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Questions to Ask When Interviewing for a Software Engineering Position

3 points by brettchalupa 10y ago

burfog 10y ago
Missed these: Are extra hours disallowed, expected, or optional? If not disallowed, are they: unpaid, time-and-a-half, regular rate...? Do personal electronics need to be kept out of the building for security or other reasons? Specifically, devices with: camera, microphone, transmitters, storage Is there internet access? (seriously; it may be prohibited for security or other reasons) If so, is any personal use OK, and what exactly prevents a hacked computer from transmitting everything to China? Do non-employees ever get physical access to an ethernet port? Do non-employees get VPN or wireless access or any other sort of account? Does communication need to be strictly logged to satisfy a regulator such as the SEC? Tabs or spaces? Camel case or underscores? Where does the opening curly brace go? Do developers get admin/root power on their computers? Can developers install software? Do computers need to get shut down daily or when unattended? Do computers or their hard drives need to be locked in a safe when not in use? When leaving a work area, does an alarm need to be set or a combo lock need to be locked? If so, is there a restroom in the work area? Are employees searched upon entering or leaving? Is there a drug test? (though if you ask this they will wonder...) Is food permitted in the work area? Is food provided, for free or for sale? Do people leave to eat? Do people order delivered food? Suit and tie required? Shoes required? OK to bring a kid, spouse, or dog? (also, do other people bring dogs?) Is there an uninteruptable power supply for the computer? How long can work continue with the power out? Can a computer be left on over weekends and holidays? Do employees typically get together in a prayer group or bible study group? What is the worst damage that a bug could cause? Could people die? Could the economy be devastated? Could people go to prison? Is there formal verification? How is the toolchain verified? Is the build machine virtualized and in version control? Is the toolchain in version control? How are real-time constraints verified?

3 points by brettchalupa 10y ago

Missed these: Are extra hours disallowed, expected, or optional? If not disallowed, are they: unpaid, time-and-a-half, regular rate...? Do personal electronics need to be kept out of the building for security or other reasons? Specifically, devices with: camera, microphone, transmitters, storage Is there internet access? (seriously; it may be prohibited for security or other reasons) If so, is any personal use OK, and what exactly prevents a hacked computer from transmitting everything to China? Do non-employees ever get physical access to an ethernet port? Do non-employees get VPN or wireless access or any other sort of account? Does communication need to be strictly logged to satisfy a regulator such as the SEC? Tabs or spaces? Camel case or underscores? Where does the opening curly brace go? Do developers get admin/root power on their computers? Can developers install software? Do computers need to get shut down daily or when unattended? Do computers or their hard drives need to be locked in a safe when not in use? When leaving a work area, does an alarm need to be set or a combo lock need to be locked? If so, is there a restroom in the work area? Are employees searched upon entering or leaving? Is there a drug test? (though if you ask this they will wonder...) Is food permitted in the work area? Is food provided, for free or for sale? Do people leave to eat? Do people order delivered food? Suit and tie required? Shoes required? OK to bring a kid, spouse, or dog? (also, do other people bring dogs?) Is there an uninteruptable power supply for the computer? How long can work continue with the power out? Can a computer be left on over weekends and holidays? Do employees typically get together in a prayer group or bible study group? What is the worst damage that a bug could cause? Could people die? Could the economy be devastated? Could people go to prison? Is there formal verification? How is the toolchain verified? Is the build machine virtualized and in version control? Is the toolchain in version control? How are real-time constraints verified?