June 26, 2013 at 8:39 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Better Technical Interviews
June 27, 2013 at 6:54 am
Give them a rope and let them hang themselves (metaphorically speaking).
Ask open ended questions and see how they handle themselves. Deliberately ask questions you think that they may not be able to answer in order to test both their integrity and explore how they would deal with leaving their comfort zone.
You don't have to be mean about it, after all you are doing the same for everyone including current team members who have been taken on.
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
June 27, 2013 at 8:03 am
I like the idea of having interviewers conduct interviews of some existing employees. We have to be able to separate a strong candidate who interviews poorly from a weak candidate who interviews well. I admit I find that to be difficult. I don't fall for sales pitches and usually see them for what they are, but I find that the interview process itself is too short to make a really well-informed decision.
I usually slip in a trick question that isn't possible and watch the reaction. If they're bluffing the interview, they're done. If they can admit they don't know, then that indicates honesty, which is important. The best example of this I've seen was posted (I believe by Sean Lange) who asks when the last time was that the candidate queried the transaction log to rollback a transaction that shouldn't have been performed. Granted, these will only take us so far.
Examples of work they're especially proud of AND something they're disappointed with are good topics too.
June 27, 2013 at 8:31 am
The idea of hiring someone for a side project is a good one the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard.
June 27, 2013 at 8:49 am
johnbrown105 56149 (6/27/2013)
The idea of hiring someone for a side project isa good onethe most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard.
because?
June 27, 2013 at 10:15 am
I think that's sarcasm (I hope).
June 27, 2013 at 10:50 am
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (6/27/2013)
johnbrown105 56149 (6/27/2013)
The idea of hiring someone for a side project isa good onethe most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard.because?
I'm supposed to quit my job to work for you for a week on the chance that maybe, just maybe, I might be hired permanently? Do you genuinely think that this is not a ridiculous idea?
June 27, 2013 at 10:56 am
I think you misunderstood. Steve thinks you should work a few hours at home (after work) doing a small project over a week or two and get paid for it.
Personally I know many people who do this just to make extra money and would not consider it unreasonable to be asked to do this. This is in the US though maybe it's different elsewhere...
June 27, 2013 at 12:08 pm
Perhaps we have different definitions of side project. As John H noted, this would be 15-20 hours outside your current job, nights, weekends, whatever.
This would assume you've gotten through an interview or two and both sides (employer and employee), want to move forward.
As a side note, if you didn't think this was a good idea, an explanation of why, or some reasons make sense. Jumping to conclusions and saying something is ridiculous doesn't seem like a thoughtful reaction.
June 27, 2013 at 1:53 pm
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (6/27/2013)
Perhaps we have different definitions of side project. As John H noted, this would be 15-20 hours outside your current job, nights, weekends, whatever.
Yes, it seems so. Your "side project" is 15-20 hours. I definitely was not thinking along those lines. I fail to see that what you could learn in that time that you could not find out in an old-fashioned interview.
As a side note, if you didn't think this was a good idea, an explanation of why, or some reasons make sense. Jumping to conclusions and saying something is ridiculous doesn't seem like a thoughtful reaction.
To be honest, it seemed self-evident to me. I struggle to see why anyone would have a different view.
Then there is the fact that this method does not scale, as you put it. Well, you got that right. You can assess exactly one person this way. How many 15-20 hour projects do you have lying around anyway?
This idea has no chance to work.
June 28, 2013 at 6:12 am
The biggest issue I would have with this process (which is the same for online [and offsite] testing) is that it could be done by someone other than the interviewer.
15-20 hour projects? I could think up something useful easily. At that amount of money i.e. 2-3 days cost it is a lot cheaper than finding you have employed someone you have to get rid of.
This is definitely a last (or penultimate) hurdle option. I like it.
Everything is self-evident to an author 😉
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
June 28, 2013 at 7:56 am
Ed Wagner (6/27/2013)
I like the idea of having interviewers conduct interviews of some existing employees. We have to be able to separate a strong candidate who interviews poorly from a weak candidate who interviews well. I admit I find that to be difficult. I don't fall for sales pitches and usually see them for what they are, but I find that the interview process itself is too short to make a really well-informed decision.I usually slip in a trick question that isn't possible and watch the reaction. If they're bluffing the interview, they're done. If they can admit they don't know, then that indicates honesty, which is important. The best example of this I've seen was posted (I believe by Sean Lange) who asks when the last time was that the candidate queried the transaction log to rollback a transaction that shouldn't have been performed. Granted, these will only take us so far.
Examples of work they're especially proud of AND something they're disappointed with are good topics too.
LOL! I do recall once, in the aftermath of a delete script gone wrong, querying the transaction log for a clue about what stop date/time to use in a point in restore.
It us useful to ask candidates open ended discussion type questions, something like:
"A user has just deleted an unknown number of records from a transactional table, and you need to restore that data from backup. How you go about doing that?".
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
July 1, 2013 at 10:09 am
Eric M Russell (6/28/2013)
LOL! I do recall once, in the aftermath of a delete script gone wrong, querying the transaction log for a clue about what stop date/time to use in a point in restore.It us useful to ask candidates open ended discussion type questions, something like:
"A user has just deleted an unknown number of records from a transactional table, and you need to restore that data from backup. How you go about doing that?".
I like these kinds of questions, whether I interview or am being interviewed, especially when based on issues at the company. It helps determine if the candidate will fit in, how they think, and if they followed the same paths are existing employees. That can be good or bad, but either way it's information that helps make a decision.
July 2, 2013 at 10:04 am
Where I work, we don't hire entry level developers straight out of university, or at least not on the database side. Every interview I've participated in has been with candidates that have at least 5 years of experience, and most of them 10 or more, so the interview is more about going over their past positions and projects rather than asking them fizz-buzz type questions.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
July 2, 2013 at 11:25 am
Eric M Russell (7/2/2013)
Where I work, we don't hire entry level developers straight out of university
So your company insists upon reaping where it did not sow? Luckily for you, the company that hired you for your first job did not think that way, and luckily for your company, there is a steady stream of other companies to train their employees to work there.
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