Whoever said finding a job would be easy?

What's the oddest thing you have had to do to land a new job? Sometimes the interview process can be grueling, meeting with one person after another, not hearing back whether they think you are a good fit for the job or not, being tested on the work you would be doing, coming up with solutions for your potential employer during the interview.


Here are some of the things I'm familiar with. Of all of them, I believe the federal job application may be the most trying and time consuming. Try figuring out how to best answer the questions and write concise but informative essays, when you can tell from the job description that you could do the job in a snap. Or you can tell from the job posting that whoever wrote it hadn't a clue what they are talking about.

• I once had to take a personality test when applying for a job at an ad agency. I apparently passed the test because I was hired and worked there for 5 years. A friend later told me that she was not hired after taking the same test.
• It's not uncommon to have to submit writing samples as part of a job application process. Employers want to see if you can communicate effectively and professionally and it often tells something about how an applicant thinks through a challenging issue. But submitting a writing sample for a freelance gig to review grant proposals? I submitted a couple of blog postings...I haven't heard from them.
• A friend has recently been asked to submit written recommendations to a potential employer as part of her interviewing process. This is a job she's really interested in so of course she wants to be strategic and smart and demonstrate her talents and thinking, and she should do the best job she can. But it seems to me that the employer is also getting some free ideas...
• Another friend has had multiple meetings with a nonprofit organization that was interested in working with her on a contract basis. She's interviewed, been to meetings, had conference calls, and has submitted at least 3 proposals, outlining how she would handle their work, including objectives, a plan of action, and a timeline. They decided not to move forward at this time. Did they get a free plan in the process?
• Aptitude and skills testing is common among professions in which mastery of particular talents, creative skills, software, language is critical to finding the best fit for the job. This often involves a test project to determine if the applicant can actually do what her resume says she can. 
• Many employers want to run a credit check on a potential employee to determine if he/she is in financial trouble already (that person is identified as a potential risk); this is an even more relative issue now. Quite recently, in completing applications, I have had to consent to the employer running a credit check on me. 
• Each job is different, but the process to apply for Federal government jobs requires one to complete a questionnaire relevant to the qualifications necessary for the job, along with essays. This is part of the KSAs, in which a"screener" is evaluating the application before sending only the highest scoring applications along to the hiring manager. It's a time-consuming process; I can only hope they can streamline the  process if indeed Federal hiring is expected to increase.

What are some of the unusual job tests you've had to endure? What unusual interview questions have you encountered?


Good luck to all who are patiently sending resumes, networking, interviewing, and hoping for that next perfect job.