What's the most stupid interview question you've ever been asked?

SomeBozo

I don't know about the funniest interview question, but I remember the funniest answer.

I was working with a company who had recruitment problems getting people in to hard to fill positions.

After a full day of back to back 40 min interviews, the company rep asked :

What are your weaknesses?

The answer was : Just one. Kryponite!

I don't know why but I was crying with laughter long after I should have stopped.

Bozo

Horace

I can remember a silly one when I applied to somewhere that is employed by the government to help people into work (not the jobcentre).

The scenario - a 16 year old girl comes into the office, she has recently won a million pounds on the lottery but she is claiming job seekers allowance, she doesnt need a job - how do you encourage her into work?

Needless to say I said that the girl should stop claiming JSA and wished her well with her win (I mean what a stupid scenario to give - ask me a stupid question expect to get an equally stupid answer:rotfl: ) I didn't get the job and if it had been offered I would have turned it down.

emma_jane1987

I got asked what i would do with a dead hedge hog!

- Answer i would use it as a door stop.

Person who got the job said i would use it as a wig. In some ways i'm glad i'm not working for a company that asks things like that. They offered me another job in a different department but i turned it down.

DitaBombita

I applied for a Saturday job in amuseum cafe clearing plates when I was 16, I had a interview by a panal of three people.... I was asked to write down my three heros and then I had to discuss what I admired about them? I have no idea how this was related to washing pots - I was very into music at the time so my heros were in obsure Indie 90s bands so my awnsers will have been as bemusing as the question! Got the job though... it was c**p and I used to get told off for `talking at the bins`.

Voyager2002

janey_uk wrote: »

Purely for amusement as I bet most of us have been asked complete rubbish at one time or another: what's the most stupid question you've ever been asked at a job interview?

I recently got asked 'If we offer you the job, will you accept it?'
As if I'd say no!!

My favourite is 'what's your biggest weakness?'
I'd have to say 'chocolate cake'!

Your first example is actually quite sensible. It enables the employers to know whether they have made what they are offering seem sufficiently attractive. Many candidates might already have perfectly good jobs, and would need a little bit extra to persuade them to change. If they waste time offering the job to someone who doesn't want it, and then waiting for a reply, a perfectly good second-choice candidate might have accepted something else.

I knew someone who replied "no" to that question, because he was not clear about key aspects of what would be expected. He explained his reasoning, the details of the role were clarified to his satisfaction, and he went to take the job in question.

I'm not sure about the 'greatest weakness' question.

one-non-blonde

janey_uk wrote: »

I recently got asked 'If we offer you the job, will you accept it?'
As if I'd say no!!

I got asked that question once and said no. Having been shown around the place I decided I really didn't want to work there and couldn't bring myself to lie and waste their time and mine.

TimeWarper_2

I got asked who my hero was, I said I didn't have one.

Interviewer said "But there must be somebody you look up to and want to be like, there has to be"...

"No, I disagree. I am me. I am not a sheep. I cut my own path through life"

I got a letter from them saying that although I had the highest interview skills test scores they would not be offering me a job as they felt I had an attitude problem :rotfl:

koexelek

robin_banks wrote: »

Not a stupid question, but caught me off gaurd ;

"Are you a freemason?"

They should have known that from your handshake

Itsgottabedone

I have never been asked anything unusual in an interview but I will never forget when my MD and I were interviewing someone for a position and the interviewee talked for several minutes (and in excrutiating detail) about a urinary tract infection he'd recently suffered! I didn't know where to look - certainly not at the MD; we would have lost it!

No, he didn't get the job.

starsinmycrown

Oh i can't believe I forgot these two:

In my last job interview: "Are you here today because you just want to find a job?"

I answered with "erm, i'm sorry...??"

They said: "I see youre not working at the moment. Did you see this job advertised and think, a job is a job, i'll apply for that it looks okay" because you need the money? Or do you have a really strong desire to work here because it's right for you?"

I felt like saying "No, I've a long held obsession with this company. I'm surprised you haven't seen me before. I'm often seen lurking outside in a car with a muddied number plate, staring longingly into the building through my russian army binoculars, writing notes in a notebook about the place. I often call reception, and heavy breathe down the phone. I eat all my meals in the canteen and I ordered my own uniform that i make my husband wear in the bedroom. It really does it for me. You should see my house- it's a shrine to this company, i've got stickers, mugs, in fact i keep a scrapbook where i save cuttings of your appearances in the business section of the echo. It's the highlight of my life being here today! How could you say that i'm only here today because I want a job! this company is my life! Did you not see the note on my application where I said I'd work for free?"



On a similar corporateophile note, my 17 year old brother went for an interview stacking shelves at a well known supermarket. He was shown a tin of beans and asked "What does this tin of beans really mean to you?"