20+ Best & Unique Interview Questions to Ask Candidates

Crafting unique interview questions and knowing the right things to ask in an interview can make or break your ability to identify top talent in the hiring process. While resumes and qualifications offer insight into a candidate’s professional background, the right mix of unique, casual, and creative interview questions can reveal their true potential, personality, and problem-solving skills. 

This article explores the art of asking great interview questions, helping you uncover the best remote talent or in-office fit for your team.

5 Most Common Job Interview Questions

Common job interview questions form the foundation of every hiring conversation. These questions focus on understanding a candidate’s skills, experience, and motivations. Though essential for establishing a baseline, they often don’t go deep enough to reveal a candidate’s personality or problem-solving abilities. 

Here are five examples of common job interview questions:

1. Can you tell me about yourself? This classic question allows candidates to highlight their professional journey, achievements, and key strengths.
2. Why are you interested in this position? This helps you understand their motivations and alignment with your company’s mission and values.
3. What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses? This question gauges self-awareness and how candidates approach personal development.
4. Can you describe a challenging situation at work and how you handled it? This reveals problem-solving skills, resilience, and how they perform under pressure.
5. Where do you see yourself in five years? This question provides insight into their career aspirations and long-term compatibility with your organization.

10 Casual Interview Questions to Ask Candidates

Casual interview questions are ideal for creating a relaxed and comfortable interview environment. They break the ice, encourage authentic responses, and reveal insights into a candidate’s interpersonal skills. These questions encourage candidates to open up and give you a sense of who they are outside their professional skills. 

Here are 10 casual interview questions that can help you achieve this:

1. What’s your go-to way to unwind after a busy workday? This helps you understand how they manage stress and their work-life balance.
2. If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be, and why? This reveals their curiosity and interests beyond the workplace.
3. What’s something you’re passionate about outside of work? This gives insight into their personal values and interests, helping you assess cultural fit.
4. If you could have any superpower, what would it be, and how would you use it? A lighthearted question that allows you to see their creativity and imagination.
5. What’s your favorite book or movie, and why? This helps reveal their tastes, values, and their approach to problem-solving or creativity.
6. If you could invite three people, dead or alive, to a dinner party, who would they be and why? This taps into their influences and the type of people they admire.
7. What would your ideal weekend look like? A glimpse into their interests, energy level, and how they enjoy their time.
8. Tell me about a hobby or activity you’ve picked up recently. This shows how they approach personal growth and learning outside of work.
9. If you could switch lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why? A fun way to explore their aspirations or curiosity about others.
10. What’s something on your bucket list that you haven’t done yet? This reveals their long-term goals and adventurous spirit.

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8 Creative Interview Questions for Candidates

When you’re looking for innovation and problem-solving abilities, creative and unique interview questions are your go-to tool. These things to ask in an interview move beyond standard inquiries to provide a fresh perspective on the candidate’s thought processes and creativity. 

Here are eight highly creative questions to consider:

1. If you were a brand, what would your tagline be, and why? This question explores self-awareness and how candidates perceive their unique value.
2. How would you explain your job to a five-year-old? A great way to test communication skills and the ability to simplify complex ideas.
3. If you were given unlimited resources to start a business, what would it be? This offers insight into their entrepreneurial spirit and personal passions.
4. If you had to teach a course on anything, what would it be, and how would you engage your students? This gives you insight into their communication, leadership, and teaching skills while showcasing their expertise on topics they are passionate about.
5. What skill have you always wanted to learn but haven’t had the chance to? This reveals curiosity, ambition, and openness to growth.
6. If you could invent a new app, what problem would it solve, and how would it function? A great question to see how innovative and practical their ideas can be, revealing their approach to technology and solving modern problems.
7. How would you pitch yourself in a 30-second TV commercial? A fun way to evaluate creativity and the ability to self-market under pressure.
8. If you could redesign one aspect of our company or product, what would it be? This provides valuable feedback and showcases how well the candidate understands your business.

Random Interview Questions You Can Ask

Random interview questions inject an element of surprise into the process, revealing how candidates handle the unexpected. These are great for assessing quick thinking and creativity. Asking, "If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be and why?" or "If animals could talk, which one would be the most interesting to interview?" can show you how candidates approach challenges, embrace uniqueness, and even highlight their sense of humor. However, be mindful that these questions should still tie back to the qualities you’re seeking in the role.

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Do’s and Don’ts for Interview Questions

Crafting great interview questions involves striking the right balance between professionalism and creativity.

• Do: Tailor questions to the role and company culture. Make them relevant to the skills and personality traits you’re seeking.
• Don’t: Ask inappropriate questions that could make candidates uncomfortable or appear irrelevant to the role.
• Do: Use a mix of common, creative, and random questions to paint a complete picture of the candidate.
• Don’t: Rely solely on yes/no questions or those that only test knowledge without exploring problem-solving and personality.

Skip the Stress of Interview Questions: Let Virtustant Find Your Perfect Candidate

Conducting interviews can be a time-consuming and complex process, but it’s essential to ensure you’re bringing the best talent into your business. With the right mix of unique, creative, and casual things to ask in an interview, you can get to know your candidates and assess their potential. However, not every business has the time or resources to dedicate to multiple rounds of interviews and it's okay to need help from experts. That’s where a staffing agency like Virtustant comes in.

At Virtustant, we take the burden off your shoulders by handling the entire hiring process, including conducting interviews and onboarding. You don’t have to worry about coming up with great interview questions or sifting through numerous candidates. We provide you with the best pre-vetted remote talent ready to contribute to your team in a fraction of the time. 

Skip the stress and let us do the hard work for you. Connect with Virtustant today to find your ideal candidate without lifting a finger.