Looking for a new job can be stressful enough without the interviewer throwing a curveball that has nothing to do with the position you are seeking. Many job interviews feature questions that are designed to see how fast you think, or how well you cope under pressure, but some of these questions are mind blowing!
The list at Glassdoor has links to possible answers from readers. I think the correct answer to many of these might be, "I don't know, but I know how to find the answer." http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/top-25-oddball-interview-questions-2010/ -via Austin Business Journal
(Image credit: Flickr user Tiffany Trewin)
2. “How many ridges [are there] around a quarter?”
6. “How many basketball[s] can you fit in this room”
12. “An apple costs 20 cents, an orange costs 40 cents, and a grapefruit costs 60 cents, how much is a pear?”
20. “You are in charge of 20 people, organize them to figure out how many bicycles were sold in your area last year.”
The list at Glassdoor has links to possible answers from readers. I think the correct answer to many of these might be, "I don't know, but I know how to find the answer." http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/top-25-oddball-interview-questions-2010/ -via Austin Business Journal
(Image credit: Flickr user Tiffany Trewin)
#6: depends on whether the basketballs are inflated or not...
#12: what's the demand on pears?
#20: Mike the Spike has the right answer. Do I get a job with 50 people and the according salary?
6) The short answer is "None, I don't have any basketballs" but assuming the basketballs would be provided, I'd need some information: How big is the room? Do we want to maximize or minimize the number of basketballs? Is there a time constraint on fitting the basketballs into the room? Does the furniture stay? Are there any constraints on my use of the room while I'm "fitting the basketballs"? Are basketballs in nets hung out of the windows considered "in the room"? Is there a budget for tools? Does the basketball have to be the same size and shape when I'm done fitting it into the room? Is deflation an option? Compression with a hydraulic press? Dissolving in acid? Burning?
12) A pair of apples is 40 cents, a pair of oranges is 80 cents, and a pair of grapefruits is $1.20
20) Yes sir. Thank you for the job, I look forward to working here. Shall we discuss compensation now?