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HR Interview Questions HR Interview Questions - Quick Guide

An interview can be broadly seen as a formal meeting arranged to evaluate a

prospective employee by obtaining his/her career-oriented details, like qualification
and work-experience. An interview presents the applicants an opportunity to
elaborate on certain components of their resumes and talk about their areas of
expertise. It also tests their ability to think critically and independently.

Depending on the position and the company you are getting hired for, you might
need to appear in various types of interviews. We going to discuss here the following
six types of interviews and also see what makes them so unique −

Behavioral Questions
Traditional Questions
Case Questions
Role-play questions
Industry-specific questions

Brainteasers

Behavioral Questions
It is estimated that 80% of the interview is made up of behavioral questions. This
type of interviewing is based on the philosophy that a detailed analysis of the way
you acted in certain circumstances in your previous job will give a reliable indication
of the way you will act in your new job too.

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6/17/24, 3:53 PM HR Interview Questions - Quick Guide

Behavioral questions will be experience-based and you need a lot of practice to be

able to answer them in a satisfactory manner.

STAR Technique
To answer Behavioral Questions, employ the STAR technique −

S = Situation − (recall an incident in your life that suits the situation)

T = Task − (recall an incident in your life that suits the task)

A = Action − (mention the course of action you opted to address the
situation or task)

R = Result − (mention the result of your action and the outcome)

Q − Tell me about an incident where you worked effectively under pressure.

S − My friends and I were to give a presentation on "Artificial Intelligence", however

one of them unfortunately slipped and fell down the stairs the night before.
T − As we had already picked up specific sub-topics to talk on individually, this
sudden addition of content did put a lot of pressure on us, especially because it had
taken us months of research to come up with our material.
A − In order to not let this accident affect our team's performance, I took the
responsibility of filling in for his topic too. The issue was that I had only one night to
make myself familiar with his notes.
R − Thanks to my friends' assistance and my efforts, our team managed to complete
the presentation successfully and we also got compliments from the Review Panel.

Remember that these are only sample interview answers meant to give a
general idea on the approach to Behavioral Interviews. You need to

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6/17/24, 3:53 PM HR Interview Questions - Quick Guide
Q1 − Describe a bad experience you had working with your ex-employer

Never bad-mouth previous colleagues and ex-employees. Instead of focusing on the

details of the incident, put more emphasis on the part where you managed to make
him see your point-of-view.
For example − “They were thinking from a different point of view, but in the end,
they managed to understand my concerns as well.”

Q2 − Describe how you handle disagreement.

Applying STAR to this situation, recall an incident in your life that suits the question,
mention what task you set to address the issue, the actions you took, and the
results you got.
For example − “We had once designed a template for a group presentation,
however one member wasn’t too happy with him being asked to conclude. I
suggested he should give it a trial run. At the end, he realized that he was as good
at concluding as he was at opening a presentation.

Q3 − Explain a situation when you explained a complex idea simply.

This is a standard question in Customer Service, Sales & Marketing, IT and education
sectors. Provide specific, job-related examples.
For example − “Yes, I designed a presentation that explained all the points in a
clear manner. I also created a document describing the concept in simple words and
handed it to the audience.”

Q4 − Describe a time when you had to adapt to a change at work.

Asking about incidents where you had to change your style of working is very
common in Behavioral Interviews. Recruiters want to check your adaptability skills,
as someone with a firm notion won’t be flexible to adjust to a process.
For example − “The management had decided to move on to Macintosh for all their
company devices which took a bit of getting used to, however I spent a lot of time
on it and this practice helped me a lot.”

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 them to. They need people who know the reason behind a decision.
6/17/24, 3:53 PM HR Interview Questions - Quick Guide
Mention the mistake and be honest about it, but always make sure that you follow it
up with what you learnt from that episode and the improvements it has brought to
your efficiency.
For example − “In the first week of my appointment, I had miscalculated the
estimated time needed to complete a project assigned to me, which resulted in a
chain of miscommunications. It taught me that deadlines are to be respected.”

Q6 − Describe a time when you delegated tasks to team-mates.

