HR managers and recruitment officers can create a comfortable atmosphere and better assess a candidate by using icebreaker questions during interviews. Icebreakers can help develop rapport and trust between the interviewer and interviewee while providing insight into the candidate’s personality. 

In this blog post, we provide a variety of icebreaker questions to help create a positive first impression and get to know the candidate better in addition to providing insights on how to ask the right questions.

Why you should use icebreaker questions during interviews

Icebreaker questions can help the interviewer get to know the candidate on a more personal level. This can be especially important when trying to assess the candidate’s ability to fit into the team or the company culture. Furthermore, it can help the interviewer gain a better understanding of the candidate’s values and beliefs.

Using icebreaker questions is an effective way to make the interview process more productive and enjoyable. By helping the interviewer gain a better understanding of the candidate and their personality, it can help to ensure that the right person is hired for the job. Icebreaker questions can also help to create a more relaxed atmosphere for the interviewer and the candidate, making the interview process more enjoyable for everyone involved.

How to choose icebreaker questions?

When using icebreaker questions in an interview, it’s crucial to avoid topics that could be seen as offensive or inappropriate. It’s also essential to make sure that the questions are open-ended and that the answers will allow for further conversation. The questions should be designed to help the interviewer understand the candidate better.

It’s also important to remember to be respectful of the candidate’s answers and to not judge or criticize them in any way—these questions should be used to help the interviewer get to know the candidate better, not to make them feel uncomfortable, so it’s crucial to keep them light-hearted and conversational. 

By following these tips, you can make sure that you choose the best questions to help them get to know their candidates.

Kind of questions that should not be asked

When interviewing a potential hire, it’s important to avoid asking questions that are overly personal. Questions like “How old are you?” or “Do you have children?” should be avoided. Additionally, inappropriate questions like “Are you planning on having children?” should also be avoided.

In a professional setting, it’s important to avoid any questions that could be seen as discriminatory or that could make a candidate feel uncomfortable. This includes questions about a candidate’s race, ethnicity, or country of origin. Additionally, questions about a candidate’s physical or mental health should also be avoided.

When interviewing a potential hire, it’s important to focus on the job-related questions that will provide a better understanding of the candidate’s qualifications and abilities. Questions about a candidate’s hobbies, interests, or leisure activities should also be avoided. While these questions can be appropriate in certain settings, they are not appropriate in a job interview.

To summarize, it’s important to remember that a job interview is a professional setting and that questions should be focused on the job-related qualifications of the candidate. Questions that are too personal, intrusive, or offensive should be avoided. Additionally, any questions that could be seen as discriminatory or that could make a candidate feel uncomfortable should also be avoided.

Now, let’s look at some different types of icebreaker questions.

• Virtual icebreaker questions

In the age of virtual and asynchronous interviewing facilitated by platforms like interviewer.AI, it’s important to consider the best icebreaker questions for virtual interviews. These should be questions that can easily be answered without the need for a lengthy explanation. Here are some examples of virtual/zoom icebreaker questions:

1. What do you like most about working from home?
2. What challenges have you faced while working remotely?
3. How have you been staying organized while working remotely?
4. What do you do to stay motivated while working from home?
5. What tips would you give to someone who is preparing for a virtual interview?
6. How have you found virtual interviews to be different from in-person interviews?
7. What have you learned from working remotely?
8. How do you think virtual interviews have changed the way we hire?
9. What do you think are the benefits of working remotely?
10. What tips would you give to someone new to working remotely?
11. How have you stayed connected with your colleagues while working remotely?
12. What are some of the advantages of virtual meetings?
13. What do you think are the benefits of virtual meetings?
14. What have you been doing to stay connected with your team?
15. What have you been doing to stay motivated while working from home?
16. Do you have a dedicated office space at home?
17. Where do you work most frequently from at home?
18. How do you stay productive and motivated working virtually?
19. What’s your number one tip for combating distractions when working from home?
20. How often do you work from bed?
21. What has been the most interesting thing you’ve done since starting to work from home?
22. What do you miss most about being in the office?
23. What is your favorite way to stay productive while working from home?
24. What’s one thing we could do to improve our virtual meetings?
25. What do you think are the benefits of virtual interviews?

• Funny icebreaker questions

Using icebreaker questions that are funny and witty can be a great way to lighten the mood and get the conversation started. These should be questions that are lighthearted and not offensive. 

Here are some examples of funny icebreaker questions:

1. What was the last concert you went to?
2. What is your favorite type of food to cook?
3. What would your superpower be if you could choose one?
4. If you could be any mythical creature, what would you be?
5. What is the best way to spend a day off?
6. What is the best thing you have ever done for someone else?
7. If you had to be on a reality TV show, which would it be?
8. What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you?
9. If you had all the resources to make a movie, what would it be about?
10. If you could meet anyone in history, who would it be?
11. If you could be any celebrity, who would you choose?
12. What would be the title of your autobiography?
13. What would you do if you won the lottery?
14. What is the weirdest thing you have ever seen?
15. What is the best joke you have ever heard?
16. What is the most interesting thing you have ever done?
17. If you could have any profession, what would it be?
18. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
19. If you could go back in time, what year would you choose?
20. What is the most ‘interesting food’ you’ve ever eaten?
21. If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose?
22. If you were an animal, what would you be?
23. What is the most daring thing you’ve ever done?
24. If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be?
25. If you could invent a new gadget, what would it be?

