Are you Prepared for Tricky Job Interview Questions?

With competition hot for open positions, job seekers are under pressure to have flawless interview skills. Sometimes, that pressure can cause candidates to make unusual and unfavorable interview mistakes.

"How do you weigh an elephant without using a scale?" "How many ridges are there around a quarter?" Companies can ask job candidates some very odd and revealing questions. The unconventional queries are designed to force job applicants to think outside the box and give potential employers a sense of their logic and mathematics skills.

An industry survey of more than 2,700 hiring managers reveals the outrageous and common mistakes that some candidates have made in job interviews. When asked about the most unusual blunders they'd encountered while interviewing candidates, hiring managers reported the following examples:

• Candidate wore a business suit with flip flops.
• Candidate asked if the interviewer wanted to meet for a drink after.
• Candidate had applied for an accounting job, yet said he was "bad at managing money."
• Candidate ate food in the employee break room after the interview.
• Candidate recited poetry.
• Candidate applying for a customer service job said "I don't really like working with people."
• Candidate had to go immediately to get his dog that had gotten loose in the parking lot.
• Candidate looked at the ceiling during the entire interview.
• Candidate used Dungeons and Dragons as an example of teamwork.
• Candidate filed fingernails.

Employers also shared the most common mistakes candidates made during an interview:

• Dressing inappropriately – 57 percent
• Appearing disinterested – 55 percent
• Speaking negatively about a current or previous employer – 52 percent
• Appearing arrogant – 51 percent
• Answering a cell phone or texting during the interview – 46 percent
• Not providing specific answers – 34 percent
• Not asking good questions – 34 percent.

Even though the job search process can be frustrating, candidates should stay positive, focus on their strengths and be prepared on how to best sell their skill set. Consider the following tips for successful interviews in a competitive job market:

Stay positive: - Many job seekers may be experiencing tougher than usual job searches in this economy. Even if your job search process has been frustrating, do what you can to remain positive. Also, no matter how tempting it is, don't say negative things about a previous employer, regardless of how the job ended – hiring managers may fear that you will say the same things about their organization.

Keep it professional, not personal: - Don't let business decorum disappear even in the interview is in a casual setting. Refrain from discussing over-the-top personal issues and focus on the position and selling yourself.

Research, research, research: - When you walk into an interview knowledgeable about the company, the role and recent news in that industry, you show the hiring manager you value their time and that you want to be part of the organization. A simple online search can provide you with the background information about a company that you need to stand out.

Practice makes perfect: - Nerves are likely to rear their head in an interview, so help calm them ahead of time by practicing. Go through common interview questions with a friend or family member and practice in front of mirror so you can see read your body language.

Honesty is the best policy: - If questions come up that you don't know how to answer, don't lie or pretend you know. Admit that you may not know the answer, but then explain how you would go about finding a solution, proving your resourcefulness.

