1.
If you were a dessert, what dessert would you
be?
Example: "If I were any dessert, I would be a
strawberry shortcake. Good strawberry shortcake has
distinct layers with different textures that all work
together. I have strong values that I can build upon
with my different interests and experiences, so my
family life could be the biscuit and my hobbies could be
the cream, with my accomplishments as the
strawberry."
2. What is your usual order at a diner?
Example: "I like to keep my order simple: eggs, bacon,
hash browns and a black coffee. It's consistent and
delicious, which is all I want in a diner. It might not be
my favorite meal, but it's the best meal for the
occasion."
3. If you could only read one book for the rest of
your life, what would it be?
Example: "If I could only read one book from now on, I
would choose The Complete Poems of Emily
Dickinson. I would want the book to be poetry so I can
develop new meanings that relate to my life, even if I
am reading the same poems. Emily Dickinson is my
favorite poet, and her full collection of poems is long
enough to keep me entertained for a while."
4. What was the last gift you gave someone?
Example: "I like to give experiences as gifts instead of
things. I took my sister skydiving for her birthday a few
weeks ago. I would never have done it by myself, but
she has always wanted to experience it together."
5. What is an unpopular opinion you hold?
Example: "I like fruit on pizza. Pineapple, pear chunks
and apple slices should be on every pizza parlor menu. I
know a lot of people think it's gross, but pizza should be
as customizable as I want."
6. What advice would you give to your former
boss?
Example: "My previous boss gave very thorough
feedback, and congratulated us on our successes. My
advice would be to keep holding biweekly check-ins with
her employees, as I grew a lot as a professional during
those meetings. If I had to make a change, I would
focus more time on communicating with other teams."
7. How many footballs could fit in this room?
Example: "First, I'd need to know the dimension of the
room, so I'll guess that this is about 10 feet tall, 12 feet
long, and 10 feet wide. I can multiply the cubic feet in
the office by an estimate of how many footballs can fit
in one cubic foot. Do I know the exact size of the
football?"
8. What was your best day at work?
Example: "My best day at work so far was probably the
day after my first promotion. I was extremely excited
when I got the news, but I was even more moved by my
coworkers congratulating me the next day. Seeing the
positive impact I was making in my position made me
feel confident in my future success and proud to be part
of a team."
9. Which year of your life would you like to relive?
Example: "I would love to relive the year I completed
college. After we graduated, many of my friends moved
to different parts of the world to pursue their dreams,
so I would enjoy having everyone together. I also think I
would have had more fun writing my dissertation if I
had known I would eventually get it published."
10. Which superpowers would you choose?
Example: "I would choose the power of telekinesis. I
would never have to worry about traffic on my
commute or finding the correct filing folder again!"
11. What websites do you read?
Example: "I enjoy reading blogs about science.
Reading about new innovations and discoveries about
nature inspires me to be curious about the world and
the work that I do."
12. If you were an animal, what would you be?
Example: "I would be a honeybee because I love being
part of a team. I am very focused on my work, especially
if it is for a good cause."
13. Would you rather have a personal chef or a
personal trainer?
Example: "I would rather have a personal chef. It
would be fun to taste new recipes and would save me so
much time cooking. If I had a personal chef, I could
devote more of my energy toward learning new skills
and practicing my hobbies."
14. What would you title your autobiography?
Example: "The title of my autobiography would
probably reference my family and friends. I might
choose to name it The People I Call Home because my
relationships in work and in life are very important to
me."
15. If you could have dinner with any two people
from history, dead or alive, who would you
choose?
Example: "I would choose to have dinner with Frida
Kahlo because I admire her art, and Marie Antoinette
because I think the three of us would have very
interesting conversations. Observing the way two strong
personalities from different cultures interact would
teach me so much."
16. Would you rather be a wedding cake or a
fortune cookie?
Example: "I would be a fortune cookie because I love
surprises and new challenges."
17. Do you prefer to make plans or be
spontaneous?
Example: "I usually prefer to make plans ahead of
time. I find that having an organized schedule makes it
easier for me to be spontaneous sometimes without
impacting my responsibilities.