How many iTunes songs were downloaded in 2008?
Some companies ask interview candidates riddles or brain teasers like this one as a standard part of an interview. If you're not expecting them, they can be very unnerving, but for positions that require a lot of creative thinking, brain teasers are a good way to gauge your problem solving skills, particularly under pressure.
Keep this in mind if you are asked a brain teaser during an interview: they often are NOT looking for the RIGHT answer. You will be evaluated on the approach you use to solve the problem more than your final answer. A strong candidate demonstrates the following:
- Manages the scope of the problem
- Communicates assumptions
- Demonstrates quantitative analytical skills (estimates, back of the envelope calculations)
- Answers the question that has been asked. You'd be surprised how many candidates get lost in the analysis and answer a different question than what was asked.
Let's look at example strong and weak answers to a few brain teasers
Example #1:
How many street lamps are there in Manhattan?
Example #2 Estimate the market demand in gallons for skim milk in the U.S. in a given year
Example #3 Crossing the Bridge (or how do you get 4 people across the bridge given certain constraints)
By Andrea Rice at Gottamentor.com
Posted by Judy Brobst