Some Interview Questions are Just Dumb!

As a job seeker, it's important that you spend time improving your interviewing skills before you meet with a hiring manager. Unfortunately, some managers don't make the same effort, so they ask interview questions that have very little value when it comes to determining the best candidate for a job. If you are stuck answering one of these interview questions, providing creative answers can help you land the job of your dreams.

One of the most common interview questions is "What do you plan to be doing five years from now?" You don't want the hiring manager to think you are too aggressive, but you also don't want to create the impression that you don't have enough ambition. A good way to answer this question is to provide details about the skills you want to use as your career progresses. Talk about your future in the industry with as much passion as possible. Don't tell the interviewer you want to reach specific job title five years from now or you might raise concerns about your desire to accept an entry-level or mid-level position.

"What are your weaknesses?" is another example of a bad interview question. If you're honest about your weaknesses as an employee, you give the hiring manager several reasons not to hire you. If you say you can't think of any weaknesses, the interviewer might get the impression that you don't accept responsibility for your professional mistakes. The best way to handle this question is to state a weakness, and convince the hiring manager it is actually a strength.

Hiring managers should not ask interview questions related to your personal life, but some managers don't follow this unspoken rule. One of the worst interview questions is "Do you plan to have any children?" Most interviewers know better, but a few aren't aware that this type of question is inappropriate. The best way to answer is to explain that you are currently focused on building your career. You don't have to provide any details on your plans to start a family.

Some interviewers try to be clever by asking things like, "If you were given the opportunity to trade lives with a fictional character, which character would you pick? Why?" Answer this type of question by framing your occupational skills in an unusual way. You might say that you'd like to trade places with Mowgli from "The Jungle Book" because he was raised by wild animals but learned to live in harmony with other humans. This creates an opportunity to talk about your communication skills or your ability to work with colleagues from varied backgrounds.

As you work on improving your interviewing skills, make sure you practice answering unusual questions, as well as the more traditional questions posed by hiring managers. If an interviewer seems to be asking a lot of odd interview questions, do your best to keep the focus on your work experience and job-related skills.

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