Uncommon Questions Asked in Job Interviews

Most #interviews are #broken. Stop asking candidates to "tell me about yourself." We're still stuck asking the same tired questions that candidates have rehearsed 100 times. "What's your greatest weakness?" Really? In 2025? During my years at HLL, I discovered something - The best hires aren't the ones with perfect answers. They're the ones who think differently when there IS no ONE PERFECT RIGHT answer. I stopped using those famous "How would you move Mount Fuji?" questions once the word got out on campus that I mostly used the famous puzzle question method. Instead, I created something different - Questions designed to have NO right answer. Here's what I learned. Great candidates don't just solve problems—they reframe them. Here are some of my favorites. As a brand manager, what would you do differently if your product was only consumed by deaf, blind and mute consumers? How would you modify hockey rules if all players were in wheel-chairs? How would you redesign a retail store if customers could only move forward, never backward? How would you redesign the airplane boarding process if speed was the ONLY metric that mattered? If all urban roads were restricted to bicycles, how would you overhaul last-mile grocery delivery? Plan a city’s disaster-evacuation protocol assuming satellite navigation and cell phone coverage is completely unavailable. How would you optimize ride utilization and reduce wait times in an amusement park which has three main attractions and over 20 supporting attractions? Notice what happens when you think through these. You start asking clarifying questions. You identify constraints that weren't mentioned. You realize the "obvious" solution isn't actually obvious. This is exactly what great employees do every day. They don't wait for perfect instructions. They think systemically. They see what others miss. The candidates who get frustrated by the lack of a "right" answer? They're telling you something important about how they'll handle ambiguity in the real world. What's the most unconventional interview question you've ever been asked? PS - If these questions made you uncomfortable because there's "no right answer," that reaction is data too. PPS - If you were ever at the receiving end of any of my interviews I would love to hear about the experience you had - good or bad! #newskills #interview #unilever

The interview questions I ask candidates may surprise some people. In drug development, advances don’t happen in isolation. To bring new medicines to patients, collaboration is crucial – and that means how we communicate, manage conflict, and learn from one another is just as important as technical skill. For most of the positions I am hiring for, there are plenty of people with the technical skills to do the job. That’s why when I interview candidates, I like to go beyond resumes. One of the key things I am looking for is emotional maturity and the ability to manage conflict. How do I get a sense of that.......well, I ask an unusual question or two....... One example: 1️⃣        On an imaginary line (left to right).... from chaos, to organized chaos, to organized to super-organized...where do you fall in your work and work surroundings? … (Personally, I am a bit of organized chaos). There is no right answer, but I follow up with a question about how they would handle a conflict with someone of the complete opposite style. I am usually thinking about the role and the team I have in mind for each position. I like to have teams with people who learn and think in different ways, as I find in science that often leads to deeper thinking. For that, I ask: 2️⃣         How do you learn best – by seeing, hearing, reading, or doing (in a group or by yourself)? Again there’s no right answer, it just helps me get to know both a candidate’s style and level of introspection. Sometimes we think we’re communicating clearly and we’re actually not! People like to communicate in their own style of learning. If I am a visual learner, I am likely to show you pictures, if I learn by reading I will send you a paper to read. For me, interviews are about more than finding the right scientist…they’re about finding the right teammate. 3️⃣         ….And I do ask what people do for fun (I want to get to know a candidate as a person!). What are some of your favorite interview questions? #BiotechHiring #Innovation #TeamScience

I've worked 15+ years in recruiting... and I've heard some weird questions asked by the interviewer. 😅 I've seen them show a picture of a wolf and ask, "What does this mean to you?" I've seen them ask "Tell me how you would go about figuring out how many pizzas were sold in Florida in 2023" I've heard someone ask what they would do with an elephant that they couldn't give away or sell. 😂 And while I don't condone asking out-of-left-field questions solely for the sake of throwing somebody off, it can be really helpful to ask untraditional questions that get at the character of the person being interviewed. Here are 3 that I LOVE to ask: - What is the biggest misconception people have about you, and who is the real you? - What would keep you at this company for 10 years? - What isn't a core skill of yours? All of these questions offer you more insight into how these potential hires view themselves, what they need, and who they are on a deeper level. And it's your job if you're hiring to dig out those goldmine answers! Maybe even that wolf picture thing works for you - who am I to judge? What are some of the most random/effective questions you've heard in interviews? 👇

For many international talents looking to relocate abroad, job interviews in foreign countries can feel like stepping into a whole new world. On some occasions, you’re prepared to talk about your skills, qualifications, and achievements, but then comes that one unusual question that leaves you stumped. In one such interview, a candidate was asked, “How will you survive winter without Jollof rice?” The question wasn’t really about food—it was about adaptability and how well someone could adjust to a new environment with unfamiliar conditions. Sometimes these funny and unexpected questions can teach us a lot about how recruiters test our ability to think quickly and adjust. Here are some of the funniest and most unusual interview questions people have faced: 📌"How would you sell hot chocolate in the desert?" I guess it's all about creative thinking and seeing opportunities where others see challenges! 📌"If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be?" Important to note that your answer to this question may or may not reflect your leadership style or team dynamics. 📌"How do you fit an elephant into a refrigerator?" Clearly testing your logistics and problem-solving abilities, right? 📌"If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?" Because every workplace needs a good dose of X-ray vision or time manipulation, I assume! 📌"On a scale from 1 to 10, how weird are you?" Ah, finally, a chance to explain your uniqueness—but be careful not to go too far on that scale! 📌"If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you bring?" An excellent way to gauge resourcefulness—and maybe how well I’d survive in a crisis! 📌"Describe the color yellow to someone who’s blind." An incredibly thoughtful question, pushing me to think about communication in a new, empathetic way. 📌"What’s the one thing you think you’ll miss most about your country when you relocate?" While this might seem personal, it’s really about understanding your emotional readiness for the move and your ability to handle homesickness. 📌"How would you sell African fabric in a place where no one has heard of it?" A test of cross-cultural marketing skills and how you would introduce something from home to a foreign audience. 📌If you could bring only one cultural tradition from your country to our office, what would it be?" A way to assess how you value your heritage and whether you can integrate diverse cultures in the workplace. Recruiters in interviews abroad are often testing how well you’ll adjust to new environments, handle cultural differences, and deal with the unexpected. The good news is, a sense of humor and a positive attitude can take you a long way. What’s the most unusual interview question you’ve been asked while preparing to relocate? I’d love to hear your stories! Happy weekend family!