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Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?
You are shrunk to the height of a nickel and thrown in a blender. The blades start moving in 60 seconds. What do you do?
If you want to work at Google, or any of America's best companies, you need to have an answer to this and other puzzling questions. Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google? guides readers through the surprising solutions to dozens of the most challenging interview questions. The book covers the importance of creative thinking, ways to get a leg up on the competition, what your Facebook page says about you, and much more. Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google? is a must-read for anyone who wants to succeed in today's job market.
If you want to work at Google, or any of America's best companies, you need to have an answer to this and other puzzling questions. Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google? guides readers through the surprising solutions to dozens of the most challenging interview questions. The book covers the importance of creative thinking, ways to get a leg up on the competition, what your Facebook page says about you, and much more. Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google? is a must-read for anyone who wants to succeed in today's job market.
290 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
647 people are currently reading
5698 people want to read
About the author
William Poundstone
54 books360 followersWilliam Poundstone is the author of more than ten non-fiction books, including 'Fortune's Formula', which was the Amazon Editors' Pick for #1 non-fiction book of 2005. Poundstone has written for The New York Times, Psychology Today, Esquire, Harpers, The Economist, and Harvard Business Review. He has appeared on the Today Show, The David Letterman Show and hundreds of radio talk-shows throughout the world. Poundstone studied physics at MIT and many of his ideas concern the social and financial impact of scientific ideas. His books have sold over half a million copies worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 431 reviews
January 16, 2022
The world has gone crazy and HRs are leading the way illustrated.
Q:
You’re in an 8-by-8 stone corridor,” announced the interviewer. “The Prince of Darkness appears before you.”
So begins the tale of a very strange job interview related by Microsoft program manager Chris Sells. “You mean, like, the devil?” asked the unlucky applicant.
“Any prince of darkness will do,” she answered. “What do you do?”
“Can I run?”
“Do you want to run?”
“Hmmm. I guess not. Do I have a weapon?”
“What kind of weapon do you want?”
“Um, something with range?”
“Like what?”
“A crossbow?”
“What kind of ammo do you have?”
“Ice arrows?
“Why?”
“Because the Prince of Darkness is a creature made of fire?”
She liked that. “So what do you do next?”
“I shoot him?”“No, what do you do?” Silence. “You waste him! You WASTE the Prince of Darkness!”
By this point, the applicant had a question of his own: “Holy crap, what have I gotten myself into?” (c)
Q:
You’re in an 8-by-8 stone corridor,” announced the interviewer. “The Prince of Darkness appears before you.”
So begins the tale of a very strange job interview related by Microsoft program manager Chris Sells. “You mean, like, the devil?” asked the unlucky applicant.
“Any prince of darkness will do,” she answered. “What do you do?”
“Can I run?”
“Do you want to run?”
“Hmmm. I guess not. Do I have a weapon?”
“What kind of weapon do you want?”
“Um, something with range?”
“Like what?”
“A crossbow?”
“What kind of ammo do you have?”
“Ice arrows?
“Why?”
“Because the Prince of Darkness is a creature made of fire?”
She liked that. “So what do you do next?”
“I shoot him?”“No, what do you do?” Silence. “You waste him! You WASTE the Prince of Darkness!”
By this point, the applicant had a question of his own: “Holy crap, what have I gotten myself into?” (c)
June 6, 2012
I don't really want to work at Google, but what a trippy little book! As a mother of two teens (ugh... really?) I often complain about how easy school is with the resources today's kids have and how little time they seem to spend actually working hard at academics. But I also realize that the demands on the brains of this generation are fantastically different. Where we remembered information, they much evaluate and analyze. Where we played Ms. Pacman and ate up power pills and little ghosts, they play games where they have to use different characters with different skills and attributes to solve multi-layered problems. The demands in the current workplace are and the workplace of the near future will be, by necessity, more complex, more dependent on lateral thinking and creativity, and much less focused on the idea of "one right answer." This book is less about being hired by Google and more about how to think purposefully and creatively.
