Re:Ask HN: How to get job without technical interview?
by warrenm on Monday June 27, 2022 @09:08AM
(#31894051)
...depending on the type of "senior" role, absolutely
when I interview for senior positions, I'm instantly turned off when I start getting trivia questions related to things that are clearly documented (like "which config file option does X") whereas situational or scenario-based questions are highly relevant and useful
As I wrote over a decade ago in how I do interviews[0],
>What I try to NEVER ask:
> “trivia” questions – I bet there are C questions even K&R couldn’t answer
> - I guarantee I can ask you a question about your area of expertise you cannot answer…just like I guarantee you could do the same to me
> - since that is the case, trivia questions are pretty pointless, and more of an ego stroke to the asker than anything else
> pointless “MindTrap“, lateral-thinking questions
- riddles are fun – but only add to the stress of the interview (like “why are manhole covers round”)
> pointless problem-solving and estimation problems
> - for example, “how would you move Mt Fuji”, or “how many gallons of water flow into New York Harbor from the Hudson River per hour”
> - estimation problems are wonderful tools and games to play, but not in an interview
The best questions are practical application questions based on scenarios (real or plausibly-imagined) that discover what assumptions you make, what help you want/need, etc
when I interview for senior positions, I'm instantly turned off when I start getting trivia questions related to things that are clearly documented (like "which config file option does X") whereas situational or scenario-based questions are highly relevant and useful
As I wrote over a decade ago in how I do interviews[0],
>What I try to NEVER ask:
> “trivia” questions – I bet there are C questions even K&R couldn’t answer > - I guarantee I can ask you a question about your area of expertise you cannot answer…just like I guarantee you could do the same to me > - since that is the case, trivia questions are pretty pointless, and more of an ego stroke to the asker than anything else > pointless “MindTrap“, lateral-thinking questions - riddles are fun – but only add to the stress of the interview (like “why are manhole covers round”) > pointless problem-solving and estimation problems > - for example, “how would you move Mt Fuji”, or “how many gallons of water flow into New York Harbor from the Hudson River per hour” > - estimation problems are wonderful tools and games to play, but not in an interview
The best questions are practical application questions based on scenarios (real or plausibly-imagined) that discover what assumptions you make, what help you want/need, etc
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[0] https://antipaucity.com/2011/10/03/doing-technical-phone-scr...