Weird interview questions?!

spellstar

Hiya,

So I'm just out of a 2 hour series of tests and interviews for a market research/analyst position and was just asked some weird questions - wondering what people think they were trying to get at.

First they said to me 'Say I'm a maniac, and for some reason I want to fit as many cars onto a plane as possible, what would you do?' and asked me to go through step by step what I would do... After saying I would need the dimensions of the plane/car they gave me the figures and asked me to calculate it.

Second they asked me to give them a number of how many lawnmowers were sold in Ireland in the last year, without any access to any data. I didn't know what to do for this one, so after giving a random number, they asked me to explain why! And I couldn't really...

What do you think they were trying to get at. I think now they must have been trick questions?

Has anyone else had weird questions like that asked - perhaps its normal for MR jobs...??

For analytical jobs such as investment banking and reseach analytics, interviewers want to hear your reasoning behind answers. You don't usually need to give a correct answer to the mark, but if your reasoning behind the answer you give is sound, thats all they're looking for.

helimachoptor

+1 on what emmet says, they are looking to see what logic you are using to come to the conclusion you have given.

One question a friend was asked -> no joke.

You're a tank commander in a war, you have a driver and a gunner. you have a total of 1500Litres of space for fuel/water. You will be operating in the field for 3 days so what is the breakdown.

Now he wasnt given engine size, climate the vehicle was operating in etc but he broke it down like this, basically only move at night, stay close to a river to replenish water if needed, so he took 120 litres of water, assuming that in a very hot climate it would be 10 litres * 3 days * 3 people and then 30 litres for the cooling systems/AC.

He budgeted 400 litres per day for fuel.

He was then asked if he could bring 100 tank shells or 10,000 rounds of machine gun ammo with him what would be. Again they didn't tell him if he had to blow up other tanks/buildings or was assaulting a trench with people say. So he said he's take the shells as he would assume a position on high ground where he could survey the enemy if it was a tank or a person he could fire a shell at them Shell > tank and person bullets < tank but > person.

bbam

For the lawnower one you'd would need to mention the notion off

The numbers of gardens in Ireland,
Then subtract the number who don't mow their own lawns,
Then the average life of a lawnmower...
So on and so on

It's more about displaying you would have an idea how to get to the answer rather than having first hand experience of lawnmower sales...

Giving random answers in an interview which you can't go on to discuss should be avoided...

spellstar

Yeah they were asking for my thought process on it all... i said something about the recession and less purchases and that was it?! It makes sense what ur sayin about number of households etc for the lawnmower... i guess i just wasnt prepared for those types of questions at all... never heard of questions like that!

I was thinking afterwards do u think the cars/plane question was a trick question - like u can't get cars on to passenger planes?!

and helimachoptor - please tell me ur friend got the job after all that!!

helimachoptor

spellstar wrote: »

and helimachoptor - please tell me ur friend got the job after all that!!

Yes he did, the guy interviewing him was really into his military stuff as is my friend, once this was found out the 2 of them nerded it out in the coffee shop in the building for 4 hours chatting about tanks, plans, guns, military planes etc!!

Ouchette

Lol, I can guess exactly who that interview was for. 2 of my colleagues had interviews there too and had at least one of those questions each. They were also asked to do things like explain what the internet is, to test their ability to explain complicated concepts in a simple way.
On the cars in an aeroplane question, I would have said "Since I'm a maniac, first I'd crush the cars so I could fit more in..." then done the maths. But maybe that's not what they were after...

spellstar

Ouchette wrote: »

Lol, I can guess exactly who that interview was for. 2 of my colleagues had interviews there too and had at least one of those questions each. They were also asked to do things like explain what the internet is, to test their ability to explain complicated concepts in a simple way.

Lol I had that internet question as well!! Very strange... I must have done something right as they've called me back for a second interview - let me know if they have any more tricks up their sleeves?!!;)

bbam

spellstar wrote: »

i guess i just wasnt prepared for those types of questions at all... never heard of questions like that!

Don't worry..
I interviewed along side a chap who just wanted to back each candidate into a corner no matter what it took... What a twat, he just loved seeing them squirm.

MrVestek

I was once asked to pose with an inflatible dog as if it was giving me the interview by an american fella from Citrix Online...

He said it was because it belonged to his boss and he thought it'd be funny. I reckon it was a test to see how well I dealt with the unexpected.

Nearly got the job too... came down to me and some other lad. The other lad got the job :-(

bbam

Achilles wrote: »

The other lad got the job :-(

wonder what was he asked to do with the inflatible dog :eek:

Pythia

I got this before for a job as a trainee actuary. They asked me "How do you get on tv tonight?", "How do I get an elephant" and "How many TVs are in the country?".

helimachoptor

bbam wrote: »

wonder what was he asked to do with the inflatible dog :eek:

Don't ask, don't tell

Pythia wrote: »

I got this before for a job as a trainee actuary. They asked me "How do you get on tv tonight?", "How do I get an elephant" and "How many TVs are in the country?".

Answers : Shout at Pat Kenny, go to the zoo/Africa, Ask the CSO

susanroth

Ouchette wrote: »

Lol, I can guess exactly who that interview was for. 2 of my colleagues had interviews there too and had at least one of those questions each. They were also asked to do things like explain what the internet is, to test their ability to explain complicated concepts in a simple way.
On the cars in an aeroplane question, I would have said "Since I'm a maniac, first I'd crush the cars so I could fit more in..." then done the maths. But maybe that's not what they were after...

I'd love to know who this interview was for!!!!!!!

Ouchette

susanroth wrote: »

I'd love to know who this interview was for!!!!!!!

It was a consultancy based in the Christchurch area of Dublin, but I can't remember their name, sorry.

Catmologen

They were on about this on the radio the other day, why are manholes round is a popular one with google interviews apparently:eek:

jimoc

Its because a round manhole cover cant fall in