• Job-related icebreaker questions

Great icebreaker questions should be designed to encourage conversation and help the interviewer get to know the candidate better. 

Here are some examples of great icebreaker questions:

1. What qualities do you think make a successful leader?
2. How do you think your previous experiences have prepared you for this role?
3. What makes you stand out from other candidates?
4. What do you think will be the biggest challenge in this industry?
5. What do you think are the essential qualities of a great team player?
6. What do you think are the most important attributes of a successful team?
7. What is the most rewarding project you have ever worked on?
8. What do you believe are the most important skills for success in this role?
9. What do the people closest to you think makes you special?
10. What is the most inspiring book you have read?
11. What do you think of when you hear the term ‘work-life balance’?
12. What do you think is the most interesting thing about you?
13. What is the most difficult decision you have ever had to make?
14. What have you done in the past that you are most proud of?
15. If you could pick up a new skill in an instant, what would it be?
16. What do you think is the most important quality for success in any field?
17. What do you believe is the most important thing to focus on in life?
18. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing this industry?
19. If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
20. What is the most creative solution you have ever come up with?
21. What do you think are the biggest benefits of working as part of a team?
22. What do you believe is the most important value to have in the workplace?
23. Who would you say has had the greatest influence on your professional life?
24. If you could start your own business, what would you say the one most defining characteristic of it be?
25. What advice would you give someone who is trying to start a successful career?

• Getting-to-know-you icebreaker questions

Getting-to-know-you questions are designed to help you learn more about the candidate and to get a better understanding of their experience and personality. These questions can be either open-ended or closed-ended and should be tailored to the specific position being interviewed for. 

Here are some great examples of getting-to-know-you questions:

1. What is a fact about you that nobody would guess? 
2. What does success mean to you? 
3. What do you get up to in your spare time? 
4. What has been your best purchase this year? 
5. What is your favorite childhood memory? 
6. What is the most impossible thing on your bucket list? 
7. What do you think is the most important lesson you’ve ever learned? 
8. What would you do with a million dollars? 
9. Why do you get up in the morning? 
10. What kind of music do you like? 
11. What would you do if you knew that you couldn’t fail? 
12. When did you last do something for the first time? 
13. What is your favorite place in the world? 
14. What would you do differently if you could go back in time? 
15. What is the best advice someone has ever given you? 
16. Which celebrity do you admire the most and why? 
17. What does your favorite film say about you? 
18. What would you do with an extra hour in the day? 
19. What is the best book you’ve ever read and why? 
20. What is the strangest thing you’ve ever seen? 
21. What is the most played song on your playlist?
22. What are you most afraid of? 
23. What do you think is the key to a happy life? 
24. If you could have a conversation with anyone, who would it be? 
25. What do you think is the best way to make a difference in the world? 

Would-you-rather icebreaker questions

Would you rather icebreaker questions are great for getting a better understanding of the candidate and their preferences.

Here are some examples of would you rather icebreaker questions:

1. Would you rather have a job that helps people or a job that pays well?
2. Would you rather have a large family or be an only child?
3. Would you rather take risks or play it safe?
4. Would you rather be a famous celebrity or a mysterious figure?
5. Would you rather have a creative career or a secure career?
6. Would you rather be a master of one skill or a jack of all trades?
7. Would you rather have a career that requires lots of travel or a career that involves staying in one place?
8. Would you rather have the ability to read people’s minds or the ability to speak any language?
9. Would you rather have a job you are passionate about or a job with a high salary?
10. Would you rather be remembered for a great achievement or for being a great friend?
11. Would you rather take a spontaneous trip or plan a detailed itinerary?
12. Would you rather be a mentor or a mentee?
13. Would you rather work for yourself or for a company?
14. Would you rather have an adventurous lifestyle or a stable one?
15. Would you rather be the first to try something or wait and see what happens?
16. Would you rather have an unlimited supply of energy or an unlimited supply of money?
17. Would you rather be a part of a team or work alone?
18. Would you rather be respected or liked?
19. Would you rather be the best at something or enjoy what you do?
20. Would you rather live a life of luxury or a life of simplicity?
21. Would you rather follow your heart or your head?
22. Would you rather dedicate your life to one cause or many?
23. Would you rather pursue your dreams or have financial stability?
24. Would you rather have a job that brings you joy or one that brings you prestige?
25. Would you rather be a leader or a follower?

Break the ice with the right questions

Icebreaker questions are essential for creating a positive and comfortable atmosphere for the interviewer and interviewee during the interview process. HR managers and recruitment officers can make use of the ideas provided in this blog post to generate the best icebreakers to help get to know the candidate better and provide better insights into their personalities.

Interviewer.AI is a technology platform purposely built to support Recruiters and HR teams in finding top talent for their companies. Interviewer.AI is a state-of-the-art video recruiting software that uses AI (Artificial Intelligence) to screen in advance and shortlist the candidates that meet the criteria set. HR teams use the software to make the recruitment process more efficient and shorten the hiring cycle.  Learn more about how Interviewer.AI can help your business.

Increase your hiring team’s efficiency using a combination of resume scoring, skill assessment, and asynchronous video interviews. 

Gabrielle Martinsson is a Content Writer at Interviewer.AI. She’s a tech geek and loves optimizing business processes with the aid of tech tools. She also loves travelling and listening to music in her leisure.