Arianne Cohen of Bloomberg Businessweek magazine has top interviewers reveal the curveballs that distinguish job seekers from job getters:

• Who do you most admire and why? … “Reveals a lot about who the candidate is, who she aspires to be, and whether she has the DNA to be part of a company’s culture.”
• In your last employee review, what areas for improvement were identified? … “Illuminates self-awareness and potential weaknesses.”
• Why are you here? … “Is an effective way to gauge whether the person is interested in working for us or simply seeking a job.”
• What is your passion? … “Passion leads to success. I have turned folks away who could not frankly answer this.”
• You’re a project manager? Tell me about a time you had a delayed project. … “Provides huge insights into their level of critical thinking, adaptability, awareness of their impact, and creativity.”
• Describe an environment in which you would not thrive. … “Tells a remarkable amount about personality, as well as cultural and organizational impact. Ask this question early in an interview… it yields color for a richer conversation.”
• If you could do anything, what would be your ideal job? … “Helps indicate the individual’s passions and strengths and whether they’re well-matched to the job.”