How to respond to Interview Questions that catch you off guard

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Tom Chaplin, One of Thousands of Health and Fitness Coaches on Noomii.

Congratulations! You’ve done your homework, thoroughly researched the company where you have an interview scheduled, familiarized yourself with the interview team and feel confident you have a solid understanding of the opportunity. Therefore, there’s no doubt in your mind you’re well prepared to deliver a winning performance. You’re even ready to skillfully discuss salary should the topic come up. The only thing left to do is to dress to impress, right? Not necessarily. Here’s why.
Feeling confident and ready for the interview is important but it’s equally important be prepared for the unexpected. Have a plan for responding to completely random questions that have no apparent connection to anything job related. Think Ronald Reagan who was known as the great communicator. Even he found it challenging from over prepping for a presidential debate. The prep team pumped so much information into his head that his mind was saturated with facts and data. He wasn’t prepared for the unexpected twists and turns. Too much emphasis on the left brain made it tough to access his creative intelligence on the right side. What the audience witnessed was a great deal of fumbling with words that made him appear incompetent.
A client came to me after maxing out on rejection. He had just completed a series of five interviews with the same company before receiving the bad news. By the 5th interview, he was more than convinced he was only being invited back as a formality for the sole purpose of receiving an offer. After all, he was sure he had wowed them during the first four interviews. He may very well have been on track for an offer, however, the Director had a few questions of his own. One of the questions was what type of animal would you be and why. This client was completely blown away by this seemingly unnecessary question. Instead of an offer, he’d been thrown a curve ball and could only sit there like a deer caught in the headlights. Since the job required a great deal of interaction with customers, he missed a perfect opportunity to demonstrate his true value and resell the company on his interpersonal skills.
At first, you might agree this question is silly. What does the interviewer learn from asking what type of animal, fish or plant someone wants to be? It actually tells the company quite a bit about your work ethic, attitude, how your mind works and how you handle the unexpected. Do silly questions annoy you or do you have fun with them? Whatever you do, don’t dismiss this question as a meaningless inconvenience. It’s simply another opportunity, and an excellent one at that, to resell the company on your capabilities.
Also, there is there is no wrong answer. When tossed a random question, take a minute to collect your thoughts if necessary before you deliver your response. View the animal, tree, plant, fish or object as a metaphor. The metaphor gives the interviewer a snapshot of who you are, but from a different perspective. It’s what the metaphor means to you that’s so revealing.
This is where a little creativity is needed. Describe how your metaphor relates to this opportunity. How does your metaphor demonstrate your work ethic, value and strengths? This is your moment to step up to the plate and knock the ball out of the park. It’s your metaphor to create however you choose. So have fun, be imaginative and creative. Here are a few possible responses:
I would choose to be a Weeping Willow because when a storm hits, I always roll with the punches. I do whatever it takes to support those around me. I always rise to the occasion and then quickly return to business as usual when the storm blows over. People I work with tell me I’m the one they know they can always count on when a crisis hits.
I choose to be an Eagle. I soar high in the sky, keeping my eye on everything below. I immediately recognize when the smallest item is out of place. People call me the efficiency expert. That’s true because I’m very well organized and detail oriented. Like the Eagle, I swoop down and nip problems in the bud before they have a chance to manifest.
In both examples, you’ve demonstrated your impeccable work ethic along with your value. Be ready to support your metaphors with one or two success stories. Give examples of times when you swooped down and saved the day or when you rose to the occasion during a rough patch.
Unless you’re ready to be thrown a curve, you’ll likely feel like you’ve struck out. There are many websites that list potential interview questions. A quick search of the internet will provide you with endless lists of questions to help you prepare.