That said, would I be hired at Google? Dunno. Depends on how much time they'd spend listening to my problem solving. I was pleased that I came up with workable answers that weren't included in Poundstone's chapters. I also bailed on several and had issues with some of the lines of reasoning in others. All in all, this book was wicked fun and a challenge to be sure. There is food for thought here whether you are in the job market, in school, have kids in school, or just want to stretch your brain out a little bit. It is also a perfect pick for those of us with ADD - no need to read front to back here.
That said, would I be hired at Google? Dunno. Depends on how much time they'd spend listening to my problem solving. I was pleased that I came up with workable answers that weren't included in Poundstone's chapters. I also bailed on several and had issues with some of the lines of reasoning in others. All in all, this book was wicked fun and a challenge to be sure. There is food for thought here whether you are in the job market, in school, have kids in school, or just want to stretch your brain out a little bit. It is also a perfect pick for those of us with ADD - no need to read front to back here.
September 6, 2013
This is a fun book of puzzles of all types; mathematical, logical, algorithms, estimation, mind games and creativity. There is also lots of interview advice, when applying for a job. The advice is good not just for Google, but for many other companies as well.
It was fun trying to solve the puzzles. Lots of them are quite tricky. I was able to solve some, others I flubbed.
The book correctly points out that, even though lots of companies rely on such puzzles during interviews, they are not reliable predictors of eventual performance on the job. In fact, sometimes there is zero correlation between interview performance and job performance.
The book mentions the "20% project" at Google, where employees are allowed to work on any idea they may have, for one day a week. The book cites a list of highly-regarded products that came out of these 20% projects. I recently read that, unfortunately, this perk has been rescinded at Google.
The last half of the book supplies not just the answers to all the puzzles, but detailed explanations as well. The style of the writing has a light touch, and is often subtly humorous. I recommend the book for all those who like a diverse range of challenging puzzles.
It was fun trying to solve the puzzles. Lots of them are quite tricky. I was able to solve some, others I flubbed.
The book correctly points out that, even though lots of companies rely on such puzzles during interviews, they are not reliable predictors of eventual performance on the job. In fact, sometimes there is zero correlation between interview performance and job performance.
The book mentions the "20% project" at Google, where employees are allowed to work on any idea they may have, for one day a week. The book cites a list of highly-regarded products that came out of these 20% projects. I recently read that, unfortunately, this perk has been rescinded at Google.
The last half of the book supplies not just the answers to all the puzzles, but detailed explanations as well. The style of the writing has a light touch, and is often subtly humorous. I recommend the book for all those who like a diverse range of challenging puzzles.
April 13, 2012
The short answer to the title of this book is "No".
I just started a new job in the past month and went through the interview process a couple of times and fortunately never had any questions like this. Still, its good to know the types of questions employers may be asking these days. This book would help you prepare your mind for that type of thinking and I would highly recommend this book if you were going to interview at Google. Also useful to scan in preparation for any interview because you never know who is sitting on the other side of the desk and what will be that ONE thing that sets you apart from the other candidates.
In my opinion though, the book seemed to drone on and I found it very repetitious. Could it be possible it was just over my head? Nah. Ok, yes.
I just started a new job in the past month and went through the interview process a couple of times and fortunately never had any questions like this. Still, its good to know the types of questions employers may be asking these days. This book would help you prepare your mind for that type of thinking and I would highly recommend this book if you were going to interview at Google. Also useful to scan in preparation for any interview because you never know who is sitting on the other side of the desk and what will be that ONE thing that sets you apart from the other candidates.
In my opinion though, the book seemed to drone on and I found it very repetitious. Could it be possible it was just over my head? Nah. Ok, yes.
April 5, 2012
In a word, "No."
Maybe it is my age, but if I ever sat down for a job interview and was asked:
"You are shrunk to the height of a nickel and thrown in a blender. The blades start moving in sixty seconds. What do you do?"
I would refuse to answer such a ridiculous question.
As I read that question on the second page, I remembered my stepsons at ages 13 and 14 arguing about whether Batman's car or the car of his nemesis was faster. They had been watching the animated TV series of Batman, and their argument became quite heated. I wanted to yell at them that they were disagreeing about an animated TV show that by definition was not real and they were wasting their time and efforts because it was all nonsense.
Google probably doesn't hire many 55 year olds.
