1. “Pop Essay” Questions.
2. Questions That Have No Correct Answer (But Require Logic to Answer Them, Anyway). 3. Ethical Questions with a Twist.
4. “Pigeonhole Yourself” Questions.
5. Questions That Send You to Confession (Or Oprah).
When you are asked an impossible question, the key thing to remember is that your answer is usually not half as important as the way in which you deliver it. Poise, confidence, and some humor will take you far when confronted with these questions.
“Pop Essay” Questions
In college and grad school, pop essay questions pop up constantly. These days, they’re also popular in the executive suite, where candidates are definitely graded on a bell curve. When you are asked
this type of question, don’t worry about giving the “right” answer, as much as defending your answer. The important thing is to be thorough about whatever answer you do give.
79.
What is the best-managed company in America?A.
Probably not Enron or WorldCom. In all seriousness, I have been very impressed with Apple Computers. In recent years, they invented both the iMac and the iPod, brave new inventions in a jaded world. The iMac defied all expectations by coming out in retro, Populux colors at a time when other computer companies were simply making beige boxes. That took real courage. The iPod was also marketed in a way that was counterintuitive but brilliant. Record companies were screaming at anyone who would listen about the perils of downloading. They were even threatening lawsuits against students who were downloading. Meanwhile, the iPod decided to celebrate the joy of downloading your favorite tunes.Stay on the cutting edge by keeping up-to-date on current events. Listen to AM radio talk shows once in a while, go watch an interesting documentary, take an active interest in the world around you. Doing so will vastly improve your score on all Pop Essay
Questions.
80.
If you could be any product in the world, what would you choose?A.
That’s a very interesting question, Sarah, and one that I’ve never actually thought about before. If I could be any product, I think it would have to be a Motorola flip-top cell phone. The flip top helps to screen out the noise of traffic and other pedestrians so that you can handle business from absolutely anywhere 24/7. The fancy screen keeps you up-to-date on your emails and text messages, so you’re never late with your correspondence. Plus the cell phone comes in a jazzy silver color, which, for some reason, reminds me of elegantly streamlined German engineering.It doesn’t matter which product you compare yourself to as long as you have a little fun with it. So act like you’re having fun (even if you wish the interview would just be over).
product, what would you do?
A.
I would search for new markets for the product while I spurred the engineers to change the product to make it more marketable to its original core audience. Let’s take Verizon’s text-messaging service as a case in point. I’ve never worked for Verizon, so this example is purely hypothetical. But I do know that in Japan, text messaging was the rage for about four years. Everyone was text messaging each other all the time.Now, text messaging has become fairly popular here in the States. But what’s happening in Japan? People have started using BlackBerry en masse, because it’s so much faster than text messaging. Let’s face it: you don’t have to keep hitting the same key over and over to arrive at the one letter that you want. Eventually, I predict that here in the States text messaging will also become far less popular, because we live in the Information Age, where speed of transmission rules all.
If I worked at Verizon, I would be seeking new markets for their text messaging product right now. Maybe it should be positioned as “a simple way to tell someone that you love her,” more like a Hallmark card than a serious business tool. Who might be interested in a product like this? Retirees with a lot of time on their hands. I might try marketing text messaging to grandparents as a way to stay in touch with their loved ones. Perhaps we could cut seniors a price break if they signed up for text messaging when they first bought cell phones. Simultaneously, I would also be talking to the engineers on staff, and picking their brains about ways that we could make text messaging faster and less cumbersome to use.
FACT: The decision to hire someone is usually made within the first thirty seconds of meeting the candidate. That doesn’t give you a whole lot of time to impress your prospect with your intelligence, conversational aptitude, or winning ideas. So do yourself a favor and also show up well-groomed and looking the part. Leave the stilettos (or the dusty work boots) at home.
Good rule of thumb: wear an ensemble that is 25 percent more pulled-together than what you would wear if you were already working there.
82.
We are interested in generating “word-of-mouth” advertising for our client. What are the most important criteria for turning a product or service into a “word-of-mouth” success?A.
Well, Charlie, that’s a very interesting question. As far as I can tell, there are three critical things that need to collide to spark positive “word of mouth.” First, your product or service has to address a need that isn’t being met in the marketplace. Second, you will need “messenger/influencers” to bring the word forward. Third, it often helps to have some “context” for masses of people to care and pay attention to your message.Off the top of my head, I would say that when Snapple iced tea first came out, it achieved “word of mouth,” even before there was any advertising for it. After years of having canned iced tea beverages
that really didn’t taste like brewed iced tea, consumers suddenly found Snapple on their shelves. What was great about the product was that it looked exactly like real iced tea. You could see it in those glass bottles, which, at the time, was a refreshing idea.
The “messengers” who carried the word forward were disgruntled canned iced tea drinkers who were also mavens of the marketplace. They knew this product was really different than anything out there. Finally, the “context” was that Snapple first appeared on the shelves during the hot summer months, when everyone is more likely to drink cool beverages.
Why This Technique Works
1. You answered a difficult question with “proof points” that you made up off the top of your head.
2. You showed that you can think on your feet even while you’re sitting down.
Review the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, and all relevant trade publications before your interviews. Most periodicals have online versions that are easy to skim if you’re pressed for time. Then if you find yourself referring to an interesting case study, tell your interviewer where you read about it.