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!

#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?".

Image credits: princess_cunt

#2

"What is your greatest weakness?"

"Bears."

"Okay, moving on.".

Image credits: JR28

#3

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??

Image credits: anon

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

"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.

Image credits: RedInHeadandBed

#5

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.

Image credits: WheresTheFlan

"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

"Why do you want to work at McDonalds?"

No one wants to work at Mcdonalds, it's the last option out there usually.

Image credits: tzarwithakeytar

#7

If I was circumcised.

Image credits: David_Stone

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

"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.

#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.

Image credits: broiled

#10

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?

Image credits: orgasmology

#11

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.

Image credits: natorthat

#12

"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.".

Image credits: cwebsterz

#13

"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".

#14

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".

#15

"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.

Image credits: kmmontandon

#16

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...

Image credits: Lieutenant_Flagg

#17

"If you were a crayon what color would you be?"
I froze up and said "um... white?".

Image credits: RustyShackleford___

#18

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!??

Image credits: LaughingJackass

#19

"If you were trapped in the store for a day what would you do?"

"d'uhh... Sleep?"


Teenage me was dumb.

Image credits: Eagleroo

#20

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.

Image credits: camgirlthrown

#21

I was once asked if I was a Democrat or a Republican. I don't think employers should be able to ask that.

#22

"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.

#23

I mentioned that I fenced on my resume. The interviewer asked "How would fencing help you if you are being mugged?".

Image credits: Aedora125

#24

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.

#25

What have you learned at school about developing for Android 4.0?

b***h, are you serious?

Image credits: push_ecx_0x00

#26

“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.

#27

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.

#28

Give me 3 reasons why a manhole cover is round. It was for a role in HR.

#29

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.

#30

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?".

#31

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...".

#32

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.

#33

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.

#34

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.

#35

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".

#36

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.

#37

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.

#38

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.

#39

“Tell me about the worst boss you’ve ever had”.

#40

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).

#41

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.

#42

What's your favorite Pokémon?

For an accounting position, at cabinet company, with no known Pokémon association.

#43

"Where do you see yourself in five years?"

"Asking an applicant this very question.".

#44

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!

#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

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.

#47

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😳😳.

#48

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…..

#49

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...

#50

"Please describe your use of M*************e and or Crack c*****e.".

#51

What kitchen utensil would you be and why.

#52

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.

#53

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!

#54

If you could have one super power, what would it be?

What a waste, especially since the person seemed serious and took notes.

#55

Not stupid but definitely meant more in a negative manner "how would we measure your commitment to us".

#56

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?”.

#57

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.

#58

"Tell me about your home computer.".

#59

If you could be any fruit, which one, and why? (R&D at the McDowell’s inspo). They passed on me.

#60

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!

#61

If you were a color, what would it be?

#62

"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.

#63

"Are you jewish?".

#64

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.

#65

"What is the difference between duck?".

rumckle
One of its legs is both the same!

Image credits: vivolleyball15