Google's banned interview questions- what would you say?

http://www.iflscience.com/technology/how-many-googles-banned-interview-questions-can-you-answer

I saw this this morning and weirdly I think I'd find a lot of those questions easier to answer than standard interview ones! I'd imagine they'd be quite offputting if you'd just walked into your first job interview though... What would you say?

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Reply 1

username1560589

Manhole covers are round? I have two counterexamples.

Reply 2

Charles III

Original post by furryface12

I think I'd cry and leave… these are so difficult!

Reply 3

chickenfoot

wtf is a manhole

if i was asked such stupid questions i probably wouldnt take it seriously and give back stupid responses. stupid questions get stupid answers.

considering the jobs i apply for as well (part-time retail) i'd walk out, £6-7 is not worth that kind of ridiculous interview process.

Reply 4

FabulouslyAwks

My answer for all these questions would be: can I google it?
Because these questions highlight the need and importance of Google! :biggrin:

I hope they accept that or I am screwed!

Reply 5

Bernie2016

Circle manholes take up less area and still allow passage of people and therefore are lighter and easier to move? Whats complicated about that.

Reply 6

Charles III

Original post by FabulouslyAwks

My answer for all these questions would be: can I google it?
Because these questions highlight the need and importance of Google! :biggrin:

I hope they accept that or I am screwed!

omg THIS IS SO CLEVER!

Reply 7

whorace

Why would these questions tell you anything of value? They are all just trivial amusements with no practical purpose.

Reply 8

Kashmir Skirt

Original post by whorace

Why would these questions tell you anything of value? They are all just trivial amusements with no practical purpose.

It shows outside the box thinking and novel ways to solve problems.

Reply 9

Nettled

Original post by FabulouslyAwks

My answer for all these questions would be: can I google it?
Because these questions highlight the need and importance of Google! :biggrin:

I hope they accept that or I am screwed!

You really are fabulous :lol:

I really want to know the answers to these questions though :unimpressed:

Wish I hadn't read the article..

Reply 10

Good bloke

Original post by Bernie2016

Circle manholes take up less area and still allow passage of people and therefore are lighter and easier to move? Whats complicated about that.

Wrong answer.

They are round as a round cover cannot fall into its own hole and cause injury or damage whereas a rectangular cover can.

Reply 11

furryface12

Original post by iEthan

I think I'd cry and leave… these are so difficult!

Tbf that'd be me normally- these I can apply some logic too, if they asked me my greatest achievement or something I'd be like uhhhh... :afraid:

Original post by whorace

Why would these questions tell you anything of value? They are all just trivial amusements with no practical purpose.

I'd guess to see how people respond to a something unexpected and go about solving problems, and something they've probably never thought about before? Similar to the Oxbridge ones :dontknow:

Original post by Bernie2016

Circle manholes take up less area and still allow passage of people and therefore are lighter and easier to move? Whats complicated about that.

Oddly enough that's the one I'd have been most stuck on! Seems so simple now you say it :redface:

good bloke's answer probably better though

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(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 12

whorace

Original post by Kashmir Skirt

It shows outside the box thinking and novel ways to solve problems.

Considering most decisions are not made within a short interview it seems nothing more than a quick assessment of base cognitive skill which would change depending on one's mood and just the time of day. It tells you very little

Reply 13

Good bloke

Original post by furryface12

Oddly enough that's the one I'd have been most stuck on! Seems so simple now you say it :I

But the answer he gave was incorrect. See my post above.

Reply 14

Good bloke

Original post by whorace

Why would these questions tell you anything of value? They are all just trivial amusements with no practical purpose.

I think the one about manhole covers is of vital importance, with practical application in everyday life.

Reply 15

JW22

Original post by Bernie2016

Circle manholes take up less area and still allow passage of people and therefore are lighter and easier to move? Whats complicated about that.

I was thinking it was because if you had a square manhole cover, placed it on its side and turned it 45 degrees it would fall through the hole, whereas a circle would never fall through because it's diameter is always the same regardless of its position

Reply 16

FabulouslyAwks

Original post by iEthan

omg THIS IS SO CLEVER!

Yo I am a genius! Jk, thanks :biggrin:

Original post by Nettled

You really are fabulous :lol:

I really want to know the answers to these questions though :unimpressed:

Wish I hadn't read the article..

Aw thanks

, same I really want to know as well :frown:

Reply 17

furryface12

Original post by Good bloke

But the answer he gave was incorrect. See my post above.

Yeah I edited it once I saw your answer, that makes a lot of sense actually.

Another one that got me (I feel like in missing the point of this somewhere!)- what is the significance of 'dead beef?'

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Reply 18

ETbuymilkandeggs

I got the hotel one, but that's only because I played a game of Monopoly last night and the 3 words 'hotel', 'fortune' and 'car' appearing in the same sentence allowed me to connect the dots :biggrin:

Reply 19

Bernie2016