Why interviewers ask those crazy, weird interview questions

Last week, I spoke on a Career Coaching Panel at Saddleback Church and was asked why employers ask those crazy, weird questions that seem to have nothing to do with the job requirements. If you have ever been asked one of these questions, it definitely makes you wonder what in the world they are thinking. Here are my top 15 reasons why employers ask these types of questions.

1. The interviewer wants to understand how you deal with a situation that is unclear and ambiguous.
2. The interviewer wants to understand how you think and how you utilize problem solving skills.
3. The interviewer is assessing your Emotional Intelligence skills like creativity, leadership and teamwork.
4. The interviewer wants to understand how you make decisions and gain insight into your inner world.
5. The interviewer wants to understand your communication skills including your ability to ask for clarification, insightful questions that you may ask and the ability to convey information despite being in a stressful situation.
6. The interviewer wants to see if you pay attention to details and your surroundings.
7. The interviewer wants to see if you attempt to answer the question, get easily frustrated or give up easily.
8. The interviewer wants to see how informed you are and if you prepared for possible curve ball question.
9. The interviewer wants to check your level of honesty and ethical behavior.
10. The company wants to have a reputation for asking oddball questions so that the perception is that only the top candidates get in.

Watch this funny video and see the candidate squirm because the interviewer knows that he is not totally being honest.

11. The interviewer does not know how to properly interview candidates.
12. The interviewer has never figured out the question themselves and is in search of the answer.
13. The interview wants to engage in intellectual debate.
14. The interviewer has a hidden agenda.
15. The interviewer has a twisted sense of humor and just wants to see you squirm.

Part 2 – Watch for the next post… The crazy, weird questions companies ask