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A solution is a solution. Proving that you can search for a solution and use it is a positive thing. There are loads of people who can't do even that. It wasn't

A solution is a solution. Proving that you can search for a solution and use it is a positive thing. There are loads of people who can't do even that. It wasn't like copy-paste. You still have to understand how to write the code that uses the API, you still have to get the input from the console and write the output to it. And if I follow your trail of thought, then I hope you're not using stackoverflow when you do your job, because that means you are relying on others to solve a problem for you. Does your boss know about this? I wonder how many times you copy-pasted anything. And just for your information I still provided a second solution for them after they frown back the first one. But hey, sorry if I think solving a problem doesn't mean I have to write everything from scratch.

hackinthebochs 10y ago
You're in an interview, you know they're looking for signals to your programming ability. You should offer them the maximally-informative signal without having to be prodded. Sure, knowing to search for an existing solution first is an asset, but that should be more-or-less a given. If you didn't want to assume it was a given you could have just mentioned that in the real world you would simply google for an API or an existing method as you were coding up the solution to their question. It just seems counter to the entire process of interviewing to expect essentially an API call to be acceptable in that context, so your apparent expectation that it would be doesn't seem reasonable at all.
- MrLeftHand 10y ago
  To be honest this was like 4 years ago. I thought it was a good thing to show that I can get things done in way it costs less effort and time. I was wrong, I moved on, so did they. If I would have a similar test today I wouldn't go down the same route, because I know what they would expect. Maybe it was my sysadmin past talking back then. Trying to find a good existing solution for the problem.
  - bbcbasic 10y ago
    Interviewing is about putting on the dance. Juggle some balls on a unicycle etc. It's a rite of passage to what may be a cool job but you have to jump through the hoops like a dolphin.
    - MrLeftHand 10y ago
      That sounds pretty cool. I hope at the end they wont try to feed me with raw fish. And there is the part 'may be a cool job'. Sometimes that part is a lie. Yes come to us and you will be working with the newest tech and learn new things... Oh did we forgot to mention we use CVS, Java 1.6 and Expoler 8? You want to use something else? No can't do sweety.
      - bbcbasic 10y ago
        I am over using the newest tech. Just want to work on interesting problems. JS fatigue etc. I'm glad I don't do web dev anymore!
greggman 10y ago
Me to supposed mechanic: "Can you repair my car?" Mechanic: gets out the yellow pages and calls a real mechanic. Me: ok I'll hire that guy you just called They're not hiring someone to search. They're hiring someone to code. You proved you could search but not that you could code
- MrLeftHand 10y ago
  Me to supposed mechanic: "Can you fix my car?" Mechanic: "Yes, of course!" - he gets up and collects loads of bits and pieces, metal bars and stuff, then starts to hammer away to create a car part. Me: "What the hell are you doing?" Mechanic: "I'm building the part for your car." Me: "Don't you have a spare or something?" Mechanic: "Well I don't, but there are spares I could order." Me: "Then do it man, order one." Mechanic: "Nah, I like to build everything by myself." Anyway, using an API doesn't mean you don't have to code. I was wrong, I learned, next time will be different.
  - mtreis86 10y ago
    What if that shop builds race cars and trophy trucks? Are you okay with the part being replaced being of higher quality and finish than the original? What about some advanced alloy that would not have been financially do-able for a manufacturer to use? When hiring someone with "fabrication skills" into a machine shop, you certainly don't expect them to order a part during the interview when you just asked them to make a part on the lathe. Which position are you interviewing for, machinist or administrator/purchasing?
    - kragen 10y ago
      I'm going to hazard a guess that you don't have any manufacturing experience due to shibboleths: you said "fabrication" but you meant turning, not sheet-metal bending. Did I guess right? This is a common interview tactic: trying to figure out if someone belongs to a group known to have particular skills by their choice of words or similar.
      - 10y ago

hackinthebochs 10y ago

You're in an interview, you know they're looking for signals to your programming ability. You should offer them the maximally-informative signal without having to be prodded. Sure, knowing to search for an existing solution first is an asset, but that should be more-or-less a given. If you didn't want to assume it was a given you could have just mentioned that in the real world you would simply google for an API or an existing method as you were coding up the solution to their question. It just seems counter to the entire process of interviewing to expect essentially an API call to be acceptable in that context, so your apparent expectation that it would be doesn't seem reasonable at all.

MrLeftHand 10y ago
To be honest this was like 4 years ago. I thought it was a good thing to show that I can get things done in way it costs less effort and time. I was wrong, I moved on, so did they. If I would have a similar test today I wouldn't go down the same route, because I know what they would expect. Maybe it was my sysadmin past talking back then. Trying to find a good existing solution for the problem.
- bbcbasic 10y ago
  Interviewing is about putting on the dance. Juggle some balls on a unicycle etc. It's a rite of passage to what may be a cool job but you have to jump through the hoops like a dolphin.
  - MrLeftHand 10y ago
    That sounds pretty cool. I hope at the end they wont try to feed me with raw fish. And there is the part 'may be a cool job'. Sometimes that part is a lie. Yes come to us and you will be working with the newest tech and learn new things... Oh did we forgot to mention we use CVS, Java 1.6 and Expoler 8? You want to use something else? No can't do sweety.
    - bbcbasic 10y ago
      I am over using the newest tech. Just want to work on interesting problems. JS fatigue etc. I'm glad I don't do web dev anymore!

greggman 10y ago

Me to supposed mechanic: "Can you repair my car?" Mechanic: gets out the yellow pages and calls a real mechanic. Me: ok I'll hire that guy you just called They're not hiring someone to search. They're hiring someone to code. You proved you could search but not that you could code

MrLeftHand 10y ago
Me to supposed mechanic: "Can you fix my car?" Mechanic: "Yes, of course!" - he gets up and collects loads of bits and pieces, metal bars and stuff, then starts to hammer away to create a car part. Me: "What the hell are you doing?" Mechanic: "I'm building the part for your car." Me: "Don't you have a spare or something?" Mechanic: "Well I don't, but there are spares I could order." Me: "Then do it man, order one." Mechanic: "Nah, I like to build everything by myself." Anyway, using an API doesn't mean you don't have to code. I was wrong, I learned, next time will be different.
- mtreis86 10y ago
  What if that shop builds race cars and trophy trucks? Are you okay with the part being replaced being of higher quality and finish than the original? What about some advanced alloy that would not have been financially do-able for a manufacturer to use? When hiring someone with "fabrication skills" into a machine shop, you certainly don't expect them to order a part during the interview when you just asked them to make a part on the lathe. Which position are you interviewing for, machinist or administrator/purchasing?
  - kragen 10y ago
    I'm going to hazard a guess that you don't have any manufacturing experience due to shibboleths: you said "fabrication" but you meant turning, not sheet-metal bending. Did I guess right? This is a common interview tactic: trying to figure out if someone belongs to a group known to have particular skills by their choice of words or similar.
    - 10y ago