Oh my, job interviewers will sometimes say the darndest things. And thanks to Glassdoor now we know what might be on top of their list next time you roll into the offices of Google, Amazon or Microsoft.
Glassdoor, which compiles salary reports and CEO reviews for companies, has now released a list of the top interview questions encountered by job candidates.
The top 25 list is below, including some doozies from Trader Joe’s, JetBlue and Forrester Research. But first I wanted to share some of the weirder interview questions from tech giants in our backyard, including Microsoft, Expedia and Amazon.
“How many diapers does America go through in one month?” – Asked at Microsoft, Associate Product Manager candidate. More Microsoft interview questions.
“How much of your day do you smile?” – Asked at Amazon, Associate candidate. More Amazon interview questions.
“Given a 7 digit phone number, find out all the words that can be formed using this number based on the T9 keypad.” – Asked at Expedia, Software Engineer In Test 1 candidate. More Expedia interview questions.
Meanwhile, here’s Glassdoor’s list of the top 25 oddball interview questions, a compilation from thousands of interview questions posted on the site.
1. “If you were to get rid of one state in the US, which would it be and why?” – Asked at Forrester Research, Research Associate candidate. More Forrester Research interview questions.
3. “How many quarters would you need to reach the height of the Empire State building?” – Asked at JetBlue, Pricing/Revenue Management Analyst candidate. More JetBlue interview questions.
4. “A penguin walks through that door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?” – Asked at Clark Construction Group, Office Engineer candidate. More Clark Construction Group interview questions.
6. “Jeff Bezos walks into your office and says you can have a million dollars to launch your best entrepreneurial idea. What is it?” – Asked at Amazon, Product Development candidate. More Amazon interview questions.
7. “What do you think about when you are alone in your car?” – Asked at Gallup, Associate Analyst candidate.More Gallup interview questions.
10. “Can you say: ’Peter Pepper Picked a Pickled Pepper’ and cross-sell a washing machine at the same time?” – Asked at MasterCard, Call Centre candidate. More MasterCard interview questions.
11. “If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us?” – Asked at Trader Joe’s, Crew candidate. More Trader Joe’s interview questions.
12. “How would people communicate in a perfect world?” – Asked at Novell, Software Engineer candidate. More Novell interview questions.
14. “My wife and I are going on vacation, where would you recommend?” – Asked at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Advisory Associate candidate. More PricewaterhouseCoopers interview questions.
15. “You are a head chef at a restaurant and your team has been selected to be on Iron Chef. How do you prepare your team for the competition and how do you leverage the competition for your restaurant?” – Asked at Accenture, Business Analyst candidate. More Accenture interview questions.
22. “If you had turned you cell phone to silent, and it rang really loudly despite it being on silent, what would you tell me?” – Asked at Kimberly-Clark, Biomedical Engineer candidate. More Kimberly-Clark interview questions.
23. “On a scale from one to ten, rate me as an interviewer.” – Asked at Kraft Foods, General Laborer candidate.More Kraft Foods interview questions.
24. “If you could be anyone else, who would it be?” – Asked at Salesforce.com, Sales Representative candidate.More Salesforce.com interview questions.
25. “How would you direct someone else on how to cook an omelet?” – Asked at PETCO, Analyst candidate. More PETCO interview questions.
Nick CamilleriHead of Career Skills Development & Coaching*Based on past data of successful IK students
Our tried & tested strategy for cracking interviews
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Amazon is a giant in the technology landscape and is particularly known for its disruption of several industries through innovation, technology, and scalability. Recognized as one of the most influential brands in the world, Amazon is the biggest internet company by revenue and employs over a million people across the globe.Â
Amazon employs an extensive interview process with multiple rounds that test aptitude, coding ability, and technical prowess. These rounds are then followed by interviews with the hiring manager and the HR team.Â
When hiring, Amazon focuses on attracting people that are the right fit for their culture. Also, they want people who are technically sound. This is exactly why Amazon conducts phone interviews. They act as a screening round to filter the best candidates. Without good preparation, you might find yourself struggling to get through the telephone interview.Â
If you have an Amazon phone interview lined up, this article will help you prepare for it in the best possible way.Â
Hereâs what we will cover in this article:
Companies use phone interviews to screen candidates and narrow the pool of applicants who will be invited for in-person interviews. Phone interviews are a great way for recruiters to determine organizational fit and differentiate between candidates who appear similar on paper.Â
Phone interviews are to be taken as seriously as an on-site interview. If you perform poorly on the phone interview questions, you will almost certainly not be invited to the onsite interview. Lack of knowledge about the company, dropped calls, background noise, and other factors that reveal your unpreparedness can negatively impact the interview and your chances of working for Amazon.
The recruitment process at Amazon varies for each position and sometimes also depends on the candidates work experience. Knowing about the entire Amazon interview process can be beneficial as it can help you prepare accordingly. The basic Amazon phone interview has 1-2 rounds in total.Â
The phone screen interview at Amazon lasts about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Typically, the recruiter will assess your interest and fit for the role. They will also ask basic questions about your background and work experience.
The recruiter will then help schedule the first interview, which will be conducted over the phone.
The next phone screen will typically be with your hiring manager and senior members of the product team.
The technical phone screen is the first step in the process that involves being contacted by a human resources team member. You will be asked basic questions about your profile and experience, after which the recruiter will fix a date for the remote/online coding assignment.Â
You can also expect a few technical questions on the programming language of your choice and technical aspects about your experience, primarily dependent on the position youre applying to.Â
The technical phone screen typically lasts 15 to 30 minutes. 7-day Email Course:
Dell asks: “What songs best describe your work ethic?”
Less than 10% Hired by Amazon
Hired by other companies like Microsoft, Google, Lyft, Tableau, etc.
Hired by Amazon within 3-4 months