25+ Fun Interview Questions + What They Reveal

Many common interview questions are almost guaranteed to come up in a job interview. But what happens when a hiring manager asks you what your "death row meal" would be or how many pennies would fit in a standard elevator?

What is even going on here? What are they trying to learn? 

Imagine feeling like you're in your comfort zone during an interview. Funny or strange questions are often meant to ease tension and create a relaxed atmosphere. Especially towards the top of an interview, these questions can help candidates feel more at ease and allow their authentic personalities to shine through.

These unusual interview questions might also come up in creative roles. Interviewers use these off-kilter questions in an attempt to gauge a candidate's creative thinking, logic, and ability to navigate unexpected situations.

These questions can unveil aspects of an individual's character—like their sense of humor, interpersonal skills, and emotional intelligence. While hard skills and experience are important, everyone knows it can be extremely difficult to work with someone who doesn't have a healthy mix of hard and soft people skills.

Ideally, fun interview questions transform the interview into a dynamic space where both interviewer and candidate can engage in a genuine exchange, fostering a more holistic understanding of the individual beyond their professional qualifications.

Let's have...a little fun, shall we?

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The Difference Between Funny + Weird and Inappropriate + Illegal Interview Questions

With good intentions, funny and interesting interview questions can give insight into the candidate's personality and uniqueness. However, it's extremely important for both an interviewer and interviewee to be able to differentiate illegal and inappropriate from "fun" questions. 

In researching this article, we headed over the real-life experts at Reddit. As users answered the prompt, "What's the weirdest interview question you've ever been asked?" an overwhelming number of questions shared ranged from inappropriate to disrespectful to downright illegal. 

Then, there were some fun and interesting interview questions, too. Some of these are brain teasers meant to test a candidate's logical thinking, while others are fun questions to learn more about the human interviewing for a job. 

Fun Interview Questions That Showcase a Candidate's Personality + Emotional Intelligence

The problem with the most common interview questions is that they're kind of stale. Many interview questions exist to allow a candidate to expand on their resume. 

While it's, of course, essential to dig into a candidate's experience and achievements, it's also important to know what kind of person they are. What do they like? What is their work style? How do they handle potential problems with coworkers? Do they seem to have strong problem-solving skills?

If you could have dinner with any three people, living or dead, who would they be and why?

This question can provide insights into the candidate's values and the qualities they admire in others.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why? 

This shows what a candidate values. It might illustrate things they struggle with—like looking into the future to make better decisions, being able to move in warp speed to get more done, or going invisible to spy on competitors.

If you found out a colleague was struggling with a personal issue, how would you offer support?

This question assesses the candidate's ability to respond empathetically to colleagues facing challenges.

What would your Real Housewives tagline be and why?

Okay, this one would be a funny interview question for me. A similar question could be, "What would the name of your memoir be and why?"

This can reveal how candidates see themselves, their sense of humor (because many Real Housewives taglines are real head-scratchers), and maybe their biggest strengths!

Tell me about the last time you had a really big laugh.

This question allows candidates to share what makes them laugh and where they derive happiness. 

If you could choose any charity for the company to support, which one would it be and why?

This question reveals their philanthropic interests and their inclination toward making a positive impact.

What's a small gesture someone did for you that made a big impact on your life?

This allows candidates to reflect on instances where they appreciated kindness, showcasing their ability to recognize and value empathy.

How do you ensure a positive work environment for your team, especially during challenging times? This question explores their approach to maintaining a supportive atmosphere within a team.

If you had unlimited resources, what project or initiative would you start to make the world a better place?

This question taps into their aspirations for contributing to the greater good.

Share a story about a time when you had to adapt your communication style to better connect with someone.

This assesses their adaptability and ability to tailor communication to different individuals.

If you could have a song play every time you entered a room, what would it be?

This question can show a sense of humor, self-reflection, and creativity. It can also help to open the conversation up to favorite bands, songs, and genres of music. 

Sell me this pen. 

This is a somewhat common "fun" interview prompt for salespeople and marketers. It shows creativity, humor, and relevant sales tactics.

More Fun Interview Questions 

The following interview questions are fun and innocent. They don't fall under the illegal interview question category, and they provide insight into a candidate's actual personality. 

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