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How Would You Move Mount Fuji? : Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle -- How the World's Smartest Companies Select the Most Creative Thinkers

How Would You Move Mount Fuji? : Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle -- How the World's Smartest Companies Select the Most Creative Thinkers

List Price: $14.95
Your Price: $10.47
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Interesting, but not altogether relevant
Review: As someone currently interviewing at MS, I was interested in reading several of the books on the subject, and someone recommended this one. The content focus is spread between historical data on various management styles and use of puzzles in interviews, and many of the now famous brain-teasers once used at MS. This wasn't exactly what i was hoping to read - it would have been nice to get more of an insight into other aspects of their hiring practices, because puzzles are just one little piece of it.

I found a much better book for those keen on understand how MS managers think - epsecially when hiring: "The 12 Simple Secrets of Microsoft Management: How to Think and Act Like a Microsoft Manager and Take Your Company to the Top" by David Thielen, while positioned as a book for management in other companies, is actually a fantastic resource for people interviewing - or hoping to interview.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Accuracy
Review: I am puzzled about what to think. The book starts off with several interview or puzzle questions. However, some of the given answers are correct, some answers are hard and unreasonable ways to solve the problem, and some are flat wrong. Now I haven't reviewed the whole book and I was looking forward to Mr. Poundstones other works. However, I now do so with caution. I don't have faith that the info and results he gives are correct. And one needs that faith if one is going to try to learn about things one doesn't understand. Simply put, this book has failed a small scrutiny test. That doesn't make it all wrong. But if you expect all the answers given to be correct or reasonable, that would be a mistake.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Interesting book especially if you like puzzles ...
Review: I have read various sections of this book, but haven't read it cover-to-cover. So, take this review with a big grain of salt.

The puzzles are interesting. Some of them are quite well known, especially in the programming fraternity. Some of them are just plain well known to everyone. But, they are interesting to think about no matter what. It is also interesting to know how/why the MS used puzzles in their interviewing. I am not sure they still use them.

In my opinion, using geneirc puzzles for an interview might probably not be the best thing to do. If not from this book, there are various sources for people to know how to solve them. And more often than not, once you have seen/known how to solve the puzzle, chances are you can solve it anytime later!

But, this is a good book to have around. Good way to impress your friends by throwing around some puzzles they can't solve quickly.


Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great fun for puzzle lovers; good tips for interviewers
Review: Some of the questions are pure logic puzzles, which are more difficult to deal with than "guesstimation" type questions (such as the title). Still, the ability to guesstimate is an important skill, and like all skills, it can be developed and honed with practice. Another interesting book in this field is "Innumeracy" by John Allen Paulos.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great book
Review: This book does a great job of helping you answer the most difficult type of interview questions, behavioral interview questions. As a training manager, who trains managers and executives on behavioral questions, I feel I am qualified to say this book works.

This book is a wonderful resource especially if you know what type of job you want. If you do not know what type of job you want you may want to read, "How to find your dream job and make it a reality," which by the way is a job hunting classic. Of course, there other books, but this one is my favorite.

Read this book, and practice for your job interviews and you will be successful in your job hunt.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great book
Review: This book does a great job of helping you answer the most difficult type of interview questions, behavioral interview questions. As a training manager, who trains managers and executives on behavioral questions, I feel I am qualified to say this book works.

This book is a wonderful resource especially if you know what type of job you want. If you do not know what type of job you want you may want to read, "How to find your dream job and make it a reality," which by the way is a job hunting classic. Of course, there other books, but this one is my favorite.

Read this book, and practice for your job interviews and you will be successful in your job hunt.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Journey
Review: This book is a good start for Microsoft reviews, but it is outdated. Puzzles are used less often, for several reasons. One of the reasons, which the book starts with and then gets stuck, is that it is the journey of trying to solve seemingly impossible problems. Unfortunately, with more people memorizing all the puzzles, MS and others are switching gears. So, if you want some of the problems, with solutions, this might be the book for you. If you want a job at MS, I would suggest visiting MSDN at the MS site and look around.


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