The Oddest Interview Questions

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The Oddest Interview Questions

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Lowell SSC Guru Points: 323518 More actions · Answer 1

mzettler (2/23/2011)

SKYBVI (2/22/2011)
3) What is the angle between the minute hand and the hour hand of a wall clock when the time is
3:40

with no pressure, sitting at my desk, I figured i knew every major number on the clock was 30 degrees, so 90 degrees for the angle from "3" to 6", then plus two 30 degree units for 6-7 and 7-8.

so my calculation was 90+60 = 150 degrees, with no pencil.

i think if i felt comfortable in the interview, i might have done it , but if it was a high stress interview where they are hammering you with questions, maybe not.

Lowell

--help us help you! If you post a question, make sure you include a CREATE TABLE... statement and INSERT INTO... statement into that table to give the volunteers here representative data. with your description of the problem, we can provide a tested, verifiable solution to your question! asking the question the right way gets you a tested answer the fastest way possible!

Jason Wolfkill SSCrazy Eights Points: 9832 More actions · Answer 2

skcadavre (2/23/2011)
"What do your parents do for a living?"

Until I was 12 years old, my father told me he was a piano player in a brothel. He later told me he actually is a lawyer but was too ashamed to explain that to his child.

As an ex-lawyer, I find lawyer jokes funny. I hold no ill-will toward lawyers in general and mean no offense to anyone.

Jason Wolfkill

grahamc SSCertifiable Points: 6762 More actions · Answer 3

OCTom (2/18/2011)
I was asked what my favorite animal was. I answered cats. The interviewer was a dog lover and stopped the interview right there.
Another strange one was when I was asked if I had any trouble working for a woman. I said no. He said that he wouldn't hire any man who could work for a woman.

Thats funny as...... :hehe:

Cadavre SSC-Forever Points: 41690 More actions · Answer 4

Michael Valentine Jones (2/23/2011)
skcadavre (2/23/2011)
"What do your parents do for a living?"
I just remember thinking - what in god's name has that got to do with anything?
It's good to have an answer that puts you in the best light:
"The details of my life are quite inconsequential... very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a fifteen year old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. My childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds- pretty standard really. At the age of twelve I received my first scribe..."
My apologies to Dr. Evil

wolfkillj (2/23/2011)
skcadavre (2/23/2011)
"What do your parents do for a living?"
Until I was 12 years old, my father told me he was a piano player in a brothel. He later told me he actually is a lawyer but was too ashamed to explain that to his child.
As an ex-lawyer, I find lawyer jokes funny. I hold no ill-will toward lawyers in general and mean no offense to anyone.

Both good answers 🙂

I just told the boring truth, didn't try to embellish at all. My father - actually my step-father, no idea what my real father does - is in construction and my mother works in a shop. Both worked really hard to help me get to where I am today.

Forever trying to learn
My blog - http://www.cadavre.co.uk/
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JP Dakota, PRC SSC Eights! Points: 986 More actions · Answer 5

I was once asked for the absolute value of Pi. There isn't one.

I was asked what I'm like when I'm not in an interview. I'm always pretty much the same.

I was asked what is the first thing i'd do if my vacuum cleaner quit working. Check to see if its still plugged in.

I was asked for my greatest personal achievement. Began my answer with ....well, my greatest professional achievement to date is.........

SkyBVI SSCoach Points: 15128 More actions · Answer 6

Lowell (2/23/2011)

mzettler (2/23/2011)
SKYBVI (2/22/2011)
3) What is the angle between the minute hand and the hour hand of a wall clock when the time is
3:40
with no pressure, sitting at my desk, I figured i knew every major number on the clock was 30 degrees, so 90 degrees for the angle from "3" to 6", then plus two 30 degree units for 6-7 and 7-8.
so my calculation was 90+60 = 150 degrees, with no pencil.
i think if i felt comfortable in the interview, i might have done it , but if it was a high stress interview where they are hammering you with questions, maybe not.

Thats wrong ,

How can u add the 90 degrees between 3 and 6...

if time is 3:40, the hour hand has moved a lot towards 4.....

Just give it a thought.

Thats wa mistake , generally people do in an interview....

Regards,

Sushant

Regards
Sushant Kumar
MCTS,MCP

SkyBVI SSCoach Points: 15128 More actions · Answer 7

skcadavre (2/23/2011)
"What do your parents do for a living?"
I just remember thinking - what in god's name has that got to do with anything?

I dont know from where you belong and also what kind of questions they put up...

BUT...In my country this ISN'T an odd question...

In an HR interview , people mostly ask what our parents are doing for a living...

Maybe this question differs for every culture/nationality.

