So, you want this job. But first – what did you have for breakfast?

Wherever you are, whatever you do, I imagine you’ve probably endured at least one interview in your life.

Interviews can be a fairly staid and repetitive part of the job seeking process. The vast majority consist of a set of prescribed questions, followed by rehearsed answers, and an anxious wait before a verdict is settled upon. It’s an age-old procedure.

However, some organisations (yes, Google, I’m looking at you) have been flagged up recently on social media – for breaking the interview mould. The tick-box list of tired enquiries has been usurped. So what’s the new normal?

Well, it’s a fun game of “put the prospective employee on the spot” – weird and wonderful questions are now being thrown at candidates with reckless abandon.

Some of them are amusing.

Some of them are a little bit “out there”.

And some of them are downright bizarre.

You may not understand the relevance of an interviewer asking “if you were a dog, what breed would you be?” However, regardless of confused you are, “I don’t know” is never the answer to give. You are going to need to respond with slightly more than a vacant expression.

The fact of the matter is, interview questions are designed to elicit insight – no matter how strange and irrelevant they might seem. Your ability to deal with left-fielders is indicative of how you would respond in a real-time situation. In essence, your chosen reply could be the deciding factor in whether or not you get the job.

And why is that?

We’re all afraid of the unknown – it’s how you deal with it that sets you apart.

Dealing with the unexpected is a highly transferrable skill. Let’s be honest, you probably weren’t expecting to give the hiring manager a run-through of your morning-meal habits. But the content is symbolic – the interviewer is likely not to care whether you had muesli or left-over pizza for breakfast.

They want to see that you possess the ability to cope with an out-of-the-blue situation. Do this right, and the job is yours. (Congratulations in advance.)

So, here are a few samples from Glassdoor’s Weirdest Job Interview Questions to help you prepare for any future job search.

You’re welcome.

What is the wildest thing you’ve ever done? – Metro Bank

How many calories are in a grocery store? – Google

Which cartoon character would you be, and why? – Asda

Is Batman a superhero? – AlphaSights

What did you have for breakfast? – Banana Republic