Employers are increasingly using ‘killer questions’ to throw candidates off balance in tense interview situations, according to new research by Office Angels.

The staffing agency’s latest interview technique survey reveals that nine out of 10 employers make like University Challenge’s Jeremy Paxman and slip in a question designed to test general knowledge and lateral thinking.

The ‘killer question’ tries to delve behind the professional persona to find out how someone reacts when faced with the unexpected.

The survey of 1,500 people revealed that the top questions included: “If you were Prime Minister, what would your top priority be?”, “If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would play the lead role as you?” and “Is a tomato a fruit or

a vegetable?”