12 of the weirdest interview questions big retail companies ask job candidates

Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesUnconventional inquiries aren't just ice-breakers.

If you're interviewing for a job in retail, you're probably prepared to answer questions about your experience, your strengths, and your customer service savvy. But have you given any thought to which zoo animal you'd be?

It's not uncommon for retailers to toss potential employees a curveball or two, and while they can be frustrating - does your inner breakfast cereal really say much about your sales skills? - career expert Lynn Taylor tells Business Insider there's a reason employers turn to these "unconventional" inquiries, and it's not just to break the ice. Those questions, she says, are a way for employers to access the "unfiltered you."

"Just how you interpret the random questions can say a lot more about you than any one traditional question," she explains. Hiring managers don't actually care if you're an elephant or a dik-dik, but they do care if you have key skills like empathy, sensitivity, warmth, and the ability to think on your feet.

Based on our survey of the Glassdoor archives, we collected some of the zaniest personality questions big retailers have asked their would-be sales associates: