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"People that call 'whiteboarding' a skill don't really get it. If you have irrational fear over people's judgements and this manifests when you're being intervi

"People that call 'whiteboarding' a skill don't really get it. If you have irrational fear over people's judgements and this manifests when you're being interviewed, you can't merely expose yourself to this fear often to lessen it. It is very difficult to change how your mind and body react to uncomfortable situations. " I disagree on a few levels. I can't back anything with data but I'll point to where you can find many people who will offer their anecdotal stories of desensitizing themselves. Being able to talk and interact with people is a part of the role. Software is not written in isolation - it is done best with a lot of collaboration and critical review of work. Being able to communicate and give and receive critical feedback are cornerstone traits. Good code is not written in isolation and giving and receiving critical feedback is not comfortable. If I interview for those traits and qualities, I hope that I'm not discriminating against social anxiety but I spent 5 years in toastmaster's throwing myself in uncomfortable situations until I could come out of it. I feel like interviewing is becoming this PC thing where we try to form to evaluate people in the way that is comfortable for them, where we live in a world where people need to break out of their comfort zone and learn to shape themselves into their environments. Go to Toastmasters, speak in front of people, keep going and you'll improve your skills - yes the soft ones too. You'll become comfortable - you will - ask anyone who stands and speaks confidently in front of you in those rooms if they were always that calm and composed while speaking in front of people. They were not and they learned to speak 'off the cuff' on topics they were not prepared for or subjects they didn't expect in there. Maybe I'm alone in my thoughts but I'm looking for people who will grow. I want someone who will stand strong if I give them a critical code review - I want someone who will hang their ego at the door and be able to talk about what we're working on objectively. If I'm still coming off too hard on this, what if I say that it's a consulting company that I'm hiring for and that the staff will be in front of customers who will interview and drill them every day? Ultimately, we can grow and change. I know we can because I have grown and changed. I want my staff to have a growth mentality, not a fixed view of themselves.

drdaeman 10y ago
Except that interviews are different than any other form of workspace interaction, except, possibly, for presentations (but not really). When being interviewed, candidate is not [only] solving the task of getting things done and done well - they're struggling with the task of appealing to others. Interacting - be it in a normal non-stressful environment, or in most stressful emergencies when everything's on fire - is almost entirely different experience. I guess, primary difference is that no one judges you (at least, not explicitly) but you're working with the team to reach some goal. Maybe there are interviews where interviewers are there to actually help candidate to tell about their good and bad sides and even receive useful feedback and not just "thanks, we'll contact you [never]". Wish I'd be to one, because every one I was to (not much) felt like an exam with a taste of scrutiny.
enraged_camel 10y ago
>>Being able to talk and interact with people is a part of the role. Software is not written in isolation - it is done best with a lot of collaboration and critical review of work. Being able to communicate and give and receive critical feedback are cornerstone traits. Good code is not written in isolation and giving and receiving critical feedback is not comfortable. There is a difference between collaborating and receiving critical feedback from a fellow coworker, and being evaluated by an interviewer (or worse yet, a group of interviewers) who might or might not offer you a job (since your livelihood depends on that). That's why people who are typically comfortable working with others can become extremely anxious during whiteboard interviews.
lhnz 10y ago
> I hope that I'm not discriminating against social > anxiety but I spent 5 years in toastmaster's > throwing myself in uncomfortable situations > until I could come out of it. That is impressive and I believe you, however I don't think exposure therapy is proven to work in all cases for everybody. Either way, I don't think that we should require everybody to have 5 years of practice in whiteboard interviews before they can get a job. That can't be right. > Maybe I'm alone in my thoughts but I'm looking > for people who will grow. Perhaps they would like to choose what they spend their time on. Sometimes introverts don't mind being introverted, and don't want to take courses on "how to be the most exciting guy in the room". They like their personality as it is. They might still push themselves to grow, but they choose to grow in the areas that they care about.

drdaeman 10y ago

Except that interviews are different than any other form of workspace interaction, except, possibly, for presentations (but not really). When being interviewed, candidate is not [only] solving the task of getting things done and done well - they're struggling with the task of appealing to others. Interacting - be it in a normal non-stressful environment, or in most stressful emergencies when everything's on fire - is almost entirely different experience. I guess, primary difference is that no one judges you (at least, not explicitly) but you're working with the team to reach some goal. Maybe there are interviews where interviewers are there to actually help candidate to tell about their good and bad sides and even receive useful feedback and not just "thanks, we'll contact you [never]". Wish I'd be to one, because every one I was to (not much) felt like an exam with a taste of scrutiny.

enraged_camel 10y ago

>>Being able to talk and interact with people is a part of the role. Software is not written in isolation - it is done best with a lot of collaboration and critical review of work. Being able to communicate and give and receive critical feedback are cornerstone traits. Good code is not written in isolation and giving and receiving critical feedback is not comfortable. There is a difference between collaborating and receiving critical feedback from a fellow coworker, and being evaluated by an interviewer (or worse yet, a group of interviewers) who might or might not offer you a job (since your livelihood depends on that). That's why people who are typically comfortable working with others can become extremely anxious during whiteboard interviews.

lhnz 10y ago

> I hope that I'm not discriminating against social > anxiety but I spent 5 years in toastmaster's > throwing myself in uncomfortable situations > until I could come out of it. That is impressive and I believe you, however I don't think exposure therapy is proven to work in all cases for everybody. Either way, I don't think that we should require everybody to have 5 years of practice in whiteboard interviews before they can get a job. That can't be right. > Maybe I'm alone in my thoughts but I'm looking > for people who will grow. Perhaps they would like to choose what they spend their time on. Sometimes introverts don't mind being introverted, and don't want to take courses on "how to be the most exciting guy in the room". They like their personality as it is. They might still push themselves to grow, but they choose to grow in the areas that they care about.