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  3. If I'm quizzing you as part of a technical intervew [modified]

If I'm quizzing you as part of a technical intervew [modified]

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  • A Offline
    A Offline
    Andy Brummer
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    You don't get an out by telling me my questions are a bunch of book learning. :sigh: [edit] I think my tone is throwing this discussion off. If I was getting waylaid in the middle of an interview, I'd figure out a way to work my message into my answers, not get confrontational with the interviewer. There were number of other things going on, this one was just a surprise to me. [/edit]

    Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

    modified on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 4:48 PM

    T A W A L 7 Replies Last reply
    0
    • A Andy Brummer

      You don't get an out by telling me my questions are a bunch of book learning. :sigh: [edit] I think my tone is throwing this discussion off. If I was getting waylaid in the middle of an interview, I'd figure out a way to work my message into my answers, not get confrontational with the interviewer. There were number of other things going on, this one was just a surprise to me. [/edit]

      Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

      modified on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 4:48 PM

      T Offline
      T Offline
      Todd Smith
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      Maybe they are and your interviewing process is flawed?

      Todd Smith

      A 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • A Andy Brummer

        You don't get an out by telling me my questions are a bunch of book learning. :sigh: [edit] I think my tone is throwing this discussion off. If I was getting waylaid in the middle of an interview, I'd figure out a way to work my message into my answers, not get confrontational with the interviewer. There were number of other things going on, this one was just a surprise to me. [/edit]

        Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

        modified on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 4:48 PM

        A Offline
        A Offline
        AspDotNetDev
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        Did you just interview Eddie?

        [Managing Your JavaScript Library in ASP.NET]

        W A A 3 Replies Last reply
        0
        • A Andy Brummer

          You don't get an out by telling me my questions are a bunch of book learning. :sigh: [edit] I think my tone is throwing this discussion off. If I was getting waylaid in the middle of an interview, I'd figure out a way to work my message into my answers, not get confrontational with the interviewer. There were number of other things going on, this one was just a surprise to me. [/edit]

          Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

          modified on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 4:48 PM

          W Offline
          W Offline
          wizardzz
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          pfft, hiring standards, who needs em.

          Craigslist Troll: litaly@comcast.net "I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson

          A 1 Reply Last reply
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          • A AspDotNetDev

            Did you just interview Eddie?

            [Managing Your JavaScript Library in ASP.NET]

            W Offline
            W Offline
            wizardzz
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            That's uncanny!

            Craigslist Troll: litaly@comcast.net "I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • A AspDotNetDev

              Did you just interview Eddie?

              [Managing Your JavaScript Library in ASP.NET]

              A Offline
              A Offline
              Albert Holguin
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              :laugh: :laugh:

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • A Andy Brummer

                You don't get an out by telling me my questions are a bunch of book learning. :sigh: [edit] I think my tone is throwing this discussion off. If I was getting waylaid in the middle of an interview, I'd figure out a way to work my message into my answers, not get confrontational with the interviewer. There were number of other things going on, this one was just a surprise to me. [/edit]

                Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

                modified on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 4:48 PM

                A Offline
                A Offline
                Albert Holguin
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                sometimes they are... but hey, can't take everything personally... i went to an interview once and everyone that interviewed me knew less than i did, so it was odd all around... i ended up sounding like the interviewer...

                A 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • T Todd Smith

                  Maybe they are and your interviewing process is flawed?

                  Todd Smith

                  A Offline
                  A Offline
                  Andy Brummer
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  If you claim to be a senior developer skilled at optimizing sql queries, I think asking to define a clustered index and materialized view is well within the bounds of an interview. I was disappointed I didn't even get into the different kinds of joins, etc.

                  Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

                  T A 2 Replies Last reply
                  0
                  • A AspDotNetDev

                    Did you just interview Eddie?

                    [Managing Your JavaScript Library in ASP.NET]

                    A Offline
                    A Offline
                    Andy Brummer
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    Ha that is odd, but no. :laugh:

                    Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • W wizardzz

                      pfft, hiring standards, who needs em.

                      Craigslist Troll: litaly@comcast.net "I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson

                      A Offline
                      A Offline
                      Andy Brummer
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      I've worked at places like that. If I ever get another easy interview, I'm running far away from that place.

