In a job interview, expect the unexpected

"Unusual questions are becoming more popular with interviewers", says Lynne Sarikas, director of the MBA Career Center at Northeastern University's business school. "While we've all heard stories of the Microsoft interview questions (why is a manhole cover round? etc.), more employers are using non-standard questions in their interviews."

Here are some thoughts from Sarikas:

- While not everyone answers it well, everyone should be prepared to answer the "tell me about yourself" and "what are your strengths and weaknesses" questions.

- Interviewers will use unusual questions to assess how well you think on your feet. While most of these questions do not have right and wrong answers, they demonstrate quick thinking, poise, creativity and even a sense of humor.

- There is no way to be prepared for "off the wall" questions, so the interviewer observes how well you respond and compose your thoughts.

- You are not likely to the get the right answer to many unusual questions since you don't have all the data necessary, but the interviewer will want to see how you think about it.

Here are just a few actual tough/unusual interview questions:

- If you could be any character in fiction, who would you be?

- If you could be a super hero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

- If you had only six months left to live, what would you do with the time?

- If you were a type of food, what type of food would it be and why?

"It's not about the answer! The interviewer cares much more about how you arrive at whatever answer you get than what that answer is," says Leo Notenboom, author of "10 Quick Steps To Interviewing For Tech Jobs." "Are you thinking logically? Is there method or madness to the solutions you consider, accept and discard? Are you even willing to entertain such an absurd question?" adds Notenboom.

Regardless of the strangeness of some interview questions, Sarikas says, "Always end an interview by reaffirming your interest in the position and restating why you believe you are uniquely qualified for the position."

Do you know why manhole covers are round? Send me your ideas and although I won't hire you, I will respond to your thoughts.

(Marvin Walberg is a job search coach. Contact him at mwalberg(at)bellsouth.net, marvinwalberg.blogspot.com, or PO Box 43056, Birmingham, AL 35243.)