Weird Job Interview Questions: 12 Smart Answers

Job interviews can be nerve-wracking, but when an interviewer hits you with a truly bizarre question, the pressure intensifies. These weird job interview questions aren’t designed to have a single correct answer. Instead, they test your problem-solving skills, creativity, composure under pressure, and cultural fit. Employers use them to see how you think on your feet, reveal your personality, and handle the unexpected.

This article breaks down common oddball questions, explains their purpose, and provides sample answers to help you prepare. Whether it’s measuring a building’s height or describing yellow to a blind person, you’ll learn strategies to shine.

Why Do Interviewers Ask Weird Questions?

Traditional questions like “What are your strengths?” only reveal so much. Weird ones cut deeper. They assess:

• Critical thinking: Can you break down problems logically?
• Creativity: Do you think outside the box?
• Personality: Are you fun, resilient, or a good cultural fit?
• Stress management: Do you panic or stay calm?

According to Glassdoor data, these questions are rising in popularity. A 2015 analysis listed top oddballs, and they persist today. Companies like Google, Airbnb, and Trader Joe’s use them to differentiate candidates.

Question 1: “How would you measure the height of a building using only a barometer?”

This classic, often attributed to physics Nobel laureate Niels Bohr, stumps many. It’s not about physics—it’s about creative problem-solving. Interviewers want to see if you get stuck on the barometer or pivot to alternatives.

How to answer:

• Start with the obvious: Drop the barometer from the top and time the fall (but note safety issues).
• Get creative: Lower it on a string to measure length; mark shadows with the barometer as a stick; trade it to the building superintendent for the height; climb and count steps while tapping rhythmically.

Sample response: “I’d find the superintendent and offer the barometer for the height info—barometers make great gifts! Or, practically, tie it to a string and lower it from the roof.” This shows flexibility and humor.

Question 2: “You’re in a blender. How do you escape?”

Asked by Apple, this tests pure imagination. No literal escape—it’s about wild thinking.

Purpose: Gauge creativity and comfort with absurdity.

Sample answers:

• Become the blender’s best friend and convince it to spit you out.
• Shrink like Ant-Man or use telekinesis (humorously referencing pop culture).
• Realistically: Prevent reaching the blades by staying in the center.

Key: Stay positive, laugh, and brainstorm aloud.

Question 3: “What do you think of garden gnomes?”

Trader Joe’s asks this to check humor and cultural fit. Their quirky vibe (Hawaiian shirts!) demands fun employees.

How to answer: Be light-hearted. “I love them! They’re whimsical guardians of the garden, warding off pests with their stares. Perfect for a Trader Joe’s vibe.” Avoid negativity—it signals poor fit.

Question 4: “What would you do if you were the one survivor in a plane crash?”

Asked by Airbnb for trust and safety roles. Tests prioritization, resourcefulness, and ethics.

• Steps to answer: Assess injuries, signal for help (fire, SOS), ration supplies, seek shelter.

Sample: “First, treat wounds and inventory wreckage. Build a signal fire, stay put unless rescue is near. Use plane metal for shelter.” Shows logical thinking.

Question 5: “Who would win in a fight: Spiderman or Batman?”

Stanford’s question for medical simulationists. Asks for analysis, not fandom.

Strategy: Ask clarifying questions: Location? Prep time? Gear?

“Batman wins with prep—gadgets counter webs. But rooftop favors Spiderman’s agility.” Demonstrates situational assessment.

Question 6: “If you had a machine that produced $100 for life, what would you pay today?”

Aksia’s analyst question. Tests valuation and risk assessment.

Ask: Lifetime? Risks? Uniqueness?

Sample: “Using net present value, assuming 3% discount and 50 years, around $20,000-$30,000, factoring theft risk.” Reveals math skills.

Question 7: “What did you have for breakfast?”

Banana Republic sales role. Gauges energy and relatability.

Answer enthusiastically: “Oatmeal with berries—fuels my day! Yours?” Turns it conversational.

Question 8: “Describe the color yellow to somebody who’s blind.”

Spirit Airlines flight attendant query. Checks empathy and info-gathering.

Ask: Congenital or later blindness?

Sample: “Like warm sunlight on skin, the tang of lemon, or a bumblebee’s buzz—vibrant and cheerful.” Uses senses.

Question 9: “How many golf balls fit in a school bus?”

Common at Google, Meta. Estimates via Fermi method: Volume bus / volume ball.

Steps: Bus dimensions (10×2.5x2m=50m³), ball (40mm dia=~4×10^-5 m³), packing efficiency (0.74). ~1 million.

Walk through aloud—process matters.

Question 10: “Why are manhole covers round?”

Tests logic: Can’t fall in, rolls easily, uniform stress.

Sample: “Round covers won’t drop through the hole, unlike squares, and are easier to maneuver.” Even wrong paths show reasoning.

Question 11: “If you were a tree, what kind would you be?”

Reveals self-perception: Oak for strength, willow for adaptability.

“A redwood—resilient, towering, community-focused.” Ties to qualities.

Question 12: “Sell me this pencil.”

Tests persuasion. Focus benefits: Ergonomic, reliable, inspires ideas.

Demo: “Feel its balance—perfect for your next big idea!”.

Other Bizarre Examples

General Strategies for Any Weird Question

• Pause and clarify: Buy time. “Interesting! Any constraints?”
• Think aloud: Show process over answer.
• Be positive: Smile, engage.
• Tie to job: Relate to role skills.
• Practice: Rehearse with friends.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What if I don’t know the answer?

Talk through your reasoning. Interviewers value process.

Are these questions common?

Yes, especially tech/retail. Glassdoor tracks annually.

How to prepare?

Review Glassdoor reviews, practice aloud, stay calm.

Do they expect a ‘right’ answer?

Rarely—it’s about you, not trivia.

Final Tips to Ace Any Interview

Research the company, dress appropriately, follow up. Weird questions are icebreakers—use them to connect. With preparation, you’ll turn oddities into opportunities.

This article is general information, not personal financial advice. Consider your own situation, or speak with a licensed adviser, before acting on it.