3 Silly Job Interview Questions and Answers

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I have several friends who are looking for jobs and sometimes we like to sit back and share our interview horror stories. Let me tell you, some of these people could tell you stories that would curl your hair, but what makes me laugh the most are the silly interview questions. Of course, I do realize that many of the questions that interviewers ask are standard and the company they work for requires them to ask certain questions, even if they personally think it's silly.



That being said, here are 3 of the silliest job interview questions and answers:

 

  • What's your greatest weakness? - I hate this one. Really, what do you say? Some people think that it's best to answer it by giving one of their strengths. For example, they could say "I'm a workaholic". Which isn't a great answer, even if it were true. In fact, if your strongest weakness is truly that you work to hard, you should make up a better answer because no one is going to believe yours. If you don't want to take that route, then you'll have to make up a weakness because if you answer the question honestly, you're not going to get the job. After all, who is going to say "I like to steal office supplies" or "I can't resist stealing my co-worker's lunch from the fridge." There is a time and place for honesty, and a job interview isn't always it.
  • Where do you see yourself in 5 years? - This question has always baffled me. The truth is that, frankly, I have no idea what I will be doing in 5 years. In fact, when I try to picture myself 5 years from now, I just hope that I'm still alive. So, I'm not sure what the interviewer is expecting my answer to be, but I know that "I'll be working somewhere else.", "Working somewhere" and "I'll probably be retired by then." are all not very good answers. The best way to answer this one is to just say that you plan to continue to expand your skills and grow in your career. It's just vague and non-committal enough to really impress and interviewer.
  • Why should I hire you? - It seems that this questions isn't being asked as often anymore, and I, for one, am eternally grateful. I realize that this is the question that every hiring manager has in their mind, but this question is usually asked in an almost hostile tone of voice. The interviewers used to practice being as condescending as possible in order to "see what the applicant was made of". Now, the questions is just a great way to tell if the boss is a jerk or not.

 

