Aspiring Accountant
The
accountant for the law firm of Dewey, Cheatham & Howe was retiring after working for
the firm for seventeen years. Cheatham was interviewing applicants, and was disappointed,
as only three had even bothered to send in a resume.
After looking over the application of the first, an accountant with six years experience
at Goldman Sachs, he called the first applicant in, and asked the man what 2 plus 2 was.
He answered,
“Four.”
Cheatham said he would call him if he was selected.
The second candidate was a CPA from Harvard, and at the end of the interview he was asked
the same question,
“What is two
and two?”
The CPA replied,
“Four.”
Cheatham told him that he would call the young man if
he was selected.
The third applicant was a recently-graduated philosopher. Cheatham figured that this
wasn't going to go anywhere, but thought,
“What the hey? I've got nothing to
lose.” He interviewed the young woman quickly and asked,
“I know you
don't have an accountancy background, but can you tell me what two plus two is?”
To which the philosophy major replied,
“Can you
tell me what would you want it to be?”
She was hired on the spot.