Problem solving skills interview questions

Soldato
Joined
22 Dec 2008
Posts
10,370
Location
England
9 marbles, one heavier. Need two weighings.

Weigh 3 against 3. If one set heavier, choose it. If same weight, choose the 3 you haven't weighed.

Choose two, weigh against each other. Either one is heavier & you're done, or they weigh the same. If they weigh the same, your heaviest one is the one you didn't weigh.

Clear?
 
Associate
Joined
6 Aug 2011
Posts
481
WTH :confused:

Who are the bozos who come up with dumb questions like that!

The answer doesn't matter. It's a test of your reaction.

On the other hand, people who are good at throwing out BS will get hired at their place. So not necessarily a perfect interviewing strategy.
 
Soldato
Joined
24 Jun 2004
Posts
10,977
Location
Manchester
My favourite:

Q: "What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?"

A: EVERY force is irresistible, and no object is immovable (for example, even your walking around affects the rotation of the earth in some infinitesimal way). [...corrected]


Other common questions are ones that need you to compute approximate answers on the fly - like the "how many barbers are there in the country" question above, or "how much would you charge to clean all the windows in London?". There is clearly no specific answer to these questions - the employer just wants to see that you can identify all the most important factors (e.g. #men in Britain, #haircuts per year, #haircuts per Barber per day, #working days for a Barber), ballpark the quantities involved (e.g. say 25 million men, 10 haircuts per year, 30 customers per barber shop per day, 5.5 days per week), and combine them in a logical way (... therefore the number of barbers in the UK is around 30,000).

The "random crazy" questions like the "what fruit would you be and why?" one are there only to see how you react to unexpected questions that you don't understand, which, lets face it, come up fairly regularly in most customer-facing jobs. The key is not to let the question phase you. The answer you give is largely irrelevant as long as you are not offensive. If you feel you can answer the question then do so (e.g. "I'm a banana because I'm tough on the outside but soft and sweet on the inside (*vomit*)), or if not then simply say "I'm sorry I have no idea". Whatever you do, greet the question with a smile, and don't let it phase you.


Specific technical questions aside, interviews are all about attitude and reaction. The answers you give are far less important than the way you handle yourself.
 
Last edited:
Man of Honour
Joined
27 Sep 2004
Posts
25,821
Location
Glasgow
My favourite:

Q: "What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?"

A: No force is irresistible, and no object is immovable (for example, even your walking around affects the rotation of the earth in some infinitesimal way).

If I was there I'd be giving bonus points for anyone breaking into an acapella version of "Something's gotta give". It may not be the correct answer (and I note that your answer isn't actually an answer to the question, it's pointing out that the parameters are incorrect) but I'd find it funny and you've got to respect them thinking on their feet enough to sing the song.
 
Soldato
Joined
24 Jun 2004
Posts
10,977
Location
Manchester
If I was there I'd be giving bonus points for anyone breaking into an acapella version of "Something's gotta give". It may not be the correct answer (and I note that your answer isn't actually an answer to the question, it's pointing out that the parameters are incorrect) but I'd find it funny and you've got to respect them thinking on their feet enough to sing the song.

To be honest, if they break out into song then I think you have to hire them on the spot, simply for for having balls of steel :D

And yes - the question is a "trick question" that a candidate with a knowledge of Newtonian physics would be expected to spot. The answer is that "the force always wins" or similar, with the justification being as above. Obviously that's only a valid a question for engineers etc. For general non-technical fields it would probably fall into the same category as the "what kind of fruit would you be?" question.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom