We’ve helped hundreds (in fact, probably thousands) of graduates get ready for interviews for admin jobs in Cheltenham and other roles over the years here at i2i Recruitment!
However, no matter how much you practice for the day or do your research on a company, there are some curveball questions interviewers may ask to test you – and for a number of reasons!
Read on to discover just a handful of the strangest interview questions our graduate candidates have been asked – and how they answered them successfully – so that you can be as prepared as possible for your next interview…
5 weird graduate interview questions (and how our candidates answered them successfully):
1. “Here’s a ruler. In 30 seconds, list as many uses of a ruler as you can.”
“This question was thrown at me almost totally out of the blue!” our candidate told us when we called to catch up with them after the interview.
“After being asked more typical interview questions like what work experience I completed during my time at uni and where I saw myself in five years, I was kind of caught off guard.
“But I just did what my recruitment consultant at i2i told me to do – take a deep breath and think about the question rather than rushing in to answer. Before I knew it, I was reeling off use after use for a ruler – from the obvious ‘measuring’ and ‘drawing straight lines’ to ‘a percussion instrument’ and ‘reaching something that had fallen behind a chest of drawers’!
“Three years later, I’m still working at the company and absolutely loving it!”
Ultimately, this question is just one example that is asked to test your creativity. It also demonstrates your problem-solving ability, as it shows you can think about things from multiple perspectives!
So, the best way to answer this question is to think as far outside the box as possible – but try to link it back to the role you’re applying for where you can.
2. “Which superhero do you relate to the most?”
This is a question that graduates applying for admin jobs in Cheltenham are often asked, as it’s a way for interviewers to understand your personality and traits without asking directly – something that a lot of interviewees find very uncomfortable!
“Thankfully, I’ve seen enough Marvel and DC movies to answer this one with confidence,” one of our previous candidates who was asked this question told our recruitment consultants.
“My answer was Captain America, because of my strong sense of justice and loyalty, and my hard-working and caring nature,” they added. “The panel must have liked the sound of that, because they offered me the job the very next day!”
To successfully answer this question, pick out your most positive traits that relate back to the requirements listed on the job description, and link them to a famous superhero (here’s a handy list of superheroes in case you’re ever asked the question!).
Can’t think of a superhero in particular? Tell them about the kind of superhero you think you would be!
If, on the off chance the interviewer picks out a negative trait of your chosen character (for example, Spiderman’s lack of self-belief or Hulk’s tendency to match his reaction to the size of a problem), explain honestly how you are the opposite to the character in this regard.
Or, if you do relate, how you have taken steps to improve upon this trait. Turning a negative into a (truthful) positive is always desirable in an interview situation!
3. “The title of the story is ‘The Man in the Blue Hat.’ In two minutes, tell me the best story you can relating to this title.”
This is another example of a (very out-of-the-box) creative interview question. However, it also goes deeper than that by testing how well you can keep your audience engaged, and your ability to manage your time and work under pressure. So, it’s not an easy one – but, as one of our previous candidates shared, it’s not impossible!
“I was already very nervous – this was an absolute dream job that i2i helped me to apply for, so I really didn’t want to mess it up – then the panel asked me this!”
“The story I told about the man in the blue hat made absolutely no sense. But I think what the panel liked was that I told it with such enthusiasm, and gave it a good structure. And I managed to wrap it up in time, which was a bonus!”
4. “Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 of how weird you are, and tell us why.”
This question is all about the interviewer wanting to assess your cultural fit for their company.
After all, you might be the perfect candidate for the role they have on offer based on your skills and experience, but if the interviewer doesn’t feel you’ll fit into their company’s culture, it may not work out for either party.
“I was just honest, really,” one of our past candidates told us when we asked how they’d answered this question. “Not just because honesty is the best policy, but because I wanted to figure out whether where I was applying to work really was the best place for me; and give the interviewer a chance to decide whether I would fit in with the people already working there, too”
“I said ‘six’… weird enough to be interesting, join in with office banter and be willing to try new things, but not so weird that I’d freak everyone out. Apparently that was the right answer, because I got the job and still work there now – in a more senior role – and get on with everyone so well!”
5. “If you could invite three people to a dinner party, dead or alive, who would they be and why?”
This question is a popular (though certainly still strange) one asked by interviewers so that they can understand your values and views, determine if you have a good range of interests and find what topics interest you, and what that consequently reveals about you.
After all, having the right skills and experience for the job is great – but interviewers want well-rounded individuals in their office, too!
Again, it’s advisable to relate this back to the job where you can.
One of our previous candidates answered with Queen Elizabeth I, Steve Irwin, and Judi Dench:
“Queen Elizabeth I, because she was an incredible female leader and I’d love to know some of her leadership techniques so that I can work on mine even more.
“Steve Irwin, because of his compassion for animals (I.e., those more vulnerable than himself) and the environment (which I care hugely about).
“And Judi Dench – firstly, because I love taking part in amateur dramatics and she’s a real inspiration, and secondly, because she knows how to hold an audience, and I’d love to chat to her so I can learn to do the same.”
“I also think they’d make a rather interesting combination at the dinner table – and so, it seems, did the panel of interviewers!”
As you can see, whatever strange questions a panel throws at you during your graduate interview, there’s always an answer you can give that’ll see you through!
Just remember; there is a purpose to every question, no matter how odd it may seem, so try and have a think about the reasons it’s being asked first. Then, take a deep breath, and respond as confidently as you can in a way that links back to the job you’re interviewing for.
We’ve shared a bunch of other out-of-the-box interviews questions in our advice column, but we’d love to extend our helping hand to you even further by supporting you throughout your graduate job search!
As we mentioned, we’ve helped so many graduates who are registered with us to find their perfect role; from admin jobs in Cheltenham to sales jobs in Gloucestershire and beyond!
To start the journey towards your perfect career with us, simply register today…
