Unconventional Interview Questions: Assessing Cultural Fit and Adaptability

Hiring processes often focus intensely on hard skills to assess whether or not a candidate is cut out for a specific role, but cultural fit may matter even more. After all, we spend over a third of our lives at work, so it only makes sense that our shared values and communication styles determine whether that time feels more energizing or draining at the end of the day.

However, assessing a candidate’s cultural fit can be difficult, especially for remote or hybrid roles. That’s why I’m an advocate for asking unconventional interview questions to reveal how adaptable and resilient each candidate might be in ambiguous situations.

Some examples of more “unconventional” questions may include:

1. “When someone joins a company, the company culture doesn’t adapt to them, they need to adapt to the company culture. How would you go about doing that?”
2. “What’s your definition of adaptability in the workplace? Can you provide an example of that in your work history where it matches that definition?”

The answers matter less than the self-awareness and social skillsdemonstrated by the candidate. Pay attention if they are actively listening without judgment, if they seem curious, and whether or not they can articulate emotional patterns in a way that builds understanding.

Unusual questions allow people to reveal more details about their personalities and values in insightful ways. With some thoughtful listening on our end, these questions can help assess alignment beyond just skills because shared mindsets — not just capabilities — are what enable teams to innovate and thrive together.

Whether your teams are co-located or connecting across the globe, focusing on adaptability and culture fit brings power to the potential of every new hire. The results will speak for themselves.

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