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The interview that got me my current job took quite a turn towards the end. The middle-aged gentleman sitting across table from me was effortlessly gliding his fingers across the keyboard of his notebook, probably making notes on my responses to the questions he’d asked over the last 20 minutes or so. I was swelling with satisfaction, knowing that I could successfully regurgitate answers to the questions that I had predicted and prepared for before this meeting. I did not, however, anticipate the curve-ball that was coming my way which could and would wipe the smirk off my face.

“I had just one last question to ask. As per your understanding, why do you think manhole covers are round?”

As one might imagine, I had not prepared an answer to this one. I faintly felt a drop of sweat roll down the back of my neck, creating a tingling sensation that proved to be too hard to camouflage. I dragged my focus back towards the immediate problem at hand – filling the awkward silence that was waiting to be broken. BY ME.

All-of-a-sudden a curious scenario popped into my head. Manhole covers would have been placed in their positions some time ago. It is not something that is replaced frequently. I mean, it doesn’t need to be, right? But before the machines and the cranes, what would be the right way to place them? Being round, they could simply be rolled into place! Making it an easy task as it was not dependent on the equipment available, a more probable solution today.

Knowing that I didn’t know the right answer, I felt that this could be a logical solution and perhaps get me to second place. Only when I saw the offer letter in my email that evening was I glad that manhole covers were round. Had they been square, I would have been stumped.

Story shared by Nailn. #Shareyourstory#Crazyinterviewstories