Oddball questions by Hong Kong interviewers
Interviewing is a two-way process for both employers and candidates to understand whether they are a good fit for one another. Unfortunately, the two-way communication process will break down when one asks the wrong questions.
There are for instance interviewers who keep asking inappropriate questions, leaving their interviewees dumbfounded and offended. On the other hand, incompetent candidates can ask stupid questions that ruin any chance of them getting hired.
In this video posted on Job Market Facebook, local candidates shared their weird encounters with interviewers.
https://www.facebook.com/jobmarket.com.hk/videos/1458104097600581/
Question: What is the colour of the office’s floor? If you were to decide the colour of the floor, what materials and colour would you choose?
This one only makes sense for candidates interviewing for jobs related to interior design. Or perhaps the boss wants to test if the candidate pays attention to detail.
Question: How would you promote a plate of half eaten char siu rice served with cuttlefish dye?
Similar to asking a Topdeck Travel trip leader job candidate “If you were a fruit, what kind would you be and why?”, the employer is not looking for a perfect answer. Rather, he is trying to pick out candidates who are able to think on their feet and have a open mind.
Question: Do you enjoy video games?
This is a polite way of asking “Are you a geek?”. Seemingly, some employers still feel that a grown-man reading comic books and playing with figurines is unacceptable.
Question: Why are you not wearing make-up to a job interview?
Apart from it being an inappropriate question targeted at candidate’s appearance, this question can really hurt. In this case, the truth is that the candidate has already put on make-up.
This article was first published in Human Resources and is reproduced with permission. Original article can be found at http://www.humanresourcesonline.net/oddball-questions-by-hong-kong-interviewers/