Google admits tough interview questions have no impact on quality of employees Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn battle to get a job at Google in a scene from "The Internship." Picture: AP Photo) Source: AP How many vacuum cleaners are made a year? Can you swim faster in water or in syrup? How would you weigh your head? You are shrunk to the height of a nickel and thrown in a blender. The blades start moving in 60 seconds. If your answer to these questions is a resounding 'who cares', you may qualify for a job at Google. The search giant, whose mind-bending interviews once inspired a book called "Are you smart enough to work at Google?" has ditched its recruitment grillings in favour of a pared back approach to hiring. We found that brainteasers are a complete waste of time. How many golf balls can you fit into an aeroplane? How many gas stations in Manhattan? A complete waste of time," Google's senior vice president of people operations Laszlo Bock told the New York Times recently. "Instead, what works well are structured behavioural interviews, where you have a consistent rubric for how you assess people, rather than having each interviewer just make stuff up," he said. Hays regional director for Victoria, Susan Drew said the trend away from tricky interview questions is in keeping with developments in the Australian market, where companies are ditching rigorous psychometric testing in favour of standard behavioural questions. We see less and less of that. It's more about internal referrals and your own network. Companies are also researching on LinkedIn prior to interviewing. It's not only your resume and responses but how you're presenting on social media as well," she said. While Ms Drew said quirky office environments can include oddball questions, questions like "tell me an example of a time you resolved a difficult issue" are insightful because they show what people find difficult and how they reacted. "50 per cent [of recruitment] is being able to do the job and 50 per cent is cultural fit, because you can always learn and develop but those questions show technical ability," she said. They're then demonstrating the process they go through which shows behaviour or personality. They're not able to pay lip service, they actually just have to give examples so you can see how they react. On the hiring side, Ms Drew said it's crucial recruiters know what they are looking for and have the confidence to hold a conversation with job applicants, rather than run through a checklist provided by HR. You've got to be able to make a decision, know what you are looking for and identify those opportunities. Someone who is a good interviewer who has those skills will be able to identify those things," she said. Tips for a good interview Research the company - find out as much as you can about the organisation and its culture to decide if it's the kind of environment you want to work in. Take to time to reflect - think about challenges you have overcome and things you have achieved recently so you have real-life examples on hand. Have clear questions in mind - this is powerful as it asserts the balance between the company wanting you as an employee and you wanting to work at the company. Polish your online presence - companies are increasingly turning to social media before undertaking interviews. Make sure your online presence is professional and up to date. More Google teasers How many piano tuners are there in the entire world? Design an evacuation plan for San Francisco. Why are manhole covers round? A man pushed his car to a hotel and lost his fortune. Tell us your best or worst interview experience in the comments below.