Forget the GLAT
by phil on Thursday Jan 27, 2005 2:28 PM
Google
Trying to get a job at Google is ridiculous, so many interviews. They even have this GLAT, Google Labs Aptitude Test. Check it out, some of the questions are really hard.
So forget that. I'm going to work at 7-Eleven, a popular 24/7 convenience store in the US.
To my dismay, though, there is a standardized test on the back of 7-Eleven's application:
Basic Math Skills
- A customer purchased items in your store totaling $12.64. They hand you three $5.00 bills. How much change would you owe them?
- You owe a customer $1.38 in change. What bills and coins would you give back to the customer as correct change?
- You currently have 12 bottles of water on your shelf, and want to keep a minimum level of 6 bottles at all times. You average sales of 2 bottles per day. What is the minimum number you would order for enough bottles for 7 days?
- Your store sells 6 hot dogs per day. How many hot dogs would you order for a two weeks supply?
- A customer asks for two money orders. The first is for the amount of $637.24 and the second is for $25.76. If there is a $1.00 charge for each money order, what is the total amount the customer would owe you?
Sweet! These are the kind of math questions I had in middle school that boosted my confidence. None are trick questions either!
Does anybody even use Google anymore? I spend most of my info-hunting on Wikipedia now. (Just kidding, but there are some elements of truth to this)
Comments
Rachael said on February 3, 2005 11:38 PM:
haha.. this is hilarious. Please tell me there is hope upon graduating. . . Otherwise, I feel like I should probably start warming myself up to the idea of working the night-shift at 7-eleven early.. hm.
Philip Dhingra said on February 3, 2005 11:59 PM:
Ah yes, there is hope.
One way to prepare is to develop some skills or some sort of trade. College is a great time to hit up those low-paying or unpaid interships. At the very least, you can use those to prove to your prospective employer that you can generate immediate value for their company.
Or you can wing it at some entry-level thing. I remember a talk by this CEO who is worth half a billion now, who just after college took the first thing that came up: tech support. Then he kind of developed a good network, impressed people along the way, expanded his responsibilities, until eventually he was mananging his own companies.
Or you can get a hook-up. Someone you know trusts that you're good at a particular thing and places you in a team.
Or you can start a business.
Or you can just navel-gaze and work at 7/11.
The possibilities are endless
