Interview Q: How many dentist offices are there in the US?

[JoeShades]

Originally Posted by Boosane

I had this question get thrown at me during my interview a few weeks back. I honestly didn't know how to answer it, and my interview went downhill afterwards. Does anyone have any idea? He wanted me to give him my reasoning, etc.

Thank you.

What type of job did you interview for?

[selhars]

OMG is this the kind of dumb** crap I have to look forward to when interviewing.
The more I read about stupid interview situations, the more I want to really just tell the truth, which more than likely WON'T get me hired. Unless the interviewer is secure enough to appreciate honestly and someone who has to guts to call out the interview process.

Because, given that the info CAN just be looked up online, it's a dumb question for even what it was intended to illicit a person's thought process. I don't waste time or use my brain cells on things I can just Google. So if you want to know how I problem solve come up with something other than: 'how many X are in the U.S." Really THAT's your question. You could jus ASK abut my approach to problem resolution.

[mart8214]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I probably would have answered "I give up, how many are there?" then laugh and tell them that if I needed to know that, it would be easy to find on the internet. Their whole goal was not to se if you know the answer, but to see if you fold under pressure and stress by asking a question that 99.9% of applicants cannot answer. I prefer to try and make applicants feel more comfortable and less stressed when I interview, but for some jobs where handling daily stress is a requirement this is common. Other interviewers may just be jerks and get a thrill out of making people squirm.

I agree with Hemlock140. This question was likely intended to throw you a curve ball and see how you would respond. This is a tactic to see how you work under pressure and it sounds like it did throw you off a bit. If that was their intention, then it sounds like it worked. Unfortunately, it may not be a place you want to work for. Intimidation and scare tactics could give you more insight into how the company operates internally. Would you really want to work under those conditions in the long run? I get needing a job, but it sounds like it could have been in a hostile environment.

In that situation I might try and put the question back on them to "clarify" what they wanted to know. Something to the effect of: "Is knowing this number relevant to my daily function as an employee here?" I also think that you could respond with how you would find out if you don't already know the number (who does?). You could say: "That is something I would try and look up to get the most accurate answer. If I had to guess off the top of my head, the number could be found by 1) Looking up estimates of how many visits there are per year, and, 2) looking in a couple different places on the internet and getting an average number.

I don't know if I would know how to answer that in numbers if asked, nor is it worth your time to memorize a rote answer. They are not looking for a rote answer! Figuring out how to answer random questions with a response and still referring back to your experience in how you have solved problems in the past will highlight your skills and abilities to do the job.