Questions about managing teams are not asked only in managerial jobs. Employers
want to see managerial skills in their employees. They want people in their team
who can motivate others and accomplish a task in a given time-frame. The best way
to answer such questions will be to base your answer on capability, experience, task
force, etc.
For example − “Based on their individual strengths, I delegated the complex
algorithm-writing tasks to Tarun, as he has more experienced than the others. I
asked Rohan to handle data check, as he was very accurate in his testing skills. I
handled QA, as I had maximum experience in Quality Analysis.”

Q7 − Describe when you were blamed for somebody else’s mistake.

These types of questions are designed to check your personality and skills at
handling stressful situations. The standard rules of interviewing answers apply here
too − no bad-mouthing ex-employees or supervisors.
For example − “Once I was blamed for not taking a sufficiently-detailed survey in a
locality, which affected our sales figures for that month. Although I was not in the
Marketing Analysis team, I took a note of the issue and, without passing blame,
politely passed it to the concerned department.

Q8 − Describe a difficult situation that you faced and how you handled it.

When questions like these are asked, give an answer that portrays your ability to
identify, analyze, and solve problems.
For example − "We were getting a lot of complaints about the customers not
getting the deliveries on time. I met the Manager of Delivery Department and he told
me that the problem was acute during peak traffic hours. We both charted

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 The
6/17/24, ability
3:53 PMof being a self-starter who likes to explore
HR Interview Questions - suitable
Quick Guide alternatives of arriving

at a solution and coming up with practical ideas are very important at any
workplace.
For example − "Our Company had launched a new product and the Sales Team
were getting trained on it. We, being from the Orders Department, were not privy to
the training. I requested the Management to include us in the training team too, as
that would help us understand the orders and provide better solutions to customers.”

Q10 − Describe when you had to take a judgement on a difficult decision.

By asking this question, the interviewer is checking your ability to implement logical
decisions. You need to express your logical method of thinking out each step,
calculating the implementation with team-mates, weighing in alternatives, and
choosing the best action route.
For example − "I was assigned the task of purchasing office equipment. We used to
follow a "purchase-per-month" mode of purchase and payment. I thought of opting
for a bulk purchase of six months, as I could hardly see the difference in payment in
the per-month structure. Also, by ordering in bulk, we could get discounts and
freebies. We opted for a bulk purchase in January, which proved to be a wise
decision, as the prices of electronic goods increased by 15% with the new budget."

General Interview Questions

Compared to Behavioral Questions that deal with your situation-handling in a past
scenario, Traditional or General Interview Questions tend to be more
hypothetical. They can be asked in any interview and they don’t specifically cater to
any particular job responsibility.

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6/17/24, 3:53 PM HR Interview Questions - Quick Guide

It is always advisable to memorize a few keywords on the company’s needs,

problems, or goals. Make sure you visit the company’s website before the interview
to uncover the needs of this specific job profile, instead of the generalized needs of
the industry.

Sample General Interview Questions

Q1 − Tell me about yourself.

Unlike 80% of the candidates who ramble about their life story and personal
matters, start with the present and explain how your qualifications match to what
the interviewer is looking for, and how you are an ideal candidate for the job. This
approach will help you stand out instantly from the rest of the aspirants and will help
you build a rapport very early.
For example − "I have a number of accomplishments I'd like to tell you about, but
I would like to talk more about the most important priorities of this position. I know
from (company’s website, newspaper ad, from references, etc.) that these are the
requisites for this job profile. Is there anything else you see as essential for this
position?”

Q2 − What are your greatest strengths?

Most aspirants sound either too arrogant or humble while answering these questions,
neither of which helps. The key skill here is to mention work-elated strengths along
with their most recent and impressive examples respectively.

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 Communication
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HR Interview Questions - Quick Guide

Ease of Approachability Dedication

Confidence Definiteness

Q3 − What are your greatest weaknesses?