100 Job Interview Questions

1. Can you tell me about yourself?
2. Why should I hire you?
3. What are your greatest strengths, and what are your weaknesses?
4. What are your goals, what will it take to attain them, and what steps have you taken toward them?
5. Do you have relevant experience for this position?
6. Tell me about the best boss you have ever had. Why?
7. How do you handle confrontations with your peers or boss?
8. How do you perform under deadline pressure? Give me an example.
9. If we call your boss, what will he/she say about you, and what will co-workers say about you?
10. Describe a conflict or disagreement at work in which you were involved. How was it resolved?
11. What is your most significant contribution to your last (or current) employer?
12. Have you ever hired employees, and if so, have they lived up to your expectations?
13. Did you ever fire anyone? If so, what were the reasons, and how did you handle it?
14. When are you available to accept a new position?
15. How much money do you want to make?
16. Your resume shows a gap in work history; what happened?
17. How much do you know about our company, and why are you hoping to work here instead of for one of our competitors?
18. What features did you like most in your current or last position? Least?
19. Are you a team player? Will you fit into the corporate hierarchy or be like sand in the gears?
20. You have solid technical skills; how are your soft skills?
21. Can you tell me about a time in your job where you provided successful leadership or a sense of direction?
22. Can you tell me about a failure in your job and how you overcame it?
23. Can you tell me about the worst boss you ever had? Why?
24. Can you describe a crisis in your life or job and how you responded to or recovered from it?
25. Where do you see yourself in five years?
26. What performance problems have you encountered in people reporting to you, and how did you motivate them to improve?
27. How do you tell your boss you will miss your delivery?
28. Where would you go if you could choose any company to work for?
29. You have a team member who is not meeting his or her commitments. What do you do?
30. How do you handle rejection?
31. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?
32. Can you tell me about a time in your career or job when you had to overcome stress?
33. Can you tell me about an event during your career that caused you to change direction and how that worked out for you?
34. Would you be willing to take a salary cut?
35. Would you describe a few situations in which your work was criticized?
36. If I spoke with your previous boss, what would he or she say are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
37. How long will you stay with our company if hired?
38. Have you thought of leaving your present position before? If yes, what do you think held you there?
39. How would you describe your personality?
40. Why are you leaving your present position?
41. Describe what would be an ideal working environment.
42. How would you evaluate your present company or firm?
43. How would you evaluate your present boss?
44. Do you prefer working with figures or with words?
45. Why do you want to become a supervisor?
46. What kinds of people do you find challenging to work with?
47. What is the most money you ever accounted for? Largest budget responsibility?
48. Can you give examples of your leadership abilities?
49. How has your college experience prepared you for a business career?
50. Do you have the qualifications and personal characteristics necessary for success in your chosen career?
51. What quality or attribute will most contribute to your career success?
52. What were your reasons for selecting your college or university?
53. How will the academic program and coursework you've taken benefit your career?
54. Which college classes or subjects did you like best? Why?
55. Do you think that your grades are an indication of your academic achievement?
56. What plans do you have for continued study? An advanced degree?
57. Before you can contribute to the company, what degree of training do you feel you will require?
58. Can you describe the characteristics of a successful manager?
59. Do you have a geographic preference?
60. Why do you think you might like to live in the community in which our company is located?
61. To what extent would you be willing to travel for the job, and would it be a problem for you to relocate?
62. How has college changed you as a person?
63. What, in your opinion, are the key ingredients in guiding and maintaining successful business relationships?
64. Can you describe a situation in which you used persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way?
65. Can you describe an instance when you had to think on your feet to extricate yourself from a difficult situation?
66. Can you give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem?
67. By providing examples, can you convince me that you can adapt to various people, situations, and environments?
68. Can you describe when you faced problems or stresses that tested your coping skills?
69. Can you give an example of a time in which you had to be relatively quick to decide?
70. Can you describe a time when you had to use your written communication skills to get an important point across?
71. Can you give me a specific occasion in which you conformed to a policy with which you did not agree?
72. Can you give me an example of an important goal you had set in the past and tell me about your success in reaching it?
73. Can you describe the most significant or creative presentation that you have had to complete?
74. Can you tell me when you went above and beyond the call of duty to get a job done?
75. Can you give an example of a time when you successfully communicated with another person even when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa)?
76. Can you give an example of how you applied knowledge from previous coursework to a project in another class?
77. Can you describe a situation where others you were working with on a project disagreed with your ideas? What did you do?
78. Describe a situation where your results were not up to your professor's or supervisor's expectations. What happened? What action did you take?
79. Can you tell me of a time when you worked with a colleague who was not completing his or her share of the work? Who, if anyone, did you tell or talk to about it? Did the manager take any steps to correct your colleague? Did you agree or disagree with the manager's actions?
80. Can you describe a situation in which you had to arrive at a compromise or guide others to a compromise?
81. What steps do you follow to study a problem before deciding?
82. We can sometimes identify and fix a problem before it becomes a significant problem. Can you give an example(s) of how you have done this?
83. Recall a time from your work experience when your manager or supervisor was unavailable, and a problem arose. What was the nature of the problem? How did you handle that situation? How did that make you feel?
84. Recall a time when you were assigned what you considered to be a complex project. Specifically, what steps did you take to prepare for and finish the project? Were you happy with the outcome? What one step would you have taken differently if given the chance?
85. Tell of some situations in which you have had to adjust quickly to changes you had no control over. What was the impact of the change on you?
86. Can you compare the times when your work was above the standard with the times when your work was below the standard?
87. Describe times when you were unsatisfied or pleased with your performance. What did you do about it?
88. How have you differed from your professors in evaluating your performance? How did you handle the situation?
89. What kind of supervisor do you work best for? Provide examples.
90. Can you tell me of a time when your active listening skills paid off for you -- maybe a time when other people missed the key idea being expressed?
91. What has your experience in giving presentations? What has been your most successful experience in speech-making?
92. Can you tell me about the most difficult customer service experience you have ever had to handle—perhaps an angry or irate customer? Be specific and tell me what you did and what the outcome was.
93. Give an example of when you had to work with someone difficult to get along with. Why was this person difficult? How did you handle that person?
94. Describe a situation where you are dealing with someone who didn't like you. How did you handle it?
95. Can you give me a specific example of something you did that helped build enthusiasm in others?
96. Tell me about a difficult situation in which you should have maintained a positive attitude. What did you do?
97. Give me an example of when you had to make an important decision. How did you make the decision? How does it affect you today?
98. Give me an example of when you had to persuade other people to act. Were you successful?
99. Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult person. How did you handle the situation?
100. Tell me about a time when your trustworthiness was challenged. How did you react/respond?

Some Odd Questions

As noted above, companies may ask job candidates some odd and revealing questions. The unconventional queries are often designed to have job applicants to think outside the box and to give potential employers a sense of their logic and mathematics skills. Consider:

· How do you weigh an elephant without using a scale?

· You have 8 pennies, 7 weigh the same and one weighs less. Can you find the one that weighs less in less than 3 steps?

· Given the numbers 1 to 1000, what is the minimum numbers guesses needed to find a specific number if you are given the hint ‘higher’ or ‘lower’ for each guess you make?

There are three boxes, one contains only apples, one contains only oranges, and one contains both apples and oranges. The boxes have been incorrectly labeled. No label identifies the actual contents of the box it labels. Opening just one box, and without looking in the box · take out one piece of fruit. By looking at the fruit, how can you immediately label all of the boxes correctly?

· If you had 5,623 participants in a tournament, how many games would need to be played to determine the winner?

Many top technical companies boast high interview difficulty ratings, based on employees’ reviews. That being said, employees also report being very satisfied working for a company despite the more difficult interview process.

On the flip side of that equation, employees reporting an easier interview process have also shown a significant lack of satisfaction with their jobs.