If you have a job interview with a company like Google (one that likes to hire creative smart people) read this book to prepare for stupid questions like the blender question or a more reasonable one that you just need a little warm up for like:
What is 2^64?
or
How many golf balls will fit in a school bus?
The second half of the book is devoted to finding the best way to solve each problem.
If you are thinking of finding a new job or just like brainteasers, this may be a good book for you.
Maybe it is my age, but if I ever sat down for a job interview and was asked:
"You are shrunk to the height of a nickel and thrown in a blender. The blades start moving in sixty seconds. What do you do?"
I would refuse to answer such a ridiculous question.
As I read that question on the second page, I remembered my stepsons at ages 13 and 14 arguing about whether Batman's car or the car of his nemesis was faster. They had been watching the animated TV series of Batman, and their argument became quite heated. I wanted to yell at them that they were disagreeing about an animated TV show that by definition was not real and they were wasting their time and efforts because it was all nonsense.
Google probably doesn't hire many 55 year olds.
If you have a job interview with a company like Google (one that likes to hire creative smart people) read this book to prepare for stupid questions like the blender question or a more reasonable one that you just need a little warm up for like:
What is 2^64?
or
How many golf balls will fit in a school bus?
The second half of the book is devoted to finding the best way to solve each problem.
If you are thinking of finding a new job or just like brainteasers, this may be a good book for you.
April 29, 2024
Este libro fue una grata sorpresa, tenía ya bastantes años esperando en mi librero y pensé que estarían las ideas algo obsoletas pero se mantuvo vigente en la mayoría de las cosas, la encontré una lectura bastante entretenida. Recomendado a personas que les gusta resolver acertijos!
June 29, 2015
Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google? is a fascinating look into the zany trickster interview questions and hiring practices common among industry leaders today. Poundstone has packed this little book with enough mind-bending riddles to make anyone go cross-eyed. Imagine, if you will, being in an interview and having any of these bad boys dropped onto your lap:
"How would you weigh your head?"
"How many bottles of shampoo are produced in the world in a year?"
"Imagine a country where all the parents want to have a boy. Every family keeps having children until they have a boy; then they stop. What is the proportion of boys to girls in this country?"
Many of the questions have no “correct” answer, but more accurately, the company has a “preferred” answer. And for inquiring minds, no, I am not smart enough to work at Google. Although, if I could combine the riddle busting powers of my boyfriend and I into one person we might have a fighting chance of being able to… submit a resume. Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google? is a puzzle lover’s paradise. Readers are guaranteed a good time and a roller coaster of emotions ranging from pride "Victory! I am a genius!" to despair "Who would ever get that question right? This is totally ridiculous!."
"How would you weigh your head?"
"How many bottles of shampoo are produced in the world in a year?"
"Imagine a country where all the parents want to have a boy. Every family keeps having children until they have a boy; then they stop. What is the proportion of boys to girls in this country?"
Many of the questions have no “correct” answer, but more accurately, the company has a “preferred” answer. And for inquiring minds, no, I am not smart enough to work at Google. Although, if I could combine the riddle busting powers of my boyfriend and I into one person we might have a fighting chance of being able to… submit a resume. Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google? is a puzzle lover’s paradise. Readers are guaranteed a good time and a roller coaster of emotions ranging from pride "Victory! I am a genius!" to despair "Who would ever get that question right? This is totally ridiculous!."
November 9, 2016
Great collection of brainteasers and logical puzzles to keep you entertained. The subtleties are thoroughly debated, explanations are satisfactory and the author gracefully manages not to be boring, even when getting technical. There is also a list of useful websites on the matter to refer to, at the end of the book.
January 17, 2012
I loved this book! It was funny and informative. Poundstone presents some of the toughest interview questions that are actually being asked by companies today. In addition to the answers, he delves into the histories of the questions themselves. Who thought them up, how they relate to the job at hand, and how some don't have any relevance to the job at all, but why the interviewer is asking them anyway. I found the background on some of the questions almost as interesting as some of the questions themselves. It was also quite fun trying to figure out the answers. I read with two bookmarks. One keeping my place in beginning of the book, and one in the back were Poundstone had listed each questions answer in order that they had appeared in the book itself. I'm not going to even try to pretend that I have the genius to work at google, or some of the other companies that these questions were gleaned from, so it shouldn't be a surprise when I say that more often then not the answers I came up with were no where near correct. I still had fun though.