First of all, there’s nothing “great” about a weakness, so that’s a trick question; it
should be “What are your biggest weaknesses?”
Second, being honest about your weaknesses might earn you brownie points on
sincerity, however a candidate with weaknesses isn’t a charming prospect for any
company. Many tackle this question by trying to present their excessive
implementation of a positive quality as a negative feature.
For example − “I strive to achieve perfection, so I tend to work too hard.”
However, these tactics have been used for so long now that every HR will see
through it. The best way to answer this question is to first get a detailed knowledge
of the job’s requirements, and then describe what you like doing the most, which
should match up with the most important qualification in the position. Also, mention
what you like the least, which should match with a qualification not at all needed for
the job.
For example − If you are applying for a job that needs knowledge on Website
Designing, say −
"Nobody's perfect, but if my background is anything to go by, I have the
qualifications, skills and focus to achieve results in this position. If given a choice, I
like to spend the majority of my employed time in designing the websites, as
opposed to Data Warehousing. Of course, I know the importance of Data
Warehousing, but my real interest lies in website designing." (The HR’s heart would
be singing in delight on hearing those words.)

Q4 − Tell me about an incident you are ashamed of speaking about

Although it’s one of those extremely personal questions that the interviewer has no
business asking, it’s extremely effective in inducing guilt and repentance from an
unprepared candidate, which could lead to disaster.
Never treat a mistake you made as something shameful, as that means you have
difficulty in moving on, instead of learning from the mistake and avoiding that in

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6/17/24,Q5
3:53 PM − Why did you leave (or plan
HR Interview to leave)
Questions your present employer?
- Quick Guide

As a rule of thumb, never badmouth your previous company, boss, staff, or

employees, under any circumstance. If you are already in a job, state honestly and
clearly what you expect in your new job. The best keywords could be – better career
opportunities, growth, exposure to a different working culture, new process, etc.
For example − Never lie if you have been laid-off the job, as it’s very easy to find
out. Instead of taking the question personally, try to divert the reasons for your
getting fired as − “company takeover, merger, and division wide layoff."
Instead of being bitter about the experience, try to describe the incident practically
from the company's point-of-view, indicating that you might have done the same
thing yourself, had you been in their position. This will increase your value in the
eyes of the interviewer(s) as excellent top-management material.

Q6 − The Silent Treatment

A favorite of the HRs who put candidates in Stress situations, this technique involves
the interviewer remaining completely silent and just keep on staring back after an
aspirant has answered the question. This uncomfortable and prolonged silence has
an unnerving effect on even the most seasoned job-seekers.
Most unprepared candidates think they might have said something extremely wrong
which they have to cover now. But as they don’t know what was wrong in the first
place, they break under the stress and rush to fill in the silence by rambling about
unnecessary details, which might be extremely dangerous to your chances.
For example − If your interviewer remains silent for an uncomfortable duration
after listening to your answer, keep quiet for some time and then, say very politely −
"Is there anything else I need to mention on that point?"

Q7 − Why should I hire you?

Before answering any such question, do a thorough study of the position’s

requirements and what skill-sets the job might need. This knowledge will help you
immensely in matching your qualifications and experience with the job requirements,
which in turn, enhances your image in the eyes of the HR and sets you apart from
the competition.
For example − "As per my knowledge, you are looking for a Sales and Marketing
Manager for your book-publishing department. I would like to mention that I have a

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 Q8 − Where do you see yourself five years from now?
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The reason interviewers ask this question is to check your level of commitment to
the job and company. They want to know if you are just filling in till a better
opportunity comes along, or are you looking for a long-term association with the
organization.
For example − "This position is exactly what I'm looking forward to working in on a
long term, and I'm confident that if I do my work with sincerity and the desired level
of proficiency, opportunities will inevitably open up for me."

Q9 − Why do you want to work at our company?

The deeper your research is on the company’s annual reports, the corporate
newsletters, business contacts, partners, suppliers, advertisements and articles
about the company in the trade press, the better chance you have at answering this
question satisfactorily.

Q10 − Would you lie for the company?

This is one of the trickiest questions in the world of interviewing, as it pits two
morals against each other − loyalty vs. honesty.
For example − In these cases, try to give an answer that’s as diplomatic as
possible, like − “I will never do anything that could cast a shadow on the company’s
image and reputation. I will always consult with my seniors before taking a decision,
so that they can guide me with their expertise and level of experience.”

Q11 − Questions on confidential matters.

