Honest question, when you guys get a brain teaser you've heard before do you pretend that you're thinking and solve it like it's so, or just plainly blurt out the answer and say that you've heard it before?
(Sorry for double post)
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Two things to consider. It's harder than you think to act surprised or stumped and the interviewer is better than you think at spotting liars. They may let you continue and finish whilst knowing you knew the teaser already then ding you. If you can remember it perfectly just say so, if you have heard it before and know perhaps what you need to solve but still need to take time to solve it then bluff. Just be careful.
Don't do this. You will end up looking stupid.
Has never happened to me but honestly, I would just pretend. It's standard advice from people to say that you heard it. But if you are not terrible at acting, how hard is it to pull it off?
I've even know about someone who got an entire case he had already done before... He passed the interview. Unless you're obvious as fuck, how the hell does an interviewer know if you've already heard the answer? He's not gonna ding a good candidate because he has a suspicion that you already knew the answer.
Quick wit on your feet is exactly the skill they want in IB so if you're any good at that I can't imagine it being too hard to pull it off. But by all means, if you wouldn't feel comfortable doing this, then don't.
Knowing an entire case before the interview is a RIDICULOUS advantage..
Yes, but even the standard advise in consulting is to "just admit you know it"...
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Asked if I've heard brain teaser/interview question during interview with HR (Originally Posted: 04/13/2017)
If I'm having a phone interview and I am asked whether I have heard the questions before should the answer be yes or no? I think the pace at which I answered some of them may have made alarm bells ring.
If I know them should I answer them after pretending to think? Would it be beneficial to say I've heard them and that way HR thinks I'm honest
Interested to know too.
It has happened to me too. I did NOT tell them I knew the answer. and while answering I gave them my thought process. it seemed fine and I got the second interview. IMO, you shouldn't tell them that you have heard it before.
I had a consulting interview awhile ago which was the jug question from Die Hard with A Vengence (You have 3 gallon jug and a 5 gallon jug...how do you fill the 5 gallon jug with exactly 4 gallons of water). The guy asked me if I had heard the question before and I said yeah....I've seen Die Hard and thought it was a great movie. He laughed and gave me the job.
Depends on how good you are at bullshitting lol
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