Kinsa Group Blog

It’s like a bad dream.

You’re in an interview, dressed to impress and feeling totally in control of the situation, when the unthinkable happens – the interviewer asks a question that completely stumps you: 

“If you could have dinner with anyone from history, whom would it be and why?”

“Why is a manhole cover round?”

“Which fictional character would you say best describes you?”

If just reading these questions makes beads of sweat pop out on your forehead, you’re not alone.  In an interview situation, most of us would be stopped in our tracks by off-the-wall questions like these.  But that’s the point:  interviewers ask odd questions intentionally, to see how well job candidates thinks on their feet and respond to stress.

Because unusual interview questions can be about virutally any topic, they’re nearly impossible to prepare for.  Still, here are a few quick tips to help you handle them more effectively:

• Keep your composure.  The question was meant to throw you off your game – so don’t let it rattle you.  Keep your face neutral and recognize that this is the wacky question you’ve been anticipating.
• Take your time.  Smile, take a deep breath and avoid the temptation to blurt out an answer.  Don’t panic – if you have to take a moment to gather your thoughts, it merely demonstrates that you think carefully through a situation before responding.
• Relax.  When it comes to unusual interview questions, your answer is not as important as how you handle the situation.  In fact, most don’t have right or wrong answers.  So take the pressure off yourself.  You don’t have to be brilliant, you just need to answer honestly.

If you’d like some practice answering off-the-wall questions, consider the following popular ones:

• If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be?
• If you had only six months left to live, what would you do with the time?
• If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?
• If you were a _________ (insert:  car, animal, salad dressing – you get the picture), what kind would you be and why?
• If you won $50 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?
• How would you rate me as an interviewer?

Seeking a Job in the Food and Beverage Industry?

Register with Kinsa today.  Our team of food & beverage industry recruiting professionals will listen to your needs, match you with a perfect career opportunity, and then prepare you to ace the interview.  Click here to learn more about our unique services for food marketing, food production, food scientist, food safety, research & development and executive management professionals.

Looking for ways to earn a raise or promotion?

Get on your boss’s A-List.  If you consistently show your boss that you’re doing a great job, you’ll progress further, faster.  Here are a few quick tips to get you noticed, separate yourself from the pack and create a lasting positive impression:

1. Communicate clearly.  When in doubt, err on the side of clarity and ask questions when things are unclear.  Provide your boss with regular updates about your projects and plans.  But be careful not to go overboard – ask him directly if you’re providing enough information or too much.
2. Honor your commitments.  Underpromise and overdeliver.  Don’t shy away from new challenges, but make reasonably sure you can hit an objective before taking on the additional responsibility.
3. Know what makes your boss tick.  Learn your boss’s pet peeves – and avoid them.  Find out what his priorities are – and incorporate them into your own (e.g., if your boss is a “numbers guy,” quantify all your results).  Anticipate his needs, by providing what you know he’ll want before he asks.  Show him you understand the issues he faces and you’re sure to make your mark.
4. Provide solutions – not just problems.  Everyone makes mistakes.  So if something does go wrong, view it as an opportunity to set yourself apart from chronic excuse-makers.  Own up to the problem and come to the table with potential solutions.  Your boss will appreciate your ability to think for yourself and manage a difficult situation.
5. Be positive.  When you celebrate a departmental success, send a congratulatory e-mail to those involved and copy your boss.  The gesture will draw attention to your success as well as your leadership skills.  During more stressful times, strive to maintain a positive attitude.  For every two complaints or suggested improvements, point out eight positive things.
6. Take a calculated risk.  A boss will notice a talented employee who demonstrates his desire for excellence by occasionally sticking his neck out.  So when the time is right, volunteer for a difficult assignment or challenge the status quo to improve a work process.  Your courage and enthusiasm will increase your visibility and earn the respect of your boss and co-workers alike.

The Kinsa Group:  Another Great Way to Further Your Food and Beverage Industry Career

The Kinsa Group provides access to diverse executive, management, research, food science, quality assurance, operations, sales/marketing, and engineering career opportunities in the food and beverage industries.  Contact us today to find out how we can help you further your career, faster.

To get ahead in  this world, you have to “put your best foot forward.”  But, there’s a fine line between respectable self-promotion and shameless bragging.  So how do you use self-promotion to advance your career, without coming across as a show-off?  Use these quick tips to tactfully toot your own horn:

1. Realize that context is everything.  To successfully self-promote, your comments need to be relevant to the conversation.  Bringing up your latest success while your boss is talking about his favorite TV show will not earn you any points.  Bide your time until the conversation switches gears.  Research has shown that once a topic has been raised, a subsequent boast is not viewed as inappropriate – because it’s in context.
2. Wait for the right moment.   Believe it or not, it is okay to steer a conversation toward a topic relevant to your accomplishment.  However, changing topics doesn’t give you license to just blurt out what you’ve done.  Be patient and wait until your conversation partner asks a question that gives you the opening you need.
3. Be a tortoise, not a hare.  Self-promotion is about building a long-term reputation for yourself; establishing trust and respect in your workplace (or the marketplace).  So get in it for the long-haul by making self-promotion a habit.  Set daily goals for doing something small – sharing an idea, reaching out to someone, showing up at an event – and measurable results will follow in time.
4. Promote your ideas.  Beyond talking up accomplishments, you should also spread your ideas, concepts and vision.  By promoting your ideas (as opposed to just your deeds) you will give co-workers and superiors something to support – without being “turned off” or threatened by your success.
5. Know yourself.  Are you like most people, who err on the side of caution and don’t talk themselves up enough?  Or are you the type who tends to talk easily about yourself and your accomplishments?  If you’re unsure, ask a trusted friend into which end of the spectrum you fall.  The art of successful self-promotion depends upon having the self-knowledge to realize when to toot your own horn, and when to let your actions speak for themselves.

Let The Kinsa Group help you put your best foot forward.  When you come in for an interview, our experienced recruiting specialists will learn about your skills, interests, experience and needs – then help you identify where your strengths lie.  We can help you master the art of self-promotion and find the perfect food and beverage industry employment opportunity.  Just give us a call.