Your interviewer may press you for this information for two reasons. First, to
research the competition on their strategies, financial condition, etc. Second, to test
your integrity to see if you can easily reveal confidential data. Never reveal anything
truly confidential about a present or former employer, but politely explain the reason
too.
For example − "I certainly like to be as clear as possible, however I would also like
to honor the trust my previous employer had on me, when they shared sensitive
information, as I am sure you would also want your employers to do.”

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6/17/24, 3:53 PM HR Interview Questions - Quick Guide

In Case Interviews, interviewers tend to not mention important figures and details.
They want to see if you have a clear idea on the industry and on what assumption
you will solve the problem. In these situations, it’s okay to consider assumed data,
but they need to be based on facts and logic.

Answering Case Interview Questions

Answering case interview questions can be tricky, especially when you don’t get the
facts right. Do use the following tips to tackle such questions −

Listen carefully − Paraphrasing helps in understanding the question

completely before answering.
Take time to think − Because of the sheer number of parameters needed to
tackle the issue, candidates are expected to take some time to ponder on the
scenario, however anything more than five minutes would be excessive.
Ask questions − Interviewers deliberately give incomplete questions to
check the candidates’ understanding of relevant parameters, so they expect a
lot of questions from you which makes the entire interview quite interactive.
Use a logical framework − Apply the principles you learned in business
colleges as a framework. Examples include Porter's Five Forces and the SWOT
analysis.

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 Exhibit enthusiasm − Behaving as though you feel it's fun to tackle this
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kind of problem is integral to showing how well you'd fit in as a consultant or
whatever position you're interviewing for.

Standard Case Interview Questions

Market-Sizing Case Interview Questions

Market-Sizing Case Interview Questions need the candidates to guess the market
size for a specific product. To answer these questions, you need to have a close idea
on the population of the country, the male-female ratio, different demographics,
among many other parameters. A few popular examples are −

Q. How many light bulbs are there in Delhi?

Q. How many people read gossip magazines in Mumbai?

Q. How many photocopies are taken in Odisha each year?

Q. How much beer is consumed in the city of Chandigarh?

Business Case Interview Questions

These questions need knowledge on the internal working of a company. Visit their
website and collect as much information as possible on their way of operations.

Q. You are working directly with <company’s name> management team. It is

organizing a project designed to increase the revenue significantly. If you were
provided with data and asked to supervise the project, what steps would you take to
ensure its success?

Q. The firm has assigned you to consult <company’s name> intending to drop a
product or expand into new markets in order to increase revenue. What steps would
you take to help this company achieve its objective?

Q. You have been assigned to consult <shoe retailer’s name> with stores
throughout the nation. Since its revenue is dropping, the company has proposed to
sell food at its stores. How would you advise this client?

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 Q1
6/17/24, 3:53 PM
− At 3:15, how manyHRdegrees are between two hands of a clock?
Interview Questions - Quick Guide

If you thought the answer was zero degrees, you'd be incorrect. At 3:15, the clock's
minute hand will be pointing at 15 minutes, exactly 90 degrees clockwise from
vertical. At 3:15, the clock's hour hand will be exactly one quarter of the distance
between 3 O'clock and 4 O'clock. Each of the 12 hours on the clock represents 30
degrees (360 degrees divided by the 12 hours on the clock). Consequently, one
quarter of an hour is exactly 7.5 degrees − so at 3:15, the minute hand will be at
97.5 degrees. So there is a difference of 7.5 degrees between the hour hand and the
minute hand at 3:15.

− A fire fighter has to get to a burning building as quickly as he can. There

are three paths that he can take. He can take his fire engine over a large hill
Q2(5 miles) at 8 miles per hour. He can take his fire engine through a windy
road (7 miles) at 9 miles per hour. Or he can drive his fire engine along a dirt
road which is 8 miles at 12 miles per hour. Which way should he choose?

Driving his fire engine 5 miles at 8 miles per hour takes 37.5 minutes. Driving his
fire engine 7 miles at 9 miles per hour takes about 47 minutes. Driving his fire
engine 8 miles at 12 miles per hour takes 40 minutes. So he should choose to drive
his fire engine over the hill.

− You spend 21 dollars on vegetables at the store. You buy carrots, onions,
Q3and celery. The celery cost half the cost of the onions. The onions cost half
the cost of the carrots. How much did the onions cost?

