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What frustrates me about this is not even these questions, specifically, but which companies seem to use them. If Google wants to ask crazy algorithm questions

What frustrates me about this is not even these questions, specifically, but which companies seem to use them. If Google wants to ask crazy algorithm questions, that's at least sort-of reasonable. There's at least a hypothetical chance your work will involve that knowledge. But I've interviewed at companies who's entire tech stack is a simple CRUD web app, or a simple RESTful mobile app, who's so-called "big data" is less than a few gigabytes in total, and they still want to throw algorithms and brain teasers at me. These same companies then post some inane blog post about the "developer shortage" and how "we can't find talented people". If these companies could actually find the candidate they're testing for -- this hypothetical hyper-intelligent developer who had a IBM-Watson-like memory of every CS algorithm and it's application in every language, that person would get completely bored working there and quit in 3 months or so. These companies could never retain the type of person their own hiring process exclusively selects for --- Hiring doesn't need to get fixed, companies need to get honest about what they are and what they actually want. To restate this in 1-10 scale : Many companies delude themselves into believing they are a 9 or 10, and are trying exclusively to hire 10's (and hypothetical 11's that don't exist). When in reality, most companies are in the 4 to 6 range, they only need people in the 4 to 6 range, but are rejecting 7 and 8s type candidates, because they aren't a 10. This process itself isn't broken, so much as the businesses holding the power in the process are delusional about...everything (what they are, what they need, who could provide that, etc).

adaml_623 11y ago
This certainly rings a bit true from the myriad of stories about this around the web. I would however disagree with your handwaving statement that 'they only need people in the 4 to 6 range'. Sometimes companies need some highly skilled types to try and rein in the chaos being creating by the 4s and 6s.
brazzledazzle 11y ago
I've learned that a lot of people need to lie to themselves sometimes to feel confident. If everyone was honest with themselves about how utterly average and relatively unimportant they are they'd probably be much less productive. And in case someone feels I'm looking down my nose, I consider myself positively average. A tiny part of me hopes/wishes that I'm not, but the rest knows better.
- mifreewil 11y ago
  Much of the advice around startups is actually centered around the idea of "fooling yourself" or "faking it 'til you make it" or other strategies of positive thinking. Working on a startup is a rollercoaster of emotions and using these strategies can be helpful. Real wisdom may be found in knowing when to fool (lie to) yourself and when not to.
bogomipz 11y ago
I like your last point, maybe it is just the culture around the process that is broken. The blog thing rings true to me. Many companies tech blogs are really just a recruiting funnel. I've interviewed at a couple of companies because of the content and the "engineering culture" they're always touting in their way too frequent blog posts. I've also walked away from those interviews feeling like a rube because that I had fallen for the "blog marketing" because my impression was their shop was a huge mess.

adaml_623 11y ago

This certainly rings a bit true from the myriad of stories about this around the web. I would however disagree with your handwaving statement that 'they only need people in the 4 to 6 range'. Sometimes companies need some highly skilled types to try and rein in the chaos being creating by the 4s and 6s.

brazzledazzle 11y ago

I've learned that a lot of people need to lie to themselves sometimes to feel confident. If everyone was honest with themselves about how utterly average and relatively unimportant they are they'd probably be much less productive. And in case someone feels I'm looking down my nose, I consider myself positively average. A tiny part of me hopes/wishes that I'm not, but the rest knows better.

mifreewil 11y ago
Much of the advice around startups is actually centered around the idea of "fooling yourself" or "faking it 'til you make it" or other strategies of positive thinking. Working on a startup is a rollercoaster of emotions and using these strategies can be helpful. Real wisdom may be found in knowing when to fool (lie to) yourself and when not to.

bogomipz 11y ago

I like your last point, maybe it is just the culture around the process that is broken. The blog thing rings true to me. Many companies tech blogs are really just a recruiting funnel. I've interviewed at a couple of companies because of the content and the "engineering culture" they're always touting in their way too frequent blog posts. I've also walked away from those interviews feeling like a rube because that I had fallen for the "blog marketing" because my impression was their shop was a huge mess.