How Do You Answer THAT?

Most everyone expects pretty much the same types of typical interview questions, but word on the “Streets” (i.e. the internet) has spread that some companies are upping the stakes by asking brain teaser type questions. These tend to sometimes throw people off of their game, as well as allow the interviewer to evaluate how you truly think on your feet. Plus it may even shed a little light on an inner personality trait.

I have scoured the internet looking for some examples of such questions, as well as suggested answer techniques for them. Here are a few of what I thought were the more interesting ones:

How many ridges are there around a quarter? – Trivia I personally do not know. Now you and I both know – there are 119 ridges around the outside edge of a quarter.

You have a birthday cake and have exactly 3 slices to make in order to cut it into 8 equal pieces. How do you do it? – A real brain teaser to cause you to scramble to think outside the box. The solution: cut the cake into quarters, which will use up two of your slices. Then stack the four pieces on top of each other, and make the final cut down the middle of all four pieces, leaving you with eight equal pieces.

You are in a totally dark room and have to pick out a pair of matching socks for a job interview. Your drawer is filled with 19 gray socks, and 25 black socks. What are the chances you will pull a matching pair? – Yes, there is probably a mathematically accurate answer for this, but always pay attention to the exact wording of the question. No one said you only had to pick two socks from the drawer. A simple answer: grab three socks and put them on in a well lit room, and you have a 100% chance of having a match.

On a scale of 1 to 5, how weird are you? – Kind of a fun question, but try to put a new spin on the answer by redefining weird and using the opportunity to highlight your better traits. If you are unable to accomplish that, then simply answer that you are a 4 – being above average but not extreme.

Remember, you cannot always be 100% prepared for what might be thrown at you during an interview. Do not lose your head in these situations; stop, take a breath and give it some thought. Try to give a reasonable response, so do not always just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Just remember, everyone being interviewed for the position is probably going through the same thing, and their answers may be as off the cuff as yours.