The author also gave quite a few tips on what to do if you're hit with questions you don't quite know how to answer. How to brainstorm on the fly, ways to question you interviewer to buy time and get extra hints to help solve the problem. Also ways to phrase your answers so that even if they are wrong you don't look like a complete idiot. Plus other interview tips, such as making sure you research the company you are applying at and making sure you clean up your public sites, such as facebook or myspace, before applying. After all if you are googling them, then they definitely are googling you. Especially if the company you are applying for is GOOGLE!. Whether you have interviews looming in the near future, or if you just want to give your brain a good work out this book is definitely gonna help either way. Even if you plan on being the interviewer instead of the interviewee it might help. After all, according to the data the author presents, interviews really are no true reflection on how the applicant is actually going to perform on the job. But maybe if you use some of these more interesting questions, or versions of them, you can at least see who REALLY wants the job. (if they are going to put up with some of the crazier questions and actually try to answer them, then obviously they want it right?)
In compliance with FTC guidelines, I'm disclosing that I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
The author also gave quite a few tips on what to do if you're hit with questions you don't quite know how to answer. How to brainstorm on the fly, ways to question you interviewer to buy time and get extra hints to help solve the problem. Also ways to phrase your answers so that even if they are wrong you don't look like a complete idiot. Plus other interview tips, such as making sure you research the company you are applying at and making sure you clean up your public sites, such as facebook or myspace, before applying. After all if you are googling them, then they definitely are googling you. Especially if the company you are applying for is GOOGLE!. Whether you have interviews looming in the near future, or if you just want to give your brain a good work out this book is definitely gonna help either way. Even if you plan on being the interviewer instead of the interviewee it might help. After all, according to the data the author presents, interviews really are no true reflection on how the applicant is actually going to perform on the job. But maybe if you use some of these more interesting questions, or versions of them, you can at least see who REALLY wants the job. (if they are going to put up with some of the crazier questions and actually try to answer them, then obviously they want it right?)
In compliance with FTC guidelines, I'm disclosing that I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
September 8, 2016
The book does two things:
1. surveys the history and current state of puzzle/quantitative questions in job interviews
2. gives quite detailed explanation to a few dozen of theses puzzles.
The book has two problems:
1. As far as the interviewing process goes, it is slightly outdated - Laszlo Bock's Work Rules gives the most up-to-date results based on Google's extensive experience with puzzle based interviewing (i.e. it largely doesn't work, there are many other things to consider, and a proper protocol to mitigate many biases (confirmation bias, halo/horn effect etc.) is neeeded).
Poundstone is correctly largely skeptical about the interviewing procedures, but you should really read Bock not this.
2.. As far as the puzzle's go: there are a ton of books that have these, and many more of the "standard" puzzles. Again - the book in itself would not be sufficient for prep.
Funnily, it seems that this book is retiring Poundstone's older book (How to move Mt. Fuji), about how to score a job at Microsoft (how, things change...), but is itself retired by Bock + a good puzzle book.
Nonetheless - I'm really glad I discovered this author. His other books look intriguing, he writes well and he is not afraid of going into math (and doesn't apologize for it constantly as it is usual).
Now we only need to be patient, until the memo to stop using non-predictive, silly and sometimes demeaning puzzles reaches all companies. Given the history of the field it shouldn't take much more than 50 years, until they switch to slightly more scientifically based hiring. Oh well.
1. surveys the history and current state of puzzle/quantitative questions in job interviews
2. gives quite detailed explanation to a few dozen of theses puzzles.
The book has two problems:
1. As far as the interviewing process goes, it is slightly outdated - Laszlo Bock's Work Rules gives the most up-to-date results based on Google's extensive experience with puzzle based interviewing (i.e. it largely doesn't work, there are many other things to consider, and a proper protocol to mitigate many biases (confirmation bias, halo/horn effect etc.) is neeeded).
