Zappos.com CEO, Tony Hsieh, recently told the New York Times that when interviewing job candidates for his customer friendly digital shoe retailer he and his staff want candidates to have an element of weirdness in order to fit into the company culture.

“One of our values is, “Create fun and a little weirdness.” So one of our interview questions is, literally, on a scale of 1 to 10, how weird are you? If you’re a 1, you’re probably a little bit too strait-laced for us. If you’re a 10, you might be too psychotic for us.

It’s not so much the number; it’s more seeing how candidates react to a question. Because our whole belief is that everyone is a little weird somehow, so it’s really more just a fun way of saying that we really recognize and celebrate each person’s individuality, and we want their true personalities to shine in the workplace environment, whether it’s with co-workers or when talking with customers,” Hsieh told NYT.

I think aside from showing your individuality, what Hsieh hopes to accomplish with these types of questions is getting candidates to loosen up. While most job seekers are worried about looking pristine and perfect for an interview, it seems some employers just want the real you, even if the real you is kinda weird. Of course, you should still look polished and come prepared, but remember to express your true self in an interview, not who you think the employer wants you to be.

Good advice from someone who seems to be a pretty cool boss.