Want to work for a high-powered tech company? Of course you do. Fortune named Google the number one company in the world to work 7 times in the past decade and companies like Twitter and Facebook rank highly in the top 25. But how are you going to ace that interview? Notorious for the week-long onslaughts potential employees are put through, some of the largest and most important tech companies in the world are also known for asking some really weird and out there questions to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Here's some of the wackiest ones, and a few answers.
"If you could be any kind of sandwich, which would you be?"
A long-famous Google question, some sort of sandwich-based query has been adopted by a surprising number of large companies, with one major consulting firm asking applicants how they would go about making a tuna sandwich. So preparing some sort of malleable sandwich-based answer wouldn't be that bad of an idea. Personally, I like a good falafel wrap: modern, vegetarian and it's something somebody interviewing you probably had for lunch. And it reflects the diverse background your skills will bring to the company!
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"Have you ever been on a boat?"
Asked by Applied Systems, a company right at the forefront of insurance technology, this question, on the surface, seems to be asking about worldliness and alternative technological prowess. Do you have the capacity to direct a nautical vessel, an image rich with mythic portent that stretches from Moby Dick to Chris Hemsworth? But it's also about something deeper than that, about your connection to systems larger and greater than yourself, charted and uncharted terrain that bristles at the thought of being known. Maybe you haven't been to sea, or even been inside a frigate. But you're inside this small boat that some call Earth and we're just dangling in a sea called the Milky Way.
I would talk about fishing with my proverbial old man, though.
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"A man pushed his car to a hotel and lost his fortune. What happened?"
Another deep dive from the Google crew, this time secretly testing your on-hand knowledge of beloved American board games. He's playing Monopoly, of course!
While it's likely that Google won't be keeping this one on their clipboards for very long now, it's useful to keep a Jeopardy!-like bank of pop-trivia on hand and keep your mind out floating for strange answers.
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"What's your favorite '90s jam?"
More on the pop culture beat, this retro-ask was put by the web design people at Squarespace and is also a good chance to show your attitude and brag about how popular you were in middle school. While "Smells Like Teen Spirit" might be the first number that comes to your head, "here we are now/entertain us" might send the wrong message. "I Want It That Way" would certainly say something about your decision-making prowess. Anything by Smash Mouth works also.
It's also worth having a happy-go-lucky list of '90s cartoons, movies and Disney princesses.
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"Have you ever stolen a pen from work?"
Asked by Jiffy Software, another website and app development company on the cutting edge, this question is a gut test of your honesty, are you the kind of person who steals pens? Or are you the kind of person who lies about it? Go for the truth with this one, which is a yes. Even if you've never so much as stolen a staple.
Want to be really cutting edge? Say you don't use pens anymore. They're so 2005.
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"Why is a tennis ball fuzzy?"
Another trick one, this time asked by the photocopy kings at Xerox. While there's an easy, real answer to this one—who doesn't know that it is its fuzz that gives the ball traction and keeps it from bouncing too high?—it's probably useful to think of a few relevant tangents you can take with an oddball like this one. Maybe you're applying for a marketing position and can wire it into a wild marketing spin about how the fuzz of tennis balls give the man edge over less interesting ricochet balls. Go wild.
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"Why is the Earth round?"
Another ostensibly pop-science number that Twitter has been known to ask prospective software engineers. We all know the story with Copernicus, Columbus and the diminishing horizon, but this question seems to be getting its momentum by wanting to know why. What general advantages can you think of to our roundness besides not falling off the edge?
Or you could just be the smarty who tells them that the earth isn't actually round, you know?
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"If you had a choice between two superpowers - being invisible or flying - which would you choose?"
This timeless Seinfeld-esque classic was asked by Microsoft and for a pretty high level position. Personally, I'd go with flying without a second of deliberation. Invisibility is cool and all, but how are you going to give that presentation if no one can see you?
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"If you were a pizza delivery man, how would you benefit from scissors?"
This curveball was reported to be thrown by mighty behemoth Apple. Perhaps food delivery is the next world they're about to conquer or the scissors represent the kind of industry change that slashes through things. Maybe some way of doing business?
In the world of pizza delivery, I'd suggest scissors be used to divide portions readily, selling slices on the spot?
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"What would you do if you were the one survivor in a plane crash?"
This rather morbid scenario was asked by the caring people over at Airbnb, the rising and somewhat controversial hospitality marketplace. While a bit wild of a scenario, it's not too hard to tie this one to the business at hand: making sure your temporary stay is the best it can be. Your answer can include: checking in at the new locale on social media, making sure to not touch any valuables that aren't yours, and drafting your feedback of the experience.
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Go get 'em!
As the years go by, you'll likely need to make some large purchases here and there. Plan for these major life purchases by identifying them and saving early.
While it's possible to be frugal with many aspects of your lifestyle, there are certain events and possessions that will require you to spend a substantial amount of money. Thus, a wise course of action is to begin saving well ahead of time while thinking about your goals for the future. This way, you'll be able to maintain a stable financial state even when faced with those large expenses. The following are a few major life purchases that you should plan for.
A Wedding
Marriage is a joyous occasion that many people look forward to. However, a wedding can be quite expensive, often costing thousands of dollars. Your family and your future spouse's family will often contribute to covering this, but you should still prepare to spend a good deal of your own money on the ceremony. If you're in a serious relationship and are considering marriage, you should plan where the funds for the wedding will come from and take the necessary actions to accumulate them. It's also crucial to discuss financial matters with your partner, since your property will merge once you get married.