Answering this problem just requires some simple algebra. If we assume the cost of
celery = x, then the cost of onions = 2x, and the cost of the carrots is 4x, such that
the total cost of all vegetables = x + 2x + 4x = 7x = 21 dollars. Consequently, x = 3
dollars. Hence, the onions cost 6 dollars.

Role-Play Questions
Role-plays are considered opportunities to prove that you possess all the key
interpersonal skills you have mentioned in your resume. They help employers to

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 name> delivers the same products at such an inexpensive price?” are commonly
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asked.

Preparation

In role-play questions, it’s always advisable to have a detailed knowledge of the

company beforehand. Collect as much information on the company’s policies, recent
achievements, their closest competitors’ best-selling products, etc.

Teamwork

In some cases, the role-play may feature a group role-playing exercise. In these
situations, try your best to be an efficient team-leader but don’t try to dominate. Try
to get a balance between listening and speaking.

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6/17/24, 3:53 PM HR Interview Questions - Quick Guide
Sample Role-play Interview Questions

Q1 − Sell me this pen.

Think about the most important parameters like quality, grip, ease of access,
durability, and price. Assume the body language of a salesperson. Confidence is the
key.
For example − Find out their specific needs and sell the solution to their problems
− "Do you prefer black or blue ink? Black, is it? Well, I am confident that this pen will
fit all your needs. It's a fancy, fine point, Black ink pen which you can use to sign all
your important business documents. It'll look great in the board room but you can
still use it for everyday tasks.

Q2 − Introduce yourself as a kitchen gadget.

Name your chosen gadget/item and then offer brief points as your (the gadget's)
main purpose, strengths, characteristics, etc., which should be a representation of
yourself in workplace.
For example − Hello, everyone. I am the blender. I blend different vegetables and
fruits together very quickly and also retain their fiber content, unlike juicers. I help
your body process fat easier.

Q3 − Create a “bits-and-pieces” organization from your pocket(s).

Use random bits and pieces such as keys, combs, phones, tissues, etc., and think
creatively and incisively about how an organization is structured and operating,
including the crucial relationships between the working parts.

Q4 − Listen to our conversation and repeat our preferences.

The interviewers might have a conversation on what they would like to drink − (tea,
coffee, with or without milk, with how many sugars or without). Take it in turns to
listen carefully to what everyone's drink requests are, including who wants what,
rather than just a list of the choices.

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6/17/24, 3:53Pairs
PM of scissors HR Interview Questions - Quick Guide

Nuts and bolts

Screw-drivers
Small children's toys

Coins

Normally used as an introductions icebreaker, it limits the purpose of an introduction

to a simple outline of each person's self. The activity expands naturally to greater
duration if more thinking and discussion/review time is encouraged by the facilitator.

Industry-Specific Interview Questions

Industry-specific questions are specific to the industry you are seeking employment
in. These questions evaluate your educational skill sets, professional qualification,
and employment experience, so prepare your answers after reviewing your
performances, current assignments, and the achievements in projects that showcase
your talent in the best possible way.

We have listed five industries with the most common questions asked in their
industry-specific interview −

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 Briefly
6/17/24, 3:53 PMdescribe your background and the related
HR Interview responsibilities,
Questions - Quick Guide your greatest
achievements as a manager and the efficiency in which you performed various tasks
required for the position. Demonstrate the fact that you are detail oriented and
confident in providing high quality output for your company.

Customer Support

Q2 − How would you handle negative feedback from a client?

Convey an approachable and friendly attitude along with presenting the image of a
knowledgeable person. Stress on the importance of speaking politely, accurately, and
professionally.

Information Technology

Q3 − Explain about “s” permission bit in a file?

“s” bit is called “set user id” (SUID) bit. “s” bit on a file causes the process to have
the privileges of the owner of the file during the instance of the program. For
example, executing “passwd” command to change the current password causes the
user to writes its new password to shadow file even though it has “root” as its owner.

Finance

Q4 − Why do you want to become an investment banker?

Mention the nobility and profitability of the profession by speaking on the obvious
lucrative aspects of the job, and also as the real reason being your genuine love for
the profession and the pleasure you get in assisting families to safeguard their
interests by offering them the best investment plans.

