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>> I prefer to ask candidates how they would approach solving a problem Word. Totally off topic, but: I work in the field of information technology since more
by y42 6y ago
>> I prefer to ask candidates how they would approach solving a problem
Word. Totally off topic, but: I work in the field of information technology since more than 20 years now, more or less. Not always the same focus, not always full time, but always IT related. I consider myself a good problem solver because of my self learning and analytical skills.
I recently applied for a job as a BI developer. The interview consisted of 10 questions about SQL. I more or less answered them, just 1 or 2 wrong. Not wrong as in "not correct" but rather "Not what we exactly expected" or "you did not see the little traps".
Comes out they didn't take me because of my lack of SQL skills. I do not understand how this kind of recruiting process will help anyone getting skilled people and how this is still common practice. It's frustrating for people like me, who do not have the complete SQL syntax in mind, but are flexible in choosing their problem solving approaches. A couple of years ago I started in a big data company, never heard of MongoDB before, little skills in Bash. If they would just asked me questions about that, hiring me would be a total no-go. They did hire me. I improved process, like measurable, and mastered MongoDB. Nothing, that one could expect from a questionaire.
A second interview, same outcome. They not even asked me detailled questions, just wanted to know what my SQL skills are. I answered: Immediate, but I'm good in learning. The did not take me, too.
Although, I understand that it's hard to evaluate this kind of skill, I'm really frustrated, when I face those "hiring techniques". Or maybe I'm just not good in SQL, and they anticipated it.. ;)
- Florin_Andrei 6y ago> Comes out they didn't take me because of my lack of SQL skills. Good. You don't want to work there. It's not a good place to be in. That signal is very clear.
- aok1425 6y agoI can try to help you pass the SQL round. I’m going through DS/Analytics Eng interviews myself. I’ve passed all of my technical rounds, but failed the final rounds so far. Email me at aok1425 at gmail.
- arpyzo 6y agoI think this must happen in all computer engineering fields. It's happened to me numerous times when applying for DevOps positions. Interviewers don't seem to realize that possessing knowledge and fluency are a trade-off. If I'm amazing at SQL, I'll have a gaps elsewhere and vice-versa. There's just too much to learn, and stay on top of. My takeaway when I fail an interview due to nonsense like this is that these aren't places I would've been happy working at anyway so they did me a favor by not hiring me.
- noodlenotes 6y agoThere's another possibility but only because you mentioned SQL specifically. People often use SQL as shorthand for "understand how to manipulate data," and if a new hire doesn't have this skill it can really set a data team back, so interviewers are touchy about SQL. It would be helpful if they clarified if it was the SQL syntax skills or the data manipulation skills they had a problem with. But generally I agree with you that companies should prioritize problem solving skills over technical minutiae.
- kvn_95 6y ago> But generally I agree with you that companies should prioritize problem solving skills over technical minutiae. Unless, the company's goal is to hire someone with technical minutiae that they can pay the lowest wage possible :)
- waltherg 6y agoThe - to my mind - most absurd version of this was a well-known Swedish fintech I interviewed with where the one barrier they had set up was one of those online IQ tests (rotating, mirroring etc. blobs on a grid). I was interviewing for a senior data science role and the other points of contact I had in the process were surprisingly non-technical conversations with a VP of data and another senior data scientist. Alas, my skills in rotating blobs on a grid failed me that day so that was that.
- dracyr 6y agoYeah, I instantly know which company you're talking about... I know a couple of developers there and as far as I understood all applicants have to do the IQ test. They also thought it was ridiculous, but the CEO really really likes them, so it stays.
- kvn_95 6y agoThe way I see it, an interview goes both ways. They try to assess your fit in the company, and you're also trying to assess if the company is something you want to spend your time on. I call this the "game show style" interview. You know the answer, you get $10k. Next question. You didn't know the answer? You're out of the show. Next contestant. To me this is very disrespectful of your time and your capabilities. Once I was pumped to go into an interview with a very well known company in Sydney, but was dismayed to learn that they do this game show interview (with IQ test, no less!). I wouldn't want to waste my most precious resources (i.e. time) for a company that doesn't respect me.