Los Angeles Times (02/19/12) Tiffany Hsu

With high unemployment translating into more résumés and applications for companies to sift through, many are taking a more creative approach to the interview process. For instance, the Minneapolis advertising agency Campbell Mithun has candidates apply by sending 13 Twitter messages, and the Austin, TX-based digital night-life guide SceneTap conducts joint interview in bars to make sure candidates can work as part of a team. Others ask questions to which there is no right answer, says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for ASA corporate partner CareerBuilder. “They want to know how creative job seekers are, how they respond under pressure, whether they’re more right-brain or left-brain,” she says.

These offbeat interviews also allow candidates to display unique talents and give companies a chance to assess their weaknesses. “Companies are being more innovative not just in finding people who fit the work but also those who fit the culture,” says Charles Purdy, career analyst for ASA corporate partner Monster. “As the workplace changes because of society norms and technology, the classic job interview is going to change as well.”