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job searching/interview questions

post #1 of 15
9/27/06 at 5:44pm
Thread Starter 
to all the college seniors out there who are looking for jobs right now, i just want to let you know - i feel your pain. im interviewed out and just starting the damn process. whats the toughest interview question youve gotten so far? mine was, how many ping pong balls fit in a 747? lovely, i love investment bankers. assholes.
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post #2 of 15
9/27/06 at 8:08pm
i thought that was a "conventional" question but for consulting, didn't know i-bankers also ask those types of questions.
good luck!
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post #3 of 15
9/27/06 at 8:11pm
i've been ask those random weird questions too. is the purpose of those just to see how you'd react to surprises and how you handle pressure and to better see your personality?
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post #4 of 15
9/27/06 at 8:20pm
Yeah I've been going to all the recruitment things now. Just got back from Lehman Bros. Interview will be in about 2 weeks. I remember last year for my internships I had something like 16 interviews (all with banks or consulting firms). The worst company I've EVER interviewed with was Merril Lynch.

The piece of shit (a 2nd year of all things...3 years my senior) put his feet up on the desk and spent the entire time checking his blackberry. What a tool. If I wasn't so desperate for an internship I would have told him to fuck off.

Anyway, don't take a job with Merril
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post #5 of 15
9/27/06 at 9:00pm
ping pong balls in a 747? man you should be prepared for that one! they probably ask that one to see how good your memorization skills are

but good luck with job searching, i feel your pain.
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post #6 of 15
9/28/06 at 6:27am
Thread Starter 
its a question to test your analytical and critical thinking skills. its just a pain in the ass.
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post #7 of 15
9/28/06 at 8:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dra View Post
its a question to test your analytical and critical thinking skills. its just a pain in the ass.
Exactly. I was asked once "how many telephones are there in the US?" Needless to say I was not prepared for that question. I rambled off a dumb guess that must have come out ok because they still offered me the job.
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post #8 of 15
9/28/06 at 8:39am
The toughest question. What are your faults? You can't really say you have any. So you have to answer in a positive way. For instance you answer, "Well I really like to be busy, I would think that having a job where I am not constantly challenged would be difficult." of course you would answer to what best suits the job you are applying for. I took an outplacement course where they helped you on interviews and such and this is what they suggested.
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post #9 of 15
9/29/06 at 2:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jh2240 View Post
ping pong balls in a 747? man you should be prepared for that one! they probably ask that one to see how good your memorization skills are

but good luck with job searching, i feel your pain.
thats pretty stupid. they should be looking to hire people not play tricks to see peoples reactions.. what the hell is the answer to that question anyway?
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post #10 of 15
9/29/06 at 8:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jetsetter View Post
thats pretty stupid. they should be looking to hire people not play tricks to see peoples reactions.. what the hell is the answer to that question anyway?
There is no "actual" answer...you'd have to go into your thought process as you tried to figure it out. As in...based on the size of one ping pong ball...and give an approximation of how many cubic space is in the 747...then try to calculate how many balls would fit based on that approximation...etc etc.

Microsoft is notorious for posing questions like this in order to gauge analytical and thinking skills. My favorite one of theirs is "how would you move mt. everest?"

http://www.sellsbrothers.com/fun/msi...t=question.htm
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post #11 of 15
9/30/06 at 1:39am
^ haha yea i figured there was no real answer but do they really expect you to try and figure it out right then and there?
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post #12 of 15
9/30/06 at 2:05am
Interviewing can be soo ridiculous... I got asked, "how many quarters would it take to fill this room?" I had to really restrain from rolling my eyes when I shot back, "Well, that depends, how many pennies would it take?" How cheesy.

I have a professional skills and portfolio devp. class at a local cc. Here's the list of the most common according to the book we go by.

1) Tell me a bit about yourself.
2) What three words describe your best character traits? What about your worst?
3) Of those three weaknesses, which causes you the most trouble?
4) What specific strengths do you think you can bring to this position?
5) What do you know about our company?
6) In what manner do you communicate with staff? With supervisors?
7) Describe what, for you, is an ideal workday.
Have you ever been fired or asked to resign?
9) Why are you leaving your current position?
10) Can you explain the gaps in your employment history.
11) Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
12) Do you have any questions?
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post #13 of 15
9/30/06 at 6:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jillybean View Post
Interviewing can be soo ridiculous... I got asked, "how many quarters would it take to fill this room?" I had to really restrain from rolling my eyes when I shot back, "Well, that depends, how many pennies would it take?" How cheesy.

I have a professional skills and portfolio devp. class at a local cc. Here's the list of the most common according to the book we go by.

1) Tell me a bit about yourself.
2) What three words describe your best character traits? What about your worst?
3) Of those three weaknesses, which causes you the most trouble?
4) What specific strengths do you think you can bring to this position?
5) What do you know about our company?
6) In what manner do you communicate with staff? With supervisors?
7) Describe what, for you, is an ideal workday.
Have you ever been fired or asked to resign?
9) Why are you leaving your current position?
10) Can you explain the gaps in your employment history.
11) Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
12) Do you have any questions?


great tips!

MAKE SURE TO KNOW #1 and 12 for sure, they are almost always the first and last questions
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post #14 of 15
9/30/06 at 9:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jetsetter View Post
^ haha yea i figured there was no real answer but do they really expect you to try and figure it out right then and there?
Yeah...I'm surprised no one told you about case interviews- you should be hearing a LOT of questions like that in any 1st round interview for an i-banking or consulting job. There are several good books out there to help you prepare for such questions.
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post #15 of 15
4/9/11 at 1:02am


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by AccordingToKate View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by jetsetter View Post
^ haha yea i figured there was no real answer but do they really expect you to try and figure it out right then and there?
Yeah...I'm surprised no one told you about case interviews- you should be hearing a LOT of questions like that in any 1st round interview for an i-banking or consulting job. There are several good books out there to help you prepare for such questions.


Hi.

 

Interview is important. I have got some my experience about interview. I'll share soon again.

 

Apart from that, you also can ref more resources at:  Analytical interview questions

Best rgs.


Edited by hdblue - 4/10/11 at 7:30pm
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