Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions

[Ben]

http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/top-25-oddball-interview-questions-2010/

[TechMan]

I always liked asking "Why is a manhole cover round?"

[sanglant]

"why doesn't GM build a diesel hybrid, that gets more than 75 MPG?"

[KD5NRH]

The one I never was quite tacky enough to ask is "WTF were you thinking when you decided to come to an interview at a nice downtown office in shorts and a t-shirt?"

[Boomhauer]

Aaaannnnddddd this *expletive deleted*it is why I hate interviews.

Seriously. Companies come up with weird, convoluted questions (Wal-Mart asked me some doosies during my three interviews there during my hiring process) that really just make no sense. How about simply asking about me, my experience, education, and questions that actually relate to the job?

[Ben]

The one I never was quite tacky enough to ask is "WTF were you thinking when you decided to come to an interview at a nice downtown office in shorts and a t-shirt?"

Priceless!

[Regolith]

“Given the numbers 1 to 1000, what is the minimum numbers guesses needed to find a specific number if you are given the hint “higher” or “lower” for each guess you make.”
Asked at Facebook. More Facebook interview questions.

This one actually makes sense.  It's basically a binary search algorithm, which would be handy for someone who was writing code to know.

[tyme]

The binary search algorithm would give the maximum number of guesses needed...

I like the volleyball one, and in general all the questions of that type.  "Does this question admit the possibility of a black hole in the room/stadium?"

[KD5NRH]

The binary search algorithm would give the maximum number of guesses needed...

Then it's primarily a critical thinking question; the minimum is one, but they can give partial credit for misunderstanding that and at least describing a reasonable means of determining the maximum, or an average.

I like the volleyball one, and in general all the questions of that type.  "Does this question admit the possibility of a black hole in the room/stadium?"

Those questions can be quite relevant to certain job types, (quickly estimating area and/or volume within a reasonable error is handy for a lot of things) and for simply determining whether the person can "reality check" what they're doing.  (I don't want the guy who thinks there are "about 20" or  "about 500" reeds on the edge of a quarter dealing with finances or inventory at all, but I'm not going to ding anybody for not knowing the exact number.)

[kgbsquirrel]

Aaaannnnddddd this *expletive deleted* is why I hate interviews.

Seriously. Companies come up with weird, convoluted questions (Wal-Mart asked me some doosies during my three interviews there during my hiring process) that really just make no sense. How about simply asking about me, my experience, education, and questions that actually relate to the job?

Actually this reminds me of some military review boards I've sat on before. Each of the folks of the board would pick a different topic to ask questions on, general Navy knowledge, current world events, etc. and we'd each pick three questions, two the person should know and a really obscure one that they likely wouldn't. The purpose was not just to see what the person knew, but how they would react and cope with an inquiry to which they did not know the answer.

[White Horseradish]

The one I liked was when I applied for a tech support position. "My arm hurts. Tell me why."

Very relevant to the work...

[brimic]

I always liked asking "Why is a manhole cover round?"

lol. how many people get that one wrong?

[Tallpine]

I always liked asking "Why is a manhole cover round?"

Well, obviously because the manholes are round 

(yeah I know - it's so they won't fall through)

Then it's primarily a critical thinking question; the minimum is one, but they can give partial credit for misunderstanding that and at least describing a reasonable means of determining the maximum, or an average.

I've forgotten all that stuff from school, but I still know that a binary search is on the average faster than a linear search assuming your database is sorted.

[Ned Hamford]

"If you were a tree, what sort of tree would you be?"

 

I'll be doing the preliminary interviews for my replacement in a few weeks.   

[Tallpine]

"If you were a tree, what sort of tree would you be?"

π n tree 

[Ned Hamford]

π n tree 

I would wholly endorse you as my replacement. 

[sanglant]

"If you were a tree, what sort of tree would you be?"

 

I'll be doing the preliminary interviews for my replacement in a few weeks.   

remember to find someone slightly more incompetent less effective then you.

[230RN]

"Where do you see yourself in ten years?"

"Scattered around my favorite squirrel hunting grounds up above Nederland CO.  That is, what cremains there are after they get done harvesting my organs."

(I'm 72, doncha know.)

Terry, 230RN

[GigaBuist]

“If you were shrunk to the size of a pencil and put in a blender, how would you get out?”

Do I still have my handgun?

“How many basketball can you fit in this room”

Do I get to use a wood chipper?

“Out of 25 horses, pick the fastest 3 horses. In each race, only 5 horses can run at the same time. What is the minimum number of races required?”

Five.  I have a watch.

“You are in a dark room with no light. You need matching socks for your interview and you have 19 gray socks and 25 black socks. What are the chances you will get a matching pair? “

100%.  My wife checks that kinda thing before I leave the house.

“What do wood and alcohol have in common?”

I have both in my pants right now.

“An apple costs 20 cents, an orange costs 40 cents, and a grapefruit costs 60 cents, how much is a pear?

20 cents.

[BridgeRunner]

Do I still have my handgun?

If your handgun was shrunk with you the size of a handgun carried concealed by a guy the size of pencil, would the power generated by the tiny lil' primer and charge and bullet be sufficient to damage the blender in any way?

/another argument for .45 over 9mm...

[Tallpine]

“An apple costs 20 cents, an orange costs 40 cents, and a grapefruit costs 60 cents, how much is a pear?"

A pear of what 

A pear of apples, a pear of oranges, a pear of grapefruit ....?   

[BridgeRunner]

Then it's primarily a critical thinking question; the minimum is one, but they can give partial credit for misunderstanding that and at least describing a reasonable means of determining the maximum, or an average.

Hm.  Actually, it's a conundrum.  If you are given a "higher" or "lower" hint for each number guessed, then you can't get it right at all; there is no number that is the correct answer. Perhaps they mean if you are given a "higher" or "lower" hint for each incorrect number guessed?

Could this be why I don't have a job?

[KD5NRH]

Five.  I have a watch.

Depending on the watch, you might need three; there's no guarantee that the top three won't all be in the same race, so you need to time the top three of each race.  At any rate, a few of the common solutions I've seen neglect to take into account that you can drop the bottom two of every race.

[BridgeRunner]

Depending on the watch, you might need three; there's no guarantee that the top three won't all be in the same race, so you need to time the top three of each race.  At any rate, a few of the common solutions I've seen neglect to take into account that you can drop the bottom two of every race.

Fine. Five: I will use timing chips.

[KD5NRH]

Hm.  Actually, it's a conundrum.  If you are given a "higher" or "lower" hint for each number guessed, then you can't get it right at all; there is no number that is the correct answer. Perhaps they mean if you are given a "higher" or "lower" hint for each incorrect number guessed?

Even then, we're still making an assumption of integer, when only number was specified.