Here’s why employers ask weird questions at job interviews

Are you keen on landing a high-paying job at one of the most desirable companies in the world? The best companies are usually the ones that give the toughest job interviews. And there is enormous competition to get a job at these firms. Gaining competitive advantage at interviews of these companies may come down to how well you can handle weird questions.

Most often, people take it personally when the interviewer asks a strange question. Actually, using eerie questions to shake the candidate up a bit has become common for HR folks at leading companies these days. One can expect some of the weirdest interview questions at some of the most sought after companies. It is all about seeing how you can handle the stress of answering these questions without panicking.

A Glassdoor list gives us a peek into such whacky questions (see below).

• When a hot dog expands, in which direction does it split and why? - SpaceX
• If you had $2,000, how would you double it in 24 hours? – Uniqlo
• What would you do if you found a penguin in the freezer? - Trader Joe's
• If you were a brand, what would be your motto? - Boston Consulting Group
• How would you sell hot coco in Florida? - J.W. Business Acquisitions
• If I gave you $40,000 to start a business, what would you start? - HubSpot
• How many basketballs would fit in this room? - Delta Air Lines
• What would the name of your debut album be? - Urban Outfitters
• Would you rather fight 1 horse-sized duck, or 100 duck-sized horses? - Whole Foods Market
• If you’re the CEO, what are the first three things you check about the business when you wake up? – Dropbox

These are just some of the strange questions big companies ask unwary candidates these days. Actually, even the startups have started taking this approach. So, how do you handle such questions?

First of all, don’t panic. Take some time to think, instead of just blabbering something that comes to your head. Try to react to these questions in some appropriate way. Note that such questions are usually asked to see whether you can stay calm and collected, instead of getting disturbed or thrown off balance. Interviewers also use your responses to these questions to get some insight into your unique personality traits.

So, next time an interviewer throws something unexpected your way, make sure you maintain composure. All you have to do is give an honest attempt at satisfying the purpose of the question. Good luck!