Accounting

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 interpersonal skills as the qualities that make you an ideal candidate for an
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accountant.

Brainteaser Interview Questions

A brainteaser is a form of puzzle that requires thinking in unconventional ways with
given constraints in mind; sometimes it also involves lateral thinking. On a general
scale, the most obvious answers are almost always the incorrect ones.

Sample Brainteaser Interview Questions

− You’re in a room with three light switches, each of which controls one of the
three light bulbs in the next room. Find out which switch controls which bulb.
Q1All lights are initially off, and you cannot see into one room from the other.
You can check the room only once. How can you determine which switch is
connected to which light bulb?

Call the switches 1, 2, and 3. Leave Switch 1 off. Turn Switch 2 on for five minutes
and then turn it off. Turn Switch 3 on and leave it on. Enter the room. The bulb that
is on is controlled by Switch 3 (the one you left on). Feel the light bulbs that are off
for heat. The bulb that is off and warm is controlled by Switch 2 (the one you turned

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 Instead
6/17/24, of describing what it looks like,HR
3:53 PM try to identify
Interview what
Questions - Quick it does and how it can
Guide

assist operations in the company by just going through and talking about its
functionality, e.g., "this can be used to store contact details, make phone calls, send
emails, take photos or videos, etc." You could also relate it to the job or the
workplace and talk about how the mobile phone would be used.

− An apple costs 40 cents, a banana costs 60 cents, and a grapefruit costs 80

Q3
cents. How much does a pear cost?

If you charge 20 cents per vowel, the two-vowel word "apple" would cost 40 cents,
three-vowel "banana" 60 cents, and four-vowel "grapefruit" 80 cents. Therefore a
pear would cost 40 cents.

Q4 − Describe the Internet to someone who woke up from a 30-year coma.

Try to answer this question with a lot of creativity and humor, like − “I would ask
him if he remembers any movie where people used to look into a crystal ball and tell
what was happening miles away. I would say Internet is that magic crystal ball of the
present time.”

− A scientist puts a bacteria in a petri dish at exactly noon. Every minute, the
Q5bacteria divides into two. At exactly 1 pm, the petri dish is full. At what time
was the dish half full?

Don't think exponential growth and the kind of bacteria that's in the dish. If the
bacteria doubles every minute, and it's full at 1 pm, it must have been half-full a
minute earlier, at 12:59.

Q6 − Is it better to be perfect and late, or good and on time?

This question is designed in such a way that you can clearly identify a right and
wrong option. However, this question will be correctly answered if you study the
signals that the interviewer sends via gestures and body language. As a general rule,
managers prefer “good and on time”, as they don’t appreciate work to stay pending
because of the employees’ need for perfection.

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 Notable qualities are a person’s ability to think ahead several steps and execute
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those ideas, decision-making skills, and their ability to connect with others.

− You wake up early one morning and find the light in your bedroom is broke.
You get dressed in the dark. Your drawer has socks of three different colors:
Q8
red, yellow, and blue. How many socks do you have to take out to be certain
of having a matching pair?

Let’s start drawing socks. There will be three scenarios −

If the first sock is red. If the second is red, you have a matching pair. But
what if it is isn’t red?
If the second sock is yellow. If the third is either yellow or red, then you
have a pair. If it is blue, then you draw again.
If the third sock is blue. Now you have one of each. Since your next sock
must be either red, yellow, or blue, you are bound to have a pair.

Once you have four socks, you are guaranteed to have a pair.

Q9 − Why are manhole covers round and not square?

Manhole covers are round so that they won’t fall into the manholes, as square covers
could be dropped into the manholes if held diagonally.

− You are blindfolded and sit in front of a table. On the table are many
coins, 10 of which have heads facing up. How do you split the group of coins
Q10into two groups such that the same number of coins are heads-up in each
group? You don’t know how many coins there are and you can’t tell which
side is facing up in any way.

Let’s say there are 50 coins and we separate 10 of them. Now we have a group of 10
and a group of 40.
Let’s assume there are 3 heads in the group of 10. Then there will be 7 heads in the
group of 40.

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