How to ace the brain teaser interview

The inside track on how to beat the "logic puzzle" job interview As if job interviews weren't nerve-wracking enough, many companies, in their pursuit of the brightest and best, have begun beleaguering applicants with tests of logic, creativity, and analytical abilities. Many firms have replaced traditional interview questions such as "Tell us about yourself" or "What's your biggest weakness?" with mind-benders such as: Why are beer cans tapered at both ends? How many piano tuners are there in the world? How many Ping-Pong balls can you stuff into a Boeing 747? How would you design a bathroom for the CEO of the company? If you could remove any one of the 50 U.S.states, which one would it be? In How to Ace the Brain Teaser Interview, bestselling careers author John Kador gives readers the inside track on this new interview technique. He provides 75 puzzles actually used by HR departments across the nation, and he offers tips on how to solve them and present the solutions so as to make the best possible impression. As if job interviews weren't intimidating enough, a number of the most desirable companies are raising the ante. Instead of "Tell us about yourself" or "What is your biggest weakness?" applicants are confronted by challenges such as: Why are beer cans tapered on the ends? How many piano tuners are there in the world? How many ping pong balls can you stuff into a Boeing 747? Design a bathroom for the CEO of the company. If you could remove any one of the 50 US states, which would you select and why? What are the interviewers looking for? In general, they want insights into how you think and how creative you are. Can you articulate a problem in a creative way? Can you shift your point of view so you think outside the box? Can you outline a logical procedure for estimating an answer? Can you defend the answer against objections? Only by evaluating your responses will the interviewer be able to determine what sets you apart from the rest, and, perhaps more importantly, how well you resp ond to unusual or unexpected business situations.; Acing such interviews requires a new mindset. It's not about right and wrong. The obvious answers are generally the least desirable (and generally wrong!). Today, success requires outrageous mental leaps, enormous confidence, and taking risks. These are the challenges that the best companies use to separate the best from the good. Can you measure up and make the cut? This book will help you. This book is a how-to for job applicants who want to be prepared for a line of think-on-your feet creativity stumpers currently in vogue by a number of companies determined to select the best employees in today's incredibly competitive job market. A number of articles, books, and broadcasts indicate that many employers in search of the "Right Stuff" are throwing out traditional questions in favor of problem-solving queries.; Their goal is to seek out talented individuals who are not only smart but can think on their feet. Kador takes an in-depth lo ok at the variety of challenges an applicant can expect to be asked in addition to offering proven strategies for knocking them out of the park. The main part of the book will give readers the inside track on the most popular such questions and what interviewers are looking for. A section of the book will allow readers to test their creativity against a set of new brain teasers and off-the-wall questions

Learn to solve the world's most puzzling interview questions

Company recruiters are asking tough, new brain teasers during interviews that test your skills, creativity, and ability to think on your feet. How would you respond to puzzlers such as "What weighs more on the moon than on the earth?" or "How much money does the tooth fairy distribute worldwide each year?" In How to Ace the Brain Teaser Interview, bestselling career author John Kador presents a wide variety of questions, and shows you the type of responses interviewers want to hear.

Inside you'll find:

• 151 brain teasers used by human resources departments across the country
• Suggestions for handling business cases
• Basic hints for solving logic and puzzle questions
• Proven strategies for finding creative answers every time
• Helpful appendices with bonus questions and extra resources

"In the arms race between interviewers and interviewees, Kador gleefully furnishes job applicants with more ammunition."—Joel Spolsky, Founder, Fog Creek Software

"This book helps you to grease up your mind a little so that when riddle questions come at you, you can respond intelligently, even if you don't know the answer."—Chris Sells

"What weighs more on the moon than on earth? Kador not only tells us the answer to this brainteaser and many others, he explains how each question can launch an incisive interview conversation."—Ed Milano, VP of Marketing, Design Continuum

"A must-have book for job seekers so that they will always be prepared for what may seem off-the-wall questions!"—Matt DeLuca, co-author of 201 Best Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions.

John Kador (Geneva, NY) is the author of eight books, including 201 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview.

Learn to solve the world's most puzzling interview questions Company recruiters are asking tough, new brain teasers during interviews that test your skills, creativity, and ability to think on your feet. How would you respond to puzzlers such as "What weighs more on the moon than on the earth?" or "How much money does the tooth fairy distribute worldwide each year?" In How to Ace the Brain Teaser Interview, bestselling career author John Kador presents a wide variety of questions, and shows you the type of responses interviewers want to hear. Inside you'll find:151 brain teasers used by human resources departments across the country Suggestions for handling business cases Basic hints for solving logic and puzzle questions Proven strategies for finding creative answers every time Helpful appendices with bonus questions and extra resources "In the arms race between interviewers and interviewees, Kador gleefully furnishes job applicants with more ammunition."--Joel Spolsky, Founder, Fog Creek Software"This book helps you to grease up your mind a little so that when riddle questions come at you, you can respond intelligently, even if you don't know the answer."--Chris Sells"What weighs more on the moon than on earth? Kador not only tells us the answer to this brainteaser and many others, he explains how each question can launch an incisive interview conversation."--Ed Milano, VP of Marketing, Design Continuum"A must-have book for job seekers so that they will always be prepared for what may seem off-the-wall questions!"--Matt DeLuca, co-author of 201 Best Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions. Annotation The inside track on how to beat the "logic puzzle" job interview As if job interviews weren't nerve-wracking enough, many companies, in their pursuit of the brightest and best, have begun beleaguering applicants with tests of logic, creativity, and analytical abilities. Many firms have replaced traditional interview questions such as "Tell us about yourself" or "What's your biggest weakness?" with mind-benders such as: Why are beer cans tapered at both ends? How many piano tuners are there in the world? How many Ping-Pong balls can you stuff into a Boeing 747? How would you design a bathroom for the CEO of the company? If you could remove any one of the 50 U.S.states, which one would it be? In How to Ace the Brain Teaser Interview , bestselling careers author John Kador gives readers the inside track on this new interview technique. He provides 75 puzzles actually used by HR departments across the nation, and he offers tips on how to solve them and present the solutions so as to make the best possible impression