Worst interview questions for software developers • Hacker News Board

Re: Worst interview questions for software developers

#101

Post by neilv » Sun, Jan 01, 2023, 9:42 AM UTC

> 5. Why are you the best candidate for this job?

This could be a good question, when it's a high-value position of which a big part of it involves depending on the person's advice/judgment.

If they give what seems like a very honest and thoughtful assessment, that's a good sign.

But seems useless or counterproductive, if it comes off to them as just a nonsense ritual or trying to assert power. And if you don't alienate them, they might still give you a counterproductive sales answer, and that also then sets the tone for if you hire them and want honest assessments.

Re: Worst interview questions for software developers

#102

Post by andirk » Sun, Jan 01, 2023, 9:44 AM UTC

curious-im wrote: post #85

Most of the questions by themselves are not stupid, it looks like the author just used them for the wrong reasons. It's more of a HR questions and as a manager he can leave it to recruiters. Many years ago I worked in HR, here's this questions as recruiters see them: 9. Trying to understand persons motivation for the job. For culture fit, for position, etc. Not a'ways 'i love it and that's my sole interest in life' i…

The whole how many dogs fit in to a clown car is truly a waste of time and a relic of the original Google interview questions that everyone beat off to. Value your prospect's time and ask relevant questions even if they are weird. But don't think you/they, Mr. I Just Thought of A Fun Question With No Way of Discerning If The Answer is Sufficient Or Not, are going to create some existential divide between the good candidates and the rest. Ask them how close to a fist fight have they gotten in because of a PR and did they win.

Re: Worst interview questions for software developers

#103

Post by Cyberdog » Sun, Jan 01, 2023, 9:45 AM UTC

FabHK wrote: post #57

That is a terrible list. Many of those questions are perfectly fine. 10 - Fermi problems. Good to get an indication of a candidate's problem solving skills. 9,8,7,6 - The candidates's motivation, weaknesses, strengths, plans. What's wrong with that? Evidently, you have to modulate the answers somewhat, but the extent to which you do that well is indicative of your understanding of the job requirements, the competitio…

> 10 - Fermi problems. Good to get an indication of a candidate's problem solving skills.

Calculating the number of pencils used by Chicago's public school system in one year or whatever is pointless, though. I could "solve" this problem, or at least make a reasonable estimate, I suppose, but I'm a web developer. Wouldn't you get a better indication of my problem solving skills if you asked me about a problem related to web development?

A question like "what are some problems you ran into on previous projects and how did you solve them?" will be one I can answer instantly as well as give you a better indication of the competence I have doing the job you actually want to hire me for.

Re: Worst interview questions for software developers

#104

Post by [deleted] » Sun, Jan 01, 2023, 9:46 AM UTC

mbg721 wrote: post #61

rdoherty wrote: post #23

Worst one I got recently was "What is your perfect number of working hours per week?" I said 40 and the interview process was ended early after the CEO said "oh we put in 50 per week because we know it takes extra effort for a startup". I expanded on how 40 is what works for me, interview got very cold after that. I felt pretty incredulous after that. Especially when the recruiter asked if 40 was a hard requirement.…

"172." "There are only 168 hours in a week." "We expect your family to put in some hours also."

[deleted]

Re: Worst interview questions for software developers

#105

Post by andirk » Sun, Jan 01, 2023, 9:50 AM UTC

rdoherty wrote: post #23

Worst one I got recently was "What is your perfect number of working hours per week?" I said 40 and the interview process was ended early after the CEO said "oh we put in 50 per week because we know it takes extra effort for a startup". I expanded on how 40 is what works for me, interview got very cold after that. I felt pretty incredulous after that. Especially when the recruiter asked if 40 was a hard requirement.…

Response to the 50: "Sounds like you need to work _smarter_, not longer and harder like my--" and then walk out but walk with a gait gorilla walk due to the weight.

Re: Worst interview questions for software developers

#106

Post by andirk » Sun, Jan 01, 2023, 9:53 AM UTC

aaronbrethorst wrote: post #88

Volundr wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I actually disagree on 10, I just estimated the population of New York then looked it up and was off by an order of magnitude. Good chance I'd do worse in an interview situation than sitting at home. A few more estimates with errors of this size and we've learned what? I have a poor grasp of US census data? Unless this is a realistic approximation of the kind of thing your doing with this job, the time in the intervi…

"why are manhole covers round" So they don't fall in. Next question.

2023 answer: Excuse me? You mean a street-level maintenance access lid? So it can't fall in. And why are a bunch of the other similar lids not circle? I leave that one up to you vape hit

Re: Worst interview questions for software developers

#107

Post by neilv » Sun, Jan 01, 2023, 9:53 AM UTC

> 4. Why do you change jobs so often (so rarely)?

If an engineering candidate's last few positions have all been about a 1-year vest, that's definitely going to be on my mind. I'd prefer to build a coherent, highly-effective development team who can see us through the whole lifecycles of this and successive projects -- not what might as well be fly-by-night gig contractors, tossing less-aligned check-off sprint deliverables over the wall.

I don't currently have a standard way to ask about this, and would play it by ear. Maybe their answer is that there was something about recent positions that they didn't like, or maybe they've been doing early startups, or maybe they were junior but just now hitting their stride as experienced and know what they want and how to perform, or maybe they give what seems like a dishonest answer, or maybe they're only looking for particular kind of short-term transactional engagements (which we might need).

Re: Worst interview questions for software developers

#108

Post by sumedh » Sun, Jan 01, 2023, 9:55 AM UTC

ikiris wrote: post #72

lr4444lr wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, you're not wrong, and are even downplaying how seriously disruptive a serial job hopper is to a company. I have without regrets red-flagged numerous well-qualified candidates who were an obvious flight risk at the companies I have worked at, which were always smallish. Now that big tech is contracting its ranks somewhat, this behavior is going to be even more suspect, because they will not have that refuge so eas…

If you want people to stay, pay them more in tune with what they're worth and they will. This isn't brain surgery.

After a while its not just money, if you like your work, your manager and your teammates, have a good work life balance, it does not make sense to jump just for money.

Re: Worst interview questions for software developers

#109

Post by dudeinjapan » Sun, Jan 01, 2023, 9:56 AM UTC

andirk wrote: post #99

IncRnd wrote: post #6

4. Why do you change jobs so often (so rarely)? How does that matter? If I am a match for the company in terms of qualifications and personal qualities, how will my job history and reflection help? I changed jobs every year or so. Is that “often” or “rarely”? What’s wrong with changing jobs frequently? It is actually important to ask this of a candidate who seems to frequently change jobs. A hiring manager may not wa…

That's a fine question. The "what's with this gap in your resume" makes me want to slap someone. I didn't feel like working and I am compensated well for my skillset that you seek hereto, so how about why haven't you taken a break recently, son? Huh? Too busy catching up on the Joneses to keep yourself relevant? Thought so.

"It says here that for 22 years you went... Kerouac on everyone's ass?"

Re: Worst interview questions for software developers

#110

Post by neilv » Sun, Jan 01, 2023, 10:02 AM UTC

> 3. Do you have bad habits?

This might be a worse version of the "greatest weaknesses" question. It sounds like it could get closer to protected status that you consciously don't go anywhere near in an interview context.

Also, some of my favorite and most capable colleagues might answer honestly, about some random quirk, and not only is it problematic to have asked, but -- if that quirk got transmitted through some corporate telephone game, like an interviewer wrote down the answer -- someone elsewhere in the org will probably get a garbled impression (from "drinks too much coffee" or whatever), and then maybe bureaucracy breaks down during the offer process for the person you most should've hired, and they get alienated and go somewhere else.