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I would think twice about accepting a job where the interview consisted purely of snarky list-style questions I could have Googled the answers to.
The only way to really tell whether somebody knows what they are talking about is to have a proper conversation with them in a way that can't be scripted, and see if they can answer questions you think up on the spot, based on what they have said initially. It becomes apparent pretty quickly whether or not somebody full of bs.
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I agree - rote questions == rote responses != competent developer.
In fact, many really good developers can't pass "rote questions" because they don't have to think at that low a level: it's "unconscious competence" at work. Only those at the "unconscious incompetence" or "conscious incompetence" levels can get any use out of such lists - and they don't know how much there is that they don't know! 
An interviewer using such lists is in an even worse position because he doesn't know when the reply he gets is better than the reply he has written down!
You looking for sympathy?
You'll find it in the dictionary, between sympathomimetic and sympatric
(Page 1788, if it helps)
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Given the levelof technical training some people are getting at their schools and colleges, these questions seem par for the course.
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They probably have 3 months of experience, but will get the job even without preparation anyway. Not because they're that good, but because they're aiming for a "business programming" "job" of the kind that routinely hires the bottom of the barrel (and then is surprised that everything they do takes forever and sucks, but blames the development methodology).
Because that's 90% of the sh*t out there.
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OriginalGriff wrote:
It seems to be a newish thing: |
not really [^]
OriginalGriff wrote: regardless of whether your could do the job or not if you got it.
I think some devs with a bit of experience feel that, if they can get through the interview, they can do the job - and I confess, I sympathise somewhat.
I accepted a role as an RPG developer (many moons ago) when I didn't even know how to open the editor to edit an RPG program. 3 months later I was poached by a development firm - because IO learned on the job and became a better developer than the existing staff. But if I'd had a 'real' interview it would never have happened!
(in this particular case I was up front and honest about my skills, but they sort of had to employ me - long story!)
When I was interviewing I would always say to a potential candidate (i.e. one who had made it past 2nd interview) that, if they should get the call with an offer, that was their final opportunity to put cards on the table about any exaggeration - being honest would not necessarily mean a withdrawal of offer - but being dishonest would definately mean termination without reference.
I only had one who I had to let go.
I guess some people are a bit like those who know the names, flags and capital cities of every country on earth - but haven't actually been north of watford or south of Putney!
PooperPig - Coming Soon
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_Maxxx_ wrote: I think some devs with a bit of experience feel that, if they can get through the interview, they can do the job
I'd be one of those. For the most part, programming is programming...solving problems regardless of the language or environment. Get too specific with the questions and you might miss out on a really good programmer. 
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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I agree in the main - the probloem here is really how to test for that skill at interview.
me - I don't test it. I explain in detail what the job is about and listen to their questions - make sure I think I and the team can get on with them, ask them about what they've done i the past etc.
I also explain that if they get offered the job and can't do it well, I will sack them.
Only had one guy tried to bluff his way in - and he came on a short term contract so didn't go through he usual interview process. He was fired after writing a script and using the letter O instead of a zero and installing a pirated version of a later release of our development software - thus rendering his project un-openable by anyone else!
PooperPig - Coming Soon
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I've been doing some interviews this week, and decided to kick off with a slightly leftfield question. "What is ASCII and UTF8 and how do they compare?"
Just staggered that so-called professionals can't even tell me how wide in bytes an ASCII character is. 
[Edit] of course, I'd be more impressed in width in bits...
Regards,
Rob Philpott.
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Rob Philpott wrote: of course, I'd be more impressed in width in bits...
ASCII or Extended (ISO 8859) ASCII?
You looking for sympathy?
You'll find it in the dictionary, between sympathomimetic and sympatric
(Page 1788, if it helps)
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The former, although that would have been a very good answer!
Regards,
Rob Philpott.
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Just for completeness (and to ensure I get the job) ASCII is 7 bits (so one byte in the real world), ISO8859 ASCII is 8 bits (one whole byte), and UTF8 is 8, 16, 24, or 32 bits depending on the character (so 1, 2, 3, or 4 bytes).
What are you paying?
You looking for sympathy?
You'll find it in the dictionary, between sympathomimetic and sympatric
(Page 1788, if it helps)
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Quite well, but the sting in the tail is Central London.
Regards,
Rob Philpott.
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If you'll pay the travel expenses that needn't be a deal breaker.
Do you have a helipad?
You looking for sympathy?
You'll find it in the dictionary, between sympathomimetic and sympatric
(Page 1788, if it helps)
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Did CodeProject actually buy you that helicopter in the end? Nice.
No helipad alas - too ostentatious, but we do have a lamppost you can chain a bicycle to.
Regards,
Rob Philpott.
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Might take a while to cycle 200 miles each way 5 days a week... 
You looking for sympathy?
You'll find it in the dictionary, between sympathomimetic and sympatric
(Page 1788, if it helps)
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I hate all the "interview questions" articles that keep popping up. They usually list a single, short answer, like there's only one way to do something! I keep trying to kill these "articles" with little success. Their authors and a bunch of noobs with article approval rights keep pushing them through.
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I tend to "Extremely Poor Quality" vote them as well...
You looking for sympathy?
You'll find it in the dictionary, between sympathomimetic and sympatric
(Page 1788, if it helps)
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A couple I have noticed have also been all but entirely plagiarised
PooperPig - Coming Soon
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An AJAX list box populates based on a selection of a previous list box. A time passes of several seconds before query is fully executed and the next list box can be loaded.
Provide options, and possible solutions. All answers must be in c# with IIS and SQL Server is backend. For extra credit provide solution in Java assuming Tomcat with MySQL backend.
You have 5 minutes, good luck.
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I do not thin someone can get any job based only interview today - as I know most companies run the candidate through some practical test that connected to the field the company works in and can not be done without real knowledge... Maybe people just out of college do not know it?
I'm not questioning your powers of observation; I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is. (V)
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Sadly, many companies seem content to hire any yahoo who wanders through the door, as long as they are able to blink and breathe at the same time.
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True - well, they :blink: :gasp: hired me!
PooperPig - Coming Soon
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Simpsons marathon on TV. Ay caramba!
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