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Ask HN: How to deal with inexperienced interviewers?

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Re: Ask HN: How to deal with inexperienced interviewers?

#71

Post by mikepost001 »

soneca wrote: post #34
BigJono wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't get me started on the framework buzzword bullshit. I'm so sick of developers that launch into 50 tool stacks just to tick the boxes. Whether it's resume driven development or just plain ignorance, it seems to be pervasive. I hate that every other interaction I have with the developer community is suggesting that a newbie back up a few steps and understand the problem they're trying to solve before introducing a…

I will try to offer some empathy on the other side. I have no CS background, just changed careers and I am now a junior web dev. I spent around 3 months only studying css, html and js. Then went on to build projects using React. Most of them even using create-react-app. Why would I do that if I lack a lot of very basic and fundamental CS knowledge? It was a pragmatic decision to acquire basic skills to get a job. Now…

The fact that you're learning about design patterns, architecture, and even (ugh, ok they still have their value, but hardly) algorithms, means that you'll be a great asset to a company.

Don't undervalue yourself. Many devs I've encountered without any formal training have no interest in learning design patterns, good architecture, and (ugh) algorithms...but not only do you know that the value is in learning these concepts, you are actually taking the next step and learning them. If you steer the interview in a direction of design patterns and algorithms, and showcase that you have knowledge on it, you'll stand out.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with inexperienced interviewers?

#72

Post by mikepost001 »

LandR wrote: post #28
BigJono wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't get me started on the framework buzzword bullshit. I'm so sick of developers that launch into 50 tool stacks just to tick the boxes. Whether it's resume driven development or just plain ignorance, it seems to be pervasive. I hate that every other interaction I have with the developer community is suggesting that a newbie back up a few steps and understand the problem they're trying to solve before introducing a…

We are also interviewing at the minute and I can't believe how low the bar is for people to claim they are software developers. I'm sure these learn to be a web developer in 8 weeks courses don't help, but even people with years of experience seem to be absolutely hopeless.

Maybe it's you, in asking irrelevant questions for their experience and/or the role. As touched on by OP.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with inexperienced interviewers?

#73

Post by virtuabhi »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #64
virtuabhi wrote: post #54

I think that commentators on this page have got this one completely wrong. It is important to let inexperienced engineers have a say in the recruitment process because they are the ones who will be working under you (right when you join or maybe in 6-12 months)! Just to give an example, in one of the onsite interviews at a big tech company, I was interviewed by someone 1-2 years out of his undergrad. He asked me to s…

OK, but if he's junior, he shouldn't be telling you your answers are wrong. If he does, he's not the kind of person you want under you.

Completely disagree. In most of the companies, unless it is a strict hierarchy, a 'junior' should be able to tell a 'senior' that his approach is wrong or propose a different solution. Now the 'junior' might be correct or incorrect, that is why the 'senior' should be a level-headed person so that he/she can recognize his/her mistake or correct the 'junior' without insulting him/her.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with inexperienced interviewers?

#74

Post by thinking_errol »

binaryapparatus wrote: post #31

It is made up profession. Of course they have to make it sound and look like there is any value is HR hiring. Sure younger interviewers don't know all the tricks yet to make it sound like it all makes sense. More than once I was talking to a guy (different ones) and when they proudly say they are in HR/interviewing people I feel genuinely sorry. Bragging to be a parasite and being proud about the fact. I've been nice…

H != R.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with inexperienced interviewers?

#75

Post by LandR »

mikepost001 wrote: post #72
LandR wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We are also interviewing at the minute and I can't believe how low the bar is for people to claim they are software developers. I'm sure these learn to be a web developer in 8 weeks courses don't help, but even people with years of experience seem to be absolutely hopeless.

Maybe it's you, in asking irrelevant questions for their experience and/or the role. As touched on by OP.

Asking for a C# developer with more than a few years experience. They can't do a simple Console app to read the contents of a file and create a collection of objects from the read data. They don't understand async / await, they don't udnerstand (or in some cases have never heard of) dependency injection, inversion of control, unit testing, mocking etc. Some from the tests they return don't understand even basic things like encapsulation.

That's not even getting into web stuff.

The console app they can do in their own time as well, so it's not even like we are asking them to code in front of us at the interview.

This is people who are currently working as developers as well, not graduates. People who claim to have experience in the field. It's mind boggling how they got employed at all.

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