After seeing some of the examples of what Google reportedly asks during interviews, you may wonder why they ask such odd questions. Many of their questions seem more like riddles than serious interview questions. However, if you look beyond the questions and instead try to think why they might be asking the question, it becomes apparent that Google is is even more clever that you may have thought.
While they are of course interested in hiring bright people who know their stuff, the questions they ask give a sense that they not only want the smartest but they are looking for people with the ability to think on their feet, problem solve and think outside the box, (and perhaps even keep a sense of humour), in stressful situations.
Below I’ve highlighted a few of the oddest interview questions I came across that Google supposedly asks. Take a stab at answering some of them. Would you make the cut?
Deadbeef? Something Lady Gaga wears.
Just Googled it and found a definition on StackOverFlow.com: “Dead beef” is very popular sentence in programming because it is built only from letters a-f which are used in hexadecimal notation. Colons in the beginning and in the middle of sentence make this sentence (theoreticaly) valid IPv6 address. – Dustin Laine
When I interviewed at Microsoft years ago they asked me how I would remove a manhole cover. It seems somebody at Google may have been working at Microsoft at the time. Now that Googles revenues are equal to Apple’s profits wonder if they will change questions:)