The quirky interview question has become a proven method for some companies’ recruiting strategy: e.g. Google’s puzzles designed to weed through some 2 million applicants per year.

Yet while the curveball query, "Who would win a fight between Spider-Man and Batman?" can throw the candidate off their carefully scripted answers and force them to react spontaneously, it can also serve to make only the most verbally adept applicants shine, disregarding other potential talent, according to Tim Toterhi, HR professional and author of Job Hunting For Introverts, in a previous interview with Fast Company. "I'd rather get deeper thought and greater insight that can actually be applied," he told us.