Poundstone is correctly largely skeptical about the interviewing procedures, but you should really read Bock not this.
2.. As far as the puzzle's go: there are a ton of books that have these, and many more of the "standard" puzzles. Again - the book in itself would not be sufficient for prep.
Funnily, it seems that this book is retiring Poundstone's older book (How to move Mt. Fuji), about how to score a job at Microsoft (how, things change...), but is itself retired by Bock + a good puzzle book.
Nonetheless - I'm really glad I discovered this author. His other books look intriguing, he writes well and he is not afraid of going into math (and doesn't apologize for it constantly as it is usual).
Now we only need to be patient, until the memo to stop using non-predictive, silly and sometimes demeaning puzzles reaches all companies. Given the history of the field it shouldn't take much more than 50 years, until they switch to slightly more scientifically based hiring. Oh well.
February 8, 2012
Apparently, the answer for me is no. I kept getting frustrated and then feeling grateful I have a job. One where I get to work with computers and solve puzzles that make sense.
September 5, 2016
I absolutely love this book!!!
I stumbled uponit at a huuuuge book shop in London, not even in the smart thinkers sections which I loved so much and where it actually would have fit, but somewhere else where I wasn't even interested in looking but mum and I met there (like I said, the store was huge). So I saw it, read the first like two pages and thought I had to buy it. I didn't regret it for a second.
Honestly, this book is amazing. Thrilling, interesting, challenging. The logic puzzles (which were the main part of this book) were great and though I felt super stupid not being able to answer the majority of them, I feel like I learned from that. Because once you got to the answer, it was simple and you got a little mad at yourself for not having thought of it earlier. I'll definitely buy the author's previous book too and search for similar ones. If you know some, please tell me!
I stumbled uponit at a huuuuge book shop in London, not even in the smart thinkers sections which I loved so much and where it actually would have fit, but somewhere else where I wasn't even interested in looking but mum and I met there (like I said, the store was huge). So I saw it, read the first like two pages and thought I had to buy it. I didn't regret it for a second.
Honestly, this book is amazing. Thrilling, interesting, challenging. The logic puzzles (which were the main part of this book) were great and though I felt super stupid not being able to answer the majority of them, I feel like I learned from that. Because once you got to the answer, it was simple and you got a little mad at yourself for not having thought of it earlier. I'll definitely buy the author's previous book too and search for similar ones. If you know some, please tell me!
March 3, 2013
I spent 9 months unemployed after graduation and going through the same job hunting process and interview style questions as mentioned in this book. I sucked at the interview questions, I was seriously useless but this book really is brilliant. It explains what interviewers are looking for and gives answers to many common questions you'll likely face. Certainly going to recommend this to my job-seeking friends and if i find myself unemployed and going to interviews, this will be my revision book the night before. I like the author's clear writing style and explanations, so I'll check out his other books as well now.
July 5, 2021
I don't know if this book still applies to Google and other companies. "Are You Smart Enough To Work At Google?" is a collection of bizarre interview questions intended to filter out interviewees.
For example, one of the questions goes like this: You are shrunk to the height of a nickel and thrown in a blender. The blades will start up in sixty seconds. How do you escape? The answer is that you jump out. I won't tell you why, but the book will.
The book contains complete answers to each question in the back. I picked up the book more for the puzzles than for the job interview portion. I am still not smart enough to work at Google, though I don't know if I would still want to at my age.
For example, one of the questions goes like this: You are shrunk to the height of a nickel and thrown in a blender. The blades will start up in sixty seconds. How do you escape? The answer is that you jump out. I won't tell you why, but the book will.
The book contains complete answers to each question in the back. I picked up the book more for the puzzles than for the job interview portion. I am still not smart enough to work at Google, though I don't know if I would still want to at my age.
