Why should we hire you?

TELL me a story of your unforgettable interview question.

Let me share mine. It was my first job. During the hiring process, the boss asked several academic types of questions. Then it quickly shifted to, “Do you drink? Yes. Do you smoke? I've tried. Do you smoke pot?” WTH?! Then the interviewer laughed. At the back of my mind, am I in the right company?

It was an out-of-the-blue question. The interviewer wanted to check my composure and how I would react to sudden jolts. Good thing I kept calm and never showed any shocked expression.

A piece of advice, always be prepared for out-of-the-box questions. You might be too focused on the high-brow type or highly intellectual. The fact that you passed the initial review, you are almost in. During the interview, they want to know the person behind the curriculum vitae.

If they ask about your grades, it would not be grade per se. They are interested in what happened when you had low or high marks. Your stories reveal a lot about your character.

My friend, Zee, and I were discussing unique interview questions one early morning at the gym more than 14 summers ago. “How do you eat your pancakes?” She asked. That caught me. I asked why. She replied that personalities or characters are revealed by how you cut or eat your pancakes.

I made observations and found out she has a point there. Some make tiny holes using a fork before slathering the pancake with butter and then pouring on syrup. I also observed one who slices the pancake to make small squares. And there are still more ways, and each corresponds to different personalities or characters.

I read that odd interview questions are not random. These are prepared to evaluate your analytical skills. Your answer or how you replied reflects how quick your thought processes are.

These are also behavioral questions. There are no right or wrong answers. It’s how you handle it.

If you were asked, “How many windows are in Cagayan de Oro?” An answer can be logical or creative. Either which, it would reveal how quickly your mind can come up with an idea. Reminds me of one Ms. Universe contestant’s witty reply, “Low tide or high tide?” When asked how many islands there are in the Philippines.

So the next time you encounter strange questions, quickly process your thoughts before saying them out loud. It might just be the make-or-break question.

As for the interviewer, be prepared. Some applicants go overboard and act like they are calling the shots. Well, you hold all the cards. Be Miranda Priestly and say, “Please bore someone else with your questions,” or “That’s all?”