6 ms·

"He used a for loop instead of a list comprehension. he clearly isn't actually a Python programmer" -- actual debrief comments :|

saagarjha 7y ago
Everyone knew PEP 20 was feel-good baloney anyways. It just took the Python programmers a bit longer to come around.
koyote 7y ago
I flunked an interview in a similar manner several years ago. Hadn't done Java in around half a decade but the company recruiter said that it's not an issue (they contacted me). Then I got a 30-minute online coding test that I had to do in Java. Took me a while to remember the syntax but finished the required problem in time and without issues/bugs. In the end I got dinged for not using the Java Arrays library for copying an array (used a manual for loop)...
- asveikau 7y ago
  > In the end I got dinged for not using the Java Arrays library for copying an array (used a manual for loop)... This doesn't sound like a smart interviewer. They are testing your knowledge of the library ahead of understanding what's going on. I'm pretty sure I've interviewed some people who could pull out Array.Copy for the interview but couldn't tell you that it does pretty much the same as the for loop, and that is much more alarming.
  - koyote 7y ago
    > This doesn't sound like a smart interviewer. I was slightly upset/angry at first but after thinking about it I came to the same conclusion and ended up being happy that I didn't get to pursue the opportunity any further.
_bxg1 7y ago
Personally I wouldn't want to work at a company like that
- rolltiide 7y ago
  That’s called privilege A currency we have in fluctuating quantities
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - _bxg1 7y ago
    That's fair. But I don't just say that because it strikes me as annoying. That sentiment of "a real Python programmer" speaks to a mentality of in-group superiority, which could mean pettiness when it comes to decision-making, and possibly even toxic, hubris-driven interpersonal dynamics. It could be anywhere from a mildly less effective team to a highly toxic work environment. That could matter in a real way.
    - hermitdev 7y ago
      I use Python's comprehensions a lot (list, tuple/generator, set and dict). I would not ding someone for not using them. They're a tool, but not always the right tool. Also, complex comprehensions can get out of hand and explicit loops become more legible. I got dinged at a trading shop using C# for using Linq instead of hand-writing the loops. I wasnt given any constraints, just solve X problems. I also wasnt being paid for the test, so I solved the problems in the most expedient manner for me. I didnt get the job. So it goes... Edit: I would ding someone claiming to be an experienced Python dev that cant identify/understand a comprehension. I've 16 years of experience with Python, so I know a fair amount (though the Python documentation is eternally open in my browser). I'm also the only person on my team with any real Python experience. We're building out extensive infrastructure in Python, so Ive been doing a lot of patient mentoring.
      - loopz 7y ago
rumanator 7y ago
If someone claims to be an experienced python developer and fails to write idiomatic python then his claims are clearly contrasting with his output. I won't argue if prior experience with a language is relevant or not for a job application, but lying in the CV and misrepresenting the work experience and skills is clearly a negative mark on a candidate.

saagarjha 7y ago

Everyone knew PEP 20 was feel-good baloney anyways. It just took the Python programmers a bit longer to come around.

koyote 7y ago

I flunked an interview in a similar manner several years ago. Hadn't done Java in around half a decade but the company recruiter said that it's not an issue (they contacted me). Then I got a 30-minute online coding test that I had to do in Java. Took me a while to remember the syntax but finished the required problem in time and without issues/bugs. In the end I got dinged for not using the Java Arrays library for copying an array (used a manual for loop)...

asveikau 7y ago
> In the end I got dinged for not using the Java Arrays library for copying an array (used a manual for loop)... This doesn't sound like a smart interviewer. They are testing your knowledge of the library ahead of understanding what's going on. I'm pretty sure I've interviewed some people who could pull out Array.Copy for the interview but couldn't tell you that it does pretty much the same as the for loop, and that is much more alarming.
- koyote 7y ago
  > This doesn't sound like a smart interviewer. I was slightly upset/angry at first but after thinking about it I came to the same conclusion and ended up being happy that I didn't get to pursue the opportunity any further.

_bxg1 7y ago

Personally I wouldn't want to work at a company like that

rolltiide 7y ago
That’s called privilege A currency we have in fluctuating quantities
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- _bxg1 7y ago
  That's fair. But I don't just say that because it strikes me as annoying. That sentiment of "a real Python programmer" speaks to a mentality of in-group superiority, which could mean pettiness when it comes to decision-making, and possibly even toxic, hubris-driven interpersonal dynamics. It could be anywhere from a mildly less effective team to a highly toxic work environment. That could matter in a real way.
  - hermitdev 7y ago
    I use Python's comprehensions a lot (list, tuple/generator, set and dict). I would not ding someone for not using them. They're a tool, but not always the right tool. Also, complex comprehensions can get out of hand and explicit loops become more legible. I got dinged at a trading shop using C# for using Linq instead of hand-writing the loops. I wasnt given any constraints, just solve X problems. I also wasnt being paid for the test, so I solved the problems in the most expedient manner for me. I didnt get the job. So it goes... Edit: I would ding someone claiming to be an experienced Python dev that cant identify/understand a comprehension. I've 16 years of experience with Python, so I know a fair amount (though the Python documentation is eternally open in my browser). I'm also the only person on my team with any real Python experience. We're building out extensive infrastructure in Python, so Ive been doing a lot of patient mentoring.
    - loopz 7y ago

rumanator 7y ago

If someone claims to be an experienced python developer and fails to write idiomatic python then his claims are clearly contrasting with his output. I won't argue if prior experience with a language is relevant or not for a job application, but lying in the CV and misrepresenting the work experience and skills is clearly a negative mark on a candidate.