October 21, 2016
ถ้าชอบหนังสือแนว puzzle สำหรับ com-sci ก็ถือว่าใช้ได้ แม้ว่าเฉลยบางอันในบทหลังๆ จะอ่านแล้วเข้าใจยากหน่อยก็เหอะ
แต่ถ้าอยากเตรียมตัวสมัครงาน Google (หรือบ.ดังๆ ด้าน IT อื่นๆ) คิดว่าเล่มนี้มีแต่น้ำเยอะไปหน่อยนะ ... คือมันก็ครอบคลุมทุกเรื่องดี แค่รู้สึกว่าเรื่องเล่าส่วนใหญ่ถูกขยายความมากเกินไปจนบางทีก็หลุดโฟกัสว่าบทนี้กำลังพูดเรื่องอะไรกันแน่
แต่ถ้าอยากเตรียมตัวสมัครงาน Google (หรือบ.ดังๆ ด้าน IT อื่นๆ) คิดว่าเล่มนี้มีแต่น้ำเยอะไปหน่อยนะ ... คือมันก็ครอบคลุมทุกเรื่องดี แค่รู้สึกว่าเรื่องเล่าส่วนใหญ่ถูกขยายความมากเกินไปจนบางทีก็หลุดโฟกัสว่าบทนี้กำลังพูดเรื่องอะไรกันแน่
February 2, 2012
Short answer: no.
June 20, 2017
Nice book for puzzle lovers.
November 1, 2017
Amerikkalaiselle lukijalle (ja vuonna 2012) tästä on (olisi ollut) apua ihan oikeissa haastatteluissakin, mutta itselleni tämä on mielenkiintoinen kurkistus isojen firmojen hullunkuriseen rekrymaailmaan. Ja vielä enemmän tämä on aivojumppakirja, josta löytyy helppoja pulmia, vaikeita pulmia, ei-mitään-järkeä-kuinka-vaikeita-pulmia ja ihan oikeita matemaattisia tehtäviä, joita haastatteluissa voidaan täräyttää hakijan eteen.
Tehtävien ratkaisut ja pitkät perustelut ovatkin kirjan parasta antia.
Tässä muutama helppo:
1. Miten 4 minuutin tiimalasilla ja 7 minuutin tiimalasilla mitataan tasan 9 minuuttia?
2. Kuinka monessa lukujen 1 ja 1000 välisessä kokonaisluvussa on numero 3?
3. Kuinka monta kertaa analogisen kellon kaikki kolme osoitinta ovat päällekkäin?
4. Montako hiihtohissin istuimista ohitat matkalla alhaalta ylös?
Hyviä "fermi-kysymyksiä"
1. Paljonko perisit Seattlen kaikkien ikkunoiden pesemisestä?
2. Kuinka monta golfpalloa mahtuu linja-autoon?
3. Montako shampoopulloa valmistetaan maailmassa vuosittain
Ja tässä pari, joita en osannut, hokannut tai edes jaksanut yrittää
1. Mitä tarkoittaa dead beef?
2. Mies työnsi autonsa hotellin eteen ja menetti omaisuutensa. Mitä tapahtui?
3. Simuloi 7-tahkoinen noppa 5-tahkoisella nopalla. Miten tuotat 5-tahkoisella nopalla satunnaisluvun, joka on välissä 1-7?
Ja bonus:
Mikä on kaunein tuntemasi yhtälö?
Tehtävien ratkaisut ja pitkät perustelut ovatkin kirjan parasta antia.
Tässä muutama helppo:
1. Miten 4 minuutin tiimalasilla ja 7 minuutin tiimalasilla mitataan tasan 9 minuuttia?
2. Kuinka monessa lukujen 1 ja 1000 välisessä kokonaisluvussa on numero 3?
3. Kuinka monta kertaa analogisen kellon kaikki kolme osoitinta ovat päällekkäin?
4. Montako hiihtohissin istuimista ohitat matkalla alhaalta ylös?
Hyviä "fermi-kysymyksiä"
1. Paljonko perisit Seattlen kaikkien ikkunoiden pesemisestä?
2. Kuinka monta golfpalloa mahtuu linja-autoon?
3. Montako shampoopulloa valmistetaan maailmassa vuosittain
Ja tässä pari, joita en osannut, hokannut tai edes jaksanut yrittää
1. Mitä tarkoittaa dead beef?
2. Mies työnsi autonsa hotellin eteen ja menetti omaisuutensa. Mitä tapahtui?
3. Simuloi 7-tahkoinen noppa 5-tahkoisella nopalla. Miten tuotat 5-tahkoisella nopalla satunnaisluvun, joka on välissä 1-7?