                      Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

                      T B 2 Replies Last reply
                      0
                      • A Albert Holguin

                        sometimes they are... but hey, can't take everything personally... i went to an interview once and everyone that interviewed me knew less than i did, so it was odd all around... i ended up sounding like the interviewer...

                        A Offline
                        A Offline
                        Andy Brummer
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        Did you take the job?

                        Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

                        P A 2 Replies Last reply
                        0
                        • A Andy Brummer

                          If you claim to be a senior developer skilled at optimizing sql queries, I think asking to define a clustered index and materialized view is well within the bounds of an interview. I was disappointed I didn't even get into the different kinds of joins, etc.

                          Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

                          T Offline
                          T Offline
                          thrakazog
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          Andy Brummer wrote:

                          materialized view

                          ? ... I must need more book learning.

                          A 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • A Andy Brummer

                            You don't get an out by telling me my questions are a bunch of book learning. :sigh: [edit] I think my tone is throwing this discussion off. If I was getting waylaid in the middle of an interview, I'd figure out a way to work my message into my answers, not get confrontational with the interviewer. There were number of other things going on, this one was just a surprise to me. [/edit]

                            Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

                            modified on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 4:48 PM

                            L Offline
                            L Offline
                            Lost User
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            granted saying "bunch of book learning" is just shooting yourself in the foot, you as the interviewer have a certain responsibility when running a tech interview. The last one I was in, I Ohhh so happily bombed it. And no I did not sabotage. Here is how it went. First I sailed through both the hirring manager and the president of the company (small company mind you), and then the Tech interview (I know.. odd order but whatever). So all is going well and I am told the company is small (well duh) and everyone works closely together. Well so far so good. You all seem nice. So lets go meet our lead developer (cause he is sooo smart and all) :zzz: I walk into his office and well lets just say first impressions were not good, with him wearing a fashionable tight work out shirt and a beer gut a long with his trendy Elvis burns. I thought, well what ever. I know there was a time period when I thought it was kewl to... hmmm. Yea, I got nothing. I was never that bad. Anyways, I sit down and he gives the "Well I don't want to insult you but I am gonna ask some straight forward programming questions". (:omg: I am sooo unprepared. What am I doing here? I thought this was McDonalds!) So he started out simple. Whats a class? Define a class. Lead into inheritance and some other topics. And at this point I already realized he was a tool. Why? He asked me to have a class inherit from an interface. So I wrote that. He said "Oh I meant class". Ok, whatever so I erase the word interface and replaced it will class. He then looked at his computer screen and said "And what about and interface" :wtf: At this point I was ready to sabotage. I mean I knew I couldn't work with this guy. But I kept going. There were a few tougher ones and here was the key. If I did not answer the exact way he would so "Thats OK" and start the next. No conversation and no thought. At first I thought well whatever. Maybe I was off. I don't have google in front of me like this genius (man he must be so freaking smart). The last straw was this. "So other than an incrimenting integer what makes a good primary key for a data base". "Well, lets see. You could use a Date Time Stamp." And of course his responce "Thats OK". I continued with "Or a string, or a GUID or many other things. Really it depends on the context of the situation" "Oh that is the answer I was looking for. GUID" :wtf: :omg: :wtf: The point to all of this. Don't ask to see if they no the answer that you know. Sometimes asnwers are purely acronyms in fact

                            A A 2 Replies Last reply
                            0
                            • A Andy Brummer

                              I've worked at places like that. If I ever get another easy interview, I'm running far away from that place.

                              Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

                              T Offline
                              T Offline
                              thrakazog
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              Andy Brummer wrote:

                              If I ever get another easy interview, I'm running far away from that place.

                              On the other hand, I've had a few very tough interviews and once in the job found the other developers/managers still didn't know what they were talking about. They just looked up the questions to ask online instead of concentrating on the things they actually use. Let's ask lots of questions about LINQ. We don't use it, but we better make sure this guy knows it.

                              A 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • A Andy Brummer

                                If you claim to be a senior developer skilled at optimizing sql queries, I think asking to define a clustered index and materialized view is well within the bounds of an interview. I was disappointed I didn't even get into the different kinds of joins, etc.

                                Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

                                A Offline
                                A Offline
                                AspDotNetDev
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                I actually see clustered indexes and materialized views as more advanced than different types of joins.

