Nowadays, job applicants are no longer surprised when they are asked question: “Why are manhole covers round instead of square?” during a job interview. Puzzle-interviews have been emulated by numerous fortune 500 companies from Microsoft. Questions such as above seek to separate most creative thinkers from merely talented.

Logic puzzles, riddles, hypothetical questions and trick questions have long been used in computer-industry interviews. These are known as “impossible questions” and are believed to measure intelligence, resourcefulness or “outside-the-box thinking” needed to survive in today’s very competitive business environment.

Today, these impossible questions are also being used, not just in computer-industry interviews, but in almost every line of business such as law firms, banks, consulting firms, insurance companies, media and armed forces.

The strangest thing about these impossible questions is that no one knows answer – not even person who is asking. Still, people are being hired or not hired based on how well they answer questions.

With use of puzzles in hiring process, companies try to weed out those who think on their feet and those who do not. All that matters is logic, imagination and problem-solving ability.

Puzzle interviews does more than test an individual’s I.Q. It is said to measure bandwidth, inventiveness, creative problem-solving ability and outside-the-box thinking. Companies who use logic puzzles believe that they area better indicator of workplace success than other intelligence tests.

It is a tough and competitive business environment you live and it is getting more and more difficult to achieve your goals. You have to stand out among your colleagues and competitors. You have to work hard for career advancement, and better compensation.

Whether you are a senior executive, an entrepreneur or an employee, this book will show you best way to succeed, accomplish your personal and career goals, outshine your competition and differentiate yourself from pack. David F. D’Alessandro shows you how to stand out from crowd by developing your own “personal brand”; and provides valuable lessons in etiquette of reputation building.

What is Personal Brand? You need to realize that success does not only come from hard work and appropriately playing part. To be successful in business and in your career, you must be able to distinguish yourself from rest of pack - you need to develop, build and defend your reputation.

Personal branding is a way you manage your career or business. It is a way of communicating that makes you different and special. By using these qualities you can distinguish yourself from your peers so that you can expand your success.

There are 10 rules you can follow for building a successful personal brand and keeping it:

Rule 1: Try to Look Beyond Your Own Navel - The biggest obstacle in building a positive personal brand is your own ego. In order to develop an attractive personal brand, you need to have self-respect and you need to respect people around you.

Rule 2: Like It or Not, Your Boss is Coauthor of Your Brand - You must realize and accept fact that early on in your career, your boss will reap most of rewards for ideas you give, money that you brought in, etc. This is how corporate world operates. Do not fight power structure. Instead learn how to play and live by it.

Rule 3: Put Your Boss on Couch - Not all bosses will help you. It is best that you recognize what type of personality your boss has so that you would realize what advantages and disadvantages this person can cause to your brand.