Fwiw, I've asked candidates seemingly meaningless questions that don't directly relate to the day-to-day activities of the job. The questions - and how a candi

Fwiw, I've asked candidates seemingly meaningless questions that don't directly relate to the day-to-day activities of the job. The questions - and how a candidate responds - can be helpful to both sides (as observed) wrt figuring out how individuals might fit into the prospective organisations. For instance, from the employer's pov, if the organisation is already filled with academic Computer Scientists, and the interviewee comes across as dismissive of the importance of design patterns, it's a red flag about fitting in. However, if they go over the top the other way, then that might be a red flag about how practical they might be. If they don't know where to start with the question or are perhaps tongue-tied, then that's also information. While from the interviewee's pov, if they prefer a more practical environment, then those questions may be, as observed, a red flag about a role that wouldn't be a good fit for the candidate. A good interview process maximises the flow of information in both directions in a short space of time and increases the chances of a good fit. It's a process to which these type of questions can be helpful when properly applied.