What other interview questions do you hate? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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  • Magdalene N
    Magdalene N •
    When dealing with the first question of greatest weakness, that is a gotcha question.  The rule of thumb is to spend 1/3 of your response on a weakness and 2/3 on how you have turned that weakness around into a strength.    If you tend to stay late at work, stress on the fact that you have learned to write out and follow a schedule, thereby maximizing your time at work and being more productive.  Remember, the flip side of this coin is "what is your greatest strength", which should be easy for anyone on an interview.On the 5 year question, the goal of the interviewer is to find out what your "goals" are.  Is this just going to be a job for you, or are you going to be growing in your field and contributing to the company's bottom line.Indeed, I agree, the last question could be condescending, but give your elevator speech and build on  that.Good Luck
  • Linda T
    Linda T •
    I was once asked "Are you a lucky person?"  I felt like answering with " I'll let you know when you hire me for the job."
  • Connie K
    Connie K •
    I was asked this one a few years back..."when was the last time you used dipolmacy and describe the situation".  I did not know how to answer this question and told them I did not know....making me feel really stupid.  After all this time I still think about this question and I "STILL" can't come up with a good answer!!  Needless to say I didn't get the job and I have never been asked this question ever again in the many interviews I have had after that.
  • Dawn V. M
    Dawn V. M •
    I like the answers to these questions.  Another good question I don't know how to answer.  What are your goals if you are hired?  I would say My goal is to be the best employee  or worker I can be and not make any mistakes.   My weakness would be to procastinate too much.  
  • Vivian F
    Vivian F •
    Should a hiring manager ask me "What is your greatest weakness?", are you saying I should not say that public speaking is my weak point? The truth is that it is not my favorite thing to do, but I have been doing some minor public speaking, and for the first time about two weeks ago, my heart was not in my throat. Isn't this a good thing that I can say that I am working to overcome this weak point?
  • Chad D
    Chad D •
    It gave me an eye opener to the questions I have had in the past
  • Diana T
    Diana T •
    For my weakness, I say I'm not an early morning person, which is 100% true and I am never applying for jobs that start in the early am, so it's never an issue to the interviewer. It usually gets a little laugh out of them and breaks a little of the tension.
  • Linda K
    Linda K •
    I have a new one.  In a recent interview, I was asked, "If you were a car (long pause), how fast would you go?"  I, was all ready to say that I would be a T-Bird, until I heard the rest of the sentence.  To give myself a little more time to respond, I said, "That's a very interesting question!"  Without going into the greater detail I gave during the interview, I told them I would first need to know the landscape, i.e., city or country driving and that the type of car and personal circumstances (soccer mom driving team) would further determine my speed.  I did say that I would most likely push the envelope, but not enough to get a ticket.  Their response was priceless and they laughed so hard.  They said that was the best answer anyone had ever given to that question.  To date, I have now been on six interviews with the company and am waiting for the company job posting to expire and then I will give them a call to follow up.  Wish me luck! :)
  • Brayone J
    Brayone J •
    I can honestly say that i dont agree with those questions. It just seems as though you're being set up for failure from the beginning. Other type of answerable questions would be suffice i believe,,
  • John H
    John H •
    I had an interview in NJ for a very large parking facility company.  They needed a Manager of Operations and I was a young 27 year old energetic applicant.  That was 30 years ago and still think about the question asked of me.The interview went well and the HR Mgr said just a minute I want someone to meet you.  I thought, great this is the boss.  In walked an older man, executive type.  He sat down and without introductions asked me, "Do I have parents"?  I said, "Yes".  He asked, "Do you love your Father"?  I said, "Yes, of course I do".With that he got up and left the room, nothing else being said.  A few minutes later the HR Mgr came into the room and said, "That's the end of the interview; we'll be in touch, Thank you".Never heard from them again.  I called a couple of times but was told the HR Mgr was busy, so leave a message.Thirty years and that question has bounced around in my head ever since then.  I challenge anyone to figure that one out.
  • Kathryn D
    Kathryn D •
    Why should I hire you? Because if you don't someone else is going to.
  • Amy D
    Amy D •
    I was asked, "Why should I hire you" in a very hostile tone from an interviewer.  I felt very offended and responded with, "after you interviewed me and received information regarding my experience and read my personality through this process, WHY NOT?".  He then thanked me, took me to the person I would be working under and spoke briefly with that person.  As I was pulling away in my car, the interviewer ran outside and asked me to marry him.  I did not set foot in that place again.  Even worse...the interviewer called my house twice after that, asking why I did not show up for my 2nd "working interview", which creeped me out.  To summarize,, I tend to be leery of people when they ask me, "Why should I hire you?".
  • Rich N
    Rich N •
    I'm always bothered by "Why did you quit your last job" or "Why do you want to leave your current position".
  • John P
    John P •
    My greatest strength is "I work too hard."My greatest weakness is "I work too hard."
  • Ly N
    Ly N •
    Tell me about yourself?It is so unecessary question whereas my resume states already about myself matching with job.Do I have to repeat it? Or should I say to interviewer "Please don't be lazy, do your job by reading my resume again because you get paid to do so.  Hello?Smarter question is "Why you like to do this job??.By saying that interviewer will make opening door to see candidate closer and friendlier.  Interview with warming questions instead of threatening or scaling questions are formed the successful companies.The more jerk questions at interviews will get jerk employees.The questions that make candidates have to lie are not good questions.Happiness of human being on earth can not bebuilt on lies.  Otherwise, this world still has the wars, killing, robbing, homeless, stealing....
  • Angela C
    Angela C •
    The question: "How do you feel you will fit in?" I love being myself and working in a professional mature manner. If we all have the same common job,goals and work ethics for the company without bringing our personal buisness to work I feel the question may be biased. My thought.  
  • Joanne v
    Joanne v •
    "tell me a little bit about yourself". I hate this question.  I want to answer, " What you see is what you get, and you have my resume in front of you".
  • joe W
    joe W •
    Be especially careful with salary question in that you don't bid yourself out of a career. How much are you expecting to earn?You don't know how much the position is paying. If the salary is $50k, and you ask for $60k, what do you suppose will happen? Or you bid $40k, you have just lost yourself $10k going in. Most employers would love to get the job done for less.
  • Magally M
    Magally M •
    Thank you Melissa for your tips, they are really great. Please tell me how bad is to ask for the salary rate during the first interview.
  • Kathleen T
    Kathleen T •
    Once when I answered I hope to be an entrepreneur and self-employed in five years (in answer to what will you be doing five years from now.) It lost me the job. They wanted me to say I would be working for them five years from then and would be a long-term employee. That is what they are looking for. They spend a lot of money training a new employee in, and they are looking for commitment, and longevity in an employee.
  • Tonia W
    Tonia W •
    The above three questions are among the many that are ridiculous. The question  "tell me something about yourself" is a bit much. The resume is there in front of you. I  think interviews should be informational only.
  • Vicky C
    Vicky C •
    Question #1:  "I believe I would like to answer that question with a question,  what area of this job description do you see as a weakness; one that has not been handled to your satisfaction?"    This may not be one of my weaknesses,  and so we can align to strengthen that area or eliminate it."
  • Lisa P
    Lisa P •
    I agree that those are 3 tough questions in an interview. Honestly, I wish they wouldn't ask them. I always get stumped when asked those questions. But you have made those questions easier to understand now. You have clarified it for me.
  • Nancy W
    Nancy W •
    I have these answers down.  But, what are the two questions we should be asking them?  In an interview last year, the interviewer asked me is I was not going to ask the two questions I should be asking.  I was clueless since we are taught not to discuss pay and benefits at first interview.  So, what should I have asked?  I asked her and she said she didn't know.  I felt like she was playing games with me and left uncomfortable.  Needless to say, my calls after the interview were not returned.
  • Pat S
    Pat S •
    The strangest question I've ever heard in an interview was "If you were an animal, which one would it be?"  Seriously, what the heck?   And it wasn't even in a town that would be considered "touchy-feely, or new age."

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