A New Car
Automobiles remain one of the top modes of transportation. As a result, you may want to purchase a new car at some point in your life. Although you may be fine with an old or used vehicle at present, you may one day be motivated by a desire to acquire something nice for yourself or by the practical needs that arise as you raise children. Whatever the case, obtaining a new car is a major life purchase that you should plan for.
In addition to setting aside funds to eventually put towards a vehicle, you should also aim to build you credit score. This is because your credit score will determine your available car loan options. The higher your credit score, the more you may be able to lower your interest rates on your car.
A House
Owning your own residential property is a worthy objective that you may hope to make a reality one day. Ideally, you should save about 20 percent of the total cost of a house before you buy it. This will allow you to make a larger down payment and thereafter face less interest on your mortgage.
As with acquiring a car, the mortgage options that you'll have can change based on how strong your credit score is. You'll want to increase your score as much as possible in the years leading up to buying a house so that you can get more favorable interest rates. In addition to contemplating down payments and mortgages, you must also remember that you'll need to deal with property taxes, insurance, maintenance and repair fees, and sometimes homeowners' association charges.
It's also necessary to hire a real estate agent to help you with the buying process. There are different types of real estate professionals. You should know how to distinguish between buyer's agents and seller's agents so that you can obtain favorable prices on homes as well.
When you are newly hitched and learning how to combine your essential legal and financial information as well as your accounts, it can be confusing.
Many people live together before getting married and have begun the process of combining accounts and sharing responsibilities. However, some people wait to do this only after marriage, and others wait until they're married to live together. Whichever path you've chosen, it's still crucial to know a few tips to manage money together as newlyweds to determine where you should begin and how you can remain on the same page.
Discussing Money Motivations
As we begin to share money with our significant other, we soon find out what one person may rank as a priority regarding money and the other may not. As such, sitting down and discussing money motivations is important. Two people who cannot agree on how to handle money may cause serious issues. This should include:
- How to deal with money following payday. Is a percentage put into savings? Is that the day to splurge on dinner, drinks, and more?
- The frequency and size of payments made to debts. Some people like to pay minimums, whereas others pay in full or make double payments.
- What do you each consider money well spent? Is it a new 70" 4K television? Is it an investment? Is it paying as much debt off as possible?
- How do you go about consulting each other before making purchases over a certain amount?
Establishing Financial Goals
After you evaluate the motivations behind your money and how it should be spent, you'll need to spend time together hashing out financial goals. As newlyweds, there are certain things on your list that you're going to want to save for. How do you go about that? How much of each paycheck will you dedicate to a particular fund?
Some things in the future worth making a financial plan for include savings and paying down debts. This is the time to be honest about your current financial standing. If you're looking to buy a home, you'll want to assemble a first-time homeowner financial checklist to begin to develop topics of conversation. Some of the things to consider setting goals for are:
- Student loans
- Car loans
- Future children
- A house
- Medical bills
- Delinquencies on credit reports
- Vacation and rainy-day funds
- Emergency funds
Budgeting Together
The more honest and open you can be with each other about the money you have and now the debts you share, the better. Implementing plans for the best ways to have the things that you both desire while still taking care of existing demands is important. These can be uncomfortable things to talk about; however, these conversations are necessary.
Following these tips to manage money together as newlyweds will allow you to have a starting point for conversations that can be tough to start. The sooner you and your partner get on the same page with finances and the responsibilities that come with them, the easier the transition will be and the sooner you'll find success.
It's the dream: money you can count on to keep rolling in, even while you sleep.
Passive income isn't entirely passive, of course. You'll put in work up-front to get the profits rolling, so don't relax in your recliner just yet. But with so many potential sources of passive income available to you, picking one or several will mean that the day you can finally kick back will draw steadily closer.
Rental Properties
Real estate is a tried-and-true wealth builder for a simple reason: people will always need somewhere to live. Research the market in a growing community until you know a good deal when you see it. You can maximize rent by fixing up a deteriorating property or upgrading a mediocre one. The key is to hire a property manager to do all the day-to-day landlord duties for you—and you'll need a good one. Smart investors put their profits in another property and repeat the process until they have a diverse portfolio.
A YouTube Channel
You can start a blog if you're more comfortable hiding behind a computer, but consumers are more likely to prefer video content. Post a series of “how-to" videos to answer questions about whatever you're an expert in.
You can put up any content you want, but if you don't want to commit to regularly updating it, focus on “evergreen" topics that will draw clicks for eternity. Ads will create your income, especially if your channel grows in popularity. Better yet, sign up for affiliate marketing. If you recommend a product and provide a link to buy it, you'll get a small percentage of those transactions.
Auto Advertising
If you don't mind vinyl-wrapping your car with an ad for a company, you can get cash just driving around and running your errands. Make sure you contact a reputable company that doesn't ask for any money from you; if they're the real deal, they'll evaluate your car, your driving habits, your area, and more. Bonus: the brighter the ad, the easier it'll be to find your vehicle in the parking lot.
Digital Products
What's something that people will pay for but doesn't require shipping on your part? Finding that item is what can supplement your income indefinitely. Write an e-book, charge for your cross-stitching patterns, design prints that people can digitally download, invent an app, record a “masterclass," or whatever else you want. Every time someone new discovers it, the cash register rings. With a little more effort, this is a potential source of passive income for you that can continue to grow. Once you build up a customer base, they might want more products. The good part is that it's up to you whether you wish to give it to them.
