How to deal with strange interview questions: expecting the unexpected

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Interviews – whether for university or a job – can be strange things, really. Everything can appear to be going swimmingly well, you're all really getting on with each other and then somebody asks you a question that's either bizarre, hostile or just plain, well, weird.

How do you deal with these curveballs and why on earth do they have to happen?

Well, if you think about it, throwing in a weird question can be quite a clever move by the interviewer. It's their job to determine the character of the winning candidate and one way to do this is by seeing what you are like under pressure, or how you cope when things aren't going your way.

Now, given that they may only have, say, an hour to gauge how you cope in strange or demanding situations, then an odd question is often a good move by them.

But how can you cope so you don't look silly? Here's some handy hints...

Walk on the outside, even if you're running on the inside

Whatever comes out of your mouth, calmness is always the key. Remember that very often the interviewer is looking for your reaction to strange territory, rather than what you actually say.

So, it's important not to be flustered and fidgety and to show that you like to think things through before rushing to an opinion. Show them that you're not frightened to take a breath and gather your thoughts in a controlled manner.

Always try to be positive

If an interviewer says  “Okay, what are you not good at?”, it's important to try and turn the question round to your advantage.

Think of a specific moment in your university life where you have struggled with a particular task. But, instead of dwelling on it, explain how you overcame the problems and what you learnt from it. This will leave them with a positive impression when they talk about you afterwards. 

Understand what they are really asking

As strange as it may seem, you can actually predict weird interview questions, if you can get into the mindset of the person interviewing you. Look into the skills and attitude required of the job in hand. Prepare for it as you would prepare yourself for the worst possible exam question that could crop up on that dreaded exam paper.

If you turn up with no clear picture of what sort of person they need, then your mind will be a blank if they probe deeper into what you are about.

Don't be frightened to say "I don't know."

When people deliberately ask you something unusual, the temptation is always to answer, even if you don't know what you are saying.

This can be a mistake, when a clever response is to buy the time to consider your answer. By saying "I don't know", or even better, "can I get back to you?" also gives you the opportunity to maintain contact after the interview and to develop a considered answer.

Above all, always try and be ready for the wild card. It may never come, but being ready will always keep you on your toes! 

What to do if it all doesn’t go to plan…

If your job interview doesn’t go as well as you’d hoped, don’t panic. There are plenty of ways to look for graduate jobs suitable for you. Whether you’re looking for a new and exciting job locally, or even looking to start a new career in a new location, searching on local jobs boards is the easiest way to do so.

Searching by location – for example, ‘jobs in Sheffield’ – allows you to find a comprehensive list of the many different jobs available within your area, which can all be refined by keyword and position-type. There are plenty more job-fish in the sea, after all!

This article was written by Ella Mason, an experienced careers writer. Ella specialises in providing jobs advice for individuals.