NYCPHP Meetup

[David Krings]

CED wrote:
> I recently sat down with a candidate for a Software Management/Architect
> position here is what I presented:
> 
°snip°
> Now I thought that these questions were certainly challenging yet basic
> enough for an expert software architect, however, and much to my surprise
> the candidate wasn't really even interested in looking at it, in fact he
> refused to answer any of it. Other than being surprised, and needless to say
> concerned, It made me re-visit our many emails a few weeks ago about
> interviewing... and here was my conclusion:
> 
> 1) If you're given an exam, just try your best, but don't refuse, after all,
> are you or are you not confident in your abilities
> 2) When administering an exam, be sure to have informed the candidate before
> hand, it gives them the opportunity to prepare
> 3) In the end, trust your gut. We have all been at various places of talent
> throughout our respective careers, you know when someone isn't completely
> up-to-speed, and when someone is simply bashful about their skills.
> 
> Thoughts?

Besides the unintersting fact that I couldn't answer no more than one or 
two questions, I wonder what else you asked the candidate. I also wonder 
if that test is necessary given that you probably want candidates with 
experience. I think to put someone through such a test who already 
worked for ten years in sw development is plain silly. I'd take it as an 
insult and even if I could write a dissertation about each topic, I 
wouldn't do it. Read my resume and check my previous work.
Also silly for a recent CS graduate who probably can answer many of 
these questions without ever having completed a project that also 
worked. That test is more applicable when you get a candidate who 
previously did not work in the sw industry, which doesn't mean that 
he/she cannot code. It tests theoretical knowledge, not skill.
In regards to the test, do all of those areas matter substantially to 
what the candidate is later expected to work on? Does it require 
extensive networking knowledge? Regular expressions? SQL? Keep in mind 
that you are hiring a human being, not god.

And as discussed in great detail earlier on this list, just please cross 
off the question "ad.. Switch the assignments of variable A and variable 
B." I think we established the fact that this is a useless exercise.

Oh, and don't use letters if you plan to ask more than 26 items. Use 
numbers - this is the tech writer talking.

And the one that refused to take the test? I'd call him/her for a second 
interview. You do want gutsy people on your team, not just yea-sayers 
and bobbleheads. Of course, make sure that the skills are there by just 
talking to people.

C'mon, they all went to school for 20 years and have some experience. 
You want to treat them like a freshman and give them a bubble sheet to 
fill in? Talk to them, have them explain what they did? Can they do 
that? Do they show passion for what they are doing? Did they do 50 times 
the same or 10 times a bunch of different stuff? Are they eager to 
learn? Your test will not answer any of these fundamentally important 
questions.

Uh, and one other thing, in "an.. Replace the 2nd “p” with “g” and 
change “Planned” to “Plotted” in “Peter Piper Planned Poorly”" there is 
no second lower case "p". Maybe that is an intentional gotcha.

Just....talk to the candidates, don't do a test. NCLB doesn't apply to 
the workplace.

David