If you were appearing for a job interview with Microsoft, you may well be asked the question: “On my way to St Ives I saw a man with 7 wives. Each wife had 7 sacks. Each sack had 7 cats. Each cat had 7 kittens. Kitten, cats, sacks, wives. How many were going to St Ives?” The textbook answer is one: only you were goint to St Ives. The man, the wives, the cats et al were not necessarily going to St Ives.

Or you might be asked: There is a light bulb inside a room and three switches outside, one of which operates it. How do you find out which switch is which? If you are one of those logical geniuses, you put on one switch and wait for five minutes. Then put on the second switch and go into the room. If the light is on, it is the second switch. If the light is off, go feel the bulb. If it’s hot, then the first switch is the operational one. And if it is off and cold, the solution is No. 3. The Microsoft HR department does not expect smart alecks to be appearing for interviews. But an obvious answer is to put on the switches one by one, look through the door and see which one works.

In its heyday, the Microsoft interview was the stuff of legends. The Microsofties, perhaps as an act of revenge, have been relegated to light bulb jokes. Question: How many Microsoft vice-presidents does it take to change a light bulb?

Answer: Eight. One to work the bulb and seven to make sure Microsoft gets $2 for every light bulb ever changed anywhere in the world.

Job interviews that ask trick questions are going out of fashion. “It’s a form of bullying,” says Mumbai-based HR consultant D. Singh. “Microsoft no longer has the clout to get away with it and other companies have realised that they actually put off the brightest minds.” You can play games with IIT and IIM alumni. But in today’s workplace, you don’t need just stars. The rank and file has to be filled with average intellects. Pose a cryptic question to them and, at the end of the day, you will probably be left with one “star” who may well choose to join a company that doesn’t believe in so many light bulbs.

“The job interview is changing,” says Singh. “Today, it is much more participative.” Interviews for a senior post always had the candidate asking questions. Now, even green-behind-the-ears recruits are expected to do just this. Forbes has a list of 20 questions you should ask during a job interview (and another set that you shouldn’t ask).

US News has its own set of questions — only five this time:

• How has this position evolved since it was created?

• What have past employees done to succeed in this position?

• What have you enjoyed most about working here?

• What is the top priority for the person in this position over the next three months?

• What are the qualities of successful managers in this company?

Give Singh the last word: “Never ask about pay and perks. Even worse, don’t ask about leave policies.” No company would like to think that a prospective manager is planning his first holiday even before he joins.

SEVEN SECRETS

Questions you should ask your job interviewer

1. What is an example of a client challenge you have recently faced?

2. Where do you see the company going in the next year? 10 years?

3. Can I work in the call centre for a few weeks to get a sense of your customers’ needs?

4. What is the question you really want to ask me but haven’t?

5. What impact would I have on the team if I get hired?

6. I was looking at your social media presence and I can see that your brands have been more active over the past few months. Has that strategy changed?

7. What would make someone really successful in this role?

Source: Careerbliss