Hiring will see some acceleration in 2013 and interviews can sometimes be tough nuts to crack. We fumble, stutter, we go blank and make mistakes. But are the mistakes and bloopers confined to the candidates only?
Forbes has compiled a set of the most ridiculous questions that have been asked at an interview. Sometimes these question are deliberate and just the result of light hearted curiosity. Or they can sometimes be passed off as plain "dumb". Some questions are also illegal!
Here is a list of few questions that have been rated most "dumb" by the talent management consultants of Development Dimensions International:
1. "Have you ever been to a disco?"
2. "Do you wish you were a famous person"
3. "Discuss the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall" (this question was asked for a job position in retail management!)
4. "Do you have a Bird?"
5. "How do you feel about Cats?"
6. "Do you whiten your teeth?"
The list also contained questions that are illegal and banned by the federal law. Here are the questions that fell foul by law:
1. "Are you expecting to get married or have children next year?"
2. "Are you a Muslim?"
3. "How do you get along with your Mother-in-law?"
4. "What would want to make you leave your husband?"
5. "Are you willing to put your job before your family?"
6. "Would you go out with me?"
If you have not already noticed, most of the questions in the "illegal" list are rather extremely personal. If you are asked such questions in an interview, you may politely decline to answer.
Some racist and discriminating questions have also made it to the "ridiculous" list:
1. "Are you gay?"
2. "Are you a racist?"
3. "Are you straight or bi?"
4. "Are you good at picking up women?"
5. "Many of our employees are catholic. Would you have trouble fitting in here?"
6. "What would you do if someone spat on you?"
However, the dumbest question that took away the prize was:
"Are you willing to add some toxicity to your life?"
Interviews can be a taxing experience. Sometimes these questions may be asked to lighten up a serious environment. However, interviews are a great way of evaluating the organization and its values.
The next time you attend an interview, brace yourselves for the best. Good luck!
© 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
