Written by: Chane da Costa
We all know that feeling of excitement of being short-listed
and being called in for an interview. Following from my previous blog you have
prepared yourself adequately for the interview and ready to show your potential
employers you are the most suitable candidate for the position.
Most candidates only prepare for the most commonly asked
questions that have been used for centuries and often get thrown off completely
when the interviewers ask them questions they would never expect in an
interview. Interviewers do this to not only step away from the common boring
questions that have the perfect scripted answer but to understand how you think
and how well you can think on your feet.
The nature of the position may further determine why these
unusual questions are asked. There is never a wrong or right answer to these
questions; it is just another method to test how well you work under stress and
pressure.
How to handle these curve ball questions in interviews are
important to creating a positive impression. If the interviewer does throw the
ball in your court with a weird question it is important to stay cool calm and
collect, think about the question and answer it in the most tactful way that
you can. These questions often represent your character and personality or your
analytical and creative skills.
Curve ball questions
1.
If you were an animal what would you be?
2.
Provide me with five uses of a stapler, brick or
match stick.
3.
How many times in one day, do the clocks hands
overlap each other?
4.
If we shrunk you to the size of a pencil and put
you inside of a blender, how would you get out?
5.
If you were on an island and could only take
along 3 items, what would they be?
6.
If you were a box of cereal, what would you be
and why?
7.
If you could have any super power, what would
you like?
8.
A penguin walks through that door right now
wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?
9.
If you could wave a magic wand, what illness in
the world would you solve and why?
10.
You have five bottles of pills. One bottle has 9
gram pills, the others have 10 gram pills. You have a scale that can be used
only once. How can you find out which bottle contains the 9 gram pills?
11.
What do wood and alcohol have in common?
12.
What would you do if you woke up and found an
elephant in your backyard?
13.
What did you play with as a child?
14.
How would you market a telescope in 1750 when no
one knows about orbits, moons etc.
15.
Who has most influenced you in your life?
Psychometric Testing
Several companies are now using psychometric test to
determine if the candidate are the right fit for their company or not.
Psychometric tests identify the candidate’s aptitude, abilities and
personality.
The aim of psychometric tests is to gain an accurate
understanding of the candidate's cognitive abilities and
personality/behavioural style.
A candidate cannot prepare for a psychometric test as there
is no right or wrong answer to the psychometrics, they only determine if your
personality is a fit for the position you would like to fill. There are two
main types of different psychometric tests, personality test and
Aptitude/Ability test.
Personality Test
Personality tests require no preparation and the candidate
to be answer the questions as honestly as possible. Within an occupational
context it determines the candidate’s normal behavioural tendencies and
preferences. These test are often crucial is managerial or sales positions to
determine whether the candidate does have leadership or sales qualities.
As there is no wrong or right answer in personality
psychometric testing, a company will only use the results to determine if you
are a perfect fit for the position. The only time a psychometric test will
become a decision making tool is when they cannot decide between two candidates
for the same position.
Aptitude/Ability Test
Candidates can prepare for aptitude test as these determine
the candidates numerical and spatial reasoning. Depending on the aptitude test
there are right answers. These tests provide key insights into communication,
decision making, and calculated cause and effect scenarios that candidates make
in work place. It also determines whether or not the candidate has the skills
to fulfil the available position at hand and areas on which the candidate
should improve on.
There are four types of Aptitude tests that assist employers
in assessing a candidates reasoning and cognitive abilities:
-
Verbal Test
-
Numerical Test
-
Spatial Test
-
Job Specific Test
Below are links to several site that provide mock
psychometric testing that candidates can practise on if they know they are
required to complete a psychometric test.
Preparing curveball questions before going to an interview increase the chances of success.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to say thanks to you for those wonderful tips and hints you are showing on this site.
ReplyDeletePsychometric Personality Test