3 ms·
This is something which has vexed me for ages. I would fail most contemporary software interviews. I personally don't view myself as a great developer but whene
by jghn 9y ago
This is something which has vexed me for ages. I would fail most contemporary software interviews. I personally don't view myself as a great developer but whenever I make comments like "I would fail most contemporary software interviews" people who have worked with me swear that I must be full of it. Perhaps they're just being nice.
I'm pretty sure I'd fail the current software interview at my company, yet I remain gainfully employed there without issue. It's not like I'm just scraping by either, I do well for myself there.
Luckily I enjoy my current job as the thought of going through these interviews and constantly failing miserably frightens the hell out of me. Part of the problem is that I refuse to study for months just so that I can pass some interviews and then promptly forget all of that stuff I just studied. That's just silly.
I don't know what this means for our industry, and it's not like I have any better ideas, not reasonable ones at least.
- EGreg 9y agoThis may be like "approach anxiety" for when guys never strike up a conversation with a woman they are interested in because they think all women will reject them. Why not try and go on some interviews? How can you possibly know you will be rejected without even going on one interview? Do you think all companies are the same, and your competition is all prepared for whatever it is you imagine they are doing? You're shadowboxing without ever getting in the ring.
- diggernet 9y agoI believe your error here is "without even going on one interview". There are many developers who have proven their skills and abilities on the job, and also have a proven ability to repeatedly fail interviews. This is precisely why the developer interviewing process is such a hot topic here.
- jack_h 9y agoThere's another aspect that I can speak to personally. My career never really got off the ground. For most companies I'd get through all of the technical phone interviews just fine and after the in-person interviews it was always a rejection. Coupled with my deteriorating financial situation that lead to a lot of depression and massive amounts of self-doubt. To this day I still doubt my abilities quite heavily. Friends and coworkers say I'm smart and talented and whatever, but quite frankly I don't believe them. These interviews can be soul crushing to people with my type of personality.
- monkeywork 9y agoare you suggesting that if you have "proven yourself " you should be able to skip the interview process?
- daveFNbuck 9y agoThe suggestion, which many experienced people also make, is that once you've proven your ability the interview shouldn't focus on that. Spending 5 hours asking about algorithms is a waste of time when you already know someone has the technical chops.
- nsxwolf 9y agoI didn't do a technical interview at all for my last few jobs.
- diggernet 9y agoI am suggesting that "Why not try and go on some interviews?" is a silly, and potentially offensive, thing to say in response to someone describing their difficulties with the interview process. Especially when discussing a field where there is considerable ongoing debate about the usefulness and sensibility of various common interview techniques.