How Would You Move Mount Fuji? - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review

For a number of reasons, today's hiring managers from Wall Street to the Silicon Valley are totally restructuring their approach to interviewing job prospects. Few will admit it has anything to do with the fact that our litigious society makes it very difficult to ask almost any personal question of today's job applicant. The majority of those interviewing today don't even bother checking references because they know anyone they call will provide little or no information on the employee in question for fear of legal retribution. Again, few will admit these facts for obvious reasons. However, for these and other motives including a hypercompetitive global marketplace, a hot new trend in hiring is emerging. "Puzzle interviews" using tough and tricky questions to gauge job candidates' intelligence, imagination, and problem-solving ability, are becoming the norm in many companies.

How Would You Move Mount Fuji?: Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle - How the World's Smartest Company Selects the Most Creative Thinkers is a study of corporate hiring, an assessment of IQ testing's value, a history of interviewing and a puzzle book. The author, William Poundstone, is a science writer who explains the thinking behind this kind of interviewing. In a straightforward manner, the author describes the roots of logic questions in interviews, drawing on the history of IQ testing in hiring interviews, psychological studies and interviews with Microsoft ex-interviewers and interviewees. He certainly makes a strong case for eliminating standard questions like "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" and replacing them with logic puzzles.

For years, Microsoft's interview process has included a notoriously grueling sequence of brain-busting questions that separate the most creative thinkers from the merely brilliant. Anyone who's interviewed for a job at Microsoft is intimately familiar with questions like the one in this book's title (How would you move Mount Fuji?) They've probably also pondered such problems as:

  • Why are manhole covers round?
  • How do they make M&Ms?
  • What does all the ice in a hockey rink weigh?
  • How many piano tuners are there in the world?

Questions like these, which test problem-solving abilities, not specific competencies, are commonplace during job interviews at Microsoft and the many other firms who have adapted this unique approach.

Basically, this book is separated into two parts: The first discusses the history of puzzles and their intellectual and academic standing. This section starts off by narrating the origin of puzzle-solving as a criterion for selecting people; then, it talks about how and why many companies use them in interviews. Mr. Poundstone talks about the general approaches to solving puzzles, and then closes on a note for employers on how to design puzzles that are useful.

The second part of the book is strict puzzle solving. The book has plenty of puzzles scattered through it and two chapters devoted solely to listing puzzles. The author goes on to discuss the puzzles he has listed and suggests thought processes about how to solve them. This exposition is more interesting than it sounds. Mr. Poundstone not only explains his answers thoroughly, but also uncovers many layers of thinking that show the complexity and beauty of the art of solving puzzles.

Almost half of the book is devoted to an "answer" section, where Poundstone gives possible solutions to the brainteasers. Although it lacks a specific focus, this is a fun, revealing take on an unusual subject.

This book will give interviewers insights into what kind of questions to ask, and why. You should probably read this book if you fall into one of the categories below:

  • Prospective interviewees for High Tech, consulting or financial services companies. It won't give you all the answers to memorize, but it will let you in on the puzzle genre and some of its 'rules.'
  • Interviewers/HR - If you are looking to employ puzzle-type questions to hire creative employees, this will give you some insights into what questions to use and why. There are probably better books on the intricacies of interviewing, but this will give you the background needed to use puzzles in the interview process (if you decide that's what you need.)
  • People interested in problem solving, puzzles and creativity. This covers a lot of ground in these areas and it gives you a few references for further reading.
  • More than 100 business book reviews written by Harry K. Jones are available at http://www.AchieveMax.com/books/.

    Reprint Information

    Your organization may reprint this article for your newsletter, online publication, or mailing list. We ask that you print the:

    • article in its entirety;
    • byline of the writer;
    • information about the writer, which is available at the end of each article; and
    • contact information, including our toll-free phone number in the U.S. (800-886-2MAX) and link to our website - www.AchieveMax.com.

    We would appreciate a tear sheet or electronic copy of the articles you reprint.

    Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a firm specializing in custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has made presentations ranging from leadership to employee retention and time management to stress management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. He can be reached at 800-886-2MAX or by visiting http://www.AchieveMax.com.

