Ask HN: What's your favorite interview question to identify bad jobs?

Posted by pcloadletter_ on Saturday March 02, 2024 @08:42PM
from the ask-hn dept.

For me, I usually ask what the development process is like from identification of a bug or feature through delivery. I've had 5 jobs and my liking of the answer to that question has correlated with my liking of the job 100% of the time. What's your favorite?

( 5 comments | 7 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: What's your favorite interview question to identi... by mdaniel on Saturday March 02, 2024 @09:18PM (#39577833)

I'm sure there are a bazillion of these, and for me specifically it's always context dependent: what "bad vibes" have I gotten thus far? That said:

> What's the most popular editor?

often goes a long way for me. If it's "I'm a real developer, I use (ed|emacs|vim|a magnetized needle and a steady hand)" I know that inertia and egos are more important than leveraging the best tooling

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Re:Ask HN: What's your favorite interview question to identi... by toomuchtodo on Saturday March 02, 2024 @09:18PM (#39577834)

What organizational challenges might impact succeeding in this role?

Can you walk me through your management style?

Can you share your expectations and success criteria for the role?

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Re:Ask HN: What's your favorite interview question to identi... by texas1775 on Saturday March 02, 2024 @09:06PM (#39577759)

I got the stink eye from Apple interviewer after I said I thought this would be like a Google interview. She was mad.

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Re:Ask HN: What's your favorite interview question to identi... by dfex on Saturday March 02, 2024 @09:11PM (#39577789)

Why did the previous <holder of this position> leave?

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Re:Ask HN: What's your favorite interview question to identi... by andsoitis on Saturday March 02, 2024 @09:34PM (#39577933)

"If there's anything you could change, what would it be and why?"

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