Ja bonus:
Mikä on kaunein tuntemasi yhtälö?
June 27, 2017
При поступлении в Гарвард конкурс составляет 14 человек на место. На работу в Google попадает только один из 130 (!) кандидатов.
Чтобы отобрать самого достойного, технологическим компаниям приходится использовать игры разума, предлагая соискателям решать на собеседовании сложные задачи, точные ответы на которые зачастую не знают даже сами интервьюеры. Ведь оценивается не сам вариант, а креативность, настойчивость будущего сотрудника и предлагаемые им алгоритмы решения.
И это оправданно, поскольку в нашем быстро меняющемся мире чтобы выжить компаниям приходится постоянно внедрять инновации.
Автор рассказывает о процессах найма персонала в Google, Amazon, Intel, даёт примерные вопросы, задаваемые на собеседовании и варианты ответов. Книга будет интересна предпринимателям и любителям головоломок.
Чтобы отобрать самого достойного, технологическим компаниям приходится использовать игры разума, предлагая соискателям решать на собеседовании сложные задачи, точные ответы на которые зачастую не знают даже сами интервьюеры. Ведь оценивается не сам вариант, а креативность, настойчивость будущего сотрудника и предлагаемые им алгоритмы решения.
И это оправданно, поскольку в нашем быстро меняющемся мире чтобы выжить компаниям приходится постоянно внедрять инновации.
Автор рассказывает о процессах найма персонала в Google, Amazon, Intel, даёт примерные вопросы, задаваемые на собеседовании и варианты ответов. Книга будет интересна предпринимателям и любителям головоломок.
July 25, 2017
William Poundstone underscores the right mindset any person can and should develop. The emphasized traits are particularly essential considering our future characterized by continuous technological advancement. A time where key skills will be adaptability and a willingness to keep learning, no matter how much you fall. Since this book has been published, there has been an increasing amount of studies and literature exclaiming the importance of the 'growth mindset.' "Google it," is therefore, an apt and timely suggestion. Aside from the main riddles for which the answers have a dedicated chapter, there are a couple of extra questions in the main text which don't have spoiler warnings; a minor nuisance.
PS If riddles make you feel stupid, that's OK. Your brain is growing, provided that work for it.
PS If riddles make you feel stupid, that's OK. Your brain is growing, provided that work for it.
October 23, 2021
Short answer: no.
I think I expected this book to be more like an expose of how bonkers it is to work at Google, and I was guessing/hoping it’s totally bonkers, but actually it was just a load of computer, maths and logic puzzles that were utterly impenetrable unless you understand algorithms and although I use the word algorithm on a semi regular basis, I don’t actually know what one is so ultimately this one went for me.
I think I expected this book to be more like an expose of how bonkers it is to work at Google, and I was guessing/hoping it’s totally bonkers, but actually it was just a load of computer, maths and logic puzzles that were utterly impenetrable unless you understand algorithms and although I use the word algorithm on a semi regular basis, I don’t actually know what one is so ultimately this one went for me.
January 30, 2021
หนังสือมีกลิ่นอายคำถามแบบ Google ดี สนุก บ้าบอ มีอารมณ์ขัน
คำถามแต่ละอย่างนี่ก็ เอิ่มมม ยากผิดมนุษย์มนา ไม่รู้ว่านี่รับคนหรือมนุษย์ต่างดาวเข้าทำงานกันแน่
เล่มนี้สนุกครับ อ่านเอาฮาก็ได้ อ่านเอาสาระก็ได้
คำถามแต่ละอย่างนี่ก็ เอิ่มมม ยากผิดมนุษย์มนา ไม่รู้ว่านี่รับคนหรือมนุษย์ต่างดาวเข้าทำงานกันแน่
เล่มนี้สนุกครับ อ่านเอาฮาก็ได้ อ่านเอาสาระก็ได้
February 12, 2022
Nice collection of brain teasers (Martin Gardner style), Fermi questions (How many piano tuners in Chicago?) and other questions asked in recruitment interviews, intermingled with stories about recruiting in 21st century.
