Relevant to the Job?

These off-the-cuff, 'curve-ball' questions are really relevant. It shows how the person will react when confronted with 'out-of-the-ordinary' problems that arise from time to time. It will somewhat also reveal ones personality. I guess that some may respond with "is the question relevant?" where you can see straight away that the person will only do their job description, nothing more. While others may be analytical, others will find humor, and others logical.

As a person in hiring technicians and production work, I always throw in these questions to see how the candidate will respond. Other more obvious questions like "What sport do you like/play" indicates whether they are individual workers (tennis) or a team player (football) etc. etc.

I also don't plan the 'off-the-cuff' question. I usually will 'read' the candidate and throw in a 'off-the-cuff' question. Sometimes the faces are priceless. Other times I feel like the candidate thinks I'm on the loopy side.

Hi Daffy,

The question is not "off-the-cuff" or "curve-ball". The hiring person wants to know the future employee's mental actions, deduction ability or other characteristics and qualities necessary for the job. To be out of the box, we have to ask to be out of the box.

In mycase, I hire people who never worked in the industry I am. Why? I want to teach my workers to do everything my way (and there is no ego from my side) and that way I can control how things are done. I build up high quality products with those people in an industry which is old fashioned and making awfully bad quality.

During the last 25 years worked for me and I don't see any follow-up on that idea. I wish I can succeed again. I start this year, Gil.

It all depends upon the interviewer. 75 to 80 % questions should be from the practicing area and the job the candidate is being interviewed. Balance shall be to test the attitude of the candidate as attitude plays vital role in delivering team works.

Curve-ball questions can be wildly uneven, but they can be a good test of lateral thinking. One way to respond is along these lines: "Interesting question. I don't know if there is much published data on it, but I would approach it by asking some return questions such as this (...) and that (...). You don't exactly need to come up with an answer; rather, you need to show an inquisitive attitude about how you might research the matter. "Canned" responses probably won't help.

I can't help thinking about some of the "cock ups" that have been made on "The Apprentice". Some of the candidates who appear to have reasonable business aptitude, seem to have no ability at all to do simple arithmetic. There was one episode when some one was buying ingredients for pizzas: for the chicken pizzas they bought one chicken per pizza.

I would almost certainly fall down in a similar way in a marketing situation because of my inability to tell "little white lies".

This is very relavent question to see the guys presence of mind and can he pose what the length, width and height is and what the ball diameter is if he does not know. The rough calculate and let the person know or ask for calculator and give exact based on other side but if the phase change with the question then he does not belong in the organization. A candidate need to be aggressive and motivated to deal any issue including calculating how many balls to fill the room

How about:

Are these basketballs inflated?

Or:

How many basketballs do you WANT me to fit in the room?

Why do you assume the diameter has anything to do with it, nobody said the balls were inflated. Ooops! You just revealed something about yourself! And so did I...

NEVER MIND what they ask-you answer 1 sentence and start to SELL your self about what you think is relevant to the job and finish the second sentense with a QUESTION!-GOOD LUCK

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That might work with humane resources but it would not work with a technical director. When I ask a specific technical question, I want an answer that makes sense. If you brush it summarily and change the subject, I will conclude that you cannot focus on the task at hand.

Of course, if you are applying for a politician job, selection criteria are different.

The most unusual questions I have been asked at a job interview was "What is your favorite ice cream?" and "Do you like brussel sprouts?"

I answered vanilla. although i was incouraged to say strawberry by the interviewer's assistant.

I answered no to brussel sprouts of course.

And I did not get the job. I guess I should have said strawberry.

It may have been because I am illiterate since I spelled encouraged with an I.

If you have a 3 gallon jug and a 5 gallon jug...only using these two jugs...how can you measure exactly 4 gall?

hi szwasta

may you please help us if the jugs got measurement marks, and if there is a scale to use for measurement.

what i think I can fillup 3gallon jug and pour out to 5gallon jug, you then fill up 3gallon full and pour out to 5gallon full. the remaining will be 1gallllon and you mark it. pour all out and start all over, filling 3gallon and pour out to 5gallon and fill up 3gallon again to the mark of 1gallon and pour out to 5gallon to make it 4gall.

help out if not right

Fill five jug fill three jug from it two gal. left . Repeat

Where do you put 2 gallons while you repeat?

The great thing about being old is that I can say I don't play sports, I don't eat ice cream (gotta watch my diet), and as far as that old standard "Where do you want to be five years from now?", I can just say alive. If interviewing with a man, talk sports, women, talk family and relationships (sexist aren't I). Control the interview as much as possible, don't sit passively waiting for questions. It's all about personality until you get past HR.

It will depend on how you stack them and if you want in the room afterwords???

First fill the 5 gallon jug, them empty out of it to fill the 3 gallon jug, once that is done, empty out 1/2 of what is left in the 5 gallon jug then pour the 3 gallons back in, give you exactly 4 gallons...

Die Hard...

That was a joke, I hope:

"1/2 of what's left"????

Might as well say:

"Fill the 5 gallon jug 4/5ths full. Done." or "Fill the 5 gallon jug, pour out 1/5. done."

Although to eyeball 1/2 is probably more accurate than eyeballing 1/5.

Possible Alternate Solution:

Now if they were CANS instead of JUGS, and assume they are perfect cylinders, you could: Fill both of them, them tilt them, pouring out liquid, until the surface of the liquid just touches the top point of the bottom. Then each will have 1/2 of their capacity (disregarding surface tension, wise guys). (5+3)/2 = 4 gallons

The actual solution is:

Fill the 3 gallon. Pour the 3 into the 5. Fill the 3 gallon again. Pour from the 3 into the 5 until the 5 is full. This will leave one gallon in the 3. Dump out the 5 gallon. Pour the one gallon from the 3 into the 5. fill the 3. Add the 3 to the 1 that is already in the 5 gallon. 3 + 1 = 4. Done for real.

Rufus

See response #13

I wasn't attempting to be the first poster of the actual solution.

#13 was apparently deemed off-topic and hidden.

I guess these few posts will be voted off the island soon too.

If properly designed, such questions reveal problem-solving abilities beyond applying by rote what they've learned.

My favorite question in this regard: "Assume the earth is perfectly spherical, and you stretched a rope completely around the equator. Now you cut it and add 6 inches. Can you get your finger under the rope?" They have to show how they came to a conclusion using a formula. It amazes me how many people know calculus but can't remember basic forumulas they learned in junior high school.