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Elon Musk asks this very tricky question in Tesla's extremely complex hiring process

Elon Musk asks this very tricky question in Tesla's extremely complex hiring process

Billionaire Elon Musk has a difficult question that he loves to ask during a Tesla job interview

Elon Musk has revealed a very tricky question that he asks during Tesla’s extremely complex hiring process.

Tech mogul Musk is one of the richest men on the planet and he’s shed some light on what it takes to get a job with his company.

Around 5.9 million people applied to work at Tesla in 2023 alone so it’s no surprise that the business has some strict methods when it comes to picking who is right for the roles available.

Elon Musk has a particular question that he likes to ask during a job interview (Marc Piasecki/Getty Images)
Elon Musk has a particular question that he likes to ask during a job interview (Marc Piasecki/Getty Images)

Recently, the billionaire explained what his favorite question is to ask in an interview during the hiring process at his electric vehicle firm.

Musk likes to ask candidates this one particular question: “You're standing on the surface of the Earth. You walk one mile south, one mile west, and one mile north. You end up exactly where you started. Where are you?”

If you’re as stumped as I am, here’s the answer - the North Pole.

Tesla has been found to be a company that has some of the hardest interview procedures where candidates could be faced with as many as nine interviews.

According to Resume.io, Tesla's hiring process for engineers can require multiple interviews, a series of tests, and, in some cases, a letter to Musk himself.

Around 5.9 million people applied to work for Tesla in 2023 alone (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Around 5.9 million people applied to work for Tesla in 2023 alone (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Tesla’s team may also invite you to do a presentation and a series of rapid-fire interviews that can last four to six hours in the hot seat. Yikes.

With its grueling process in mind, Amanda Augustine, Resume.io’s resident career expert has offered some advice on how to smash interviews at tech firms like Tesla.

She said: “Reach out to people in your network who currently or previously worked for the company and check out employer-review sites like Glassdoor to gather insights into the company’s interview process so you know what to expect.

“Carefully review the job description to determine which skills and traits are most important for performing this role so you can brush up on those skills, if necessary, and brainstorm some examples of how you’ve leveraged those skills in the past to add value to a previous project or team.”

Tesla have a complex hiring process (Richard Bord/WireImage)
Tesla have a complex hiring process (Richard Bord/WireImage)

She continued: “If you’re interviewing for a technical role at a major tech company, expect the interview process to include some sort of programming challenge or coding test to screen your technical skills.

“If you learn that the company uses a particular online skill assessment or virtual interview platform, check out the site and see if it’s possible to test out the software or take a sample test so you can familiarize yourself with it ahead of time.

“If you’re like many job seekers out there who find interviewing to be daunting, your best bet is to practice putting yourself on the spot so you’re more comfortable when it counts.”

Featured Image Credit: Marc Piasecki/Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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