Most employees on the hunt for a new job are prepped to answer questions about their greatest strengths and where they see themselves in five years.
But former Netflix HR exec Greg Silva revealed an unusual interview question he likes to ask in an article written for Fast Company: "It's your first day on the job and you have a few hours to kill before orientation. What would you do with that time?"
TopInterview career expert Amanda Augustine tells CNBC Make It that someone who asks a question like this is "on the hunt for results-driven professionals who are willing to roll up their sleeves and do what's necessary to achieve the company's goals."
They're trying to determine whether you're a proactive person who'll dive right into your new new workplace, or whether you'll sit in your cubicle texting until someone gives you directions.
Don't be thrown by unusual interview questions like this one. Remain calm, and think creatively. "The last thing you want to do is take a long time to answer, respond that you don't know what you'd do with this time or admit that you'd probably hang out at your desk and wait to be told what to do next," says Augustine.
A question like this is your chance to demonstrate the unique value you can bring to the company. It's also an opportunity for you to show that you've thought further than the job interview. Augustine says it's essential you have a game plan for your first 90 days at a new job, which she says you should treat as an "extended interview."
Set specific goals for your first day and week at the company. Make the most of any free time by introducing yourself to your colleagues and asking questions to get a better understanding of their roles and your department's goals.
With these strategies in mind, you can confidently relay your plans during the job interview. This will impress an interviewer like Silva, who writes that he believes "the best work cultures encourage — and even require — entrepreneurial mind-sets of every team member, not just those in senior positions."
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