A few years ago I was interviewed by Microsoft in Salt Lake City, now closed. The job was a creative type job, a game designer. A fellow there said he was a tough interviewer. He ONLY asked me brain teaser type questions. His first question concerned a radio design 20 years from now. I drew what I thought it might look like and he seemed unimpressed with my answer.
He then asked me this: "You and your family of 9 are on one side of the river, there's a flash flood coming. There is a boat but it only holds 3 people. What do you do?"
I said: "I get in the bow, row to the other side, and wave 'good luck' to my family. See, I don't get along with my family very well."
He got a little agitated, and told me that in this case I love my family and want to save them. He asked me to try again.
I said: "I flip the boat over to make it more buoyant, put the kids on top and the adults hang on the sides."
He became angry: "There are piranhas in the river so you can't tough the water. Try again."
I said: "I lay the oars of the boat so that more people can ride in the boat..." He interrupted me by saying: "Just answer the question."
I said: "I have given you 3 creative and interesting answers. Since you are NOT trained in psychology you don't have any way of understanding my answers you feel frustrated."
He said: "This interview is over"
I said: "OK, but you know nothing about me".
I have refused to answer these types of questions since then.
He then asked me this: "You and your family of 9 are on one side of the river, there's a flash flood coming. There is a boat but it only holds 3 people. What do you do?"
I said: "I get in the bow, row to the other side, and wave 'good luck' to my family. See, I don't get along with my family very well."
He got a little agitated, and told me that in this case I love my family and want to save them. He asked me to try again.
I said: "I flip the boat over to make it more buoyant, put the kids on top and the adults hang on the sides."
He became angry: "There are piranhas in the river so you can't tough the water. Try again."
I said: "I lay the oars of the boat so that more people can ride in the boat..." He interrupted me by saying: "Just answer the question."
I said: "I have given you 3 creative and interesting answers. Since you are NOT trained in psychology you don't have any way of understanding my answers you feel frustrated."
He said: "This interview is over"
I said: "OK, but you know nothing about me".
I have refused to answer these types of questions since then.