The toughest job interview questions that companies really ask

If you've ever gone to a job interview, you know it can be a nerve-wracking experience.  No matter how prepared you think you may be, there’s always a chance an HR person will come at you with a truly out there question, which could wreck your chances at a new job.

There are ways folks can prepare for an interview, like doing research about a company, with some sites even offering up information on a company’s interview process or what types of questions may be asked. You can also reach out to people you know who may work in the same industry to find out what may be asked. 

So, how hard can interview questions actually get?  Well, Glassdoor has come out with a list of the 27 toughest questions that are really asked and the companies that have asked them.  We bet a lot of people would be stumped for an answer.

Some of the toughest interview questions include: 

(click here for the entire list)

  • “How do you explain a vending machine to someone who hasn’t seen or used one before?”—Global Data Analyst, Bloomberg L.P.
  • “How many fire hydrants are there in Los Angeles County?”—Software Engineer, Disney Interactive Studios
  • “If your current employer had an anniversary party for you, what five words would be written on the cake to describe you?”—District Manager, Express
  • “Who in history would you want to go to dinner with and why?”—Flight Attendant, PSA Airlines
  • “What’s the capital of Canada?”—Team Leader, OpticsPlanet
  • “Name a brand that represents you as a person.”—Brand Strategist, Twitter
  • “Estimate how many employees in the next building”—Data Scientist, Risk Management Solutions
  • “How many happy birthday posts do you think Facebook gets in one day?”—Sales Operations, Facebook
  • “If you could take anyone on a road trip with you, who would you take and why?”—Educator, lululemon
  • “What is the first thing you’d print with a 3D printer if you had one?”—Linux Systems Administrator I, Rackspace
  • “If you had to take only one item to a deserted island, what would that be?”—Customer Service Specialist, Squarespace
  • “Please describe an instance where you had to make a decision without all of the necessary information.”—Analytics, athenahealth
  • “Sell me on one idea, and then sell me on the opposite of that idea.”—Solarwinds Administrator, Blizzard Entertainment
  • “If you were a Muppet, which character would you be?”—Donor Family Advocate, LifeNet Health
  • . “Give me 48 cents using six coins. Tell me quantity and value of the six coins.”—Human Resource Manager, Wintec
  • “What part of the newspaper do you read first? What does this say about you?”—Audit, BDO USA
  • “If a coworker had an annoying habit, and it hindered your quality of work, how would you resolve it?”—Production Technician, Procter & Gamble
  • “Throw your resume aside and tell me what makes you you.” —Sales Executive, Zillow




Source: Glassdoor