Hi Dipshika,
With all respect to members who have replied, in my opinion the question is not a silly question.
A good interviewer will not just ask questions, he/she will be "reading" you as well. Such questions are asked for a variety of reasons, such as, to break the ice, to bring some humour into the room, to help ease you, and of course to catch you off-guard to measure your response, etc.
Allow me to give some examples with the reasoning behind them, these are actual real questions that were asked:
Asked by Amazon
How would you solve problems on Earth if you were from Mars?
Here, you need to demonstrate an ability to problem solve under bizarre circumstances. The answer can show whether you are capable of entering a new workplace environment and evaluating it fairly before offering solutions.
Youmight say, "If I were on Mars, they'd likely have their own problems separate from those on Earth. First, I'd conduct research to determine cause and effect, and then I'd offer potential solutions."
With this answer, you have shown an ability to be thoughtful and analytical when making decisions.
Asked by UBS Bank
Why are manholes round?
At first glance, it seems like another funny, "loosen the candidate up" question -- but, in actuality, it's a good indicator of your intellect.
An ideal candidate will think the question through and provide a thoughtful answer like this one -- "A round manhole cover can't fall through the round manhole opening. A square cover, on the other hand, could fit diagonally through the opening and fall through. Additionally, a circular cover fits easily, and can be removed easily, without much precision or rotating."
This answer demonstrates your ability to see the necessity of certain solutions, and ideally apply those same problem-solving skills to your own role.
Asked by Connectwise
You’ve been given an elephant. You can’t give it away or sell it. What would you do with the elephant?"
This question helps get a better sense for your reasoning skills. Of course, there's no "right" answer to this funny question, but it allows for insight into how you think, prioritizes, and problem-solves. Additionally, it can loosen you up and allow you to show a more authentic side.
You might say, "Since I don't have a place to put an elephant, I'd probably send it on vacation", or "I would feed it, and then ride it to work."
It's important to note, the interviewers aren't looking for a specific answer here -- they are determining how you think on your feet, and how you handle yourself in unexpected situations.
So, for your particular question, i.e., Name companies that have 30 days notice periods?
Obviously you cannot name such companies and neither is the interviewer looking for a number. Your answer could be along the lines of how you would conduct such research to find out, thereby demonstrating your logical thinking, ability, etc.
I hope i have given you some (limited) insight as to the weird questions that are asked. There are no right or wrong answers, But the answers you give say a lot about you and your character.
Regards
Harsh
From United Kingdom, Barrow
369With all respect to members who have replied, in my opinion the question is not a silly question.
A good interviewer will not just ask questions, he/she will be "reading" you as well. Such questions are asked for a variety of reasons, such as, to break the ice, to bring some humour into the room, to help ease you, and of course to catch you off-guard to measure your response, etc.
Allow me to give some examples with the reasoning behind them, these are actual real questions that were asked:
Asked by Amazon
How would you solve problems on Earth if you were from Mars?
Here, you need to demonstrate an ability to problem solve under bizarre circumstances. The answer can show whether you are capable of entering a new workplace environment and evaluating it fairly before offering solutions.
Youmight say, "If I were on Mars, they'd likely have their own problems separate from those on Earth. First, I'd conduct research to determine cause and effect, and then I'd offer potential solutions."
With this answer, you have shown an ability to be thoughtful and analytical when making decisions.
Asked by UBS Bank
Why are manholes round?
At first glance, it seems like another funny, "loosen the candidate up" question -- but, in actuality, it's a good indicator of your intellect.
An ideal candidate will think the question through and provide a thoughtful answer like this one -- "A round manhole cover can't fall through the round manhole opening. A square cover, on the other hand, could fit diagonally through the opening and fall through. Additionally, a circular cover fits easily, and can be removed easily, without much precision or rotating."
This answer demonstrates your ability to see the necessity of certain solutions, and ideally apply those same problem-solving skills to your own role.
Asked by Connectwise
You’ve been given an elephant. You can’t give it away or sell it. What would you do with the elephant?"
This question helps get a better sense for your reasoning skills. Of course, there's no "right" answer to this funny question, but it allows for insight into how you think, prioritizes, and problem-solves. Additionally, it can loosen you up and allow you to show a more authentic side.
You might say, "Since I don't have a place to put an elephant, I'd probably send it on vacation", or "I would feed it, and then ride it to work."
It's important to note, the interviewers aren't looking for a specific answer here -- they are determining how you think on your feet, and how you handle yourself in unexpected situations.
So, for your particular question, i.e., Name companies that have 30 days notice periods?
Obviously you cannot name such companies and neither is the interviewer looking for a number. Your answer could be along the lines of how you would conduct such research to find out, thereby demonstrating your logical thinking, ability, etc.
I hope i have given you some (limited) insight as to the weird questions that are asked. There are no right or wrong answers, But the answers you give say a lot about you and your character.
Regards
Harsh
From United Kingdom, Barrow
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Interview Question and Answer.doc