    More Resources

    Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

    More Book Reviews Information:

    Related Articles

    The Inspired Heart: A Book Review
    Spiritual food for the soul: Allow Jerry to take you on his magical and enlightening soul pilgrimage. As he invites you to accompany him along his life adventures, he introduces you to selfless acts of deep, human spirit and his fascinating relationships.
    Book Summary: Good To Great
    Explore what goes into a company's transformation from mediocre to excellent. Based on hard evidence and volumes of data, the book author (Jim Collins) and his team uncover timeless principles on how the good-to-great companies like Abbott, Circuit City, Fannie Mae, Gillette, Kimberly-Clark, Kroger, Nucor, Philip Morris, Pitney Bowes, Walgreens, and Wells Fargo produced sustained great results and achieved enduring greatness, evolving into companies that were indeed 'Built to Last'.
    Jesus and the Gnostic Cathars
    These are some of the highlights of a connected story of Milesian/Phocaean/ Phoenician architects who allow 'his'-story to confuse the masses. It is still going on and we must try to change it.
    Health Is Internal Beauty
    Excerpted from the book "Your Right to Be Beautiful: How to Halt the Train of Aging and Meet the Most Beautiful You" by Tonya Zavasta. The book is available at: http://www.
    Putting it on Paper - Book Review
    "Dawn Josephson, author of 14 books, has written a fantastic author resource with her latest book Putting it on Paper - The ground rules for creating promotional pieces that sell books. This book discusses the development and use of contents within a media kit, and other marketing materials.
    Workshop-In-A-Book® for Dating Again, A Must-Read EBOOK
    The Joy Of Dating Again is designed to be a do-it- yourself workshop. This book features 21 self-empowering keys.
    On the Brink of Risk - A Book You Wont Put Down
    On the Brink of Risk is a fiction novel inspired in true events; it has a love story turned evil, hate and vengeance, intents to kill, negligence and malpractice at more than one hospital that almost lead to death, harassment and persecution by the political organizations and government officials as well as comments on everything the average citizen has to go through to endure everyday life in that Caribbean country.It was written under the pseudonym of Nancy Cruz and writing was at first an intent to make a catharsis and finally put to rest everything that had been a load in the author's mind and life for too many years, she thought that was the only way to really start anew.
    My Dad Wears Polka-dotted Socks! - Review
    "Bright colored sheets just inside the sturdy book cover certainly set the mood for this excellent book geared for children between the ages of 4 and 8.The main character is a young boy who is desperately fretting over the class reaction to his strange family.
    Second Eden Book Review
    "Carlton Austin has crafted a wonderful piece of work in Second Eden - an action-packed suspense thriller with a little romance and some elements of science fiction. Its beautifully designed cover incorporates gorgeous images depicting scenes within the plot and the book is available in both hard and soft cover.
    Amazing Holy Grail Discovery
    In a profound and provocative work of scholarly detection, best-selling UK author Philip Gardiner shakes the foundations of modern belief by at last revealing the true origins of The Holy Grail, Elixir of Life and Philosopher's Stone. Shrouded in mystery, these highly enigmatic symbols have long been revered and The Serpent Grail proves, without doubt, that all three are inextricably linked, originating from the same ancient source.
    Unspoken Dreams - Book Review
    "Carol Bennett writes a stunning mystery-thriller. Her chilling entrance is one I have encountered only rarely in a book.
    Execution - A Book Summary
    You've got the bright ideas and the smart people, and the market is just ready for you. But why hasn't your business taken off as you predicted? Maybe the problem is in your execution.
    Practice What You Preach - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review
    Practice What You Preach: What Managers Must Do to Create a High Achievement Culture by David H. MaisterI can't believe this book title hasn't surfaced until now.
    Selling Goodness-Introduction To The Book
    Unfortunately, I have seen too many of even the most noble and vitally needed charitable nonprofits fade into obscurity, never having accomplished the laudable goals they set out to achieve. In most cases, the reason for their demise is that they did not promote themselves with vigor and assertiveness.
    Straight from the Gut - A Different Take on Business
    Jack Welsh, the recently retired CEO of General Electric, presents a rare glimpse into how to build a successful organization in his book, "Straight from the Gut." His honesty and openness is refreshing and reaffirms that success is sometimes built from failure, but more often from calculated planning and the willingness to take risks.
    Political Frugality - Review
    It is hard to specify exactly what genre Larry Roth's new book can fall into. Political, frugal living, gay rights, taking care of the body and more are covered in Political Frugality - Guerrilla Economics for the Demonized, Devalued and Disenfranchised.
    Book Review: Christmas in Dairyland
    Author/PublisherChristmas in Dairylandby LeAnn R. RalphPublished by LeAnn R.
    Kmarts Ten Deadly Sins - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review
    Kmart's Ten Deadly Sins: How Incompetence Tainted an American Icon was begging to be written. It probably would have surfaced much earlier if not for the fear of many authors that publishing too soon would result in the omission of who knows how many future bewildering tactics by the forever transforming retail giant, K-mart.
    Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy - Book Review
    "Dorinne Davis has written many books that concentrate on the subjects of hearing and sound. In the well-researched textbook, Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy, she looks at the concept of sound being a nutrient for our bodies.
    Cancer Can be Defeated: Hope, Courage, and a Strong Willpower
    Tony F. Powell is the author of a new book based on his 30 years as Bush Pilot, guide and prospector in Labrador, Canada.