Some interview questions are purely psychological, like 'Do you own a dog?' and don't obviously relate to the known factors of a job, but they are relevant. These questions are based on psychological profiles, and relate to the fact that in this case, dog owners are found to be better workers. (This particular question was created by Google, on the basis that they found by a survey that their best workers and best fit for jobs were all dog owners, or former dog owners.)

These questions can be scary for new job seekers, as it throws them off balance. Ironically, the psychological questions are potentially good opportunities for interviewees to stand out even though they seem strange or hard to understand.

As a matter of proven fact, the psychological questions are very much in the interviewee's interest. The psychological profiles are a bit more flexible in terms of actual hiring than they look, but it's important to answer the questions honestly, so you get a job which fits you. It's theoretically possible to give all the 'right' answers, like guessing in a multiple choice test, and find that you've got a job for which you are obviously and spectacularly the wrong person.

The basic misconception about job interviews is that they're trying to fit people to jobs, not jobs to people. There are no one-size-fits-all jobs. Think about how many people you've seen who were quite miserable at and unsuited for their jobs, and you'll see why these psychological questions are so important.

You'll read and hear a lot about 'attitude', etc, but that has nothing to do with the psychological aspects of job interviews. It's not that hard to tell the difference between an enthusiastic person and someone who's trying to look enthusiastic. The major issues in the psychological evaluation are all practical, and deal with things like communication and body language.

This isn't some sort of mysterious process. The theory, and usually the fact, is that people who show good body language are confident, and those who communicate well and fluently are better suited for the job. The interviewers have to go on what they can see and evaluate.

Too often, new job seekers learn the interview process the hard way. We often recommend interview training and practice to get over the normal shyness and awkwardness most new job seekers experience. You get experience, and most importantly, feedback, about how you handle interview questions. That can be the difference between getting a job or not.

Note: If you haven't done an interview for awhile, it's a good idea to get some current training. Interviews have evolved a lot recently. It really doesn't help to go to an interview using techniques you learned years ago.

Best practice for psychology at interviews

Just be yourself. You and the job have to work together, and that's what the psychology is all about.