Quotes:
One particular question on the list predicted success as a pilot better than the whole questionnaire did. The question was, "Did you ever build a model airplane that flew?"
Today's psychologists usually define creativity as the ability to combine novelty and usefulness in a particular social context
Quotes:
One particular question on the list predicted success as a pilot better than the whole questionnaire did. The question was, "Did you ever build a model airplane that flew?"
Today's psychologists usually define creativity as the ability to combine novelty and usefulness in a particular social context
Read
May 29, 2022One of the most frustrating books I have ever read. Didn’t like it a lot but for some reason it does make me want to read more business / non-fiction!
If anyone wants to know if I am smart enough to work at google, the answer is… yeah, no.
If anyone wants to know if I am smart enough to work at google, the answer is… yeah, no.
August 3, 2019
The answer is a resounding NO
March 12, 2023
Will write one when I get free.
August 29, 2025
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha no.
July 11, 2017
The book has good questions along with light humor, good discussions on the why the hiring process is the way it is, and occasionally pulls legs of one of the major tech giants. The solutions are quite interesting and offered me a lot of new insights.
August 2, 2020
"You are shrunk to the height of a penny and thrown into a blender. your mass is reduced so that your density is the same as usual. The blades start moving in sixty seconds. What do you do?"
If you think that what you have read above represents a random contrivance churned our by a chaotic imagination, then you would be terribly far from the truth. The puzzle in question along with a plethora of equally bizarre ones are devised by many multinationals in general, and Google in particular as part of their recruitment process. William Poundstone in this revealing book provides a window to the world of the interview processes where compelling imagination trumps over concrete stereotypes.
Esoteric equations (such as Shcrodinger's equation, Gaussian integral and Euler's equations), outlandish algorithmic challenges (such as determining the highest floor from which an egg can be dropped without breaking or finding the closest pair of stars in the sky); fiendish logical conundrums and insane lateral thinking challenges are all employed to test the character of the candidate and her ability to seamlessly coalesce the ordinary with the impossible. While some of them come out triumphant gladiators, a significant portion of them describe their hiring process as one in which they feel "hopelessly lost in space".
While the efficacy of such a grueling and extreme thought provoking interviews is still highly debatable, the unmissable fact is that the entire process has acquired a novelty value and is here to stay. Hence it makes sense for the candidates to drive themselves into a state of extraordinary preparedness although spontaneity matters for questions reeking with ambiguity and multiple probabilities.
William Poundstone's book makes you feel enlightened and alternately inadequate. But either way it makes for a heck of a rousing read. By the way do you know ho to weigh your own head? If you don't just ensure that you do not apply for a job at Google!
I have to admit that I am NOT smart enough to work at Google!
If you think that what you have read above represents a random contrivance churned our by a chaotic imagination, then you would be terribly far from the truth. The puzzle in question along with a plethora of equally bizarre ones are devised by many multinationals in general, and Google in particular as part of their recruitment process. William Poundstone in this revealing book provides a window to the world of the interview processes where compelling imagination trumps over concrete stereotypes.
Esoteric equations (such as Shcrodinger's equation, Gaussian integral and Euler's equations), outlandish algorithmic challenges (such as determining the highest floor from which an egg can be dropped without breaking or finding the closest pair of stars in the sky); fiendish logical conundrums and insane lateral thinking challenges are all employed to test the character of the candidate and her ability to seamlessly coalesce the ordinary with the impossible. While some of them come out triumphant gladiators, a significant portion of them describe their hiring process as one in which they feel "hopelessly lost in space".
While the efficacy of such a grueling and extreme thought provoking interviews is still highly debatable, the unmissable fact is that the entire process has acquired a novelty value and is here to stay. Hence it makes sense for the candidates to drive themselves into a state of extraordinary preparedness although spontaneity matters for questions reeking with ambiguity and multiple probabilities.
William Poundstone's book makes you feel enlightened and alternately inadequate. But either way it makes for a heck of a rousing read. By the way do you know ho to weigh your own head? If you don't just ensure that you do not apply for a job at Google!
I have to admit that I am NOT smart enough to work at Google!
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