                                [Managing Your JavaScript Library in ASP.NET]

                                A 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • A AspDotNetDev

                                  I actually see clustered indexes and materialized views as more advanced than different types of joins.

                                  [Managing Your JavaScript Library in ASP.NET]

                                  A Offline
                                  A Offline
                                  Andy Brummer
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  If you are talking about inner, outer, etc. then yes definitely. If you are talking about hash, loop, etc. in the query execution plans then no.

                                  Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

                                  A 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • A Andy Brummer

                                    Did you take the job?

                                    Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

                                    P Offline
                                    P Offline
                                    Pete OHanlon
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    They said he wasn't experienced enough.

                                    Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads

                                    My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier - my favourite utility

                                    A 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • L Lost User

                                      granted saying "bunch of book learning" is just shooting yourself in the foot, you as the interviewer have a certain responsibility when running a tech interview. The last one I was in, I Ohhh so happily bombed it. And no I did not sabotage. Here is how it went. First I sailed through both the hirring manager and the president of the company (small company mind you), and then the Tech interview (I know.. odd order but whatever). So all is going well and I am told the company is small (well duh) and everyone works closely together. Well so far so good. You all seem nice. So lets go meet our lead developer (cause he is sooo smart and all) :zzz: I walk into his office and well lets just say first impressions were not good, with him wearing a fashionable tight work out shirt and a beer gut a long with his trendy Elvis burns. I thought, well what ever. I know there was a time period when I thought it was kewl to... hmmm. Yea, I got nothing. I was never that bad. Anyways, I sit down and he gives the "Well I don't want to insult you but I am gonna ask some straight forward programming questions". (:omg: I am sooo unprepared. What am I doing here? I thought this was McDonalds!) So he started out simple. Whats a class? Define a class. Lead into inheritance and some other topics. And at this point I already realized he was a tool. Why? He asked me to have a class inherit from an interface. So I wrote that. He said "Oh I meant class". Ok, whatever so I erase the word interface and replaced it will class. He then looked at his computer screen and said "And what about and interface" :wtf: At this point I was ready to sabotage. I mean I knew I couldn't work with this guy. But I kept going. There were a few tougher ones and here was the key. If I did not answer the exact way he would so "Thats OK" and start the next. No conversation and no thought. At first I thought well whatever. Maybe I was off. I don't have google in front of me like this genius (man he must be so freaking smart). The last straw was this. "So other than an incrimenting integer what makes a good primary key for a data base". "Well, lets see. You could use a Date Time Stamp." And of course his responce "Thats OK". I continued with "Or a string, or a GUID or many other things. Really it depends on the context of the situation" "Oh that is the answer I was looking for. GUID" :wtf: :omg: :wtf: The point to all of this. Don't ask to see if they no the answer that you know. Sometimes asnwers are purely acronyms in fact

                                      A Offline
                                      A Offline
                                      AspDotNetDev
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      Collin Jasnoch wrote:

                                      You could use a Date Time Stamp

                                      Collin Jasnoch wrote:

                                      Or a string, or a GUID or many other things.

                                      I'm sorry, the answer I was looking for was "multiple columns", but I would have accepted "multiple fields". You fired!

                                      [Managing Your JavaScript Library in ASP.NET]

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • A Andy Brummer

                                        If you are talking about inner, outer, etc. then yes definitely. If you are talking about hash, loop, etc. in the query execution plans then no.

                                        Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

                                        A Offline
                                        A Offline
                                        AspDotNetDev
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        Oh gotcha, I too see those as more advanced.

                                        [Managing Your JavaScript Library in ASP.NET]

                                        A 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • T thrakazog

                                          Andy Brummer wrote:

                                          If I ever get another easy interview, I'm running far away from that place.

                                          On the other hand, I've had a few very tough interviews and once in the job found the other developers/managers still didn't know what they were talking about. They just looked up the questions to ask online instead of concentrating on the things they actually use. Let's ask lots of questions about LINQ. We don't use it, but we better make sure this guy knows it.

                                          A Offline
                                          A Offline
                                          Andy Brummer
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          I've learned to ask a lot of questions about any place I work. If they are just going to go through a bunch of language and api trivia for an interview, that would be a red flag too.

                                          Curvature of the Mind now with 3D

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