Answering Common Sense Interview Questions: A Guide to Showcasing Your Judgement

Interviews often include predictable questions testing your technical skills, work history and motivations. However, many hiring managers also incorporate curveball questions designed to assess your general common sense and judgement under pressure.

How do you respond when faced with an ambiguous or completely unexpected question in a high stakes interview scenario? Your reactions reveal crucial information about your critical thinking, self-awareness and values

Preparing yourself to demonstrate sound reasoning and logic when presented with unfamiliar questions or situations during an interview can help you stand out from the competition.

Let’s examine some of the top common sense interview questions companies ask, along with strategies to craft winning answers.

What Do Common Sense Questions Reveal About Candidates?

Common sense questions allow interviewers to evaluate qualities and soft skills beyond your education and work experience. Specifically, they are assessing your:

• Judgement – What reasoning do you use to work through an uncertain scenario? Do you make sound, thoughtful decisions?

• Maturity – Can you remain calm and professional when asked off-beat questions? How do you carry yourself?

• Self-Awareness – Are you aware of your own strengths, limitations and tendencies? Can you speak openly about them?

• Values – What guiding principles or ethics shape your perspectives and choices?

• Critical Thinking – How do you interpret vague situations and analyze options? Can you think creatively?

Preparing stories and examples that demonstrate these qualities can help you succeed with unexpected interview questions.

6 Common Examples of Common Sense Interview Questions

While there are unlimited questions interviewers could ask, here are six frequent examples of common sense questions:

1. How would you weigh an airplane without a scale?

This abstract problem tests your creativity and analytical skills. There is no single right answer. Effective approaches include:

• Break down the components of an airplane and estimate their weights separately.
• Research specifications of similar planes to approximate weight.
• Suggest creative solutions like weighing gallons of fuel and multiplying.

Explain your reasoning in a methodical, step-by-step manner.

2. If you were a pizza delivery driver how would you benefit from scissors?

Another conceptual question, this tests your ability to think innovatively. You could answer:

• Open boxes cleanly and efficiently.
• Cut pizza slices accurately for customers.
• Trim toppings like pepperonis.
• Open packages and bags.

Identify practical applications even for unusual pairings like this one.

3. How many golf balls would fit inside this room?

To spatial reasoning questions like this, apply a logical deduction process:

• Visually estimate the room’s dimensions.
• Research the size of a golf ball.
• Calculate the maximum number of balls to fill the space.

Explain each step of your thinking, and the assumptions made.

4. Are you a cat or dog person?

Personality questions like this help assess your self-awareness. Be honest about your preferences. Elaborate by sharing:

• Your past pet experiences.
• Personality traits associated with each animal.
• Responsibilities of caring for them.

Use the question as a chance to share who you are.

5. Sell me this pen.

Roleplay scenarios test your ability to think on your feet. To sell the pen:

• Highlight useful features like smooth writing and grip.
• Share creative uses like drawing or note taking.
• Generate interest by describing luxury aspects.
• Ask insightful questions about my needs.

Getting into character shows off communication skills.

6. Why are manhole covers round?

Another logic puzzle, look for practical explanations like:

• A circular shape prevents them from falling down the hole.
• They cannot slip into the hole sideways.
• Round covers are easier to move and roll.

Even if you don’t know the exact reason, use deductive reasoning to work through it.

Preparing stories and examples around themes like creativity, ethics, communication and critical thinking will help you succeed on any common sense question.

Strategies to Tackle Common Sense Interview Questions

When faced with an off-beat common sense question, utilize these strategies:

• Listen carefully – Make sure you fully understand what is being asked before responding. Ask clarifying questions if anything is unclear.

• Buy time – It’s perfectly acceptable to take a moment to collect your thoughts. Silence is better than rambling. Say “Let me think for a moment.”

• Think out loud – Verbalize your thought process step-by-step. This gives insights into your analytical skills.

• Keep calm – Avoid visibly panicking or shutting down. Take a breath and proceed logically.

• Admit uncertainty – Don’t be afraid say “I’m not sure, but here is my best guess…” Be honest rather than making things up.

• Be positive – If you get stumped, stay upbeat. “What an interesting question! I don’t know offhand but here is how I would try to figure it out.”

• Ask for hints – See if the interviewer can offer any guidance or context to point you in the right direction.

The key is demonstrating reasoned, methodical thinking. The actual answer is less important.

Why Might Common Sense Questions Be Asked?

There are a few motivations interviewers have for asking ambiguous common sense questions:

• Reduce memorized answers – They want organic, unrehearsed responses that reveal the real you.

• Gauge intelligence – While controversial, some believe these questions test raw intellectual ability.

• Assess unstructured problem solving – Jobs involve ambiguity and unfamiliar problems. They want to test these skills.

• Observe behavioral response – Remaining calm and collected can indicate ability to perform under pressure.

• Inject fun – Some want to shake up traditional interview conversation and keep candidates engaged.

Understanding their intentions can help you provide the types of responses they are looking for.

Preparing to Showcase Your Common Sense

Here are some ways to get ready for the common sense interview questions that might come your way:

• Practice aloud – Have a friend ask sample questions so you can practice responding verbally.

• Research examples – Look online for common examples to prepare stories highlighting your judgement.

• Highlight soft skills – Review your resume and job description for the key attributes they likely want to evaluate.

• Learn from experience – Reflect on times your common sense was tested in work and life. What did you learn?

• Stay positive – Remind yourself these questions are opportunities to shine, not to panic.

With the right mindset and preparation, you can leverage common sense interview questions to stand out and land the job!