“You’re standing on the surface of the Earth. You walk one mile south, one mile west, and one mile north. You end up exactly where you started. Where are you?”
You’ll hear this question if you’re interviewing to join billionaire Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk’s team. But if you’re speechless and scratching your head, don’t worry — the accuracy of your answer doesn’t matter so much as how you explain your logical reasoning. Musk wants to find out if you can think fast and problem-solve effectively when presented with data, so even if you’re struggling to come up with the right answer (it’s the North Pole, by the way), you can still prove you’re a worthwhile candidate. How? Resume-builder Resume.io suggests being honest, asking follow-up questions and breaking the problem down to demonstrate your processes.
Related: Never Go to a Job Interview Unprepared for This One Question
Putting your best foot forward in the job market is particularly important today, as record numbers of employees tender their resignations and leave millions of opportunities open in their wake (4.5 million in November 2021 alone, to be exact). What’s more, this so-called Great Resignation has flipped the power dynamic between employers and would-be employees upside down — giving applicants more leverage than ever before when it comes to salary, benefits and work-life balance.
Researchers at Resume.io explored the tough questions some of the world’s most powerful business leaders like to ask their applicants, collating 13 curveballs that can make or break your interview, and put together actionable tips on how to answer each one of them in a way that casts your candidacy in the best light possible — and just might snag you a desk (or Zoom box) at some of the biggest companies on Earth.
Related: Ace Your Interviews: 4 Ways to Be a Better Job Candidate
If you’re ready to go after the job of your dreams, there’s never been a better time to make your move. Check out Resume.io’s complete infographic guide below to discover the secrets to interview success — and set yourself up to join the likes of Musk, Spanx founder Sara Blakely, NerdWallet co-founder Tim Chen and more in the most coveted echelon of corporate America.
The ‘Bizarrely Authoritarian’ U.S. Education System Inspired This Husband and Wife to Co-Found a ‘Genius School’ for Future Entrepreneurs and Leaders
Improving Your Ability to Learn Means Leaving Your Comfort Zone
This Founder Is Starting a Breakfast Revolution by Reinventing One of America’s Favorite Foods
17 Bizarrely Brilliant Businesses That Will Help You Fall in Love, Get Revenge and More
Why Chick-fil-A Employees Never Say ‘You’re Welcome’
6 Leadership Lessons I’ve Learned From Playing Hockey
Bar Rescue’s Jon Taffer: ‘If You Want to Win Arguments, You Must Argue Smarter’