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17 Former Google Interview Questions So Ridiculous The Company Banned Them
Business Insider ^ | 07/08/2014 | Caroline Moss

Posted on 07/08/2014 12:42:16 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Sometimes the hiring practices of even the biggest and most successful companies can be outright ridiculous. There can be bizarre interview questions that seemingly have no answers. There can be standards — like not hiring anyone who attended a college outside of the Ivy League — that will knock candidates out of the race before they even approach the starting line.

Google used to be the shining example of these practices. It had high standards and asked silly questions.

The questions were so nuts that they were eventually banned from being asked. That's right, banned.

In 2009, Seattle job coach Lewis Lin put together a list of 140 questions his clients were asked by Google. We've picked out some of the wildest and added a link to the whole list at the end.

Future Google employees should be grateful these questions are no longer on the table.

1. How much should you charge to wash all the windows in Seattle?

2. Why are manhole covers round?

3. You need to check that your friend Bob has your correct phone number, but you cannot ask him directly ...

You must write the question on a card and give it to Eve who will take the card to Bob and return the answer to you. What must you write on the card, besides the question, to ensure that Bob can encode the message so that Eve cannot read your phone number?

4. How many piano tuners are there in the entire world?

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Society
KEYWORDS: google; interview
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1 posted on 07/08/2014 12:42:16 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind
I would LOVE to answer those questions... For example

Q: Every wife in the village instantly knows when a man other than her husband has cheated but does not know when her own husband has. The village has a law that does not allow for adultery. Any wife who can prove that her husband is unfaithful must kill him that very day. The women of the village would never disobey this law. One day, the queen of the village visits and announces that at least one husband has been unfaithful. What happens?

A: Hilarity Ensues. (I love it when hilarity ensues)

2 posted on 07/08/2014 12:53:51 PM PDT by Mr. K (Palin/Cruz 2016)
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To: SeekAndFind

For question number 1. 6 dollars a window only from the outside. Anything over 2 stories the rate goes up by 2 dollars per window per floor.

I have 52,000 people who just arrived who can do the work. They will be the Monday.


3 posted on 07/08/2014 12:55:50 PM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (GM is dead and Al Queada is alive.)
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To: EQAndyBuzz

I was always told to have at least one clean joke handy in case the interviewer goes off script and asks to tell him a joke.

I had an interview with a hosting company in San Antonio that shall remain nameless. I was on my last interview over the two day interviewing process (met with 15 people) and the interviewer decided to get cute. So he asks me, “if you found a giraffe in your back yard, how would you remove him?”

Having heard this before, without missing a beat I said, “is it alive or dead? Because if it is dead I would have to borrow my next door neighbors chain saw.”

Interview over.


4 posted on 07/08/2014 1:01:35 PM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (GM is dead and Al Queada is alive.)
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To: SeekAndFind
You must write the question on a card and give it to Eve who will take the card to Bob and return the answer to you. What must you write on the card, besides the question, to ensure that Bob can encode the message so that Eve cannot read your phone number?

That's not a stupid question. It's uses the standard names cryptography problems. I don't remember all of them, but Alice and Bob are the people communicating. Eve is an eavesdropper.


5 posted on 07/08/2014 1:05:32 PM PDT by KarlInOhio (The IRS: either criminally irresponsible in backup procedures or criminally responsible of coverup.)
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To: SeekAndFind

1. There isn’t enough money.
2. To keep the covers from falling down into the hole.
3. The note says: Bob, call me, BoT.
4. Who cares?
5. All the wome become widows.
6. He hocked his out of gas car for cash and lost it gambling.
7. Second had included or not?
8. Four.
9. Everybody leave. Before the zombies get here.
10. As opposed to living flesh still on the cow?
11. There is no practical limit.
12. Pinch myself to wake up.
13. A lot.
14. No, it would be a fools bet
15. A bunch of lists of stuff and the categories associated with them. A database could be s small as a list of all the kids in his school class and the video games they own. It could be as large as all the people in the US and their names, address, phone numbers, ages, their children, the types of car they drive, and anything else.


6 posted on 07/08/2014 1:06:06 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (Haven't you lost enough freedoms? Support an end to the WOD now.)
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To: SeekAndFind
#2) Why are manhole covers round?

