor and employment law, conflict resolution, performance management, labor, and employment relations. Matthew has a generalist background in HR and operations, while providing strategic HR and operational solutions to his clients, focusing on small and medium sized organizations. He works as an Adjunct at Alfred State University, Tompkins Cortland Community College, and Montgomery Community College. He successfully designed an HR Concentration in the business management major that aligned with both SHRM and HRCI certifications, providing opportunities for students to sit for both the SHRM-CP and aPHR certifications upon completion of the degree, concentration, and internship hours as an Assistant Professor of Management at Elmira College (Retired January 2022). Matthew is also the SHRM Certification Exam Instructor, with a current pass rate of 92% on the SHRM-SCP and 83% pass rate on the SHRM-CP and a combined 88% on both exams over a 7-year period of instructing the course (Elmira College, Collin College & The College of St. Rose). Matthew works as a trainer at Tompkins Cortland Community College, Corning Community College, Broome Community College, and HR Instructor for Certification Preparation for the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). He also acts as an On-Call Mediator and Factfinder through the Public Employment Relations Board in New York State, working with public sector employers and labor unions. PUBLICATIONS: Matthew has over 70+ publications including, American Bar Association (ABA) Experience Magazine, Cornell HR Review, Business Insider, New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), PayScale, Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), and Expert 360 (in Australia). In early 2017, he published his first book, “$74,000 in 24 Months: How I killed my student loans (and you can too!),” proceeded by his second book, which was published in January 2021, “Slay the Student Loan Dragon: Tips and Tricks on How to Conquer the Student Loan Game” and his most recent book, “Unbox Your HR Career” in July 2023. VOLUNTEER WORK: Matthew is currently the New York State Society of Human Resource Management (NYSSHRM) District-Director. EDUCATION & TRAINING: Additional Training & Development:  SHRM Workplace Coaching and Mentoring Recertification Program, 2020  SHRM Foundation Employing Abilities @Work Certificate, 2020  SHRM Foundation Veterans at Work Certificate Program, 2018  Delta County Chamber of Commerce: Delta Force Leadership Program, 2013 FEATURED IN & ON: Matthew was featured on CNN Money, Fast Company, Fits Small Business, Fox News, Magnify Money, Monster.com, My Twin Tiers, Namely, Student Loan Hero, Smart Sheet and CEO Blog Nation, Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI), Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). Burr Consulting, LLC Capabilities Statement General Information: Burr Consulting, LLC Owner: Matthew W. Burr Mission Statement: “Strategically Aligning HR as a Partner for the Success of Your Business” Contact Information: Burr Consulting, LLC What's New in HR Blog Talentscape, LLC Labor Love, LLC (Labor Posters) The HR Support Center The Upstate HR Podcast (607)227-4386 Matthew@Burrconsultingllc.com Facebook: Burr Consulting, LLC LinkedIn: Burr Consulting, LLC Twitter: @Burrconsulting Online Certification Verification: Credibly Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Number: 080776443 NAICS Codes: 541612, 923130, 54161, 541611, 541613, 611430, 541618, 561312, 561311 SIC: 8742, 8748, 9441, 8748001, 8748026 Our Services HR MANAGEMENT New Hire Orientation; Temporary HR Support; Recruiting and Application Tracking; HR Compliance (ADA, FMLA); Employee Handbook; Policy and Procedure; HRIS; HR Audits; Job Profile Design and Revision; HR Key Performance Indicators; EEO Reporting and Classification; State Unemployment Insurance Services TRAINING & TRAINING DEVELOPMENT Organizational Development; Employee Relations; Workplace Violence; Harassment & Sexual Harassment; Union Awareness; Managerial EMPLOYEE & LABOR RELATIONS Employee Relations Training; Conflict Resolution; Mentoring; Workplace Investigations; Labor Contract Costing; Mediation & Arbitration Prep; Fact-Finding; Workplace Investigations; Coaching & Counseling; Performance Reviews; Contingency Plan Development; Contingency Plan Training; State of New York Public Employment Relations Board (PERB)PERB Mediation and Fact-Finding Panels (Albany, NY covering the Elmira, NY Area) HIRING & RECRUITMENT Applicant Tracking Systems; Metric Development; Interview Training; Workforce Planning; Recruitment; Interviews; Job Offers; New Hire Process POLICY & COMPENSATION Group Plans – Healthcare, Dental, Vision, Group Life, Short- and Long-Term Disability; Retirement – 401(k), Profit Sharing, Roth; Workers Compensation; Total Compensation Design and Strategy; Deferred Compensation Plans; Salary Surveys; Reward Systems; Online Payroll; Customized Payroll Processing; Employee Self Service; Customized Reporting HR COMPLIANCE MATERIALS Burr Consulting, LLC is excited to announce a new partnership with Labor Love LLC, expanding our services to include HR printed materials compliant with industry standards.

Leave a comment