Regards,

Sushant

Regards
Sushant Kumar
MCTS,MCP

Lowell SSC Guru Points: 323518 More actions · Answer 8

SKYBVI (2/23/2011)
Thats wrong ,
How can u add the 90 degrees between 3 and 6...
if time is 3:40, the hour hand has moved a lot towards 4.....
Just give it a thought.
Thats wa mistake , generally people do in an interview....
Regards,
Sushant

yep exactly...didn't take into consideration the movement of the hour hand;

Lowell

--help us help you! If you post a question, make sure you include a CREATE TABLE... statement and INSERT INTO... statement into that table to give the volunteers here representative data. with your description of the problem, we can provide a tested, verifiable solution to your question! asking the question the right way gets you a tested answer the fastest way possible!

Brandie Tarvin SSC Guru Points: 173047 More actions · Answer 9

SKYBVI (2/23/2011)
Thats wrong ,
...Thats wa mistake , generally people do in an interview....

I don't think the answer actually has to be correct. This question sounds more like one designed to figure out the interviewee's problem-solving methodology and whether or not the interviewee actually listens to questions instead of just hearing every third word, etc.

Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

SkyBVI SSCoach Points: 15128 More actions · Answer 10

Brandie Tarvin (2/23/2011)
SKYBVI (2/23/2011)
Thats wrong ,
...Thats wa mistake , generally people do in an interview....
I don't think the answer actually has to be correct. This question sounds more like one designed to figure out the interviewee's problem-solving methodology and whether or not the interviewee actually listens to questions instead of just hearing every third word, etc.

What do you mean?

I guess the interviewer wanted to see our mathematical approach...

Angles are just grade 7-8 topics...

The interviewer wants to see if that guy is just cramming all the theoritcal topics or can apply his own mind in any sort of problems..If the guy can calculate angles, maybe he can code that too....

Regards,

Sushant

Regards
Sushant Kumar
MCTS,MCP

Michael Valentine Jones SSC Guru Points: 64818 More actions · Answer 11

JP Dakota (2/23/2011)
I was once asked for the absolute value of Pi. There isn't one.
...

I have to disagree; the absolute value of Pi is Pi.

Absolute value,

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_value

"In mathematics, the absolute value (or modulus) |a| of a real number a is the numerical value of a without regard to its sign. So, for example, the absolute value of 3 is 3, and the absolute value of -3 is also 3.

...

For any real number a the absolute value or modulus of a is denoted by |a| (a vertical bar on each side of the quantity) and is defined as:

if a >= 0 then |a| = a

if a < 0 then |a| = -a

..."

Since Pi is a real number greater than zero, |Pi| = Pi

Ninja's_RGR'us SSC Guru Points: 294069 More actions · Answer 12

Michael Valentine Jones (2/24/2011)
JP Dakota (2/23/2011)
I was once asked for the absolute value of Pi. There isn't one.
...
I have to disagree; the absolute value of Pi is Pi.
Absolute value,
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_value
"In mathematics, the absolute value (or modulus) |a| of a real number a is the numerical value of a without regard to its sign. So, for example, the absolute value of 3 is 3, and the absolute value of -3 is also 3.
...
For any real number a the absolute value or modulus of a is denoted by |a| (a vertical bar on each side of the quantity) and is defined as:
if a >= 0 then |a| = a
if a < 0 then |a| = -a
..."
Since Pi is a real number greater than zero, |Pi| = Pi

Geek! :w00t:

Michael Valentine Jones SSC Guru Points: 64818 More actions · Answer 13

Ninja's_RGR'us (2/24/2011)
Michael Valentine Jones (2/24/2011)
JP Dakota (2/23/2011)
I was once asked for the absolute value of Pi. There isn't one.
...
I have to disagree; the absolute value of Pi is Pi.
Absolute value,
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_value
"In mathematics, the absolute value (or modulus) |a| of a real number a is the numerical value of a without regard to its sign. So, for example, the absolute value of 3 is 3, and the absolute value of -3 is also 3.
...
For any real number a the absolute value or modulus of a is denoted by |a| (a vertical bar on each side of the quantity) and is defined as:
if a >= 0 then |a| = a
if a < 0 then |a| = -a
..."
Since Pi is a real number greater than zero, |Pi| = Pi
Geek! :w00t:

I think it's a good question. Ask someone a question with a simple answer, and see if they manage to confuse themselves.

Ninja's_RGR'us SSC Guru Points: 294069 More actions · Answer 14

Ninja's_RGR'us

SSC Guru

Points: 294069

February 24, 2011 at 9:01 am

#1291048

Good idea... I'll try that sometimes.

chris.stuart SSCarpal Tunnel Points: 4965 More actions · Answer 15

More startling than odd... Someone mentioned to me once that he likes to ask "How would you react if I told you that so far, your interview is terrible?"

I'm totally not sure how I'll react to this statement! Meing a Gemini and the person doing the interview and my mood that day, it might be "well sorry for wasting your time" to something more like "Well I dont like the way that your interview me in anycase, take this job and stuff it"