Design an evacuation plan for San Francisco


7 posted on 07/08/2014 1:06:38 PM PDT by DannyTN (I)
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To: SeekAndFind

Those questions seem oblique, but they’re actually intended to gauge how a person thinks, and if they do so flexibly. They’re not ridiculous unless you toss the guy out if he doesn’t know “the answer”. It’s more about observing the process.


8 posted on 07/08/2014 1:08:26 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: Mr. K
I would LOVE to answer those questions... For example

Q: Every wife in the village instantly knows when a man...

If only one man is cheating, then every woman in the village knows that fact except for his wife. Since she knows at least one man is cheating and she doesn't know his name therefore the only man it could be is her husband. Stab.

If two husbands are cheating, every wife will know the name of one or two of them. The first night everyone is sure that some other husband will be killed. When none is (because the two cheated on wives already know one and only one name so don't kill their husbands), everyone will realize that not one but at least two husbands cheated. Those wives who only know of one husband who cheated realizes that their own husbands also cheated and kill them. Stab. Stab.

Extended, if X husbands cheat then they will be killed on day X, but not before because the victimized wives know of X-1 cheaters and will allow X-1 days to pass before they realize the number of cheaters exceed their known cheaters list.

9 posted on 07/08/2014 1:13:23 PM PDT by KarlInOhio (The IRS: either criminally irresponsible in backup procedures or criminally responsible of coverup.)
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To: SeekAndFind
I had the manhole and the golf ball question in one interview. My last interview ended with.....Ok - you're a hamburger. You can add only one topping. What do you choose and why?

The guy was dead serious. He said he asked that question of every candidate for every position.

I did not get the job.....and I'm actually thankful for that.

10 posted on 07/08/2014 1:17:36 PM PDT by Mygirlsmom (Tea: A beverage best served cold. With RINO meat.)
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To: Blood of Tyrants
2. To keep the covers from falling down into the hole.

That's true and it was a Microsoft interview question but in the current version you have to provide a brief proof on why that is the case.

11 posted on 07/08/2014 1:18:49 PM PDT by steve86 ( Acerbic by nature, not nurture)
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To: SeekAndFind

#2—this is the only shape that guarantees they won’t fall into the hole. True stuff.


12 posted on 07/08/2014 1:20:32 PM PDT by Doctor 2Brains
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To: KarlInOhio

yes, as I said... Hilarity ensues


13 posted on 07/08/2014 1:20:55 PM PDT by Mr. K (Palin/Cruz 2016)
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To: SeekAndFind

How about the candidate who prepares assiduously for a (government, admittedly) job interview, only to be met with the opening remark: “We’re not interested in your qualifications or experience to perform the duties of this position...”


14 posted on 07/08/2014 1:45:37 PM PDT by faithhopecharity ((Brilliant, Profound Tag Line Goes Here, just as soon as I can think of one..))
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To: faithhopecharity

RE: How about the candidate who prepares assiduously for a (government, admittedly) job interview, only to be met with the opening remark: “We’re not interested in your qualifications or experience to perform the duties of this position...”

OK, you got me curious... what WOULD BE of interest to the hiring managers?


15 posted on 07/08/2014 1:57:57 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind
The reason manhole covers are round is because if they were any other shape they wouldn't fit in the hole opening....

Duh...!

16 posted on 07/08/2014 2:01:22 PM PDT by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: Mad Dawgg

Why is the opening chosen to be round?


17 posted on 07/08/2014 2:03:39 PM PDT by steve86 ( Acerbic by nature, not nurture)
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To: steve86

Because sewer pipes are round so that sewage doesn’t collect in the corners


18 posted on 07/08/2014 2:04:48 PM PDT by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: Mad Dawgg

You can’t use logic when dealing with Dem supporters. Any answer is wrong if you’re on the wrong side.


19 posted on 07/08/2014 2:08:23 PM PDT by MaxMax (Pay Attention and you'll be pissed off too! FIRE BOEHNER, NOW!)
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To: SeekAndFind

Place two pictures (exactly alike) having lots of detail in them side by side.

Then ask the applicant to list the differences.

The one who quickly dismissed any differences was considered for the general manager position.

The ones who took some time but then cautiously saying that no differences exist would be department head candidates.

Anyone hesitating to answer and not committing were hired as line staff.

Anyone who quickly found differences weren’t hired.

A few others are still taking the test which began last year.
Presently there are no job openings left but they insist on finding the differences.


20 posted on 07/08/2014 2:11:20 PM PDT by Joan Kerrey (The larger the government, the smaller the people)
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